McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 1 The Sociological Perspective SOCIOLOGY part 1

chapter McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. CHAPTER OUTLINE What is Sociology? Developing the sociological imagination. The Development / History of Sociology Major Theoretical Perspectives 1 The Sociological Point of View

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 3 What is Sociology? █Sociology –The systematic study of social behavior in human groups. –Examines the influence of social relationships on people’s attitudes and behavior. –Studies how societies are established, change, and evolve ( Welcome to the future ) Welcome to the future

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 4 9/11 – Societal Impact Material Changes █Airport security systems █Military equipment –drones █Satellite/Surveillance equip. █Cell phones improvements █Building materials █Air-marshals Non-Material changes █Definition of a “weapon” █Privacy v National security █Patriot Act █“Preemptive strike” █Isolation v Fellowship █“Freedom from fear” █Cell phone use / policy █Intolerance? █In-flight rules

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 5 What is Sociology? █The Sociological Imagination –Definition: An awareness of the relationship between an individual and the wider society. –to view our own society as an outsider might, away from our limited experiences and cultural biases. –“Find the F” cards

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 6 What do you see?

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 7 What is Sociology? █Sociology is the study of “Common Sense” –Knowledge that relies on “common sense” is not always reliable. –Sociologists must test and analyze each piece of information that they use.

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 8 What is sociology? Number of police in a patrol car Which is safer? or

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 9 Common sense Would you rather… Start with a penny and double it everyday for 30 days? or Be given $1,000,000? 9

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 10 Common sense: $5,368, V $1,000,000

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 11 Common sense: “Mentally” fold a piece of paper in half 100 times. Approx. how big?

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 12 Common sense: Answer: 800-trillion times the distance between the sun and the earth !!

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 13 Development of Sociology █Impact of the Industrial Age on society - Age of science (order in chaos) –Move to urban areas –Less sense of belonging or connection to society –Changes in the workplace –Pace of society / stress –Small role of government –Barter to cash

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 14 The Development of Sociology Continued... █Early Thinkers –Auguste Comte 1798– made up the term sociology as the science of human behavior; “Founder/Father of Sociology” –Herbert Spencer 1820– Studied “evolutionary” changes in society “Social Darwinism”

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 15 The Development of Sociology █Early Thinkers –Émile Durkheim 1858– Pioneered work on suicide –Max Weber 1864– impact of our interactions on human behavior –Karl Marx 1818– Emphasized the importance of the economy and of conflict among classes in society

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 16 The Development of Sociology █Modern Developments –Charles Horton Cooley 1864– Pioneered work on small group interaction within society –Jane Addams 1860– Combined sociological study with activism –Robert Merton 1910– Deviant behavior and crime

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 17 The Development of Sociology █Modern Developments –Robert Nisbet Value of small communities –Charles Murray 1943 – Libertarian (New Right) Losing Ground – welfare critic Coming Apart – rich/poor gap

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 18 What is Sociological Theory? █Theory: An attempt to explain events, forces, materials, ideas or behavior in society. █Sociological Theories: Seek to explain problems, actions, or behavior. (religion / suicide study)

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 19 Major Theoretical Perspectives Continued... █Functionalist Perspective (Macro) –Analyzes how parts of society are structured to maintain its stability. –Views society as a vast network of connected parts, each of which helps to maintain the system as a whole. (body) –Each part must contribute or it will not be passed on from one generation to the next.

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 20 Major Theoretical Perspectives Functionalism:

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 21 Major Theoretical Perspectives █Functionalist Perspective (related terms) –Manifest Functions - intended, recognized, consequence or purpose of an aspect of society. Ex: NPHS – receive an education

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 22 Major Theoretical Perspectives █Functionalist Perspective (related terms) –Latent Functions are unconscious or unintended functions and may reflect hidden purposes of an institution. Ex: NPHS – social interaction

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 23 Major Theoretical Perspectives █Functionalist Perspective (related terms) –A dysfunction is something in society that may actually disrupt or lead to a decrease in stability. “Crime & poverty are due to dysfunctional schools”

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 24 Side note: █ Correlation vs Causation #1 = bad schools cause poverty & crime or … #2 = poverty & crime cause bad schools or … #3 = something else entirely is causing schools to be dysfunctional

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 25 Functionalist – “trigger” words █Function or dysfunction █Purpose █Intent █Reason for █Value of █Importance of

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 26 Major Theoretical Perspectives Continued... █Conflict Perspective (Macro) –Social behavior is explained best by understanding the flaws in society & conflict between groups / classes. –Conflict can be social, economic, political, etc. –Groups that control the wealth, power, & prestige will create a society to benefit them.

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 27

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 28 Major Theoretical Perspectives █Conflict Theory:

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 29 Titanic: Casualties by Class WomenChildrenMenTotal 1 st Class 4/117 (3%) 1/7 (14%)104/159 (65%)119/319 37% 2 nd Class 13/91 (14%) 0/25 (0%)135/148 (91%)152/269 57% Steerage 91/179 (51%) 55/80 (61%)381/740 (52%)527/699 75%

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 30 Major Theoretical Perspectives Continued... █Conflict Perspective – Karl Marx: Class conflict is a part of everyday life in all societies.

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 31 Conflict – “Changes” by Tupac

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 32 Conflict – “trigger” words & concepts █Inequality █Discrimination, racism, sexism █Unfairness █Imbalance of power, prestige, and/or wealth █Class differences

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 33 Major Theoretical Perspectives █Interactionist Perspective (Micro) –Studies the forms of social interaction in order to understand society as a whole. –Views us as living in a world of “meaningful” objects - (material things, actions, other people, relationships, symbols, etc) –Societies / groups may interpret things / “meanings” differently.

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 34 Interactionism

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 35 Interactionism: Example in the news What’s all the fuss?

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 36 Symbolism

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 37 Interactionist - Song █ The house that built me

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 38 Modern Perspectives █Feminist Perspective –Definition: Views inequity in gender as central to all behavior and organization.

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 39 Interactionist – “double standard” ? █ If I were a boy

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 40 Modern Perspectives █The New Right Perspective –Social problems are caused by the breakup of small communities and families as well as less personal responsibility. –Government programs intended to help shift focus away from personal responsibility and make matters worse.

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 41 Perspectives █ Functionalist – Durkheim █ Conflict – Marx █ Interactionist – Weber █ Feminist █ New Right - Murray

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 42 Major Perspectives █The Sociological Approach –Sociologists make use of all the perspectives. –Each perspective offers unique insights into the same issue.

McGraw-Hill © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 43 Criticism towards Sociology █ “Left of center” politics –Vocabulary – “social justice / economic justice” “affordable housing / affordable health care” “livable wage” █ Providing information vs Activism –Example: Inequality needs “fixing” Minimum wage