Sociology Chapter 1 Section 1 “Examining the Social Life” Sociology and Other Social Sciences Standards 1.1, 1.3, 1.7, 1.9, & 1.11

What is Sociology?  Social Science: Disciplines that study human social behavior or institutions and the functions of human society in a scientific manner  Sociology: The Science that studies human society and social behavior  Sociologists study how people relate to each other  The focus is on the GROUP over the individual  Social Interaction: how people relate to each other and influence one another’s behavior  Social Phenomenon: Observable facts or events

Other Social Sciences that Study Human Behavior  1. Anthropology  Closest to Sociology Study Past Cultures Study Present Less “Complicated” Societies * Sociology studies more “Complex” (Urban) Societies  2. Psychology  Focus on “Individual” behavior Exception: Social Psychology: How does environment affect personality? * Sociology focuses on “group” behavior

Other Social Sciences…  Economics:  Study how people satisfy wants and needs  * Sociologists study distribution of economic resources and the impact of this “unequal distribution” on various social groups  Political Science:  Organization and operations of Government  Sociologists study the distribution of political power and the formation of “politically” based groups

…Other Social Sciences  History Study of the past  HOW DOES THE PAST INFLUENCE THE PRESENT: Not JUST knowing what happened!  Social Structure?…etc  *Sociologists borrow freely from ALL other social sciences

Thinking Like a Sociologist  Your…  Values  Beliefs  Lifestyle Choices  Experiences  Historical Events  Technologies  Are all influenced by Sociology and Shape who you are  Eg. Internet: has created a “New Form” of isolation- many people are spending too much time “online” and not enough with family  Internet is also positive because it can “broaden” horizons  Crime: FBI: Violent crime is committed every 22 Seconds  Sociological Perspective  By taking a scientific look into human group behavior, one can gain a view of oneself in relation to the rest of society  One can also look beyond common beliefs and find hidden meanings behind human actions Middle vs. Lower Class How do expectations of society affect individual behavior? Help to find a balance between personal desires and demands of environment How does environment shape individual beliefs?

Answer These Three Questions  List five ways that the current political/social unrest in the Middle East affects you  Draft; Gas Prices…etc  List five ways that illegal immigration into the United States affects you or your family  Jobs; Taxes…etc  List some ways that “outsourcing” can affect you  Steel Mills vs. Foreign Steel (Tariffs vs. Foreign retaliation)- Lack of GOOD jobs

Sociological Imagination  C. Wright Mills  “…ability to see the connection between the larger world and our personal lives.” Ex. War in the Middle East and rising gas prices

Sociology Chapter 1 Section 2 “The Development of Sociology”

The Early Years  Sociology did not develop until the 1800’s (The “New” Science)  Industrial Revolution:  Major reason for the emergence of Sociology With the Industrial Revolution came the emergence of MODERN CITIES  Social Problems developed  1. Work  2. Housing  3. Crime  4. Pollution  Political Problems of late 1700 early 1800’s  American and French Revolutions  “Why did this happen?”

Early European Scholars  Birthplace(s)  France, Germany, and England  *Early Industrialized Nations  *Comte: Influenced later sociologists*  Auguste Comte:  “Father of Sociology”  First to use to term  French:  Wanted to find solutions to chaos of revolution  Developed scientific approach to social issues  Two basic problems: “Order and Change”  Social Statics: Society remains stable over long period of time (China)  Social Dynamics: Elements change to allow for social change

Harriet Martineau:  Born into a middle class English family  1837: Wrote Society in America: Based on observations made while traveling in U.S.  Review of how well the U.S. lived up to its promise of Democracy  Believed that Scholars should “objectively” study society and promote positive change from research  Why do you think many of Harriet Martineau’s theories were ignored by Sociologists?

Herbert Spencer and Social Darwinism  Herbert Spencer  English:  Influenced by Charles Darwin  Darwin wrote the Origin of Species  “Survival of the fittest”  Social Darwinism: Spencer took Darwin’s theories and applied them to human SOCIETY (Compared Society to Nature)  Would Herbert Spencer support our Welfare System? Why/Why not?

Karl Marx and the Conflict Perspective  Karl Marx  German:  Died Poor  Society based on structure of economy  Wrote “Communist Manifesto”  Society broken into two classes  Bourgeoisie: Capitalists: Own the means of production  Proletariat: Labor and Skill workers: Middle class  Classes will experience conflict  Conflict will lead to social unrest  Unrest will lead to a failure in “the system”  Conflict Perspective  Advocated by Marx  Focus on forces in society that lead to inequality, competition, and change  *Conflict WILL lead to change  *Most influential theory of the Twentieth Century

Later European Scholars  Emile Durkheim  French:  First to apply methods of science to social issues (Scientific Method)  Tested theories through use of Statistics  Did in-depth research on Suicide  Functionalists Perspective  Different aspects of society interrelate with one another to hold society together  Ex. Religion has a role in keeping society stable by teaching a morals

Functionalist Perspective  Spencer and Durkheim  Society is a set of interrelated parts that work together to form stability in society  People agree on what is best and Most follow the rules  Function: Consequence that an element of society produces for the maintenance of social stability (Religion)  Dysfunction: Something that takes away from the stability of society (Crime)  Manifest function: Intended function of some element of society (LAWS: keep order)  Latent function: Unintended function of some element of society (Cell phone = communication and “Social Status”)

Max Weber (Vay bur)  Germany:  1910: Founded the German Sociological Society  Focused on “smaller” groups and individuals  Interactionist  Verstehen (fehr-shtay-en) Empathy  Putting yourself in someone else’s place  Ideal Type: Essential Characteristic of some aspect of society  Ex: School: all are not “Exactly” the same, but they are very close

American Scholars  Jane Addams:  Founded Hull House- See Page 13

W.E.B. Dubois  Wrote: The Souls of Black Folk: 1903  Helped found the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People NAACP: 1906