Learning Sociology Through Sports

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Learning Sociology Through Sports
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Sociology

• Sociology is the scientific study of society and
  social behavior
• We focus on the group rather than the individual
• We study people as they form groups and interact
  with one another (social interaction)
• We study facts or events that involve human
  society (social phenomena)

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Sociology (continued)

• We study small groups
• married couples, close friends
• We study large groups
• subcultures, suburban teenagers
• We study societies as individual entities.
• U.S. culture
• ..and as part of a global perspective
• differences between lifestyles in Japan and the
  United States

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Sociology and the Other Social Sciences

• Social Sciences are disciplines that study human
  social behavior or institutions and the functions
  of human society in a scientific matter
• Read the handout about these sciences and put it
  in your folder as part of your notes!

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Other Social Sciences

• Psychology study of human behavior and mental
  processes.
• Social Psychology how the social environment
  affects an individuals behavior and personality.
  
• Anthropology studies the origins, physical and
  cultural development, and social customs and
  beliefs of cultures. It is the most similar to
  sociology. Often studies past cultures and simple
  societies.

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Psychology
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Anthropology
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Other Social Sciences

• Political Science studies the governments of
  societies.
• Economics focuses on the production and
  distribution of societys goods and services.
• History the study of past events.

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Economics
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History
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The Sociological Perspective

• Looking at life in a scientific, systematic way
• Getting rid of common-sense explanations and
  replacing them with a better understanding of
  hidden meanings behind human actions
• Helps you gain a new view of social life

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The Sociological Perspective in Sports

• What does sport mean in our lives?
• How are these meanings constructed culturally and
  socially?
• What does it mean for individuals, groups,
  organizations, and society?
• Can sports help us understand society?

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The Sociological Imagination

• Term expressed by C. Wright Mills in 1959
• The ability to see the connection between the
  larger world and your personal life
• Reject your previous assumptions.
• You must be able to pull away from the situation
  and think from an alternate point of view
• Birds eye view

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Questions for Discussion

• People should seek
• Individual Fulfillment
• Harmony and respect within their community

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Questions for Discussion

• Direct eye contact infers
• Attention and Respect
• Disrespect and/or defiance

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Questions for Discussion

• Ones future is controlled by
• Behaviors and actions
• Fate

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Questions for Discussion

• Gender roles should be
• Loosely defined
• Clearly defined

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Try to Avoid Ethnocentrism

• Ethnocentrism a tendency to judge all cultures
  in terms of ones own. A belief that ones own
  culture is morally, intellectually, or
  aesthetically superior to all others
• As sociologists, we try to avoid ethnocentrism in
  our research
• Is it possible to completely avoid ethnocentrism?

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Cultural Relativism

• The position that there are no universal cultural
  values or ideas. A culture can only be understood
  on its own terms, not from the perspectives of
  other cultures. Ethical and moral standards are
  relative.

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Cultural Relativism
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Our Goals

• We want to understand the relationship
• between the individual and the social
• between the patterns, practices, and events in
  the broader social world and in our lives

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3 Different Approaches to Understand Culture and
Sports
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Why is the critical approach challenging?

• Why does it make us uncomfortable, angry, or
  upset?
• - Because it creates cognitive dissonance our
  thinking is challenged by new ideas that are not
  in harmony with what and how we currently think
• Can cognitive dissonance be positive?
• Yes, it can provide the power for change both
  individually and collectively

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Thinking Critically vs. Being Critical

• We develop social consciousness about sport
• We recognize problems and possibilities of sport
• We avoid unthinking acceptance of current
  practices
• We are committed to sport while also to change it
  when necessary
• Sport is not just a game it is a serious piece
  of our culture (i.e. film, TV, advertisement,
  clothing)

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Be ready to think and challenge yourself!

• Sociology is controversial
• We will talk about topics that will make you
  disagree with others opinions
• Come ready to debate and listen
• Be ready to test your statements with objective
  facts.
• We try to study the social world as scientists

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And Stay Awake in Class! Participate!
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The Critical Approach

• Lets try the critical approach with this article
  on cyclist Lance Armstrong
• Why does the author say that this situation has
  created cognitive dissonance?

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DAY 1 - THE END