1. What Is Sociology? The systematic study of human society. Systematic
Scientific discipline that focuses attention on patterns of behavior.
Human Society
Group behavior is the primary focus; how groups influence individuals and vice versa.
At the “heart of sociology” is the sociological perspective, which offers a unique view of society.

2. The Sociological Imagination
Similar to the SP.
Term coined by C. Wright Mills.
Transforms personal problems into public issues.
A critical quality of mind that helps people “to use information and to develop reason in order to achieve lucid summations of what is going on in the world and of what may be happening within themselves” (Mills).
The understanding that social outcomes are shaped by social context, social actors, and social actions.

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Poverty and Obesity in the U.S. by James A. Levine.Diabetes 2011 Nov; 60(11).
Sociology, Eleventh Edition

5. Understanding Social context and how it shapes individual and society
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

6. Theoretical Perspectives
Theory – Explain different aspects of social interaction Generate hypothesis Durkheim’s study pf suicide - How social Solidarity (ties within a group) influences Suicide. Explanation – Social integration
Sociology, Eleventh Edition
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7. Sociological Perspectives
Sociologists look to one or more theoretical approaches to formulate theory.
Theoretical Approach (or Paradigm) - a set of fundamental assumptions that guides thinking
3 Major Sociological Paradigms
Structural-Functional
Social-Conflict
Symbolic-Interaction
Sociology, Eleventh Edition

8. Structural –Functional Paradigm
S-F Approach – a framework for building theory that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability
Points to social structure, any relatively stable pattern of social behavior
Examples: Families, the Workplace, Education

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Sociology, Eleventh Edition

10. Structural Functionalism
Looks for each SS’s social functions, the consequences of a social pattern for the operation of society as a whole
All social patterns function to tie people together and to keep society going in its present form
Macro-Level Orientation – a broad focus on social structures that shape society a whole
Sociology, Eleventh Edition

11. Who’s Who in S-F? Auguste Comte Emile Durkheim Herbert Spencer
Pointed out the need to keep society unified when traditions were breaking down rapidly.
Emile Durkheim
Helped establish sociology as a university discipline.
Herbert Spencer
Compared society to the human body (the organic approach).
Talcott Parsons
Sought to identify tasks that every society must perform.
Robert K. Merton
Pointed out that social structures all have many functions, some more obvious than others.
Distinguished between:
Manifest & Latent Functions
Dysfunctions (-)

12. Merton on Functions
Manifest Functions – the recognized and intended consequences of any social pattern
Latent Functions – the unrecognized and unintended consequences of any social pattern
Example: Higher Education
Manifest Functions?
Provide information and skills people need to hold jobs.
Latent Functions?
Marriage Brokering
Limiting Unemployment

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Merton on Functions
But not all the effects of social structure are good…
Social Dysfunction – any social pattern that may disrupt the operation of society
Examples?
Increasing Income Inequality
Sociology, Eleventh Edition

14. Social-Conflict Paradigm
Social-Conflict Approach – a framework for building theory that sees society as an arena of inequality that generates conflict and change
Highlights how factors such as class, race, ethnicity, gender, and age are linked to inequality in terms of money, power, education, and social prestige
Rejects the S-F idea that social structure promotes the operation of society as a whole, focusing instead on how any social pattern benefits some people while hurting others

15. Social-Conflict Paradigm
S-C theorists look at ongoing conflict between dominant and disadvantaged categories of people.
People on top try to protect their privileges while the disadvantaged try to gain more for themselves.
Example: Higher Education
Schooling reproduces class inequality from one generation to the next by “tracking” students into either college prep or vocational courses.
Many sociologists use S-C analysis to help reduce inequality.
Macro-Level Orientation
Who’s Who?: Karl Marx - Emphasized the importance of social class in inequality and social conflict.

16. The Gender-Conflict Approach
Gender-Conflict Approach – a point of view that focuses on inequality and conflict between women and men
Closely linked to feminism, support for social equality for women and men.
Importance lies in making us aware of how society places men in positions of power over women.
Examples:
Home  Men = Head of Household
Workplace  Men = More Income & Powerful Positions
Mass Media  Women = Sexualized

17. The Race-Conflict Approach
Race-Conflict Approach – a point of view that focuses on inequality and conflict between people of different racial and ethnic categories
Importance lies in making us aware of how society places select groups in positions of power over minorities.

18. Symbolic-Interaction Paradigm
Symbolic-Interaction Approach – a framework for building theory that sees society as the product of the everyday interactions of individuals
Micro-Level Orientation – a close-up focus on social interaction in specific situations

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Symbolic Interaction
Sees society as nothing more than the reality that people construct for themselves as they interact with one another.
We live in a word of symbols and we attach meaning to virtually all of these.
Example: Words, Wink, Flag
Therefore we create reality as we define our surroundings, decide what we think of others, and shape our own identities.
Sociology, Eleventh Edition

20. Who’s Who in S-I? Max Weber (Doesn’t really fit in any one paradigm.)
Taught us to understand a setting from the actor’s point of view
George Herbert Mead
Examined how personalities develop from social experience.
Erving Goffman
Creator of dramaturgical analysis, which describes how we resemble actors on a stage as we play out our various roles.

21. 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
Ignores how shared values and mutual interdependence unify society.
Pursues political goals.
Symbolic-Interaction
Ignores larger social structures.
Ignores the effects of culture.
Ignores factors such as class, gender & race

22. False Division This is a false division.
The fullest understanding of our social world comes from using all the paradigms.
Sociologists rarely identify with just one paradigm.
May change from project-to-project.
May change over the course of their career.
May combine multiple paradigms.

23. Applying the Paradigms: Sports
Functions of Sports
S-F approach looks at the ways in which sports help society operate.
What are the functions of sports?
Manifest – providing recreation, a means of getting in physical shape, harmless way to let off steam
Latent – building social relationships, creating jobs, encouraging competition and the pursuit of success (both American ideals)
Dysfunctional – recruiting to college based on athletic ability instead of academic prowess

24. Applying the Paradigms: Sports
Sports and Conflict
S-C analysis of sports points out that the games people play reflect their social standing.
Income, Gender, Race
Also points out that sports are a big business that provides big profits for a small number of people.

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Sports as Interaction
Sports as Interaction
Views sporting events as complex, face-to-face interactions.
Guided by Rules
But people are still spontaneous and unpredictable.
Sports are seen as an ongoing process rather than a system.
Each player understands and interprets the game a little differently.
The behavior of any single player may change overtime.
Sociology, Eleventh Edition

26. Research Methods

27. Applied and Clinical Sociology
Social Policy
Example – Northeast Florida Center for Community Initiatives
Homeless Census and surveys
Magnolia project in Underprivileged areas of Jacksonville Florida
Medical Sociology – How healthcare professional deal with disease
Sociology, Eleventh Edition

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Palliative and Supportive Care, Volume 14, Issue 4 August 2016, pp
Use of a values inventory as a discussion aid about end-of-life care: A pilot randomized controlled trial
Shailaja Menon (a1) (a2), Laurence B. McCullough (a3), Rebecca J. Beyth (a4), Marvella E. Ford (a5), Donna Espadas (a1) (a2) and Ursula K. Braun (a1) (a6)
Abstract:
We examined the utility of a brief values inventory as a discussion aid to elicit patients' values and goals for end-of-life (EoL) care during audiotaped outpatient physician–patient encounters.
Sociology, Eleventh Edition

29. 3 Frameworks for Investigation
Scientific/Positivist Sociology: the study of society based on scientific observation of social behavior
Relies on empirical evidence, which is information we can verify with our senses.
Interpretive Sociology: the study of society that focuses on the meanings people attach to their social world

30. Positivist Sociology
Positivist Sociology - the study of society based on scientific observation of social behavior
Main Question: How does society work?
Concepts, Variables, and Measurement
Concept – a mental construct that represents some aspect of the world in a simplified form
Examples: Family, Economy, Social Class, Gender
Variable – a concept whose values change from case to case
Examples: Height, Social Class

31. Positivist Sociology Reliability & Validity
Measurements must be both reliable and valid.
Reliability – consistency in measurement
Do repeated measurements give the same result each time?
Validity – actually measuring what you intend to measure
Is your measure actually gathering data on what you are interested in?
Objectivity
PS calls for researchers to be neutral, objective and value-free.

32. Limitations of Scientific Sociology
Human behavior is too complex to predict precisely any individual’s actions.
Findings represent how categories of people typically act
The mere presence of the researcher may affect the behavior being studied
Hawthorne Effect
Social patterns change across time & place
Sociologists are part of the world they study, making value-free research difficult.

33. Interpretive Sociology
Interpretive Sociology - the study of society that focuses on the meanings people attach to their social world
Major Q: How do people attach meaning to their actions?
PS holds close to science and is well-suited for lab research whereas IS does not hold as close to science and is better suited for fieldwork.
Quantitative Data – numerical measurements of outward behavior
Qualitative Data – researchers’ perceptions of how people understand their world
Positivist Sociology
Interpretive Sociology
Focus: Observable Action
Focus: Meaning of Action
Reality: Exists “Out There”
Reality: Socially Constructed
Data: Quantitative
Data: Qualitative

34. Discussion on Research Methods
Group activity:
1. Identify a research study – report, journal article – what is this study about?
2. What research methods were used?
3. Did they test any hypothesis?
Sociology, Eleventh Edition