Chapter 1
Sociology: An Introduction
Key Terms

sociological imagination
The ability to see how social conditions affect
our lives.

social conditions
The realities of the life we create together as
social beings.

sociology
The scientific study of human societies and
human behavior in the groups that make up a
society.

micro-level sociology
An approach to the study of society that
focuses on patterns of social interaction at the
individual level.

macro-level sociology
An approach to the study of society that
focuses on the major structures and institutions
of society.

middle-level sociology
An approach to the study of society that
focuses on relationships between social
structures and the individual.

scientific method
The process by which theories and
explanations are constructed through repeated
observation and careful description.

human ecology
A sociological perspective that emphasizes the
relationships among social order, social
disorganization, and the distribution of
populations in space and time.

Interactionism
A sociological perspective that focus on the
ways in which complex patterns of social
structures and arrangements contribute to
social order.

conflict perspective
A sociological perspective that emphasizes the
role of conflict and power in society.

power
The ability to control the behavior of others,
even against their will.