Sociological Perspectives 1

8/8/2019 Sociological Perspectives 1

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The scope of sociology is extremely wide, ranging from the

analysis of passing encounters between individuals in the

street up to the investigation of world-wide social

processes


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Facebok or Twitter Account as a new

sociological phenomenon


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` ...THESYSTEMATIC STUDYOF

HUMAN SOCIETY

SYSTEMATIC

x

SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINE THAT FOCUSES ATTENTIONON PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR

HUMAN SOCIETY

x GROUP BEHAVIOR IS PRIMARY FOCUS; HOWGROUPS INFLUENCE INDIVIDUALS AND VICE VERSA

AT THE HEART OF SOCIOLOGY

x THE SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE WHICH OFFERSA UNIQUE VIEW OF SOCIETY


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The Sociological Perspective

Sociological Research Methods

Culture and Societies

Socialization

Social Groups and Organizations

Deviance, Crime, and Social Control

Social and Global Stratification

Race and Ethnicity

Sex and Gender

Economics and Politics

Education

Marriage, Family, Alternative Lifestyles

Religion Health and Medicine

Population and Urbanization

Contemporary Mass Media

Social Change and Movements

Coverage of

Sociology


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` Ginsberg (The Study of Society, 1939):

` Sociology may be defined as the study of

society; that is of the web of human interactions

and relationships.

` Sugarman (Sociology, 1968):

` Sociology is the objective study of human

behaviour in so far as it is affected by the factthat people live in groups.


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` Ritzer (Sociology, 1979):

` Sociology is the study of individuals in a social

setting that includes groups, organisations,

cultures and societies. Sociologists study the

interrelationships between individuals,

organisations, cultures and societies.

` e. Giddens (Sociology, 1989):

` Sociology is the study of human social life,

groups and societies. It is a dazzling and

compelling enterprise, having as its subject

matter our own behaviour as social beings.


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The SCIENTIFIC METHOD or

METHODOLOGY

In order to interpret and discuss social reality we must first

have a picture, some sort of pattern, or an image of the

interrelationships among the many variables that

circumscribe human interaction.

It provides a systematic, organized series of steps that

insures maximum objectivity and consistency in researching a

problem.

It provides a shared basis for discussion and analysis, and

helps to promote reliability and validity (consistency and

accuracy).


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` Any relatively self-contained and self-sufficient

group united by social relationships.

` Two central components of society: SocialStructure and Culture

` Pluralist Society


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Asociety exists when people interactand share culture, generally in ageographically delimited area.

Culture is the sum ofsociallytransmittedideas, practices, andmaterial objects that people create toovercome real-life problems. Culturegives us guidelines for how to act.


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` The pattern of living that directs human social life.

` Everything that humans learn and the things they

learn to use.

language, religions, science, art, notions of right andwrong, explanations of the meaning of life


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` Any characteristics of a group rather than ofindividuals.

` % No Religion, Mobility, Population density, %Female, Age composition are all characteristicsof the group

` E.g., Age composition a predictor of crime %teens and young adults a social structuralexplanation of crime.

` Most common, most important is stratification


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` Values - standards for assessing good and bad

` Norms behavioral expectations

` Role norms associated with a particular position

`

Prejudice and Discrimination` Assimilation and Accommodation

` Multicultural / subculture


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` Socialization

` Crime (and Juvenile Delinquency)

` Deviant Behavior

` Social Stratification (economic inequality)` Race and Ethnicity

` Gender

` The Family

` Religion` Politics, Population, Urbanization


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` EDUCATION AND LIBERAL ARTS WELL-ROUNDED AS A PERSON

SOCIAL EXPECTATIONS

` MORE APPRECIATION FOR DIVERSITY THE GLOBAL VILLAGE

DOMESTIC SOCIAL MARGINALITY

` ENHANCED LIFE CHANCES

MICRO AND MACRO UNDERSTANDING INCREASE SOCIAL POTENTIALS


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` ADVANTAGES OF A SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVESOCIOLOGY AND SOCIAL MARGINALITY

ALLOWS US TO NOTICE DIVERSITY IN CULTURE

SOCIOLOGY DRAWS ATTENTION TO SOCIAL CRISIS

` IMPORTANCE OF THESE ITEMS THEY ALLOW US TO SEE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN

MICRO AND MACRO SOCIAL ELEMENTS


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` SOCIOLOGY OFFERS STUDENTS THE

OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THE GLOBALVILLAGE

ALL SOCIETIES ARE INCREASINGLY CONNECTED

THROUGH TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMICS

x INTERDEPENDENCY OF NATIONS

MANY SOCIAL PROBLEMS FACED BY FILIPINOS ARE

MORE SERIOUS ELSEWHERE

x MORE AWARENESS

UNDERSTANDINGGLOBAL ISSUES AND THEWORLD AROUND US ALLOWS STUDENTS TO

BETTER UNDERSTAND THEMSELVES

x FEWER ETHNOCENTRIC TENDENCIES


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OBSERVATIONS ARE CERTAINLY IMPACTED BYTHE PERSONAL PERSPECTIVES THROUGH

WHICH PEOPLE COME TO VIEW THE WORLD


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Sociological

Perspective

Level of

Analysis

Focus

1. SymbolicInteractionism

Micro Use of symbols; Face-to-face interactions

2. Functionalism Macro Relationship between the parts of society;

How aspects of society are functional

(adaptive)

3. Conflict Theory Macro Competition for scarce resources; How the

elite control the poor and weak


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` GENERAL VS PARTICULAR GENERAL SOCIALPATTERNSIN THE BEHAVIOR OF

PARTICULAR INDIVIDUALS

x INDIVIDUALS ARE UNIQUE

x SOCIETYS SOCIAL FORCES SHAPE US INTO KINDS OF

PEOPLE

CONSIDER THESE

x PEOPLE MORE LIKELY TO KILL THEMSELVES

x PEOPLE MORE LIKELY TO GO TO AND SUCCEED IN

COLLEGE AND ENJOY A FAVORABLE QUALITY OF LIFE


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SOCIETY COMMUNITY

ORGANIZATIONS

GROUPS

AND NORMS

DYADS

NORMS

NORMS

& NORMS

SOCIETY

& NORMSNORMS

SOCIAL

EXPECTATIONS

REWARDS &

PUNISHMENTS


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` C. WRIGHT MILLS SOCIOLOGICAL

IMAGINATION SOCIETY IS OFTEN RESPONSIBLE FOR MANY OF

OUR PROBLEMS

WE NEED TO LEARN TO SEPARATE THINGS THATHAVE TO DO WITH

x PERSONAL TROUBLES, OR BIOGRAPHYx SOCIAL ISSUES, OR HISTORY

` EXAMPLES: WOMENS OPPORTUNITIES AT THE TURN OF THE

CENTURY AND THESE DAYS

LIFESTYLES OF THOSE WE LABEL DISABLED IN THE1950S AND NOW


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` SOCIOLOGY SPRANG FROM THREESEPARATE, YET INTERDEPENDENTREVOLUTIONS

THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTIONx

A BELIEF IN SCIENCE BEGAN TO REPLACE TRADITIONALFORMS OF AUTHORITY

THE ECONOMIC REVOLUTION

x INDUSTRIALISM AND CAPITALISM WERE CHANGING

ECONOMIC PATTERNS

THE POLITICAL REVOLUTION

x MORE DEMOCRATIC VALUES AND STANDARDS WEREBEING ADOPTED


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`AUGUSTECOMTE(1798-1857) POSITIVISM; LAW OF THREE

STAGES; THE TWIN PILLARS`KARLMARX (1818-1883) CLASS CONFLICT/STRUGGLE

`HERBERTSPENCER(1820-1903) SOCIAL DARWINISM

`EMILEDURKHEIM (1858-1917)GROUP FORCES; SOCIAL

SOLIDARITY`W.E.B. DUBOIS(1868-1963) PLIGHT OF AFRICAN AMERICANS


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` THEORY: A STATEMENT OF HOW AND WHYFACTS ARE RELATED

` PARADIGM: A SET OF FUNDAMENTALASSUMPTIONS THAT GUIDES THINKING

PEOPLE HOLD DIFFERING

OPINIONS ABOUT THEIR

SOCIAL WORLD

WE ALL COME FROM

DIFFERENT SOCIAL

EXPERIENCES AND THEY

BIAS OUR ASSUMPTIONS


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` THE BASICS A MACRO-ORIENTED (LARGE-SCALE) PARADIGM VIEWS SOCIETY AS A COMPLEX SYSTEM WITH MANY

INTERDEPENDENT PARTS

THE PARTS WORK TOGETHER TO PROMOTE SOCIAL STABILITY

AND ORDER

MAJOR CHANGES TO THE SYSTEMS PARTS IS NOT REQUIREDOR DESIRED; SYSTEM SEEKS TO MAINTAIN IT EQUILIBRIUM

` KEY ELEMENTS: SOCIAL STRUCTURE

x REFERS TO RELATIVELY STABLE PATTERNS OF SOCIAL BEHAVIOR

FOUIND IN SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS SOCIAL FUNCTION

x REFERS TO THE CONSEQUENCES OF SOCIAL PATTERNS FOR

SOCIETY

x THE WORK OF ROBERT K. MERTON ON SOCIAL FUNCTION


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` THE BASICS: A MACRO-ORIENTED PARADIGM

VIEWS SOCIETY AS A STRUCTURED SYSTEM

BASED ON INEQUALITY

SOCIALCONFLICTBETWEEN GROUPS

OVER SCARCE RESOURCES IS THE NORM` KEY ELEMENTS:

SOCIETY IS STRUCTURED IN WAYS TO

BENEFIT A FEW AT THE EXPENSE OF THE

MAJORITY

FACTORS SUCH AS RACE, SEX, CLASS, ANDAGE ARE LINKED TO SOCIAL INEQUALITY

DOMINANT GROUP VS. MINORITYGROUP

RELATIONS

x INCOMPATIBLE INTERESTS AND MAJOR

DIFFERENCES


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` THE BASICS:

THE VIEW THAT SOCIETY IS THE PRODUCT OFEVERYDAY INTERACTIONS

` PRINCIPLES: SOCIETY IS A COMPLEX MOSAIC OF UNDERSTANDING

THAT EMERGES FROM THE VERY PROCESS OF

INTERACTING

x GOFFMANS DRAMATURGICAL ANALSYIS

x THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF REALITY

SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM

SYMBOLIC INTERACTION IS A MICRO-ORIENTED PARADIGM,WHICH MEANS IT IS EFFECTIVELY USED WHEN ATTEMPTING

TO UNDERSTAND SMALLER-SCALE SOCIAL PHENOMENA


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` THINK OF LANGUAGE AS A CONSTANT

PROCESS THAT INVOLVES EXTERNALIZATION

x CREATION OF INSTITUTIONS AND RULES THAT GOVERNINTERACTION

OBJECTIFICATIONx PEOPLE BEGIN TO SEE SUCH ARRANGEMENTS AS DO NOT

HAVE A HUMAN CONNECTION - REIFICATION

INTERNALIZATIONx WE INTERNALIZE A SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED REALITY AS

WE LEARN TO ADAPT TO SOCIETY ON OUR WAY TO

BECOMINGA NORMAL HUMAN` EXAMPLE: THE PROCESS BY WHICH A

TECHNICAL COLLEGE IS TRANSFORMED INTOA COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY COLLEGE


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Sociological Perspectives 1