The Sociological PerspectiveThe Sociological PerspectiveChapter 1Chapter 1

Sociology as a Point of ViewSociology as a Point of View SociologySociology is the scientific study of human organization is the scientific study of human organization

and social interactions. and social interactions.

Main focusMain focus GroupGroup

Seeks toSeeks to Understand forces that operate throughout society, Understand forces that operate throughout society, Understand the conditions that mold individuals, shape their Understand the conditions that mold individuals, shape their

behavior and, determine social events behavior and, determine social events

ExamplesExamples Is it easy for domestic violence victims to Is it easy for domestic violence victims to

leave their abusive spouses? Why or why leave their abusive spouses? Why or why not? not? (See figure 1.1)(See figure 1.1)

IsIs homelessness the result of individual homelessness the result of individual action or broader social conditions? action or broader social conditions?

In the U.S. homelessness is highly related to:•Alcohol and drug addiction•War veterans•Mental illness •Availability of low income housing•Availability of social networks (social capital)

The Sociological ImaginationThe Sociological Imagination

C. Wright Mills (1959) used the term C. Wright Mills (1959) used the term sociological imagination to refer to:sociological imagination to refer to: The relationship between individual The relationship between individual

experiences and the forces in the lager experiences and the forces in the lager society that shape our actionssociety that shape our actions

Can you think of an issue that may have Can you think of an issue that may have had some effect on you? On your society had some effect on you? On your society as a whole? as a whole?

Sociological ImaginationSociological Imagination The Sociological Imagination The Sociological Imagination can be can be

described as the process of looking at described as the process of looking at patterns of human behavior and finding patterns of human behavior and finding previously unseen connections among previously unseen connections among them.them.

Sociology and other social science disciplinesSociology and other social science disciplines

Sociologists study groups and Sociologists study groups and institutions within large, modern, institutions within large, modern, industrial, societiesindustrial, societies

Cultural Anthropologists immerse themselves in Cultural Anthropologists immerse themselves in another society for a long time in order to learn another society for a long time in order to learn as much as possible about that society and the as much as possible about that society and the relationships among its members.relationships among its members.

Sociologists look at patterns of behaviorSociologists look at patterns of behavior Psychologists looks at motivations, perceptions, Psychologists looks at motivations, perceptions, cognition, creativity, mental disorders, and cognition, creativity, mental disorders, and personality.personality.

Sociologists study social factors that Sociologists study social factors that influence a person’s economic decisionsinfluence a person’s economic decisions

Economists study price availability factors, Economists study price availability factors, demand and supply, and markets.demand and supply, and markets.

Sociologists look at historical events within Sociologists look at historical events within their social contexts to discover why things their social contexts to discover why things happened and more important, to assess what happened and more important, to assess what their social significance was and is. their social significance was and is. Sociology, however, focuses on the presentSociology, however, focuses on the present

History looks at past events to attempt to learn History looks at past events to attempt to learn what happened, when it happened, and why it what happened, when it happened, and why it happenedhappened

Sociologists focus on how political systems Sociologists focus on how political systems affect other institutions in societyaffect other institutions in society

Political Science devotes more attention to the Political Science devotes more attention to the forces that shape political systems theories for forces that shape political systems theories for understanding these forces.understanding these forces.

Sociology helps to understand why social Sociology helps to understand why social problems existproblems exist

Social work aims to help people solve their Social work aims to help people solve their individual problemsindividual problems

Development of SociologyDevelopment of Sociology Sociology emerged as a separate field of Sociology emerged as a separate field of

study in Europe during the 19study in Europe during the 19thth century century During this period, the social order was During this period, the social order was

shaken by the Industrial Revolution and the shaken by the Industrial Revolution and the American and French Revolutions. American and French Revolutions.

Sociology in the 19th CenturySociology in the 19th Century Three scholars shaped sociology into a Three scholars shaped sociology into a

relatively coherent discipline:relatively coherent discipline: Karl MarxKarl Marx Émile DurkheimÉmile Durkheim Max Weber Max Weber

Their ideas were greatly shaped by Their ideas were greatly shaped by industrialization, capitalism, and socio-political industrialization, capitalism, and socio-political revolutionsrevolutions

Karl Marx (1818–1883)Karl Marx (1818–1883) Believed the history of human societies could Believed the history of human societies could

be seen as the history of be seen as the history of classclass conflictconflict between:between: The The bourgeoisiebourgeoisie, who own and control the means of , who own and control the means of

production, andproduction, and The The proletariatproletariat, who make up the mass of workers., who make up the mass of workers. A critique of capitalism A critique of capitalism (unequal playing field)(unequal playing field)

Karl Marx (1818–1883)Karl Marx (1818–1883) Marx lived shortly after the French and Marx lived shortly after the French and

American revolutionsAmerican revolutions He was greatly influenced by what he observed to be He was greatly influenced by what he observed to be

conflictconflict as an engine of change as an engine of change Saw society as an iceberg:Saw society as an iceberg:

• At the tip of the iceberg you can see things like war, poverty, revolutions, etc.

• The invisible part includes all of those relationships, conditions, and social forces (conflict) that shape the “visible” part of the iceberg.

Émile Durkheim (1858–1917)Émile Durkheim (1858–1917) Believed that individuals were the product of Believed that individuals were the product of

their social environment, and that society their social environment, and that society shapes people in every possible way shapes people in every possible way

• What makes an American different from a French or an Italian?What makes an American different from a French or an Italian? Showed how a personal act, such as suicide is Showed how a personal act, such as suicide is

really patterned by social forcesreally patterned by social forces• Differences in suicide according to religious practicesDifferences in suicide according to religious practices• Differences in suicide according to group solidarityDifferences in suicide according to group solidarity

Durkheim’s Three Types of SuicideDurkheim’s Three Types of Suicide

Egoistic suicide - Egoistic suicide - derives from loneliness and a derives from loneliness and a commitment to personal beliefs over group values commitment to personal beliefs over group values

single people, protestants who overemphasize individualismsingle people, protestants who overemphasize individualism

Altruistic suicide - Altruistic suicide - the individual is willing to die for the individual is willing to die for the sake of the communitythe sake of the community

Kamikaze pilots, suicide bombers Kamikaze pilots, suicide bombers

Anomic suicide - Anomic suicide - results from feeling disconnected results from feeling disconnected from society’s valuesfrom society’s values

DepressionDepression

Suicide in the United StatesSuicide in the United States Social factors:Social factors:

Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for 15- to Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for 15- to 24-year-olds. 24-year-olds.

Older adults account for 20% of suicide deaths, Older adults account for 20% of suicide deaths, but only 13% of the overall U.S. population.but only 13% of the overall U.S. population.

Suicide rates for Native Americans are 1.5 times Suicide rates for Native Americans are 1.5 times the national rates.the national rates.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/hea_sui_rat_mal-health-suicide-rate-males

Max Weber (1846 – 1920)Max Weber (1846 – 1920)

Ideology can influence the economic Ideology can influence the economic system (material conditions)system (material conditions)

Ideology as means to explain the Ideology as means to explain the development of capitalismdevelopment of capitalism

Rational manRational man Minimize risk – maximize profitsMinimize risk – maximize profits

BureaucracyBureaucracy

Other sociologistOther sociologistRobert MertonRobert Merton Influential proponent of the functionalist theory.Influential proponent of the functionalist theory. Two forms of social functionsTwo forms of social functions ManifestManifest

The intended and recognized consequences of those The intended and recognized consequences of those processprocess

• Going to college to obtain knowledgeGoing to college to obtain knowledge LatentLatent

Unintended or not readily recognized consequences Unintended or not readily recognized consequences of such processesof such processes

• New opportunitiesNew opportunities• Finding lasting friendshipsFinding lasting friendships

Contemporary SociologyContemporary Sociology What is a theory?What is a theory?

A theory is a systematic explanation for the A theory is a systematic explanation for the observations related to a particular aspect of observations related to a particular aspect of life.life.

Three Major Sociological

Theories

Functionalist Conflict Symbolic Interactionist

Conflict TheoryConflict Theory The social order consists of groups and individuals The social order consists of groups and individuals

trying to advance their own interests over others. trying to advance their own interests over others.

In this sense, you could explain things like slavery, In this sense, you could explain things like slavery, poverty, politics, discrimination and sexism (among poverty, politics, discrimination and sexism (among other things in society) as the result of conflict other things in society) as the result of conflict between those who have power and wealth over between those who have power and wealth over those who do not. those who do not.

FunctionalismFunctionalism Views society as a system of highly interrelated Views society as a system of highly interrelated

structures or parts that function or operate together structures or parts that function or operate together harmoniouslyharmoniously

• Society benefits from the contributions of people to function Society benefits from the contributions of people to function and surviveand survive

• Just like an organism has parts such as a heart, lungs, a Just like an organism has parts such as a heart, lungs, a liver, a kidney, or a stomach which contribute to its survival, liver, a kidney, or a stomach which contribute to its survival, society has policemen, firefighters, teachers, or bankers to society has policemen, firefighters, teachers, or bankers to contribute to its survival. contribute to its survival.

So, if a behavior, belief, or arrangement exists in So, if a behavior, belief, or arrangement exists in society it must contribute in one way or another for society it must contribute in one way or another for societysociety

Symbolic InteractionismSymbolic Interactionism Concerned with the meaning that people Concerned with the meaning that people

place on their own and one another’s place on their own and one another’s behavior.behavior.• If a certain behavior is becomes defined as If a certain behavior is becomes defined as

prestigious, people will do itprestigious, people will do it• Crime and deviance can be understood from the Crime and deviance can be understood from the

individual reasoning of deviants and the specific individual reasoning of deviants and the specific situations in which they participatesituations in which they participate

Chicago bank robbersChicago bank robbers