The 5 Major Sociological Theoretical Perspectives 1.2 You will demonstrate an understanding of major sociological perspectives

 When sociologists analyze human behaviour or some aspect of society, they use one of the theoretical perspectives as the basis for their analysis.  They usually will not directly state what perspective they are using, but we can identify it by looking for clues in their description and analysis.  Each perspective involves specific ideas and assumptions about society. As well, the words a sociologist uses and the topics he/she researches help us to identify the sociologist’s perspective. Introduction to Theoretical Perspectives

 All parts of society work to meet a specific aspect of our basic needs.  Every part of society exists because it serves a purpose of some kind.  That purpose may not always be obvious at first glance, but if we look beneath the surface, we will find a very good reason why a society has adopted a particular pattern of behaviour or adopted a particular form of a social institution. Functionalist

 All parts of society work for the benefit of the entire society.  Society is like a well-oiled machine – each part performs its role and as a result the entire society “works” – it is by nature harmonious and productive.  All parts of society work to create and preserve stability and order.  Society naturally “keeps what works” and “discards what does not”.  Any parts that may cause disorder or disrupt the smooth operation of a society will either be changed or eliminated over time. Functionalist cont’d

 Tension and clashes amongst social groups and individuals are inevitable in every society.  Control over scarce resources is the basic motivation for all human behavior.  People who control the resources act to maintain this power; people who do not have access to these resources attempt to obtain it by taking it away from those who do. Conflict

 Inequality is a fundamental characteristic of society. Every society consists of individuals/groups who “have” and individuals/groups who “have not”.  Major inequalities in power lie beneath the surface of the everyday events in our lives.  Those in authority strive to maintain their power by creating social institutions that preserve their power and influence and prevent others from obtaining it. Conflict cont’d

 Humans use symbols to represent and share meaning. In order to understand human behavior, we must identify and understand the meaning of the symbols used in our daily interactions.  Our interpretation of messages we receive from others is critical in understanding our behavior.  Our thoughts and behaviors are shaped by our daily interactions with others.  Language plays a key role in creating common understandings about ourselves and our daily social life. Symbolic Interactionist cont’d

 Focuses on a “micro-level” study of human behavior. Sociologists observe individuals interacting face-to- face in small social settings in order to understand their behavior.  The meanings we attach to our daily interactions with others are critical to understanding the way in which we behave. Symbolic Interactionist

 Focuses on gender inequalities in modern society.  We have traditionally lived in a male dominated (patriarchal) society. Men possess a greater share of economic and social privilege and power.  The exploitation and subordination of women is widespread in our society.  Focuses on women’s issues and perspectives on current social problems. Feminist

 Gender roles and the inequalities they create are a product of the society in which we live. They are not caused by nature (biology).  Society teaches and reinforces established gender inequalities through the way in which we are raised and educated. Feminist cont’d

 Information is central to our society. Many people work in occupations that either create information or provide it for others.  Daily consumption of a wide variety of goods and services plays a significant role in our lives. We live in a “consumer society”.  Our daily lives are shaped by electronic technologies that allow us to communicate with others in our society and around the world almost instantly.  These technologies have an important influence in shaping our daily behavior Postmodern

 COMPLETE “Theoretical Perspective” Activity