Sociology

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Sociology

• The Study of Human Relationships

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Important Terms

• Sociology- Social Science that studies human
  society and social behavior
• Social Interaction- How people relate to one
  another and influence each other's behavior.
• Sociological Perspective- Social Contexts in
  which people live. Rather than depend on common
  sense, you can look beyond commonly held beliefs
  for hidden meanings in society.

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Sociological Imagination
The ability to see the connection between the
larger world and your personal life.
Image of the larger World
Image of an individual
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Other Social Sciences
The Comparative study of past and present cultures
The study of human behavior and thinking
Anthropology
Psychology
The study of peoples choices to satisfy their
needs. Also, good and services.
The study of the organization and operation of
governments
Economics
Political Science
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Which social science would be most interested in
studying these visuals?
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Which social science would be most interested in
studying these visuals?
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Which social science would be most interested in
studying these visuals?
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Which social science would be most interested in
studying these visuals?
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• How does your sociological perspective affect the
  way you view these photos?

Remember the sociological perspective helps
broaden your view of the social world. It tells
you that there are many different perceptions to
social reality.
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History of Sociology
Developed in the early 1800s
Study the following pictures. Why did Sociology
Develop during these time periods?
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Important Early Sociologists

• French, Founder of Sociology
• Coined the term Sociology
• Tried to find solutions to the chaos of the
  French Revolution
• Influenced the Scientific Method

Auguste Comte
(1798-1857)

• German, middle class family
• Believed that all business owners controlled
  society
• This imbalance of power would lead to conflict
  between owners and workers
• Sociologists should fix society

Karl Marx (1818-1883)
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Early Sociologists

• English
• Believed that social change and unrest were
  natural
• Supported Social Darwinism
• The fittest societies would survive over time

Herbert Spencer (1820-1903)
Emile Durkheim (1858-1917)

• French Philosopher
• Studied observable aspects of society
• Applied methods of science to study society

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Early Sociologists
Max Weber

• German, Middle Class
• Studied groups in German society rather than
  society as a whole
• Sociologists should uncover the feelings and
  thoughts of individuals
• Verstehen- A sociologist places himself in the
  place of others and attempts to see things
  through their eyes.

(1864-1920)
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Sociological Perspectives

• Theories- An explanation of relationships between
  elements in society.
• Theoretical Perspectives- A general set of
  assumptions and ideas about social life.
• Three Sociological Perspectives
• Functionalist, Conflict, and Interactionist

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Functionalist Perspective (MACRO)
Used by Comte, Spencer, and Durkheim

• Society is a set of interrelated parts that work
  together to produce a stable society. (A
  harmonious whole)
• Functions are positive consequences on Society
• Manifest Functions- Intended Consequences (Cars
  provide fast transportation)
• Latent Functions- Unintended Consequences (Cars
  provide people with social standing)
• Not everything in society runs smoothly, and
  these elements are referred to as Dysfunctions.
• Example

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Spencers Organism Analogy
A good way to understand functionalism is to
explain society like an organism.
Brain- Heart- Blood- Veins- Red Blood
Cells- White Blood Cells-
What do each of these body parts represent in
society?
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Conflict Perspective (MACRO)
Used By Karl Marx

• Focus on forces in society that promote
  competition and change
• Study how those with more power exercise control
  over those with less power
• Competition over scarce resources is the basis
  for social conflict

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Interactionist Perspective (MICRO)
Used By Max Weber

• Focus on how Individuals interact with one
  another in society.
• Society is composed of symbols and shared
  perceptions that people use to establish meaning
  and develop views of the world.
• What are some symbolic meanings that we all agree
  on?
• What must we do to change peoples perception of
  reality?