The Sociological Point of View. Chapter 1

Transcription

1 The Sociological Point of View Chapter 1

2 Examining Social Life Section 1

3 Sociologists like to study what makes people similar and what makes them different. SOCIOLOGY the science that studies human society and social behavior. Sociologists are interested in social interaction (how people relate to one another and influence each other s behavior) and examine social phenomena (an observable fact or event)

4 THE SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE One of the goals of this class is to help you develop a sociological perspective (the way you look at the world). helps us look behind commonly held beliefs to the hidden meaning behind human actions; we are able to look at ourselves and the world more objectively; broadens our view; helps us see the world through others eyes; helps us find a balance between our personal desires and the demands of the social environment allows us to see how our sociological imagination shapes us and how we shape it

5 Sociological Imagination What is sociological imagination? A term coined by C. Wright Mills the ability to see the connection between the larger world and our personal lives (how we affect it, how it affects us) cal-imagination-examples-of-sociologicalimagination.html

6 SOCIOLOGY S PLACE IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES Social sciences the related disciplines that study various aspects of human social behavior 1. anthropology the comparative study of various aspects of past and present societies; most closely related to sociology; usually examines past cultures and present simple societies, but can also study aspects of complex societies 2. psychology deals with the behavior and thinking of organisms; focus is on the individual rather than group 3. social psychology - studies how an individual s behavior and personality are affected by the social environment 4. economics - studies the choices people make in an effort to satisfy their wants and needs 5. political science examines the organization and operation of governments; voting patterns; concentration of political power and the formation of politically based groups 6. history study of past events; sociologists also study past events in an effort to explain current social behaviors and attitudes 7. and of course, Sociology ***there s a blurring of lines (sorry if that song gets stuck in your head.) between the social sciences the fields are less distinct and often overlap they use findings from other social sciences to explain topics in theirs oro

7 Sociology Then and Now Section 2

8 What was happening in the 1800s that caused the development of the field of Sociology? Industrial Revolution: Shift from rural economy to large-scale production; from home/cottage industry to factories; different work environment and hours; housing near factories leads to the. Growth of Cities: Urban environment; job seekers arrived and couldn t always get jobs (unemployment); housing problems, crime, increased pollution; impersonal environment compared to the small villages; mom and dad aren t there to help you out.. Change in Thinking: Stronger belief in individual rights and freedoms led to political and social movements

9 All of the changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution and the changes it brought to society led some people to question traditional explanations of life and how the changes were impacting people. The thinkers who were questioning the impact of the changes also believed those changes could be studied and analyzed through scientific research models

10 The Sociologists Auguste Comte Herbert Spencer - the founder of sociology; first to use the term; used the scientific method; concerned with order and change within society; social statics (things that are relatively unchanged or stable order ) and social dynamics (elements in society that change and adjust to social development change ); practiced cerebral hygiene didn t read the works of others to keep his mind pure - influenced by Charles Darwin; viewed society as a set of interdependent parts that work to maintain the system; social change and unrest are natural occurrences in society; Social Darwinism survival of the fittest applied to society the fittest society will survive

11 Karl Marx believed the overall structure of society was heavily influenced by how the economy was organized; the economy influences social structure; society was divided between those who own the means of production (bourgeoisie) and those who labor for them (proletariat); believed conflict was a source of social change Emile Durkheim - the first sociologist to apply the scientific method to study society; viewed the role of interdependent parts of society as functions ; sees society as a set of interdependent parts that maintain the system; if everything functions smoothly, society works smoothly; Suicide study

12 Max Weber - interested in groups within society; analyzed the effects of society on the individual; Verstehen (an attempt to understand the meanings that are attached to their actions); see situations through the eyes of others; ideal type; **Verstehen is the use of empathy in the sociological or historical understanding of human action and behaviour. Verstehen refers to understanding the meaning of action from the actor's point of view. Verstehen is entering into the shoes of the other, and adopting this stance requires treating the actor as a subject, rather than an object of your observations. To do research on actors without taking into account the meanings they attribute to their actions or environment is to treat them like objects.

13 The Theoretical Perspectives

14 Functionalist Used by Comte, Spencer and Durkheim Views society as a set of interrelated parts that work together to produce a stable social system; there is consensus among society of what s best and society works together to ensure the system runs smoothly; they view elements of society on the basis of their function or dysfunction Function: an element s positive consequences for society (family) Dysfunction: a negative consequence an element has for societal stability (crime) Manifest function: the intended and recognized consequence of a societal element Latent function: the unintended and unrecognized consequence of an element

15 Conflict Used by Marx Sees change as an inevitable feature of society due to social inequality; focuses on the forces within society that promote competition and change; social inequality leads to conflict, conflict leads to social change; look at competition: men v women, majority v minority; how people with more power exercise control over those with less power; a group gains control and establishes rules and procedure that protect their interests and keep other groups down

16 Interactionist Used by Weber Interested in the roles that symbols play in our lives; focuses on how individuals interact with one another in society; see themselves as social psychologists Symbol: anything that stands for something else and has a shared meaning Symbolic interaction: interaction between people that takes place through the use of symbols