Sociology
Scientific study of societies and how societies
interact with individuals
Microsociology:
The study of the
behavior of face to face interactions
Impression mgmt: the way you act to elicit
a certain image with others.
Social Identity: the traits that others
ascribe to you.
Social Self: the way you view yourself
based on peoples reactions to you.
Thin Slice observation
a brief observation of others often provides
a surprisingly consistent view of a person.
Students who observe a teacher, without
sound, for a couple of minutes rate them
about the same 9 months later, after being
in their class. #1stimpressionsmatter
Evolutionary Psychology: study of
psychological traits passed on through
evolution.
Evolution presupposes that traits that aid survival are
passed on and those traits that harm us die out.
Traits that aid survival of the individual or the group are
passed on, those that don’t die out.
Humans evolved to be social
Not being particularly strong or fast,
organizing into societies helped protect us.
Our societies tend to be aggressive in the search for
resources and hierarchical in social structure.(what
Freud referred to as the Id, ego and superego). These
fundamental needs help explain why humans tend to be
obedient and conforming.
Evolved Society
Having evolved from small tribal groups,
we tend to like those like ourselves and
perceive strangers or strange situations to
be possible threats.
This tendency explains the human need to
conform and obey those in authority.
Sociobiology: Societal behaviors common to
all societies that are passed on biological
(genes)
Sports
Laws
Government
Government
Religion (creation stories) Potty Training
Dancing
Tool making
Family eating (meat)
taboos
Incest
In Group and out Group bias
Humans tend to feel their own groups are
better than other people’s groups.
Humans tend to suspicious of people who
are different than them.
Attribution theory
Humans tend to assume members of outgroups to be the same in their traits and
dispositions, while their own “in”-group are
made up of many unique individuals, with
varying dispositions, which change
depending on the situation.
Fundamental Attribution Error
Think about when your friends speak of
other groups, do you assume they’re all
alike, but believe your group members are
all different reacting to specific
circumstances? The tendency to assume
people in “other” groups are all alike in
their traits/dispositions is committing a
fundemental attribution error.
Just World Phenomenon
Human’s tend to think the world makes
sense. When innocents die with think there must have
be a “plan” a reason. We think bad guys will be caught.
RANDOMNESS scares us. Think of 911 or the Snipers,
incontroled events.
This tendency leads us to victim blaming: assuming
victims caused their own victimization:
-Girls with short skirts caused her rape or harassment.
-Marginilized minorities created their situation.
Self-fulfilling prophecies
Often just labeling someone with a trait,
will create the very thing they are labeled,
which they may not have had been before.
If you lable someone an angry person, it
may cause them to be frustrated and
angry,when they weren’t angry before.
Stereotype threat and self
fulfilling prophecies.
Stereotype threat is a well-documented
and studied phenomenon. Those who are
marginalized in a society and then are
reminded of their group status (social
identity), perform worse or better when
reminded of their status.
Attitudes and behavior: the
Confirmation Bias.
If we assume members of out-groups have
one trait or another (greedy, laziness,
aggressiveness, snobbery, whatever), we
look for that trait when we encounter a
member of that group, we seek to confirm
our bias: Confirmation Bias
Belief perseverance
Once we have a belief (attitude) we cling
to it, partially because we seek confirming
evidence and ignore evidence contrary to
our viewpoint. This dynamic leads to
beliefs persisting, even irrational beliefs.
Group Polarization
After a group with similar beliefs forms,
the member’s attitudes tend to become
more extreme, as they continually
reinforce each other views.
# Group of environmentalist with moderate views
become a group, their views on the environment tend to
grown more extreme.
Heuristics: mental shortcuts for
making decisions RAPIDLY
Based on my attitudes and experiences, I
make immediate assumptions about new
people I encounter. Remember: this “system”
evolved to make us safe, not fair.
Therefore, the less I know the more likely I am
to make an unfair judgement or fundamental
attribution errors.
Owner of 85 M. Spelling Manor,
daughter of Russian Oligarch
Heuristics can be any shortcut
Can be as simple as i before e except after
c, it works mostly or
I got burned by fire once, so I won’t touch
this fire
As to people, stereotypes may be used to
make that Heuristical decision.
Heuristic decisions are largely
based on visual information and
preexisting attitudes.
So If I see a mean pitbull, I’m far more
likely to associate the pitbull look with
meanness.
Reinforces stereotyping as biases are
confirmed, contrary evidence ignored.
So if I say______, you
think_____
So, if a Ferguson, Missouri policeman sees a
big African Amerian male, walking down
the street, he thinks....
If I’m an African American male and I see a
white policeman roll up on me, I think…..
----But what do either REALLY know about
each other.
Heuristic happen in the blink of
an eye
Psychs call it thin slice decision making and it can be very
accurate, but never totally accurate: remember its to
make you safe, not fair.
Essential to navigate a complex, fast moving world,
imagine if you always had to wait for ‘evidence’ before
deciding about a new person you you encounter and
whether or not they’re safe or friendly or whatever.
Middle East Timeline
• Circa 2000 B.C.
Judaism established
• 0-33 Jesus Born crucified in Jerusalem
• 70 Romans expel Jews from Palestine, diaspora begins.
Christinaity gets a foothold in Roman Empire.
• 300 Constantine makes Christianity ok,
Roman moves to Constantinople
• 400 Theodius makes Christianity of
Roman/Byzantium empire
• 300-600 Syria “heart” of Christian M.E.
• 600
Islam established in Mecca
• 680
Battle of Karbala, Sunni/Shiite
split
– Shiites (15%, dominent in Iran, Ayatollahs
blood descendents) followed Hussein,
married to Mohammed’s cousins husband,
Sunnis the Caliphs (85%)
• 610-700 Islam Spread from Spain to C. Asia
Differences
• Because of the direct lineage of Ayatollahs to
Mohammed
– Shiites will worship at shrines to various martyrs and
Imams who have died.
• Conservative Sunnis see that as sacrilege
as they believe only God should be
worshiped, therefore Shiites and Alawhites
are HERETICS.
• Shiites have Ayatollahs who are descendants of Ali
– Therefore their Koranic interpretations are divine through
Mohammed.
– Sunnis have mullahs who are just learned layman.
• Ayatollah are religious and political authorities, .
• Ayatollah Sistani in Iraq is probably the most, at least
one of the most, revered of the Ayatollahs and may be
keeping Shiites from responding to Sunni mosque
attacks in Iraq.
Animosity
• Between the different sects have existed
throughout history, with
– Sunnis believing that Shiites were responsible for
allowing Mongols to invade the Arab world, and being
co-conspirators with the U.S. in occupying the holy
places of Islam
• Shiites have been the subject of
persecution in the Muslim world.
– The idea of conservative Sunnis connecting with
Shiites (Iran) is unlikely.
Followers of Fatimah (Mohammed’s
daughter) and Ali
• Shiites (Shia) about 15% of all Muslims,
predominately in Iran and Iraq where they
are a majority population.
• Alawiites: small sect, makes up 12% of
Syrian population. They are the
ethnic/religious power in Syria, Assad’s
power base
Jerusalem; the Center of the
Universe
Assura commemerotes battle of
Karbala
Mosque at Karbala
Hezbollah: armed to the teeth with Iranian
missles, on Israel’s northern border and Syria’s
Eastern border
The Arab world is
not one group
• 1000
•
•
•
•
Christian Kings try to retake
Jerusalem. Al Aqsa Massacre of
Muslims by Christian Crusaders
1300-1900 Ottoman Turks (capture)
capture entire Middle East rule from
Istanbul (Constantinople)
1800 Britain begins the domination of entire world after
invention of the Steam Engine.
1800s Wahabbi uprising against
Ottomans in Saudi Arabi, still dominant
sect there.
1880
Capitulations: Britain begin takeover
Ottoman Middle East. Suez Canal built
Topkapi Palace: Ottomans
Palace in Istanbul
Things to remember about WWI
• Britain promises Palestine to both Arabs
(Damascus Protocals, Mcmahon Letters) and Zionists
(Balfour declaration)
• 1918
East.
Britain renegs on promises,
France and Britain divide up Middle
(Sykes Picot agreement)
• BP develops Iranian Oil fields, proceeds all go
to British companies.
Losses of Ottoman Empire to
Europeans, notice no nation states
After WWII, previously colonial
possessions gain independence
• 1948
•
“Independence” of Middle East begins,
Israel established
(Britain again renegs on
promises), dictators
inserted
1952
U.S. and Britain orchestrates
coup in Iran, deposes democratically
elected Prime
Minister, inserts Shah
and his abusive regime
Europeans draw up the M.E.
Middle East Reimagined
To give you an example of ethnic
complexity of region (Pakistan)
• 1967 Most important of several
wars of Arab world against Israel,
Israel trounces them, annexes the West
Bank and Jerusalem
• 1979
History.
Most important year in current World
• Soviets invade Afghanistan (beginning of end)
• Iran-Contra Scandal
• Sadam Hussein takes power in Iraq
• Ayatollah Khomeni takes power in Iran
• Iran Hostages taken
• Iran-Iraq War begins (1980)
• Civil Wars in Central America rage (El Salvador
Guatemala, Nicaragua) changing the demographics of many
American cities, including Arlington Va.
1990s Genocide in Rwanda,
Serbia against Bosnians
• 1992
•
•
•
•
First Gulf War: us invades Iraq to “liberate
Kuwait” and American oil. Troops left in
Islamic
“Holy Land,” with women, infuriates Wahabbi extremists
1993
1st World Trade Center bombing, by “blind
Sheik”
2001
2nd World Trade Center bombing
2001
U.S. invades Afghanistan
2003
U.S. invades Iraq again and deposes
Sunni dictator, Saddam Hussein.
Many Muslims saw the Iraq invastions as
massively humilitating and an assault on
Islamic values.
Things Arabs and Persians (Iran) resent about
the West
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Crusades
Capitulations: European Economic domination.
Promises broken. (2)
BP oil in Iran
Israel: imperial enclave
Deposing of Mosadiq in Iran
Dictators of 60,70,80
Arab Israeli Wars (U.S. support for Israel)
Invasion of Iraq Pt 1
Invasion of Iraq Pt 2
Western Culture in General
Bashir Al Assad
Bashir and
Syrian Religious Groups
• Sunni
• Shiites
• Alawaits
• Christian
• Druze
74%
2% *
11% *
10% *
3% *
Nations that Support Assad
Iran
• Russia
• Hezbollah: nation w/o a state. Shiite
militant group in Southern Lebanon,
supported and funded by Iran. What if
they get chemical weapons?
Bashir al Assad
President-Dictator of Syria
• Wasn’t suppose to take over his bro was,
but he died in car accident.
• He was an eye doctor who trained in lived
in Britain.
• He was originally hoped to be a reformer.
That lasted about a year.
Sunni uprising against Assad, and
Alawites and their Allies
• Triggered by the “Arab Spring”
• Assad’s response to the peaceful uprising
led to the two year shooting war.
• About 50% of rebels are Jihadists many of
whom are foreign fighters.
Syrian Gassing Victims
Syrian Gassing Victims
After years of oppression by Assad’s Alawitte
regime and their Christian allies, the Sunni
majority rose up in revolt, sparked by the
successes of the “Arab Spring.”
Many radical groups joined the revolt, but saw
it as more of a Jihad against the West and the
control of Infidels in the Muslim, Christian and
Jewish world.
Out of this hodgepodge of revolutionaries
came the Al Qaeda back Jihadists, from which
arose ISIS a radical fundamentalist
organization who wishes to restore “true
Islam,” meaning the Islam of Muhammad in
the 7th c.
Anybody who resists is an infidel who needs to
be killed, including fellow Muslims who do not
take their world view.
Major Players to note:
Bashir Al Assad: dictator or Syria, an Alawitte who’s family has controlled Syria
since 60s. Alawites are similar to Shiites (for our purposes) and he is supported
by them and the Christian minority. (see the slide on the religous and ethnic
breakdown of Syriam #62 or thereabouts.).
Syrian Sunnis: make up 78% of Syrian population and after the Arab Spring, they
rose up against Assad and his government who oppressed them.
ISIS: a fundamentalist Sunni organization who came from Al Qaeda and has
many foreign fighters. They want to establish a Caliphate accross the Islamic
world based on 7th c. Muslim values as set forth, in their opinion, my Mohammed
and his early followers.
The Kurds: Kurds are Sunnis, but not Arabs. They would prefer to stay with
themselves and have a strong ethnic identity. Because of that ISIS, made up of
mainly Arab Muslims, consider them enemies. In addition, there is oil in the
Sunni- Shiite Differences
Sunnis evolved from the followers of Mohammed’s men, called the Caliphs and
they established the Caliphates that dominated the early Muslim world. They
strongly believe that no one but Allah should be worshiped, which why even
making portraits of human’s is sacrileges, at least the most conservative
followers believe that. Sunnism does not have a religous hierarchy with
equivilents to Popes, Cardinals, Bishops or Ayatollahs. To Sunnism, the major
function of government is to make the civil society safe for Islam, in many
cases that has led to repressive regimes. All the major Sunni countries are led
by Royalty or Dictators. Often these political enemies are important because
they keep different ethnic groups from attacking each other, but they do it with
oppression.
Shiites evolved from the followers of Hussein and his wife, the cousin of
Mohammed. Because they believe people who are descendents of Mohammed
have special relationships with the Prophet they feel comfortable with
theocracies, because Ayatollahs are descendents of Muhammad. Shiites,
which are minorities everywhere but Iran and Iraq, have been oppressed and
marginalized throughout the Arab world. In Iraq, where they are a majority
but previously oppressed by the Sunni government, they have gained control of
the government and military, taking revenge on the Sunnis. For that reason,
Sunnis in Iraq now feel oppressed and have seen ISIS as an ally in their hopes
of regaining power. The American government has forced the orginal Shiite
leader from power and he has been replace by another Shiite who says he will
invite more Sunnis and Kurds into positions of power.
Culture
The values (beliefs), norms (accepted
behaviors) and material goods (artifacts)
that are characteristic of a set of people.
Ethnicity
Ethnicity generally refers to people of similar
ancestry, who share a common sense of
their history, culture (including norms and
styles of dress), religion and language-or
some mix of these. Often you ethnicity is
where you “feel” you belong.
Situational ethnicity is when you show your
ethnicity during certain holidays or in certain situations,
often showing respect for background.
Race: is a socially constructed classification
of people based on superficial physical traits.
-Very powerful in societies. Whether it
is positive or negative to the group depends
on the stereotypes associated with the
“look.”
-Strong because it is visual
-Its strength is why is is listed on forms,
to track attitudes towards and changes in
attitude in a society.
Nationality: is associated with your nationstate. In the modern, highly mobile world, it is
the dominant grouping.
In less mobile places and much of the
developing world, ethnicity trumps nationality.
For instance, Iraq, being Shiite or Sunni or
Kurd is often more important than being Iraqi.
Ethnocentrism
Not Really ISIS’s sort of people
Syrian Religious Groups
• Sunni
• Shiites
• Alawaits
• Christian
• Druze
74%
2% *
11% *
10% *
3% *
Ukraine
Water Wars?
Chinese names for European
Countries