Download The Sociological Point Of View Chapter One

“Study shows juvenile delinquency increases as church
attendance decreases”
If you saw this headline in your local paper, you might be
tempted to think what?
Most people might say “well duh” but there is a third
factor that comes in place: Age, older adolescents tend
to go to church less as a whole. Older adolescents also
tend to become more a delinquent than younger teens.
The Sociological Point of View
Chapter One
• We live in a complex social environment.
• Sociology can give us a new perspective, for
looking at ourselves and the world
• There are many different perceptions of
social reality.
• Sociologist must have the ability to see the
connection between the larger world and our
personal lives. (sociological imagination)
The Sociological Perspective: a viewing of the
behavior of groups in systematic way.
• Using the sociological perspective allows you to
see beyond your won day to day life by viewing
the world through other’s eyes
Sociological Imagination:
• How you view your own life within a larger
social and historical context
• Capacity to range from the most impersonal
and remote (topics) to the most intimate
features of the human self-and to see the
relationships
* C. Wright Mills believed every good sociologists
must possess this ability
The Development of Sociology:
1. What factors led to the development of
sociology?
1. Industrial Revolution in Europe
2. Growth of cities
3. Rapid social and political changes
4. Scholar questioning traditional
explanations of life
Important People in Sociology
1. Auguste Comte: French philosopher (1798-1857)
* the founder of sociology as a distinct subject
* 1st to apply the methods of the physical sciences to the
study of social life
* intrigued by the causes and consequences of the
French Revolution
• Focus on two basic areas of study – social order and
social change
2. Harriet Martineau: (1802-1876), English Family
• Successful author in Britain
• Conducted early sociological studies in Britain and the
United States: advocate of the idea that scholars
should try to improve society, translating Comte’s
works into English
3. Herbert Spencer: (1820-1903)
• Adopted a biological model of society
• Influenced by the work of Charles Darwin
• Coined the statement “survival of the fittest”
• Spencer’s view of society became known as Social
Darwinism
4. Karl Marx: Germany (1818-1883)
• The structure of a society is influenced by how its
economy is organized
• Imbalanced in power would inevitably lead to conflict
between the capitalists and the workers
Late European Scholars:
1. Emile Durkheim: (1858-1917)
•Concerned with social order
•Saw society as a set of interdependent parts that
maintain the system throughout time
•Each part serving a specific function
•Interested in the function of religion among a society
•Produced the first true sociological study – Suicides
2. Max Weber: (1864-1920)
•Was interested in separate groups within society rather
than in society as a whole
•The concept of Ideal Type – a description comprised of
the essential characteristics of a feature of society
Current Perspectives :
1. Functionalism – view society as a set of interrelated parts that
work together to produce a stable social system
• Based on the ideas of Comte, Spencer, and Durkheim
• The society must agree on what is best for the society
• Topic of Interest: Family, Religion, Education, and the Economy
2. Conflict – focuses on those forces in society that promote
competition and change
• Influenced by the work of Karl Marx
• Interested in how those with power exercise control over those
with less power in society
• Competition over scarce resources is at the basis of social
conflict
• Topic of interest: decision making in the family, relationship
among racial groups, and disputes between workers and
employers
3. Feminist Perspective – involves viewing society as a system
gender inequality in which men dominate women
• Seen as an extension from the conflict perspective
• Influenced by Renzetti and Curran
• Believe that gender inequality, is created by society
4. Interactionist – focuses on how individuals interact with one
another in society
• Influenced by the works of Max Weber
• Involved studying the roles of symbols in our daily lives
• Topic of interest: child development, relationships within small
groups, and mate selection
Levels of Analysis:
1. Macrosociology – involves the study of large-scale systems
or society as a whole
• Used by the functionalist and conflict perspectives
2. Microsociology – involves looking at smaller-group settings
and the everyday face to face interactions among group members
• Used by the interactionist perspective