1. Early Theorist 1) Explain the contributions of the early theorist to the field of sociology.

2. The Beginning Why did people feel the need to study society? 1)Rapid Social Change. Why? 2)People wanted to understand the changes going on around them. 3)Created need for human behavior to be studied.

3. Auguste Comte Created term sociology Set social order and social change as main areas of study in sociology.

4. Herbert Spencer Viewed society as a set of parts. Social Darwinism  Survival of the fittest. Ills of society would correct themselves.

5. Karl Marx Viewed society as battle between the haves and have nots. Created social order & social change.

6. Emile Durkheim Viewed society as a set of functions that created stability. Applied scientific study and use of statistics in study “Suicide.”

7. Max Weber Studied society in search of the “ideal type.” Interested in society’s impact on the individual more than social order and social change.