In your notebooks: 1.) Write down the following names: 1. Auguste Comte 2. Harriet Martineau 3. Herbert Spencer 4. Emile Durkeim 5. Max Weber 6. Karl Marx Write the perspective of each Sociologist on the topic of AIDS; your answer should reflect the feelings/beliefs of that Early Thinker: what would this person say, do, how would they interact, what questions would they ask about the subject, what comments would they have?

Understanding Sociology

Sociology The systematic study of social behavior and human groups. It focuses primarily on the influence of social relationships on people’s attitudes and behavior and how societies establish change. Example: Tattooing. Sociologist are not concerned with what an individual chooses to do but the impact of what people do as members of a group interacting with one another.

Sociological Imagination C. Wright Mills was the founder of this type of thinking. He described it as the awareness of the relationship between the individual and the wider society. Example: Eating in public is an accepted behavior within the U.S. so it must be an accepted behavior. However, the sociologist must look beyond a single culture and compare it with others. For instance, in Japan people do not eat and walk. They feel if they engage in another activity while eating is disrespectful for the food preparation.

Sociological Imagination The sociological imagination allows us to look beyond a limited understanding of things and view the world and its people in a new way. How would you react to a new roommate in college that is completely different from you?

Sociology and Science Is sociology a science? Science refers to the body of knowledge obtained by methods based on systematic observation. So, yes Sociology in a sense is considered to be a science Natural science is the study of physical features of nature and the ways in which they interact and change. Social science is the study of various aspects of human society.

Social Sciences The social sciences include sociology, anthropology, economics, history, psychology, and political science. (philosophy) They have a common focus on social behavior yet they all have a particular approach to their field of study.

Anthropology Anthropology focuses on past cultures and the origins of men and women.

Economics Economics focuses on how people produce and exchange goods.

Historians Historians are focused on past events and people and how they are significant to us today.

Political Science Political science focuses on international relations, workings of governments, and the exercise of power and authority.

Psychology Psychology focuses on personality and individual behavior.

Social Sciences Sociology focuses on the influence that society has on people’s attitudes and behavior and the ways in which it helps shape society. How do you feel that society has shaped the way you behave and the attitudes you posses?

Common sense Can we use common sense when studying human behavior within the field of sociology? The answer is no. You can not use common sense because it is unreliable. The reason that we cannot rely on common sense is because it rests on commonly held beliefs rather then systematic analysis of facts. We receive our “commonly held beliefs” by different factors. Can you name some factors that might influence our view of the world and they ways in which people behave thay might differ from others?

Common Sense Example Example: Car battery story.

Theories Sociologist use theories, a set of statements that seek to explain problems, actions, or behavior, to understand society. They try to look at the whole society and the factors that might influence an individual to act in a certain matter.

Early Thinkers Auguste Comte Harriet Martineau Herbert Spencer Emile Durkheim Max Weber Karl Marx

Auguste Comte Coined the term sociology when trying to help solve France’s societal problems. He believed that he could solve these problems by studying society’s behavior. Comte believed that the study of human behavior within a society could help improve it. He hoped that the study of social behavior would lead to more rational human interactions.

Harriet Martineau She examined religion, politics, child rearing, and immigration within the US. Martineau focused on class distinction and the factors of race and gender. Her main focus was on social practices and customs. She believed that intellectuals should not simply make observations of social conditions; they should act on their beliefs pertaining to society.

Herbert Spencer Felt he did not need to correct or improve society; instead he hoped to understand society. He referred to Darwin’s works of the Origin of Species to explain why societies changed or evolved over time. Spencer had a status quo approach to society. He felt that it would eventually change or evolve on its own so don’t try to change it yourself. Do you believe that society changes or evolves itself or can you make a difference?

Emile Durkheim He was known as one of the first professors of Sociology in France. He was best known for his theory that behavior must be understood on a larger scale before it could be understood on an individual. He developed the theory of anomie: the loss of direction that a society feels when social control of individual behavior has become ineffective. Examples: Riots and the 9/11 attacks

Max Weber(VAY-ber) A Germany scholar who taught his students to employ Verstehen, the German word for understanding or insight, in their intellectual works. To fully comprehend behavior, we must learn the subjective meanings people attach to their actions – how they themselves view and explain their behavior. Simply, look at the whole picture, not just the obvious. Try to focus on all the surrounding elements around the behavior you are trying to understand. He also developed the ideal type, a model in which actual cases can be compared against.

Karl Marx Definitely an abstract thinker in the field of philosophy and sociology. Marx had no conventional education because he was usually on the run due to the fact that he was exiled from his own country of Germany for his ideas. He wrote the Communist Manifesto with Friedrich Engels; which argued the ideas of social classes. Main theory was that there was a constant struggle between classes and this is where most of the problems and answers of society where found.

Assignment Select a behavior within society that could be studied by each of the early thinkers you learned about in class. Write a description on how you feel each perspective would explain the behavior within society. Then write an explanation on which early thinker you feel you most relate to and why when studying human behavior within society.