I AM A(N)…
American
Athlete
Teenager
Student
What is Sociology?
Simply put, sociology is the study of
society
Systematic study of human social
interaction
How relationships develop, are maintained,
and change
 Example: Nazi Germany
 How did this group emerge?
 What led to their expansion and growth?
 Does this group exist today, in what form?
What is Sociology?...cont’d
Sociological perspective
Centers around one simple question
How are people influenced by their society?
Social context shapes beliefs and attitudes
and sets guidelines for what we do
C. Wright Mills (1916 – 1962)
“The sociological perspective enables us to
grasp the connection between history and
biography.”
Internal vs. External Influences
What is Sociology cont’d
 Involves the use of the sociological imagination
C. Wright Mills coined term
“capacity to shift from one perspective to another”
Ability to see how sociological situations play out
due to how people differ in terms of their places
in given social or historical circumstances
Example:
Drinking tea
Getting married
How does Sociology compare/contrast with
the other social sciences?
 Anthropology
 Comparative study of past
and present cultures
 Similar in subject matter
 Comparison with Sociology:
 Anthropology – simple
comparison
 Sociology –
complex/advanced
comparison
 Psychology
 Deals with behavior and
thinking of organisms
 Comparison with Sociology:
 Psychology - focus on
individual behavior
 Sociology – focus on group
behavior
 Economics
 Study of choices people make to
satisfy needs and wants
 Sociologists
 What effect does the economy
have on groups in society?
 History
 Sociologists study past events to
help them explain current social
behaviors/attitudes
 Political Science
 Organization and operation of
government
 Sociologists focus on formation of
groups (political parties, voting
patterns, interest groups)
 Began in the mid-1800s
 Social observers using
scientific methods to
test ideas
Rise of Sociology
 Driven by intellectual,
social, and political
change in Europe
 Revolutions
 Industrial Revolution
produced radical changes
in structure of society
 Gone was tradition
Founders of Sociology
Auguste Comte
 Founder of Sociology
 Examined causes &
consequences of French
Revolution
 What creates social order?
 What causes societal changes?
 Urged application of science
 Positivism – scientific method
applied to society
 Observe and classify human
activities
Karl Marx
 Highly influential originator
of conflict theory
 Viewed poverty and
inequality as products of
capitalism
Sought to eliminate
capitalism
 Predicted communism
would emerge as new
economic system
Founders of Sociology
cont’d
Emile Durkheim
Sociology recognized as
its own academic
discipline
How do social forces
affect people’s behavior?
Social psychology
Social integration
Degree to which people
are tied to their social
group
Analyzed suicide rates
Max Weber
 Investigated causes of
social change
Effects of society on the
individual
 Saw religion as central
force to social change
Rise of capitalism
 Established the ideal type
General description when
looking to classify
something
Pioneers in Sociology
W.E.B. DuBois
(1868 – 1963)
Studied ethnic inequality
and racism
 1st African American to earn
doctorate from Harvard
Observation turned to
social action
Helped found the NAACP
(National Association for the
Advancement of Colored
People)
Lifetime research interest
was the relations of whites
and African Americans
Jane Addams
(1860-1935)
Worked on behalf of
poor immigrants for
social justice
Concentrated on housing,
education, and working
conditions of the poor
Accomplishments:
Co-founded Hull House
Leader of women’s movement
Recipient of Nobel Peace Prize
HOW DO WE EXPLAIN THE SOCIAL
WORLD AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR?
THE SOCIOLOGICAL
PERSPECTIVES
Perspectives in Sociology
• Sociological Perspectives - Different ways of explaining how
society works. (Looking through different lenses)
 Structural-functional theory (Functionalism)
 Identifying and examining the structures of society and how they function
 Society is a unit made up of system of interchangeable parts working together
 Each social institution contributes to function of society
 Auguste Comte – society is a kind of living organism
 Example:
 Family
 Provides context for reproducing, nurture, socializing children
 Education
 Way to transmit society’s skills, knowledge, and culture to its youth
 Religion
 Provides moral guidance and outlet for worship of higher power
 Politics
 Provides means of governing society
Functionalism (cont’d)
Assumptions:
Stability
 Does a structure contribute to
the maintenance of society?
Compatibility
 How compatible are the
structures within a society?
Evolution
Analysis involves
two steps:
Determine nature of social
structure
Assess the consequences for
the operation of the social
structure
Positive consequence = function
Negative consequence = dysfunction
 How do new needs and
demands impact the existence
of structures within a society?
Emphasis on
interconnectedness
Manifest (intended) functions
vs.
Latent (unintended) functions
Perspectives in Sociology
Conflict theory
Society is composed of groups who compete
for scarce resources
Addresses points of stress and conflict in
society
How they contribute to social change
Theory addresses 2 basic questions:
Who benefits from structured inequality?
How do they maintain their advantage?
CONFLICT THEORY (CONT’D)
3 Primary Assumptions:
 Competition over resources is
characteristic of all human relationships
 Structured Inequality
 Inequality is built into social structure – those
who benefit try to maintain advantages
 Revolution – change occurs as a result of
conflict between competitors
 Often abrupt and revolutionary
Perspective in Sociology cont’d
Symbol – something used to represent something else
Symbolic-Interactionism Theory
Focuses on everyday aspects of social life
People evaluate their own conduct by
comparing themselves to others
Our behaviors depend on how we define
ourselves and others
We both shape and are shaped by the
relationships we experience
Study focuses on small groups and faceto-face interactions
SYMBOLIC-INTERACTIONISM (CONT’D)
Uses 3 basic premises to study human
behavior:
Symbolic meanings are important
Meanings grow out of relationships
Meanings are negotiated
Example:
Imagine yourself amongst a group of your
closest friends. What are you doing?
Now imagine acting, speaking, behaving the
same way while visiting with family