Humans: A Social Animal SOCIOLOGY Humans: A Social Animal The T-Mobile Welcome Back

Sociology is… Sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. (American Sociological Association)

Social Conventions Folkways- informal rules we follow to maintain social harmony Mores- informal rules we follow that have a moral component Laws- formalized rules we follow that are codified in legal systems Sanctions- positive and negative means of obtaining social conformity

Personal Space Demonstration What is Sociology? The social science discipline that looks at the development and structure of human society (institutions) and how it works Personal Space Demonstration

Personal Space is… Why do we have personal space? How much space is considered adequate for: intimate friends, friends, acquaintances, superiors/inferiors? Cultural differences in personal space allowances?

Sociology Subject Matter: Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies, and how people interact within these contexts. All human behavior is social so 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; and from the sociology of work to the sociology of sports. Sociology Subject Matter:

Institutions are… An institution is any structure or mechanism of social order and cooperation governing the behavior of a set of individuals within a given community

The Roles we Play 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. What roles do YOU play? LCVI: There are many positions at LCVI. teacher, students, secretaries, EA’s, Custodians, V.P.’s, principal, guidance counsellor, superintendent. Place them in a hierarchy

Hierarchy Hierarchy: a ranking system based on authority or power Each position or role requires a certain type of expertise which is valued by society. To distinguish between these roles, people are expected to dress and/or act in a certain way. On any given day, we play many roles in society. Activity: Perspective Hats

Examples: Rules, Norms and Values Students Teachers Values Norms Rules Values – Society carries with it a system of values (beliefs, ideals).  A particular set of values are assigned to each role.  The practitioners of these roles are expected to accept and internalize these values. Norms – These are rules set out for a particular role that are considered standard behaviour (eg. Catholic Priests are expected to be celibate) Rules – These are developed by cultures based on their system of values

What’s the Norm for bathrooms?????????? Activity: Bathroom stall game… A B C What’s the Norm for bathrooms??????????

What’s the Norm for bathrooms?????????? Activity: Bathroom stall game… A B C What’s the Norm for bathrooms??????????

What’s the Norm for bathrooms?????????? Activity: Bathroom stall game… A B C What’s the Norm for bathrooms??????????

Bathroom Stall/Urinal Game: Rules, Norms and Values Stall Choice Reason All stalls free Stall A Busy Stalls A and B Busy . What is the expectation of behavior in a public washroom?

Deviance… Deviance – Any behaviour that is different from the societal norm.  It is deviant because we, as a society, do not accept it. It is a “failure to conform to norms.” Deviance can range from simple eccentricities to behaviour that harms society or is considered disreputable  “We must not say that an action shocks the common conscience because it is criminal, but rather that it is criminal because it shocks the common conscience.” Emile Durkheim

Deviance… What Is Sometimes Considered Deviant? Suicide: In North America, taking your own life is often considered to be deviant behaviour. WHY? WOULD IT BE DEVIANT EVERYWHERE? WHAT ELSE MIGHT BE CONSIDERED TO BE DEVIANT BEHAVIOUR IN OUR CULTURE?

Deviance… Bystander Apathy seems to contradict these values. Sociologists study true deviant behaviour and how society reacts to it. But they also study behaviour that is not considered deviant, but does seem to contradict the values in a society. We value the safety of children We consider pedophiles, kidnappers etc. to be deviant Therefore, we should act on these values by stepping in to protect children from would-be deviants …… TRUE? Bystander Apathy seems to contradict these values. It is an example of something called “diffusion of responsibility”…..people are less likely to respond to a crisis in group situations.