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SOCIOLOGY
Chapter 1
Lecture Questions
Section 1 (pgs. 4-8)
Revised December 2014
1. Why are humans considered
to be social animals?
• Human beings are social animals who
need other people.
• Isolate someone from other people, they
will suffer from negative psychological
trauma in only a short period of time.
– Remember, “Wilson” in the movie Castaway?
2. Why is it important to study
life in society?
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Your life is affected by the society and culture in your
community.
 For example, the average age at which people in the
United States first marry has been rising steadily for
several decades.
 Also, approximately 26 million Americans were victims
of crime in 2000. On average a violent crime every 22
seconds and one murder every 34 minutes.
By studying and analyzing information on these topics
and related topics, sociologists have developed theories
that explain social behavior and its effect in our
communities.
3. What helps to mold us into unique
individuals with varied outlooks on
life?
• Values
• what is important to us.
• Beliefs
• personal beliefs about a variety of topics.
• Lifestyles
• how we chose to live our life.
• Experiences of those around us
• people we come in contact with influence us.
• And historic events
• major events have an impact on us and those we share a
culture with.
4. What is sociology?
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Sociology is the social science that
studies human society and social
behavior.
Social sciences are the disciplines that
study human social behavior or
institutions and functions of human
society in a scientific manner.
5. In what are sociologists mainly
interested?
Sociologists are interested in social
interaction or how people relate to one
another.
 They are also interested in how this
relationship influences each other’s
behavior.
 Consequently, sociologists tend to focus
on the group rather than on the individual.
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6. Why study sociology?
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It helps you gain a new perspective on, or view
of, yourself and the world around you.
 This new view involves looking at social life in a
scientific systematic way.
 Rather than depending on common-sense
explanations.
 By adopting a sociological perspective, you
can look beyond commonly held beliefs to
the hidden meanings behind human
actions.
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7. How does the sociological
perspective help you to see that all
people are social beings?
Shows that your behavior is influenced by social
factors.
Shows that you have learned your behavior from
others.
Helps to broaden your view of the social world.
Shows that there are many different perceptions
of social reality.
Allows you to see beyond your own day-to-day
life by viewing the world through others’ eyes.
8. What is one’s sociological
imagination?
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Term first used by
sociologist C.
Wright Mills.
It is the ability to
see the connection
between the larger
world and your
personal life.
9. What are some of the
sociological specialties?
• Social behavior and groups can be
examined from a variety of angles.
• As a result, many sociologists focus on a
specific area of study.
• A few of the specialties include topics such
as adolescence, aging and the life
course, crime, education, health and
medicine, labor and occupations, racial
and ethnic minorities, and even sports.
10. What is the history of the
American Sociological Association?
In the early 1900s sociology was still a very
young discipline in the U.S.
The first class on sociology was held in
1889 at the University of Kansas.
The first department of sociology was
established in 1892 at the University of
Chicago.
The ASA was born in 1905 as a stand
alone organization dedicated to the new
discipline of sociology.
11. What does the ASA do to
promote sociology?
• The ASA hosts conventions and
provides a means of sharing new
research and ideas in the field of
sociology, publishes journals, and
supports sociology education.
12. What does the ISA do?
The International Sociological Association
Promotes and advances the knowledge of
sociology worldwide.
The ISA was founded in 1949.
This organization provides a network for
sociologists throughout the world to share
research, debate ideas, and present new
findings.
13. Besides sociology, what
are the other social sciences?
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Anthropology
Psychology
Economics
Political science
14. What is anthropology?
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Comparative study of past and present cultures.
It is closest to sociology in subject matter.
Traditionally studied past cultures and present
simple-or less advanced-societies.
Today, however, many anthropologists
concentrate on complex societies.
For example, urban anthropologists examine such
things as the cultural characteristics of
neighborhoods in large modern cities.
15. What is psychology?
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The social science that
deals with the behavior
and thinking of
organisms.
It differs from sociology
primarily in that it focuses
on individual behavior
rather than on group
behavior.
Areas of interest to
psychologists include
personality, perception,
motivation, and learning.
Social psychology is
the study of how the
social environment affects
an individual’s behavior
and personality.
16. What is the study of
economics?
How people make choices in an effort to
satisfy their needs and wants.
Economists examine the processes by
which goods and services are produced,
distributed, and consumed.
They also examine the effects of
government policies on economic growth
and stability.
– Tax cuts
17. What is the study of political
science?
It examines the
organization and
operation of
governments.
Areas of interest
may include voting
patterns, political
power, and the
formation of
politically based
groups.
18. What is history?
It is the study of past
events.
Sociologists are also
interested in past
events.
Like many social
historians,
sociologists study
past events in an
effort to explain
current social
behaviors and
attitudes.
19. How does each social science
view juvenile delinquency?
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Sociologist James M.
Henslin provides an example
of how each social science
might study juvenile
delinquency.
Historians might examine
juvenile delinquency during a
particular place and time.
Political scientists might
examine how access to
political power affects who
joins youth gangs.
Economists might study the
economic costs of juvenile
delinquency.
Anthropologists might
examine how culture
contributes to youth crime.
Finally, psychologists might
examine the personality traits
of gang members.
SOCIOLOGY
Chapter 1
Lecture Questions
Section 2 (pgs. 9-19)
1. What factors led to the
development of sociology?
• The rapid social and political changes that took place in
Europe as a result of the Industrial Revolution.
• During the Industrial Revolution the rural economy,
with its farms and cottage industries, gave way to an
economy based on large-scale production.
• The factory replaced the home as the main site for
manufacturing.
• With the growth of factories came the growth of cities,
as people left their homes in the countryside in search
of work.
Tenement housing
Filthy urban areas
2. What problems were caused by
the rapid growth of urban areas?
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Unemployment-there
were more people
seeking jobs in the cities
than jobs available
Housing shortages
Increased levels of crime
Pollution
Impersonal nature of the
cities-personal
relationships were
important in the country
3. Why do you think social
upheaval encouraged scholars
to analyze society in the 1800s?
The sweeping political, social, and economic
changes caused some scholars to question the
traditional explanations of life.
– This had occurred in the physical sciences in
the 1700s.
Some scholars believed that the social world
was based on a set of basic principles that could
be studied and analyzed through the use of
scientific research methods.
4. In what countries did sociology take
root in the 1800s?
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France
Germany
England
Auguste Comte
5. What is the contribution of
Auguste Comte to the field of
sociology?
Many people consider French philosopher Comte (17981857) the founder of sociology as a distinct subject.
► He was one of the first to apply the methods of the
physical sciences to the study of social life.
► He coined the term sociology to describe the study of
society.
► Concentrated on social order and social change.
► He believed that certain processes called social statics,
hold society together.
► He also believed that society changes through definite
processes, which he called social dynamics.
► He hoped this knowledge could be used to reform society.
►
Herbert Spencer
6. What is the contribution of
Herbert Spencer to the field of
sociology?
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Spencer (1820-1903) started his working life as a civil engineer in
England.
He inherited a large sum of money and began to pursue his
interest in the study of society.
Spencer was strongly influenced by the views of Charles Darwin.
Spencer adopted a biological model of society.
Spencer believed that society, like biological systems, is a set of
interdependent parts that work together to maintain the system
over time.
Spencer believed the best aspects of society would survive over
time.
He also believed that only the fittest societies would survive over
time.
The term “survival of the fittest” was coined by Spencer, not
Darwin.
Spencer’s view of society became known as social Darwinism.
7. What was social Darwinism?
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Very popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Used to support a variety of policies and actions.
Some proponents used the theory to support
unrestricted capitalism.
– They believed that under a system of unchecked
competition, the most able people would rise to the
top of society.
Other people used social Darwinism to advocate
the need for the wealthy to help poor people.
 Still others used it to explain class inequalities,
racism, and imperialism.
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Karl Marx
8. What is the contribution of Karl
Marx to the field of sociology?
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Marx (1818-1883), a German professor, was unable to get a teaching
position because of his political views.
– Instead, he worked as a writer and editor of a radical newspaper.
– He was forced to move on several occasions to different European
cities.
Marx believed that the structure of society is influenced by how its
economy is organized.
– According to Marx, society is divided into two classes—the bourgeoisie,
or capitalists, and the proletariat, or workers.
 The bourgeoisie own the means of production—the materials and
methods used to produce goods and services.
 The proletariat own nothing, but provide the labor.
– Marx believed this imbalance in power would inevitably lead to
conflict.
Marx’s writings were a major impetus for the Russian Revolution in 1917.
– This revolution resulted in the establishment of a communist
government based on Marxist teachings.
His writings have influenced generations of scholars and social critics
around the world.
His emphasis on conflict as the primary cause of social change led to the
development of one of the major sociological perspectives—conflict theory.
Emile Durkheim
9. What is the contribution of Emile
Durkheim to the field of sociology?
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The French Durkheim (1858-1917) taught at the University of Bordeaux in France.
There Durkheim developed the countries first university sociology course.
Durkheim, like Comte, was one of the first to apply the methods of science to the study
of society and was concerned with the problem of social order.
– He also saw society as a set of interdependent parts that maintain the system over
time.
– However, Durkheim viewed the role of these interdependent parts in terms of their
functions.
– A function is the consequence that an element of society produces for the
maintenance of its social system.
– For example, Durkheim was very interested in the function of religion in maintaining
social order.
 He believed that the shared beliefs and values of religion are the glue that hold
society together.
Durkheim’s functionalist view of society has been very influential in modern American
sociology.
– Durkheim also believed that sociologists should only study features of society that
are directly observable.
Durkheim used this approach in his 1897 study, Suicide, the first true sociological study.
– This study examined suicide rates in several European countries.
10. What were
Durkheim’s view on
social change and
suicide?
• Durkheim believed that change occurred
so rapidly in a modern society that it led to
social problems.
• These problems in turn led people to
experience feelings of anomie, or
purposelessness.
• In his study of suicide, Durkheim showed
that the decision to commit suicide was
based not only on personal factors but also
on social factors, such as anomie.
Max Weber
11. What is the contribution of Max
Weber to the field of sociology?
Weber (1864-1920) was born in Germany to wealthy parents.
He was a college professor.
Unlike Comte, Spencer, Marx, and Durkheim, Weber was interested
in separate groups within society rather than in society as a whole.
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He further concentrated on the effect of society on the individual.
Weber proposed the concept of Verstehen.
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Verstehen involves an attempt to understand the meanings
individuals attach to their actions. In essence, with Verstehen
one puts oneself in the place of others and tries to see situations
through their eyes.
Weber’s areas of expertise covered an extremely wide range.
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He produced works not only in sociology but also in the fields of
economics, history, law, and philosophy. One of his best known
works, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
addressed how the Protestant religious tradition contributed to
the development of capitalism.
12. What are the three broad
theoretical perspectives in
sociology?
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Functionalist perspective
– Auguste Comte, Emile Durkheim, & Herbert
Spencer
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Conflict perspective
– Karl Marx
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Interactionist perspective
– Max Weber
13. What does the functionalist
perspective stress? Whose ideas
were it based?
The functionalist perspective is broadly based on the ideas of Comte,
Spencer, and Durkheim.
People who employ this perspective view society as a set of interrelated
parts that work together to produce a stable social system.
Society is held together through consensus.
In other words, most people agree on what is best for society and
work together to ensure that the social system runs smoothly.
Topics of interest to functionalist sociologists include the functions that
family or education serve in society.
A dysfunction is the negative consequence an element has for the stability
of the social system. Dysfunctional elements such as crime, disrupt society
rather than stabilize it.
A manifest function is the intended and recognized consequence of some
element of society. For example, a manifest function of the automobile is to
provide speedy transportation from one location to another.
A latent function, on the other hand, is the unintended and unrecognized
consequence of an element of society. A latent function of the automobile is
to gain social standing through the display of wealth. (Lexus, BMW, or
Mercedes-Benz)
14. What does the conflict perspective
stress? Whose ideas were it based?
 People who employ the conflict perspective focus on the forces
in society that promote competition and change.
 It is loosely based on Karl Marx’s ideas on who possess more
power in society exercises control over those with less power.
 Conflict theorists do not limit their attention to acts of violent
conflict. They are also interested in nonviolent competition
between various groups in society—men and women,
people of different ages, or people of different racial or
national backgrounds.
 Some of the topics that conflict sociologists research include
decision-making in the family, relationships among racial
groups, and disputes between workers and employers.
15. WHAT IS EMPHASIZED IN THE INTERACTIONIST
PERSPECTIVE? WHO INFLUENCED THIS PERSPECTIVE?
Emphasizes how individuals interact with one another in
society.
These sociologists are interested in the ways in which individuals
respond to one another in everyday situations.
Interactionist theorists are heavily indebted to Max Weber.
 Interactionists are particularly interested in the role that symbols play in our
daily lives.
In order for something to be a symbol, however, members of
society must agree on the meaning that is attached to it.
The American flag, the bald eagle, Fourth of July celebration, and
Uncle Sam are examples of symbols used to represent the United
States.
16. WHAT ARE THE SEVEN STEPS IN THE
RESEARCH PROCESS?
Step 1—Define the problem
 Select a topic for study
Step 2—Review the literature
 Review existing literature on the topic
Step 3—Form a hypothesis
 Develop a testable hypothesis
Step 4—Choose a research design
 Choose a plan for collecting data
Step 5—Collect the data
 Gather and record data
Step 6—Analyze the data
 Objectively look at data
Step 7—Present conclusions
 Present research findings to other sociologists
17. What are the basic research
methods used in sociology?
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Survey
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Historical method
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Intensive analysis of a person,
group, or problem
Experiments
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Researcher becomes part of study
Case study
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Analysis of any recorded
communication
Participant observation
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Examining materials from the past
Content analysis
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Questionaires & interviews
Data is gathered under controlled
conditions
Statistical analysis
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Using math on existing data
18. What ethical issues do
sociological researchers face?
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The ASA has established specific ethical
guidelines for research.
 Rules and standards of behavior
Sociologists have an obligation to ensure that
confidential information provided by research
participants is protected.
Deception can only be used if potential
benefits outweigh the potential harm.
Informed consent that allows participants to
have an explanation of the research.