The Sociological Perspective Chapter 1 The Sociological Perspective

What Is Sociology? Sociology is the scientific study of human society. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

What is the Sociological Perspective? The sociological perspective is when you look for general patterns in the behavior of people. or You look for the strange in the familiar. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Sociological Perspective - Examples Society shapes what we think and do. For example: Marriage Who do we marry? Why do we marry? When do we marry? © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Sociological Perspective - Examples Families When do have kids? How many children should you have? © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Sociological Perspective Sociological Imagination is turning personal problems into public issues. For example: Poverty © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Sociological Perspective Social change encourages sociological thinking, sociological thinking can bring about social change © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Global Perspective Global perspective is defined as the study of the larger world and our society’s place in it. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Global Perspective Different Nations in the World High Income Countries (72) Middle Income Countries (70) Low Income Countries (53) © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Global Perspective Global thinking is an important component of the Sociological Perspective because: Where we live shapes our lives Societies are increasingly interconnected Problems faced in the United States are far more serious in other countries Helps us learn more about ourselves © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Origins of Sociology Sociology is a relatively new field of study in the social sciences (i.e. history, economics, political science, psychology) © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Origins of Sociology Three major social changes during the 17th and 18th centuries led to the development of sociology: Industrial Revolution Emergence of large, thriving cities in Europe French and American Revolutions Promoted individual liberty and rights © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Origins of Sociology The French Revolution symbolized the dramatic break with political and social tradition © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Origins of Sociology - Founder August Comte (French Philosopher) Positivism – a way to understanding based on science © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Origins of Sociology - Comte Comte saw sociology as the product of a 3-stage historical development: Theological Stage (Beginning of History to 1350 C.E.) Metaphysical Stage (1588-1679) Scientific Stage (1679 to Present) © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Sociological Theory Theory is a statement of how and why specific facts are related. How to explain social behavior in the real world © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Sociological Theory Three theoretical approaches to Sociology: Structural-Functional Approach Social-Conflict Approach Symbolic-Interaction Approach © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Structural-Functional Approach Society is guided by social structures (relatively stable patterns of social behavior) © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Structural-Functional Approach Each social structure has social functions, or consequences, for the operation of society as a whole. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Structural Functional Approach Key Figures: Auguste Comte Emile Durkheim Herbert Spencer © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Structural Functional Approach Robert Merton Manifest Functions are recognized and intended consequences Latent Functions are unrecognized and unintended consequences Social Dysfunctions are undesirable consequences © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Structural Functional Approach Critical review: The influence of this approach has declined recently It focuses on stability It ignores inequalities such as social class, race, and gender © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Social Conflict Approach Sees society as an arena of inequality that generates conflict and change Society is structured in ways to benefit a few at the expense of the majority © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Social Conflict Approach Factors such as race, sex, class, and age are linked to social inequality Dominant group vs. disadvantaged group relations © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Social Conflict Approach Key Figures – Karl Marx The importance of social class in inequality and social conflict © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Social Conflict Approach Feminism and the Gender Conflict Approach A point of view that focuses on inequality and conflict between women and men The advocacy of social equality for women and men © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Social Conflict Approach Key Figures Harriet Martineau Jane Addams – Hull House in Chicago © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Social Conflict Approach Race Conflict Approach Point of view focuses on inequality and conflict between people of different racial or ethnic categories © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Social Conflict Approach Key Figures W.E.B. Dubois He believed that race was the major problem facing the United States in the 20th Century. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Social Conflict Approach Critical Review Popular but has several weaknesses It ignores unity based on mutual interdependence and shared values It cannot claim scientific objectivity It views society in terms of broad abstractions © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Symbolic-Interaction Approach The basics A micro-level orientation, a close-up focus on social interactions in specific situations Views society as the product of everyday interactions of individuals © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Symbolic-Interaction Approach Key elements Society is a shared reality that people construct as they interact with one another Society is a complex, ever-changing mosaic of subjective meanings © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Who’s Who in the Symbolic-Interaction Paradigm Max Weber Understanding a setting from the people in it George Herbert Mead How we build personalities from social experience © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Who’s Who in the Symbolic-Interaction Paradigm Erving Goffman Dramaturgical analysis George Homans & Peter Blau Social-exchange analysis © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Critical Evaluation Structural-Functional Social-Conflict Too broad Ignores inequalities of social class, race & gender Focuses on stability at the expense of conflict Social-Conflict © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Critical Evaluation Symbolic-Interaction Ignores how shared values and mutual interdependence unify society Pursues political goals Symbolic-Interaction Ignores larger social structures, effects of culture, factors such as class, gender & race © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Applying the Approaches: The Sociology of Sports The Functions of Sports A structural-functional approach directs our attention to ways sports help society operate Sports have functional and dysfunctional consequences © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Sports and Conflict Social-conflict analysis points out games people play reflect their social standing Sports have been oriented mostly toward males © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Sports and Conflict Big league sports excluded people of color for decades Sports in the United States are bound up with inequalities based on Gender, race, and economic power © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Sports as Interaction Following symbolic-interaction approach: Sports are less a system than an ongoing process Structural-functional, social-conflict, and symbolic-interaction: Provide different insights into sports. No one is more correct than the others © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.