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Introduction to the Study of Sociology
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Primary Question
• What is sociology and why is it important and beneficial?
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• What is the concept of free-will?
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Agency vs. Structure– What determines an individuals behavior?
• Agency-making individual choices based on free-will
• Structure-cultural and structural influences operate in the decision making process– How society is organized– Society is patterned
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What is Sociology?
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The Sociological Perspective
• Sociology• The Sociological Imagination– C. Wright Mills
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• Is sociology simply common sense?
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Common Sense
• Is subjective• Ignores facts• Is contradictory• Varies across groups and cultures• Is based on myths and misconceptions
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Sociology and the Social Sciences
• What is Science?• What is the difference between natural and
social sciences?– What are some other social sciences and what do
they study?
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Sociological Perspective
• The sociological imagination helps us to understand how the social structure affects our lives
• The structure of society refers to the way that a society is organized– Institutions– Social Groups– Statuses– Roles
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Social Institutions
• An established and enduring pattern of social relationships– The five traditional social institutions are • Family • Religion• Politics• Economics• Education
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Culture is defined as the meanings and ways of life that characterize a society including beliefs, values, norms, sanctions, and symbols.
Elements of Culture
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Levels of Analysis
• Macro sociology - Looks at the "big picture" of society and suggests how social problems are affected at the institutional level.
• Micro sociology - Concerned with the social psychological dynamics of individuals interacting in small groups.
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• What is a theory?
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Theory
• A theory is a set of statements that explains why a particular phenomena happens– Theories can be viewed as tools or lenses through
which individuals view society and, in this case, the family.
– Theories differ
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Benefits of the Sociological Perspective
• Gaining a broad understanding of society• Promotes and understanding of the social
world and our place in it. • Helps us to understand how our lives are
shaped by society, but also how individuals working together can change society– Disclaimer: Sociology addresses serious problems
that face society, and often leads to disturbing discoveries about our society and ourselves.