Sociology

What is sociology

Study of human social behavior

Study of the group rather than the individual perspective (point of view)

Finish the Following Sentences

1. Someone who can’t find a job is ______.

2. Homelessness is the result of_______.

3. Immigrants come here because of______.

4. People are violent because________.

5. Young people get in more accidents because _____.

Examples

A young man joins a gang.

A woman divorces her husband.

A teen commits suicide.

Draw a map on the fastest way to the student parking lot.

Patterns

Social Structure – the patterned interaction of people in social relationships

People behave differently in a group than they would as individuals.

Behavior in a group can not be predicted by personal characteristics

Emile Durkheim

Group Conformity

FamilyFriendsPeerWorkStateCityNationRaceGender

We conform to the various groups in our lives.

Members of a group will conform even if personal preferences are not the same.

Sociological Imagination

The ability to see the link between society and self.

This allows individuals to not be trapped due to their circumstances.

ExampleLarge familiesOne child familiesCouples with no kids

Jobs in SociologySocial Services

Community Work

Corrections

Business

College

Health Services

Publishing

Journalism

Public Relations

Government Services

Teaching

Overview of Sociology Topics

Intro/ History

Research

Culture

Socialization

Social Structure and Society

Groups and Organizations

Social Control

Social Class

Race and Ethnicity Inequalities

Gender and Age Inequalities

Family

Politics and Economics

Religion

Sport

Population/ Urbanization

Social Change

Will we have any privacy left?1. The article describes some possible changes in how

people will communicate, work, and live in the year 2025. Identify some of the future technology trends and innovations mentioned in the article.

2. Describe the safeguards that will be added to future technology to protect individual privacy. Do you think the methods of keeping records in 2025 will be, as the article states, “far safer and more private than anything we have ever put on paper”?

3. According to the author of the article, how will Americans manage to preserve their privacy despite technology innovations? Do you agree with the author’s suppositions about the American moral character?

4. American citizens still have expectations of privacy in their daily lives. What aspects of privacy do you take for granted today? Do you think these expectations represent a basic honesty in the American character?

Important Sociologists

Sociologist Major idea

Brief Explanation

Karl Marx Class Conflict

Struggle between bourgeoisie class (owners) and the proletariat class (workers)

Max Weber VerstehenUnderstanding social behavior by mentally putting yourself in the place of others.

Auguste Comte Positivism

Belief that sociology should be base on knowledge of which we can be “positive” or sure

Emile Durkheim

Mechanical SolidarityOrganic Solidarity

Societies exist because of broad consesnsus among members of society

Theoretical PerspectivesFunctionalism Conflict

PerspectiveSymbolic Perspective

1. A society is a relatively integrated whole

2. A society tends to seek relative stability

3. Most aspects of a society contribute to the society’s well-being and survival.

4. A society rests on the consensus of its members

1. A society experiences inconsistency and conflict everywhere

2. A society is continually subjected to change

3. A society involves the constraint and coercion of some members by others.

1. People’s interpretations of symbols are based on the meanings they learn from

2. People base their interaction on their interpretations of symbols

3. Symbols permit people to have internal conversations..