1. Sociology -- the scientific study of human social relationships

2. WHAT IS SOCIAL?

3. Social -- interaction between two or more people

4. Asocial -- not social, not interacting with others
Either by choice …
… or by being left out

5. Anti-social -- negative interaction or avoidance of interaction
KEEP OUT

6. Pseudo-social -- appears to be social, but isn’t

7. Early Sociologists
A Brief Review

8. Theorists of Sociology
Comte Durkheim Marx
Spencer Weber 1

9. Auguste Comte Considered the founder of Sociology
Coined the term “sociology”

10. Comte coined term “Sociology”
Socious- companion (Latin)
Logos- study of (Greek) 3

11. Theorists of Sociology Auguste Comte-
French Philosopher, interested in finding solutions to the chaos of the French Revolution 2

12. Comte believed that sociologists should be concerned with two main concepts:
Order & Change

13. Comte Social Statics constants non-changing principles life and death
man v. nature 4

14. Comte
Social Dynamics
change
attitudes and acceptable behaviors 5

15. Auguste Comte
Practiced “cerebral hygiene”

16. Comte
Positivism- all science should be value free and objective 6

17. Karl Marx
Not really a sociologist, but a social philosopher

18. Karl Marx Believed that class conflict led to social change
Influenced the modern conflict theory

19. Theorists of Sociology Karl Marx (1818-1883)
not a sociologist but had a profound affect on sociology (and history) 7

20. importance of economics in everyday life and in history
Marx-
Economic Determinism
importance of economics in everyday life and in history 8

21. Concerned with class conflict
Marx-
Concerned with class conflict
Worker v. Capitalist 9

22. Felt that any historical change would involve conflict between the workers and capitalists
Marx 10

23. Organic Totalitity Marx-
society similar to a human body- each part performs a function
many parts make up the whole 11

24. Herbert Spencer Was strongly influenced by Charles Darwin
Believed no steps should be taken to correct society’s problems

25. Herbert Spencer Coined the phrase “Survival of the Fittest”
His theory is called “Social Darwinism”

26. Herbert Spencer
Society is made up of interdependent parts 12

27. Emile Durkheim
First sociologist to systematically apply the scientific method to the study of society

28. Emile Durkheim
Greatly influenced the modern Functionalist theory

29. Emile Durkheim- Thought only the overt should be studied
Not- thoughts, feelings or emotions
Believed that everything has numerous functions 14

30. Emile Durkheim- functions
Manifest Function- the intended or primary purpose of an object
transportation
Latent Function- the unintended purpose of an object
status symbol 16

31. Max Weber Studied the effects of society on the individual
Influenced the modern Inter-actionist theory

32. Max Weber
Verstehen -- essentially seeing a situation through someone else’s eyes

33. Interested in groups within society, not just society as a whole
Max Weber-
Interested in groups within society, not just society as a whole 17

34. Max Weber- Verstehen
understanding the meaning others attach to their actions 18

35. … And now for something new ...

36. Sociological Imagination

37. C. Wright Mills
No social study is complete until it deals with the “intersection” of History and Biography H t i s r y
Biography

38. This “intersection” is the connection between the larger world (history) ...
… and our personal lives (biography)

39. Sociological Imagination
… can therefore be defined as the ability to perceive the connection between your per-sonal life and the larger world around you.

40. Sociological Imagination
Mills said that the researcher must follow three lines of questioning to utilize sociological imagination:

41. What is the structure of the society as a whole?
What are its essential components?
How are they interrelated?
How does this society differ from others?

42. Where does this society stand in human history?
How is it changing?
How is it affected by the historical period in which it exists?

43. What varieties of people prevail in this society?
What are the men and women in this society like?
Who are the “winners” and how are these people selected or formed in this society?

44. Q. Which theorist developed the idea of “Social Darwinism”?
Theorist Evaluation
Q. Which theorist developed the idea of “Social Darwinism”? 19

45. Q. Which theorist developed the idea of “Social Darwinism”?
Theorist Evaluation
Q. Which theorist developed the idea of “Social Darwinism”?
A. Herbert Spencer 19

46. Q. Who coined the term “sociology”?
Theorist Evaluation
Q. Who coined the term “sociology”? 20

47. Q. Who coined the term “sociology”? A. Auguste Comte
Theorist Evaluation
Q. Who coined the term “sociology”?
A. Auguste Comte 20

48. Q. Which theorist emphasized class conflict?
Theorist Evaluation
Q. Which theorist emphasized class conflict? 21

49. Q. Which theorist emphasized class conflict? A. Karl Marx
Theorist Evaluation
Q. Which theorist emphasized class conflict?
A. Karl Marx 21

50. Q. Which theorist is responsible for the idea of verstehen?
Theorist Evaluation
Q. Which theorist is responsible for the idea of verstehen? 22

51. Q. Which theorist is responsible for the idea of verstehen?
Theorist Evaluation
Q. Which theorist is responsible for the idea of verstehen?
A. Max Weber 22

52. Q. Which theorist applied the scientific method to sociology?
Theorist Evaluation
Q. Which theorist applied the scientific method to sociology? 23

53. Q. Which theorist applied the scientific method to sociology?
Theorist Evaluation
Q. Which theorist applied the scientific method to sociology?
A. Emile Durkheim 23

54. … And now for the Sociological Theoretical Perspectives ...

55. Current Sociological Theories
Functionalist Perspective:
Asks the question: “What is the use or purpose of A or B?”

56. Current Sociological Theories
Function -- the positive consequence of an element of society
stabilizes society

57. Current Sociological Theories
Dysfunction -- the negative consequence of an element of society
destabilizes society

58. Current Sociological Theories
Example: Cars
Function? Dysfunction?

59. Current Sociological Theories
Manifest function -- the intended and recognized function
Latent function -- the unintended and unrecognized function

60. Current Sociological Theories
Cars …
Manifest function?
Latent function?

61. Current Sociological Theories
Conflict Perspective:
Asks the question: “How is A pitted against B, and why?”

62. Current Sociological Theories
Conflict Perspective:
Society is divided between “haves” and “have-nots”
Conflict leads to social change

63. Current Sociological Theories
Conflict Perspective:
Looks at who has power and who does not.
How did those in power get it and how do they keep it?

64. Current Sociological Theories
Conflict Perspective:
Who does not have power and how are they trying to get it? What obstacles stand in their way from succeeding?

65. Current Sociological Theories
Interactionist Perspective:
Asks the question: “How is A related to B?”

66. Current Sociological Theories
Interactionist Perspective:
Looks at how individuals relate to one another.

67. Current Sociological Theories
Interactionist Perspective:
An area if interest is understanding the meaning that people attach to their own and others’ actions.

68. Current Sociological Theories
Symbolic Interaction

69. Correlation &
Causation

70. Notes:
Social Phenomenon -- an act or occurrence in human society that can be observed and studied

71. Variable -- a characteristic that can change from one individual (or group) to another (opposite of “constant”)

72. Correlation -- when a change in one variable is associated with a change in another variable

73. Causation -- when a change in one brings about a change in another variable.

74. Ex:
Smoking &
Lung Cancer
This is a direct or a positive correlation

75. Does one cause the other?
Ex: Amount of Homework & Stress
Does one cause the other?

76. Ex: Exercise & Heart Disease
This is an inverse or a negative correlation

77. Does one cause the other?
Ex: Hospitalization & Death
Does one cause the other?

78. NO! A third variable causes both!
Hospitalization
Death
Serious Illness
NO! A third variable causes both!

79. When a third variable causes both, this is called a spurious correlation.