Download Introduction to Sociology

INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
Chapter 1, Section 1
WHAT IS IT?


Sociology= studies human society and social
behavior in a scientific manner.
Look at two main aspects of society:
Social interaction= how people relate to one
another and influence one another’s behavior.
 Social phenomena= observable facts or events in
human society.

WHY DO PEOPLE STUDY SOCIOLOGY?
Understand how behavior is influenced by social
factors.
Learn how to view the world through others’
eyes
1)
2)
•
Attempt to balance one’s personal desires with
their social environment.
3)
•
4)
Look beyond common beliefs and find hidden
meanings= sociological perspective.
The ability to perceive larger circumstances and
observe how they influence the individual=
sociological imagination (C. Wright Mills)
Find your ‘place’ both within society and
history.
AMERICAN SOCIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION
(ASA)
 Developed
in 1905 and helped establish
sociology as a distinct discipline in the
U.S.

Comprised of over 13,000 members
 Three-part
mission statement:
1) Serve sociologists in their work
2) Advance sociology as a science and profession

Sponsors and publishes several journals in which
sociologists can present their findings.
3) Promoting the contributions and use of
sociology to society

Develop materials for teachers.
SOCIOLOGY AS A SOCIAL SCIENCE


Sociology is one of 6 social sciences. A social
science studies human behavior, institutions or
functions of human society in a scientific manner.
Other social sciences:
 Anthropology
 Psychology
 Economics
 Political science
 History
SOCIAL SCIENCES

What do each of the other social sciences look at?
 Anthropology– cultures of past, lessadvanced societies.
 Psychology– focuses on individual behavior.
 Economics– study of choices people make;
how people are affected by economic factors.
 Political science– organization and
operation of government.
 History– study of past events; how past
events affect current behaviors and attitudes.
SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES
Chapter 1, Section 2
HOW SOCIOLOGY STARTED
Sociology did not develop until the 1800s.
 Sociology developed in Europe, because of
changes as a result of the Industrial Revolution.
 People left their homes in the countryside and
came to cities. As cities became crowded,
people began to interact on a closer scale than
ever before.
 Social problems such as housing shortages,
crime, and lack of jobs arose.
 Individuals wanted to study the causes
behind these social problems.

THE EARLIEST SOCIOLOGISTS
 Auguste
Comte
 French (1798-1857)
 “father” or “founder” of sociology-coined the term

Believed that sociologists should worry about two
problems: order and change
social statics = aspects of a society
that remain unchanged.
 social dynamics = elements within the
society that change to allow for social
development.

THE EARLY SOCIOLOGISTS (CONT’D)

Herbert Spencer


English (1820-1903)
Adopted a biological view of society– saw
society as an organism that grows and
changes over time.



Influenced by Charles Darwin
Coined the phrase “survival of the fittest”
 Social Darwinism= the strong should
have more wealth/power than the weak.
Advocated against social reform efforts
because it would disrupt the natural
selection process of evolution .

The best traits of society would survive over
time.
THE EARLY SOCIOLOGISTS (CONT’D)
 Karl
Marx
 German (1818-1883)
 Structure of society is influenced by
how its economy is organized.
There are two classes, the bourgeoisie and
the proletariat.
 The bourgeoisie own the means of production
and the proletariat provides labor.


The imbalance of power between the
two classes would lead to
rebellion/conflict.
THE EARLY SOCIOLOGISTS (CONT’D)
 Émile



Durkheim
French (1858-1917)
First to apply scientific principles to study of
society.
Saw society as a series of interrelated parts, but
the function(s) of these parts was his focus.
Function= a consequence that an element of society
produces in order to maintain the social system.
 Specifically looked at religion.


1897 study Suicide was the first of its kind–
studied suicide rates in European countries; found
that environmental and personal factors
contributed to suicide.
THE EARLY SOCIOLOGISTS (CONT’D)

Max Weber
Prussian (1864-1920)
 Focused on studying the groups within
a society rather than society as a whole.



Believed in the use of Verstehn to put
yourself in someone’s place to study
meanings behind an individual’s actions.
Created the term ideal type to refer to
the essential characteristics of a feature
of society.

What features can be used to describe
items across cultures?
THE THREE PERSPECTIVES
 Theory=
explanation of relationships
among phenomena.
 Theoretical perspective= a ‘school of
thought’, outlining specific ideas about the
nature of social life.
 Three perspectives:



Functionalist
Conflict
(Symbolic) Interactionist
FUNCTIONALISM
 Emphasizes
function
of social parts

Family, religion, etc.
 See
social parts as an
integrated whole
society
How the parts work
together to maintain
society.
 Patterns of unrest,
change, integration
and stability (always
the goal).
Social
Unrest
Social
Change
Functionalist
Perspective

Stability
Social
Integration
FUNCTIONALISM TERMS
 Manifest functions of institutions are
open, stated, conscious functions. They
involve the intended, recognized,
consequences of an aspect of society.

Ex: Car mode of transportation
 Latent
functions are unconscious or
unintended functions and may reflect
hidden purposes of an institution.

A
Ex: Car status symbol
dysfunction is an element or a process
of society that may actually disrupt a social
system or lead to a decrease in stability.

Ex: crime
CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE
 Belief
that society is
one of permanent
social conflict

Competition for
interests and value
 Division
of power and
resources (who gets
what)

Social change occurs
when power shifts
conflict
Power
shift
Conflict
Perspective
Power
shift
conflict
CONFLICT- EXPLAINED
Let’s take a
look at the
passenger
death rates
for the
Titatnic on
its fateful
voyage.
WHAT DOES THE TITANIC HAVE TO DO
WITH IT?
Not exactly ‘fair’, is it?
SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM
 Focuses
on
interactions between
people
Establish meaning of
an individual’s
interactions from
reaction to symbols
 Base behaviors on
these symbols
 Imagine how others
might react to
symbols

Learn meaning
through
observation
Interact based
on
observations
Symbolic
Interactionist
Predict
social behaviors
based on
interactions
INTERACTIONS MEAN DIFFERENT THINGS
TO DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS
REVIEW: WHICH IS FUNCTIONALISM,
CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE, OR SYMBOLIC
INTERACTIONISM

Societies are in relative balance


Power is the most important element in life


C
Social change is constantly occurring


S/I
Many element exist in society to benefit the powerful

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F
Symbols are crucial to social life

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C
Religion helps hold together a society morally


F
C
Conflict is harmful and disruptive to society

F