Sociology

1. Section 1: Examining Social Life Sociology • What is Sociology? Any ideas? What do you already know? • Sociology is the social science that studies human society and social behavior. • -Sociologists make connections between behavior and society by asking questions and solving problems.

2. Create 6-10 questions you would ask these people to better understand their society.

3. Create 6-10 questions you would ask these people to better understand their society.

4. Understanding the significances of studying human behavior activity • Create a list of as many things as you can think of to describe yourself. • Review you list and then cross off everything listed that describes yourself as an individual. (hair color, academic achievements) Leave all the things that describe you in terms of your relationships with others. (positions in your family, groups and friends) • All of those items still listed are indications that we are not simply members of a society but that we also identify ourselves in social terms.

5. CHAPTER 1The Sociological Point of View Section 1: Examining Social Life Section 2: Sociology: Then and Now

6. Section 1: Examining Social Life Objectives: • Describe what sociology is and explain what it means to have a sociological imagination. • Explain how sociology is similar to and different from other social sciences.

7. Anthropology- Economics- History- Political Science- Psychology- Sociological Imagination- Social Interaction- Sociological Perspective- Social Phenomena- Social Psychology- Social Science- Socialism- C. Wright Mills- Ch. 1 section 1 Terms and People (Define and Identify)

8. Section 1: Examining Social Life Comparing Sociology to Other Social Sciences • SIMILAR: examines the relations between society and culture, the individual economics, politics, and past events which are all the focus of one or more of the social sciences • DIFFERENT: sociologists are mainly interested in social interaction and tend to focus on the group rather than the individual

9. Section: 1 Examining Social Life Question: How can having a sociological perspective help one look beyond commonly held beliefs to the hidden meanings behind human actions?

10. Section: 1 Examining Social Life 1.The sociological perspective helps you see that all people are social beings. 2. It tells you that your behavior is influenced by social factors and that your learned behavior is influenced from others. • The clothes that you wear. • Voting for the same candidate as your parents. 3. The sociological perspective allows you to see beyond your own day to day life by viewing the world through other’s eyes.

11. Section: 1 Examining Social Life • Using the Sociological perspective is a fresh way of looking at a familiar surrounding. • Look at paperweight / snow globe with the snow scene in it. This represents a microcosm (a little world) of society. You are not part of that society, you are separated from it and therefore, are able to see it from all angels with an objective perspective. • This is the perspective of sociologist. It has no biases, no prejudices. This is how one should study societies throughout the world.

12. Section 1: Examining Social Life Question:What does it mean to have aSociological Imagination? • A sociological imagination is the ability to see the connection between the larger world and one’s personal life. • C. Wright Mills describes this as: “the capacity to range from the most impersonal and remote to the most intimate features of the human self- and to see the relations between the two.”

13. Future of the world Future of the world Teacher Teacher Section 1: Examining Social Life SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION My connection between the larger world and my own personal life. My connection between the larger world and my own personal life.

14. Future of the world Donating Blood Teacher Individual Section 1: Examining Social Life SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION My connection between the larger world and my own personal life. My connection between the larger world and my own personal life.

15. SECTION 1 Illustration Illustration Examining Social Life SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION ? ? ? Create your own

16. Section 2: Sociology: Then and Now Objectives: • Describe how the field of sociology developed. • Explain how the focuses of the three main theoretical perspectives in sociology differ.

17. Conflict Perspective- Dysfunctional- Function- Functionalist Perspective- Ideal Type- Theory- Interactionist perspective- Latent Function- Manifest Function- Social Darwinism- Symbol- Symbolic Interaction- Theoretical Perspective- Verstehen-

18. Section 2: Sociology: Then and Now The Development of Sociology • The rapid social and political changes that took place in Europe as a result of the Industrial Revolution • Rapid growth of urban populations produced a multitude of social problems • Over time, it became more difficult to ignore the effect of society on the individual • Sweeping political, social, and economic changes caused some scholars to question the traditional explanations of life and attempted to prove their beliefs using a variety of methods

19. 5 Early SociologistsAugust Comte (1798 – 1857) • Considered Founder of Sociology and coined the term • He focused on social order and social change • The basic principles of these 2 forces could be uncovered through scientific research

20. Herbert Spencer (1820 – 1903) • Strongly influenced by Charles Darwin • Society is a set of interdependent parts that work together to maintain the system over time. • Social change and unrest were natural • Coined phrase “survival of the fittest”

21. Did not believe you needed to intervene to correct social ills, that they would correct themselves over time. • Called Social Darwinism

22. Karl Marx (1818 – 1883) • Believed that the structure of society is influenced by how its economy is organized • 2 classes of people – bourgeoisie and proletariat • Proletariat must violently overthrow the bougeoisie

23. Emphasized that conflict was the primary cause of social change • Became known as conflict theory

24. Emile Durkheim (1858 – 1917) • Developed the first university sociology course • Viewed the interdependent parts of society in terms of their function • A function is the consequence that an element of society produces for the maintenance of its social system. • Believed that sociologists should only study features of society that are directly observable

25. Max Weber (1864 – 1920) • He was interested in separate groups within society rather than society as a whole. • Verstchen – attempting to understand the meaning individuals attach to their actions • Ideal type – a description comprised of the essential characteristics of a feature of society

26. SECTION 2 Section 2: Sociology: Then and Now Question: What are the three main theoretical perspectives in sociology and how do they differ in their focus?

27. Section 2: Sociology: Then and Now Three Main Theoretical Perspectives Differ in Focus • FUNCTIONALISTS – see society as a set of interrelated parts that work together to produce a stable social system; focus on functions and dysfunctions • CONFLICT THEORISTS – focus on forces in society that promote competition and change; see social change as an inevitable feature of society • INTERACTIONISTS – focus on how individuals interact in society and on the meanings individuals attach to their own and to other’s actions

28. SECTION 2 Functionalists THREE SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES THREE SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES Conflict Theorists Interactionists Sociology: Then and Now see society as a set of interrelated parts that work together to produce a stable social system; focus on functions and dysfunctions focus of forces in society that promote competition and change; see social change as an inevitable feature of society focus on how individuals interact in society and on the meanings individuals attach to their own and others’ actions

29. CHAPTER 1 Chapter Wrap-Up • 1. What is the main focus of sociology? • 2. What does it mean to have a sociological perspective and sociological imagination? • 3. What are the differences between sociology and other social sciences? • 4. Identify the major early sociologists. • What are the three main theoretical perspectives in sociology, and which of the founders of sociology is connected to which perspective?

30. CHAPTER 1 Short Essay Questions • Answer 3 of the following 5 questions. • 1) How did Max Weber’s approach (perspective) to sociology differ from that of Comte, Spence, Marx, and Durkheim? • 2) Explain how the focus of Sociology is both different and similar to the focus of the other Social Sciences. You must address at least 4 other Social Sciences and be sure to give examples in your response. • 3) Explain the historical factors which led to the development of Sociology as a distinct field of study. Be sure to address changes in society at that time. • 4) Identify and describe the 3 main theoretical perspectives in sociology, be sure to include a real world example of each. • 5) Explain how developing a Sociological Perspective and a Sociological Imagination can help you in your daily life? Be sure to define both terms in your response.