Sociological Perspective
Sociological Perspective
A view that looks at behavior of groups
NOT individuals
Seeing the general in the particular
Activity: Map to the Gym from room 202
?What is your perspective or point of view?
Social Structure
The patterned interaction of people in
social relationships
Activity: High school schedule
Write down what you did starting from the
time you woke up yesterday to the time
you went to bed
High School Schedule Activity
On the white board list the following:
1. What time you woke up
2. What time you got to school
3. What you did at 4:00
4. What time and where you ate dinner
5. What you did after 9:00
6. What time you went to bed
?What patterns do we see?
Sociological Imagination
The ability to see the link between
society and self
Activity: Name an object. What meaning
does this object have personally and what
meaning does it have to society?
Sociological Imagination
Private and the Public
Sociological imagination seeks to
relate personal troubles to those wider
public issues involving changing social
structures.
Name whether the following are
private or public issues…
Private or Public?
Coughing
Blowing one’s nose
Bathing
Sleeping
Breast-feeding
Showing Affection
Private and Public Group Activity
 Name a Social Problem
Answer the following:
o For whom is it a problem?
o Who says it is a problem?
o Why is it a social problem?
o When does a private concern become a social
problem?
o Are there solutions to this problem?
Recap…Sociological Imagination
 Allows us to understand the individual’s
relationship with society
 Our view of the world changes once we
begin to explore the ways in which our lives
are influenced by social forces that surround
us all
 Significant events in a person’s life often
leads to changes in the way that person sees
the world.
Sociological Imagination
Think of a personal experience that made
you see the world differently. Explain
using the concept of sociological
imagination.
Skill Builder Worksheet:
An Invitation to Sociology
 Read the article and answer the 6
questions
1. C
2. A
3. D
4. B
The Theoretical Perspectives
1. The Structural/Functional Perspective
2. The Conflict Perspective
3. Symbolic/Interactionist Perspective
Theoretical Perspectives
 A set of assumptions accepted as true – in this
case, about the workings of society. A
theoretical perspective is viewed as true by its
supporters and it helps to organize their
research.
 Sociology has 3 theoretical perspectives:
functionalism, conflict theory and symbolic
interactionism. Each of these perspectives
provides a different slant on human social
behaviour.
Exs: Theoretical Perspective
Competing scientific theories at the same
time
Images such as:
1. Functionalism
Society is viewed as an integrated whole
(family, economy, religion all work together
and may disrupt each other)
Shared values, norms, attitudes and
beliefs (consensus theory)
Change is generally viewed as disruptive
and gradual
Macro approach
EX:
A major change in the economy may
change the family (IND REV)
Families farmed (had large numbers) until
industrialization (numbers not needed
anymore…family #’s dropped)
2. Conflict Theory
Views society as a struggle for resources
and power (competition)
It looks at social class, race, and gender
struggles
Change is inevitable, often beneficial and
can be violent
Conflict is universal
Macro approach
Ex:
The women’s movement changing
balance of power between men and
women. (jobs, remain single, choose to
have less children, marry later…)
According to conflict perspective, change
is a result of increasing power among
women
3. Symbolic Interactionism
 Studies society through interactions within
individual and small groups instead of “society”
 Interaction between individuals is negotiated
through shared symbols, gestures and nonverbal
communications (must be learned and can be
interpreted differently) ex: flag meaning
 Must learn symbol and base our behavior on them
 Asks the questions:
“How do individuals experience one another?”
“How do people construct a sense of self and the
society as a whole?”
Functionalism, Conflict Perspective, or
Symbolic Interactionism?
Societies are in relative balance
Power is one of the most important
elements in social life
Religion helps hold a society together
morally
Symbols are crucial to social life
Social life should be understood from the
viewpoint of the individuals involved
Conflict is harmful and disruptive to society
Sociological Perspectives Activity
 Pick a topic. Apply the following theoretical
perspectives to your topic.
The Structural/Functional Perspective
The Conflict Perspective
Symbolic/Interactionist Perspective
Sociologists Doing Research
Steps for Doing Research
 read article and answer the questions
 write down the steps in the Scientific Method
Emile Durkheim
 read pages 56 and 57 in the green text book
 answer questions 1 and 3.
Émile Durkheim
(French) (1858-1917)
• Founded sociology as an academic discipline
• Famous for his study on suicides (1897)
• Use of statistics in sociology
• Structural/functionalist theorist
Unit 1 Sociology Test
 Sociology
 Perspective
 Sociological
perspective
 Social
Structure
 Sociological
Imagination
 Macro Sociology
 Micro Sociology
 Theoretical Perspectives
 Functionalism
 Conflict Perspective
 Symbolic Interactionism
 Scientific Method
 Emile Durkheim