What Is Sociology?
A presentation from-Sociology Overview: An Introduction to
the Discipline of Sociology—An Online
Course
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What Is Sociology?
Sociology is the scientific study of human
interaction. It is also the body of knowledge
about human interaction resulting from such
study.
(Dressler, 1973, p. 3)
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• Sociology studies social trends and
phenomena that influence social behaviors of
individuals.
• The following is a brief example.
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• While most individuals of the western world
(Europe and North America) would say they
are free to make choices—that they are
individuals—that they do not allow others to
dictate their life—in reality we follow the
general social trends and/or social
phenomena of society.
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• The issue of fertility rates is an example.
• By definition, the complete fertility rate is births
per woman in a cohort of women up to the end
of their childbearing years (typically, age 44).
• During the past several decades there has been a
steady decline in fertility rates in Europe with a
movement of similar declines in parts of North
America.
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• Have childbearing women made these choices
individually?
• Are there social trends/phenomena that are
influencing the “individual’s decision”
regarding personal fertility rates?
• If so, what are they?
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• One social trend/phenomenon is the lifelong
career development of women in the
workplace—or in sociological jargon, the social
institution of economics.
• Before this trend, most women were socialized to
view their primary role (called master status) in
life as being a wife and mother. To be unmarried
or barren was a form of social shame—(except
for those who took the religious vow of celibacy).
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• The trend of lifelong career development has
cause millions of women to choose—often
unintentionally—career over full reproductive
potential (Hilgeman & Butts, 2009).
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Many women intend to have more children, but
between the social trend of delaying
childbearing to complete formal education
and to begin the professional career and the
social trend of delaying commitment to share
in parenting, the period of normal
childbearing is significantly reduced.
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• A second social trend/phenomenon that has
contributed to the decline in fertility rates is
called “individualism.”
• In countries/populations where the standard
of living increases, so does the social
trend/phenomenon of “individualism.” In
other words, decisions are made with
rationality in the form of “costs-benefits
analysis.”
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• For many couples, it begins with the idea that
children of a “smaller family” will have more
resources available for better educational
opportunities.
• However, it moves into a more self-focused costsbenefits analysis. Individuals contemplate, “If I
have one less child than my parents, I can afford
more luxurious vacations—a larger house—a
more expensive car—etc.”
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• The point of this example is that millions of
women did NOT individually choose to have
less children—but rather their decision was
influenced (socialized) by general social
trends/phenomena that are larger than
themselves.
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• No one forced women to make these
decisions—why did they make them?
• In sociology, there is a phenomenon called
normative behavior. While social norms do
change over a period of time, most of us
desire to be within the “range of acceptable
social norms.”
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• In this case there was a variety of “changing” social norms
to influence the reproductive decisions of women.
• First, the changing expectation that women are to move
into lifelong careers outside of the older primary role of
wife/mother.
• Second, as this social norm was taking hold, it slowly
reduced the norm of very large families (6 plus children) to
smaller families (one or two children). Over time, the social
norm changed from large families as a sign of a positive
“social status” for women to becoming one of “social
oddity.”
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• Third, as the standard of living increased, a new
social norm developed—to provide more
resources for the child/children one does
generate.
– In other words, it was no longer acceptable for
middle-class/upper-middle class families to require
multiple children to share a bedroom (as an example).
Also, each child needs more personal items (such as
cell phones) rather than shared family items.
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• The combination of these changing social
norms has and is reducing the complete
fertility rate of women.
• This is one brief example illustrating how
sociology analyzes human interaction and
social behavior.
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Sociology is the scientific study of human
interaction. It is also the body of knowledge
about human interaction resulting from such
study.
(Dressler, 1973, p. 3)
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References
Dressler, D. (1973). Sociology: The study of
human interaction (2nd ed.). New York: Alfred
A. Knopf.
Hilgeman, C., & Butts, T. (2009). Women’s
employment and fertility: A welfare regime
paradox [Electronic version]. Social Science
Research, 38(1), 103-117.
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Dr. Ronald Keith Bolender, Presenter
Dr. Bolender' s Portfolio
To contact Dr. Bolender, ronald_bolender@yahoo.com
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