Introduction to Sociology
What is Sociology?
 The study of human social life
 Looks at the development and structure of human society
and how it works
 Studies social life, social change, and the social causes and
consequences of human behavior
Social Change
 Society does not remain unchanged over time – the study of
sociology functions because of significant changes in society
 What are some changes throughout history that would be of
great importance to sociologists?
What do Sociologists Study?
 The structure of groups, organizations, and societies, and how
people interact within these contexts.
 We all play certain roles in our society – Social Scientists refer to
this as status
 Status is the term used to describe our position within an
institution
 Values – Society carries with it a system of values. A particular
set of values are assigned to each role. These are rules set out for
a particular role that are considered standard behaviour (eg. We
are all expected to follow )
What are Specific Topics in Society that Sociologists would Study?
Since human behavior is shaped by social factors, the subject matter of
sociology ranges from:
 the intimate family to the hostile mob
 from organized crime to religious cults
 from the divisions of race, gender and social class to the shared
beliefs of a common culture
 from the sociology of work to the sociology of sports
 street crime and delinquency
 corporate downsizing
 how people express emotions
 welfare or education reform
 how families differ and flourish
 problems of peace and war
 and many, many more topics…
Examining Social Dynamics (the way society works)
 Areas studied in examining social dynamics include: culture, values,
socialization, cooperation, conflict, power, exchange, inequality,
deviance, social control, violence, order and social change.
 Sociology examines the ways in which the forms of social structure
-- groups, organizations, communities, social categories (such as
class, sex, age, or race), and various social institutions (such as
kinship, economic, political, or religious) affect human attitudes,
actions, and opportunities.
Because sociology addresses the most challenging issues of our time, it
is a rapidly expanding field whose potential is increasingly tapped by
those who craft policies and create programs. Sociologists understand
social inequality, patterns of behavior, forces for social change and
resistance, and how social systems work.
Why is it important to study Sociology?
Sociology enables us to understand the structure and dynamics of
society, and their connections to patterns of human behavior and
individual life changes
Sociology provides many distinctive perspectives on the world,
generating new ideas and critiquing the old
The field also offers a range of research techniques that can be
applied to virtually any aspect of social life
Sociologists understand social inequality, patterns of behavior, forces
for social change and resistance, and how social systems work
The discipline also explores how both individuals and groups create,
maintain, and change social organization in various ways
Sociology asks about the sources and consequences of change in
social arrangements and institutions, and about the satisfactions and
difficulties of planning, accomplishing, and adapting to such change
Introduction to Sociology – Student Note
What is Sociology?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Social Change


Society does not remain unchanged over time – the study of sociology functions because of significant
changes in society
What are some changes throughout history that would be of great importance to sociologists?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
What do Sociologists Study?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Topics Studied by Sociologists?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Examining Social Dynamics (the way society works)
 Areas studied in examining social dynamics include: culture, values, socialization, cooperation, conflict,
power, exchange, inequality, deviance, social control, violence, order and social change.

Sociology examines the ways in which the forms of social structure -- groups, organizations,
communities, social categories (such as class, sex, age, or race), and various social institutions (such as
kinship, economic, political, or religious) affect human attitudes, actions, and opportunities.
Why is it Important to Study Sociology?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________