1. Sociology: An introduction

2. What is sociology?
Sociology is one of the social sciences- history, anthropology, geography, economics, psychology, archeology, political science
Sociology is the study of cultures, social structure and their effects and influence on behavior
Sociologists look at how jobs, education, gender, race and age affect ideas and behavior

3. Culture
Culture is the knowledge, values, customs, and physical values shared by a society
What is acceptable in our culture?

4. Socialization
Socialization is the cultural process of learning to participate in life
What characteristics are influenced by nature (heredity) or nurture (contact with others)?

5. Social Structure
Social Structure defines limits on our behavior, roles, social status, social institutions.
Location on the social structure influences attitudes, perceptions and behavior. People are divided by social class and social groups.

6. Sociological Perspectives
Conflict Perspective- emphasis is on competition, change and constraint within society
Functional Perspective- looks at the contribution of each part of society (family, economy, religion, etc.)
Symbolic Interaction Perspective- focuses on the interaction of people based on mutually understood symbols

7. Macro vs. Micro Perspectives

8. Sociology vs. Common Sense
All questions are true/false
More U.S. students are shot in school today than fifteen years ago.
The earnings of U.S. women have caught up with men.
When faced with natural disasters such as floods or earthquakes, people panic, and social organization disintegrates
Most rapists are mentally ill.
Most people on welfare are lazy and looking for a handout. They could work if they wanted to.
Compared with women, men maintain more eye contact in face to face conversations
Couples that live together before marriage are more satisfied than couples that do not live together before marriage.
Most husbands that get laid off from work take up the slack and increase the amount of work they do around the house.
Students in Japan are under such intense pressure to do well in school their suicide rate is double that of U.S. high school students.

9. Origins of Sociology

10. Origins
Sociology grew out of the social upheaval of the Industrial Revolution and revolutionary movements of the 1700’s and 1800’s
Questions of where we fit in in new society

11. Auguste Comte 1798-1857 Known as the founder of sociology
Used the scientific method to identify what holds society together (positivism)
Comte was more of a social philosopher than a true sociologist
Thought that the study of society could bring about social reform

12. Herbert Spencer
Thought society evolved from lower (barbarian) to higher (civilized) forms
Used ideas of Charles Darwin and thought that only the fittest societies survived (Social Darwinism)

13. Karl Marx
Believed that the engine of human history is class conflict and economics as a force for social change
Society was a battle of the have’s (bourgeoisie) against the have not’s (proletariat)
Struggle could only end through revolution when the workers defeated the capitalists
The result would be a classless society where people will work according to their abilities and receive according to their needs

14. Emile Durkheim 1858-1917 Studied how social forces effect behavior
Identified social integration, how people are influenced by their social group, effected peoples behavior.
Human behavior can’t be understood on individualistic terms, it must always be examined with the effects of social forces

15. Max Weber 1864-1920 Studied religion as a force for social change
Saw Protestant religions as a force that gave birth to capitalism. Money was a sign of success
Coined the term Protestant Work Ethic

16. W.E.B. DuBois
African-American who studied sociology and race relations
Sociology he used was not theoretical but for social reform
Studies led him to write books on social reform in America

17. Perspectives in Sociology
Symbolic Interaction, Functional Analysis, Conflict Theory

18. Sociological Perspectives
Conflict Perspective- emphasis is on competition, change and constraint within society
Functional Perspective- looks at the contribution of each part of society (family, economy, religion, etc.)
Symbolic Interaction Perspective- focuses on the interaction of people based on mutually understood symbols

19. Symbolic Interactionism
Scottish moral, philosophers of the 1700’s noticed how individuals evaluate their own conduct by comparing themselves with others.
People use symbols to develop their views of the world and to communicate with each other

20. Symbolic Interactionism
Symbols tell us:
Who we are related to and how to behave
To tell time and how to coordinate our actions with other people
Build buildings, make movies and music
Without symbols no government, no hospitals, no religion

21. Symbolic Interactionism
Symbolic interactionists see the self as a symbol- it consists of the ideas and symbols of who we are.

22. Functional Analysis
The central idea of this perspective is that society is made up of interrelated parts that make up the whole.
Organic Theory- Comte and Spencer saw society as a living organism that, in order to function smoothly all the parts had to work in harmony

23. Functional Analysis
Functionalists look at the structure- how the parts fit together to make the whole
They also investigate the function- what each part does and how it contributes to society
Sociologist Robert Merton dismissed the organic theory but kept the essence of functionalism- society as a whole composed of parts working together
He used the term function to describe the beneficial aspects of society
Dysfunctions are consequences that harm society. Functions can either be manifest or latent
Manifest functions are intended to help the system
Latent functions are unintended consequences of manifest functions
Latent dysfunctions are consequences that harm the social system

24. Conflict Theory
Society is composed of groups in a constant struggle for resources
Alliance and cooperation may be seen on the surface but underneath there is a struggle for power

25. Conflict Theory
Karl Marx is the founder of the conflict theory. It was developed as his response to the transformation of the Industrial Revolution in Europe.
He described human history as a competition between the group that controls the means of production and exploitation of those not in control

26. Conflict Theory
When people control try to enforce authority those not in control will resist. The result is a constant struggle over who has authority
Lewis Coser looked at people in close relationships and described how these relationships divide responsibility and privileges. When the relationship changes conflicts will occur

27. Assignment due the day after tomorrow
Of the three theoretical perspectives, which one do you think is the most effective in studying sociology? Why?
You must answer both parts of the question to receive full credit.

28. Basics, Symbolic Culture, Values, Norms, Mores and Sanctions

29. What to know
Definitions- culture, material culture, nonmaterial culture, culture shock, ethnocentrism, cultural relativism, symbol, gesture, language, values, norms, folkways, mores, sanctions, taboos Concepts- seven basics about all culture, how does language allow culture to exist, explain the differences between mores, folkways, norms, values

30. Two types of Culture
Material Culture- things that can be seen or felt. Examples: buildings, art, machines, hairstyle, clothes
Non-material culture- a groups way of thinking, beliefs, values, language, gestures
Culture is neither right or wrong

31. How culture changes Two ways:
Internally through invention and adaptation
Externally through borrowing
Does culture invent more than it borrows
or does it borrow more than it invents?

32. Basic Ideas of Culture
All culture is learned- culture is within us. We take culture for granted, we assume that our culture is normal behavior
Culture shock- the disorientation people experience when they come in contact with a fundamentally different culture and can no longer depend on their assumptions about life
A consequence of the culture within us is ethnocentrism

33. Culture Basics Nothing natural about material, nonmaterial culture
Culture is the lens which we see the world
Provides the instruction for various situations, basis for our decision making
Culture provides the moral imperative, the right way of doing things
Contact challenges our basic assumptions about life
Culture is universal-society cannot exist without developing shared ways of dealing with the challenges of life
All people are ethnocentric (positive and negative)

34. Cultural Relativism
Culture Relativism- to understand culture on its own terms. Seeing how these elements fit together without judging them as superior or inferior to one’s own way of life

35. Culture Areas of the U.S.

36. Ancestry in the U.S.

37. Decide if the statement is an example of ethnocentrism or cultural relativism
1. The British drive on the wrong side of the road.
2. The Chinese characters for China mean “center of the universe”.
3. Frenchmen use forks with their left hands.
4.Americans believe democracy is the only form of government.
5. In some cultures it is a delicacy to eat dog.
6. Milk is the only drink to serve children.
7. It is rude to haggle over the price of an item.
8. Looking directly at a person means that you respect that person.
9. It is wrong to show up late for an appointment
10. Women in India wear red on their wedding day.

38. Symbolic Culture
Symbol- something people attach meaning and that they use to communicate
Gesture- using the body to communicate with others, a way to convey a message without words.
Certain gestures accepted in some cultures are inappropriate or unintelligible in other cultures.
Gestures are learned, highly specific to a culture.
There are some gestures that represent fundamental emotions- sadness, anger, fear, joy- inborn, do not vary from culture to culture
Culture is universal but people have different ways of expressing culture

39. Language
Symbols that can be put together in infinite ways for the purpose of communication.
Language allows culture to exist
Language has embedded in it our ways of looking at the world

40. Language allows human experience to be cumulative
Ideas, knowledge, and attitudes passed from generation to generation
Modify behavior with what previous generations have learned.
Communicate events past , present and future
Allows culture to develop by freeing people to move beyond their immediate experiences

41. Language Language provides a social or shared past and future
Language allows for shared perspectives- talking allows people to reach a shared understanding that form the basis of social life. When people do not share a language it invites miscommunication and suspicion
Language allows for complex goal directed behavior-common language allows people to set a purpose, place events in sequence, etc

42. Values and Norms

43. Review Culture is learned and universal
Two parts of culture-material and non material
Cultural views can be ethnocentric, culture can also be viewed through a lens of cultural relativism
Language and gestures are two symbols of nonmaterial culture
Language allows us to share our perceptions, future and past
Language shapes our perception of objects and events

44. Values, Norms and Sanctions
All cultures have values, their ideas about what is valuable in life.
Values tell us what is good, bad, beautiful, ugly
Norms describe expectations, rules of behavior that develop out of values
Sanctions refer to reactions people receive from following or breaking the norms
Positive Sanction- approval for following norms
Negative Sanction- disapproval for breaking the norm
Moral Holidays- specified time when people can break the cultural norms- Mardi Gras for example

45. Folkways and Mores
Norms that are not strictly enforced are called folkways
Norms that we think of as essential to our core values are called mores
A norm that is so strongly ingrained in our culture to break it is greeted with revulsion is called a taboo

46. American Values
The U.S. is made up of many different groups- we are a pluralistic society.
Numerous religious, ethnic and specific interest groups make up our society.

47. American Values
Salad Bowl Theory- immigrants keep their own basic beliefs and ways of life while adapting to the general characteristics of the culture
Melting Pot Theory- immigrants groups blend into the culture adding items to the culture but not keeping strong ties to their cultural ties and background

48. American Values
Sociologist Robin Williams (1965) identified fifteen traits of American Culture
Achievement and Success
Individualism
Activity and Work
Efficiency and Partiality
Science and Technology
Progress
Material Comfort
Humanitarianism
Freedom
Democracy
Equality
Racism and Group Superiority
Education
Religiosity
Romantic Love

49. Value Clusters, Contradictions and Social Change
Values are not independent units, some cluster together to form part of a larger whole.
Some values contradict each other. Value contradictions can be powerful forces for social change.

50. Emerging Values Leisure- reflected in a huge recreation industry
Self-fulfillment- the “self help” movement
Physical Fitness- organic foods, obsessive concern weight and diet
Youthfulness- attributed to the baby boomers. Reflected in increase of plastic surgery
Concern for the environment -despite a history of exploitation of the environment, today Americans have a concern and commitment for the environment.

51. Why are cultures so different?
Read the essay “One Hundred Percent American”
Why are cultures so different? Consider in your answer geography, isolation, human imagination and inventiveness and ethnocentrism
Ethnocentrism- the belief that one culture is superior to another know this definition

52. Values, Cultural Change and Globalization of Culture

53. Concepts and Definitions
Culture war, cultural lag, cultural diffusion, cultural leveling, ideal vs. real culture
Provide an example of a culture war.
Provide an example of cultural lag.
How does technology change culture?
Is cultural leveling and the loss of cultural diversity a good or bad thing?

54. Culture Wars
Cultural change is met with strong resistance. People hold their core values dear and see the changes as a threat to their way of life. This creates what is known as a “culture war”

55. Ideal vs. Real
What we see as ideal sometimes is in conflict with reality.
Norms, values and goals that a group considers worth aspiring to is “ideal culture”.
What we actually do is known as “real culture”

56. Technology in the Global World
Language, gestures, values, norms and folkways are all parts of nonmaterial culture.
Culture also has a material side- its things, houses, clothes toys and technology
Central to a groups culture is technology or tools. Technology can also include the skills and procedures used to make these tools

57. Technology
To a sociologist technology sets the framework for a groups nonmaterial culture
Technology has a significant impact on human life. If a groups technology changes it changes the way people think and relate to each other
Technology can be an invisible factor in cultural change

58. Cultural Lag and Cultural Change
Cultural Lag occurs when not all parts of culture change at the same pace.
A groups material culture usually changes first , with the non- material culture playing catch-up

59. Cultural Diffusion and Cultural Leveling
For most of human history people lived in relative isolation. Cultures developed unique characteristics that responded to the situations they faced.
These characteristics changed little over time
Cultures have usually had at least some contact with other groups. During these contacts people learn from each other and adopt parts of each others way of life. This process is known as cultural diffusion.
Cultural diffusion is the spread of cultural characteristics from one group to another

60. Cultural Diffusion and Cultural Leveling
Changes in communication, travel have sped up the process of cultural diffusion.
Much of the world, for better or worse has adopted Western culture in place of their own culture
Travel and communication unite us in a way that there is almost no part of the world not effected by this.
The result of these new technologies is a process called cultural leveling
Cultural leveling is the process by which cultures become similar to one another.

61. World within a world
Subculture- the values and other related behaviors, for example language, that distinguish its members from the larger culture.
Many subcultures exist within a culture. Their experiences have led them to have a distinctive way of looking at life or some part of it
Ethnic, religious and occupational groups form many different subcultures within our own

63. Counterculture
Values and norms of most subcultures blend with society.
In a counterculture values and norms place these groups at odds with general society
Members of a mainstream culture will often isolate, attack or ridicule the counterculture