The Sociological Perspective

The Sociological Perspective
Chapter 1

Chapter Overview Introductory “Quiz” What is Sociology?
Historical Factors that Led to Sociology Major Theorists What is Sociology’s Function? Theoretical Approaches and Levels of Analysis Eight Steps of Scientific Research Six Research Designs ♥ The Experiment ♥ Final Considerations

I. Introductory “Quiz”

1. Sociology strives to identify superior societies so as to improve all societies.
False

2. Sociology is an observational study. Science is not applied.
False

3. Marx was not a “Marxist.”
True

4. Women and African Americans were very influential in Sociology almost from the beginning.
True

5. Because Sociology asserts that society influences people, it is antagonistic to the idea of free agency. False

6. Children in every society are supported by their parents until they are adults.
Define “adult.”

7. Experiments are conducted in a laboratory.
Not necessarily.

8. Scientific research means experimentation.
Not necessarily.

9. Watching people “do their thing” is one way to conduct research.
True

10. Scientific research is value free; it does not reflect the biases of the researcher.
Only in your dreams.

II. What is Sociology? Definition
Assumption: People’s social experiences underlie their behavior. Goals Considerations

Assumption: People’s social experiences underlie their behavior. Goals Understand Explain Predict Control Considerations

Assumption: People’s social experiences underlie their behavior. Goals Considerations Job Income Race Education level Gender

III. Historical Factors that Led to Sociology
The Industrial Revolution The American and French Revolutions The Emergence of the Scientific Method

IV. Major Theorists Time Line The Big 5
Lesser Known, But Really Important Sociologists

IV. Major Theorists A. Timeline

IV. Major Theorists The Big Five August Comte Herbert Spencer
A. Timeline The Big Five August Comte Herbert Spencer Carl Marx Emile Durkheim 5. Max Weber Lesser Known, But Really Important Sociologists

August Comte August Comte a. ***Father of Sociology
b. Belief: Understand society as it is, not what it ought to be. c. Questions: What holds society together and what causes change? d. Espoused Positivism, but never did research.

Herbert Spencer 2. Herbert Spencer Second founder of Sociology
***Social Darwinist: Survival of the fittest Did not do research

Carl Marx 3. Carl Marx Economics is the greatest cause of social change Conflict Theorist: Bourgeoisie v. Proletariat The working class is the most important class. Historical change occurs through class conflict.

Marx’s Model of Historical Change
Thesis (Some current arrangement of power) + Antithesis (Contradictions) Synthesis (A new arrangement of power) Process continues throughout history Classless State

4. Emile Durkheim 4. Emile Durkheim
Systematically studied SUICIDE RATES between countries Discovered the importance of SOCIAL INTEGRATION

5. Max Weber Max Weber Used cross cultural and historical materials to trace the causes of social change Studied the effects of social groups on people’s orientations to life Religion is the main cause of social change: Protestant Ethic

IV. Major Theorists The Big Five
A. Timeline The Big Five Lesser Known, But Really Important Sociologists Harriet Martineau Jane Addams W.E.B. DuBois

Harriet Martineau Lesser Known, But Really Important Sociologists
Analyzed social life Author of Society in American Best know for translating Comte’s ideas into English

Jane Addams 2. Jane Addams
Social reformer for poor, especially immigrants Co-founder of Hull House Nobel Peace Prize recipient

W.E.B. DuBois 3. W.E.B. DuBois Social reformer Harvard Ph.D.
Race relations Co-founder of NAACP Author of The Soul of Black Folks

V. What is Sociology’s Function?
Comparing Basic and Applied Sociology Basic Sociology Audience: Fellow Sociologists Product: Knowledge Applied Sociology Audience: Clients Product: Change Constructing theory/testing hypotheses Research on basic social life; on how groups effect people The Middle Ground: criticisms of society and social policy Analyzing specific problems/ evaluating the effectiveness of the policy and programs Suggesting solutions to specific problems/proposing ways of improving a policy or program Implementing solutions (clinical sociology)

VI. Theoretical Approaches and Levels of Analysis
Macrosociology (an entire population) Structural Functionalism Conflict theory Microsociology (small group behavior) Symbolic Interactionism VI. Theoretical Approaches and Levels of Analysis Macrosociology (an entire population) Structural Functionalism Society is the way it is because it works. Society is stable and change occurs slowly. The sum of the parts > the sum of the whole. Conflict theory The parts compete with each other. Constant change is inevitable due to inequality of the parts. Microsociology (Small group behavior) Symbolic Interactionism Society is built on the interaction of its people. The meanings people give the behavior influence behavior.

Summary of Theoretical Perspectives
Perspective Analysis Level Nature pf Society Functionalist Macrolevel Society is composed of interrelated parts that work together to maintain stability within society. This stability is threatened by dysfunctional acts and institutions. Conflict Macrolevel Society is characterized by social inequality; social life is a struggle for scarce resources. Social relationships benefit some groups at the expense of others. Symbolic Interactionist Microlevel Society is the sum of interactions of people and groups. Behavior is learned in interaction with other people; how people define a situation becomes the foundation of how they behave.

VII. Eight Steps of Scientific Research
Select a topic Define the problem Review the literature Form a hypothesis Choose a research method Collect the data Analyze the results Share the results Stimulate ideas for more research Generate Hypotheses

Select a topic Define the problem Review the literature Form a hypothesis Choose a research method Collect the data Analyze the results Share the results Stimulate ideas for more research H:= Generate Hypotheses

Select a topic Define the problem Review the literature Form a hypothesis Choose a research method survey participant secondary document unobtrusive e experiment observation analysis study measure F Collect the data Analyze the results Share the results Stimulate ideas for more research H:= Generate Hypotheses

Select a topic Define the problem Review the literature Form a hypothesis Choose a research method Collect the data Analyze the results Share the results Stimulate ideas for more research H:= Generate Hypotheses

Select a topic Define the problem Review the literature Form a hypothesis Choose a research method Collect the data Analyze the results Share the results Stimulate ideas for more research H:= H:= H:= H:= H:= H:= H:= H:= Generate Hypotheses H:= H:= H:= H:= H:=

Select a topic Define the problem Review the literature Form a hypothesis Choose a research method Collect the data Analyze the results Share the results Stimulate ideas for more research H:= H:= H:= H:= H:= H:= H:= H:= Generate Hypotheses H:= H:= H:= H:= H:= Metaphor of the one year old building a tower

VIII. Six Research Designs, Their Pros & Cons
Surveys Participant Observation Secondary Analysis Documents Unobtrusive Measures ♥ The Experiment ♥

IX. ♥ The Experiment ♥ Lots of Terms A Demonstration A Flowchart

IX. ♥ The Experiment ♥ Lots of Terms A Demonstration Summing Up

IX. ♥ The Experiment ♥ Lots of Terms Hypothesis Population Sample
Random Sample Experimental Group Control Group Variable Independent Variable (IV) Dependent Variable (DV) Confound Variable Experimenter bias/experimenter effect ***Also discuss a biased sample

IX. ♥ The Experiment ♥ Lots of Terms A Demonstration Summing Up

C. Summing Up Experimental Group Control Group The first measure
of the independent variable The second measure of the independent variable Random Assignment Experimental Group Exposure to the Independent Variable Experimental Group Human Subjects Control Group Control Group No Exposure to the Independent Variable

X. Final Considerations
Which research method should be used? The Solution to Experimenter Bias:

Which research method should be used? Access to subjects Available resources Training Ethics The Solution to Experimenter Bias:

Which research method should be used? The Solution to Experimenter Bias: Replication The double-blind experiment

VIII.Additional Key Terms
C. Wright Mills power elite manifest function latent function plagiarism

Key Term Another Term Yet Another Term You Guessed It

The Sociological Perspective

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "The Sociological Perspective"— Presentation transcript:

Similar presentations

About project

Feedback

Log in

Auth with social network:

The Sociological Perspective

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "The Sociological Perspective"— Presentation transcript:

Similar presentations

About project

Feedback