Intro to Sociology

What is Sociology?

What is Sociology? Social science that studies human society and social behavior How people relate to one another and influence each other’s behavior Focus on group rather than individual

Why do we study Sociology?

Why do we study sociology? Perspective of yourself and world around you What is perspective? People might see things differently than you do

Other Social Sciences… Anthropology Psychology Economics Political Science History Human Geography

Anthropology Investigate culture, the customary beliefs and material traits of a group Most closely related to sociology Why is studying culture important?

Psychology Studies human mental and emotional processes The individual Why would it be important to study sociology as well as psychology?

Economics Economists study the process of goods and services being produced, distributed, and consumed How could a sociologist help an economist?

Political Science Investigates the organization, administration, history, and theory of government Example: study voting patterns and participation in political parties What would sociologists be interested in within this field?

History Written record of the human past Collect evidence by analyzing artifacts created during the time period being studied Examples: physical objects, oral reports, written reports and documents Why would studying our history be important?

Human Geography Interaction between human populations and the places they live How might this be helpful?

Thinking Like a Sociologist

Personal Problems vs. Societal Problems Affect a particular person and the people in their immediate lives Societal Things that affect groups within society or society as a whole Sociologists are not going to look at how factors affect an individual, but rather categories of people What are some categories that would be interesting to study to you?

Impact of the Internet Several studies have shown that the Internet has helped create a form of isolation People are spending more time online and less time in social interactions What are some positives/negatives of the use of Internet and/or social media?

Patterns Patterned interactions of people in social relationships captures the attention of sociologists What examples of patterns in society can you think of?

Sociological Perspectives Emile Durkheim Helps you see that all people are social beings Your behavior is influenced by social factors and you have learned your behavior from others The mixing of individual parts creates a new whole with new characteristics

Group Dynamics Not simply a collection of individuals Something new is created when individuals come together Tragedy, as well as joy, can change group behavior What examples can you think of that prove this?

Conformity Behavior that matches group expectations Individuals may not necessarily agree with a groups ideas or values but they still go along with it… WHY????

Sociological Imagination C. Wright Mills Being able to see the connection between the larger world and your personal life Developing a sociological imagination helps us appreciate cultural differences Are you able to look at a different culture or group of people without a biased view?

Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5pp_fZDU8I