1. Thinking Like a Sociologist
CHAPTER 1
Thinking Like a Sociologist

2. Key Topics 1-1 What Is Sociology?
1-2 What Is a Sociological Imagination?
1-3 Why Study Sociology?
1-4 Some Origins of Sociological Theory
1-5 Contemporary Sociological Theories

3. What Is Sociology?

4. Sociology
Sociology: the systematic study of social interaction at a variety of levels
Systematic study assumes social behavior is regular and patterned.

5. Sociology
Social Interaction: the process of acting toward and reacting to people around us
Interaction between individuals
Interaction between groups
Interaction between nations
Examples of interactions:
Between individuals: siblings, athletic teammates
Between groups: rival gangs, management and workers’ union
Interaction between nations: diplomatic exchanges, war, agreements to control pollution

6. Sociology Sociology studies how we are similar.
Each individual is unique in some ways but like other people in most ways.
We are more alike than we are different.
Discussion: Why might some people object to the systematic study of interaction?
Discussion: What would happen if we didn’t have patterned interactions? Traffic, banking, sports

7. Sociology Sociology is more than common sense. Common sense:
Is subjective
Ignores facts
Varies across groups and cultures
Is based on myths and misconceptions

8. Sociology--Application
These and many other common sense ideas are false.
A systematic study of interaction can show us what really happens.

9. What Is a Sociological Imagination?

10. The Sociological Imagination
Sociological imagination: the ability to see the connection between individual lives and larger social influences
Developed by C. Wright Mills
Distinguishes between:
Personal troubles (biography)
Structural issues (public and historical)
Examples:
Personal troubles: your parents divorce; you don’t get a loan; your spouse dies
Structural issues: societal attitudes about divorce; loan policies; war

11. The Sociological Imagination
Microsociology: focuses on small-scale patterns of individuals’ social interaction in specific settings
Individuals interacting as friends
Patterns of interaction within families

12. The Sociological Imagination
Macrosociology: focuses on large-scale patterns and processes that characterize society as a whole
Comparison of divorce rates for different countries
Effect of trade policies on unemployment rates

13. The Sociological Imagination--Application
How could each of these situations be both a trouble (micro) and a structural issue (macro)?
Illness
Unemployment
Oil spill
Examples of answers:
Illness: An individual suffers from cancer or there is an increase in the rates of cancer.
Unemployment: An individual is unemployed or there is a high rate of unemployment in the nation.
Oil spill: An individual fisherman loses his livelihood or clean-up is expensive for corporations and governments.

14. Why Study Sociology?

15. Studying Sociology Why is sociology important?
Making informed decisions
Understanding diversity
Shaping social and public policies
Thinking critically
Expanding your career opportunities
Examples:
Making informed decisions: Should we live together before marriage? Should the U.S. increase the minimum wage?
Understanding diversity: Who are the non-Hispanic whites? What happens when men work in traditionally female occupations?
Shaping social and public policies: Does a curfew for teenagers effectively reduce crime? Should the United States have government provided health care?
Thinking critically: Seeing how individual decisions are influenced by race and gender; Recognizing how social class affects life chances
Expanding your career opportunities: Sociologists are employed in administrative support and management, social services and counseling, sales and marketing.

16. Studying Sociology

17. Some Origins of Sociological Theory

18. Origins of Sociological Theory
Sociology is based on theory and empirical information.
Theory: a set of statements that explains why a phenomenon occurs
Empirical information: information based on observations, experiments, or experiences

19. Origins of Sociological Theory
Auguste Comte
“Father of sociology”
Argued for the empirical study of society
Analyzed social statics and dynamics

20. Origins of Sociological Theory
Harriet Martineau
Translated Comte’s work
Emphasized systematic data collection
Opposed slavery and advocated for women’s rights

21. Origins of Sociological Theory
Émile Durkheim
Analyzed social facts, social solidarity, and division of labor
Conducted study of suicide and social integration
Social facts: aspects of life external to the individual
Social solidarity: cohesion and harmony
Division of labor: interdependence of different tasks and occupations

22. Origins of Sociological Theory
Karl Marx
Analyzed the Industrial Revolution
Studied capitalism, class conflict, and alienation
Capitalism: an economic system in which ownership of the means of production is in private hands
Class conflict: between capitalists and proletariat
Alienation: feelings of separation

23. Origins of Sociological Theory
Max Weber
Argued for the importance of ideas, ideologies, and charismatic leaders
Used verstehen or subjective understanding
Argued for value free sociology
Discussion: Is it possible to be a value-free sociologist? Should sociology be value-free?

24. Origins of Sociological Theory
Jane Addams
Cofounded Hull House
Studied social disorganization and immigration

25. Origins of Sociological Theory
W.E.B. DuBois
Cofounded NAACP
Examined oppressive effects of race and class
Discussion: What do we mean by the oppressive effects of race and class?

26. Contemporary Sociological Theories

27. Contemporary Sociological Theories
Theories are tools and evolve over time.
Contemporary theories grew out of the 1950s and 1960s.

28. Contemporary Sociological Theories
Functionalism emphasizes order, cohesion, and consensus.
Society is a complex system of interdependent parts that work together to ensure a society’s survival.
Also called structural functionalism; grew out of the work of Comte and Durkheim

29. Contemporary Sociological Theories
Functions are purposes and activities to meet different needs that contribute to a society’s stability.
Manifest functions are intended and recognized.
Latent functions are unintended and unrecognized.
Dysfunctions have negative impacts.
Example:
Cell phone: Manifest—communicate; Latent—carry family photos; Dysfunction: irritate others in a theater

30. Contemporary Sociological Theories--Application
A school uniform
What are the manifest functions?
What are the latent functions?
What are the dysfunctions?
A fast food restaurant
Examples of Answers:
School uniform: ensure proper attire; saves parents money; minimizes creativity and doesn’t suit everyone
Fast food restaurant: efficient delivery of food; provides jobs for minimally skilled; promotes unhealthy eating

31. Contemporary Sociological Theory
Conflict theory examines the ways in which groups disagree, struggle over power, and compete for scarce resources.
Karl Marx predicted that conflict would result from widespread economic inequality.

32. Contemporary Sociological Theory
Conflict theory studies the “haves” versus the “have-nots.”
The “haves” dominate in social, political, and economic activities over the “have-nots.”
Discussion: In what ways is your education influenced by whether you are a “have” or a “have-not?”
Do kids from wealthy families have an advantage in sports?

33. Contemporary Sociological Theory
Feminist theories explain the social, economic, and political position of women in society.
Women suffer injustice because of their sex.
Feminists seek to free women from traditionally oppressive expectations and constraints.
Discussion: In what ways do women have less power than men in our society? Can women perform as well as men in a crisis situation?

34. Contemporary Sociological Theory
Symbolic interactionism looks at individuals’ everyday behavior and communication through symbols and shared meanings.
It is a micro-level perspective.
Society is socially constructed.

35. Contemporary Sociological Theory
Constructing meaning occurs through behavior and interpretation.
Symbols stand for something else (words, gestures, pictures)
Symbols have shared meanings and definitions of the situation.

36. Contemporary Sociological Theory--Application
How do humans mark their territory?
How do we define the different racial categories that people are assigned?
How do we know how to feel about a war?
Examples of answers:
Territory: jacket on a chair; book on a table
Race: physical features we deem important
War: What the media tell us

37. Contemporary Sociological Theory
Functionalism: How does structure help society work?
Conflict: How are resources distributed?
Feminist: How does life reflect gender?
Interactionism: How do we construct meaning through symbols?

38. Chapter Review What is sociology? Why do we need sociology?
What is the sociological imagination?
Describe the contributions of the early social thinkers.
What are the contemporary sociological theories?