Essentials of Sociology, 5/e David B. Brinkerhoff Lynn K. White Suzanne T. Ortega Rose Weitz

Chapter 1, The Study of Society What Is Sociology? The Emergence of Sociology Current Perspectives in Sociology The Science of Society Three Strategies for Gathering Data Sociologists: What Do They Do?

Sociology The study of human social interaction. Concepts of role and social structure allow sociologists to analyze human drama. Sociological imagination is the ability to see personal experience in the context of social- structural forces

The Founders of Sociology August Comte - studied social order (statics) and social change (dynamics). Harriet Martineau - employed sociological insight to advocate women’s rights and oppose slavery.

The Founders of Sociology Herbert Spencer - saw the parts of a complex social order as functioning like organs in the human body. Karl Marx - developed the concepts and cornerstones of conflict theory.

Sociology in the United States Three features: Concern with social problems. Reforming rather than a radical approach to problems. Emphasis on the scientific method.

Structural-functional Theory Stability. How does a social structure contribute to the maintenance of society? Harmony. How do the parts of a society work for the good of the whole? Evolution. Social structures evolve and adapt to new needs and demands.

Structural-functional Analysis Two important steps: Determine the nature of the over-all social structure. Assess the consequences of various parts of the social structure for the social entity as a whole.

Conflict Theory Competition. Competition over resources is characteristic of all human relationships. Structured Inequality. Those who benefit strive to maintain their advantage. Revolution. The process of change may be abrupt and revolutionary.

Conflict Analysis Two basic questions: Who benefits from structural inequality? How do they maintain their advantage?

Symbolic Interaction Theory Symbolic meanings are important. Meanings grow out of relationships. Meanings are negotiated.

Symbolic Interaction Analysis Individuals derive their habits and their sense of self through interactions with others. Interested in how individuals negotiate their way through relationships.

Sociological Research 1. State the problem. 2. Gather data. 3. Find patterns. 4. Generate theories.

Strategies for Gathering Data Experiment - variables are manipulated to test theories of cause and effect. Survey research - asking a large number of people a set of standardized questions Participant observation - examines the context of human interaction.

Sociologists: What Do They Do? Most are employed in college and university settings where they teach and do research. Applied sociology seeks to provide immediate practical answers to problems. Sociologists also work in government, business and non-profit organizations.