Intro to Sociology

In a boat at sea one of the men began to bore a hole in the bottom of the boat. On being remonstrating with, he answered, "I am only boring under my own seat." "Yes," said his companions, "but when the sea rushes in we shall all be drowned with you." Talmud

Flash Mobs Have you ever been a part of a flash mob?  Flash mobs have been used to raise awareness about issues, protest actions, or just have fun.  Flash mobs vary in size, from a dozen people to over 4000 people who a silent rave at Victoria Station in London, England.  Defended as a populist protest and criticized as troublemaking foolery, flash mobs provide interesting insight into societal formation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfcKvevod3k http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx40wK8Z3_I http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwMj3PJDxuo

Watching a Crowd? Not Always. Sociologists study ______________________________________, _______________________________________ _______________________________________ ______________________________________.   A common misconception is that sociologists are ________________ who watch crowds. sociology deals with the scientific study of human and animal behaviour within, and around the formation of, societies

Sociology delves into social issues (no surprise) and so is less concrete than the other two social sciences.  However, there are three main tangents: __________________, conflict, and ________________________.  Each type represents a different perspective on how we can best understand societal formation and interaction.

3 main areas of focus Functional Conflict Symbolic This sociological area suggests that societies are like the human body – a complex series of inter-related parts that allow the complete person to function properly. Conflict This sociological area suggests that conflict identifies and defines societies, often from a class basis.  Conflict theory generally centers around goods distribution (the haves and have-nots). Symbolic

Sociologists also… explore ______________________________, but from a mid-sized perspective (as opposed to a larger one, like anthropology and a smaller one, like psychology).  Because of this perspective, sociologists often research how individuals and groups function, develop, survive, and thrive. 

Sociologists pose important questions concerning how our societies function and interact; sociologists also ask questions such as: why do societies form and function? what benefits and cons do societies offer? . how do changes (technological, societal, political, etc) affect groups and societal perceptions?

Think of society like a set of rules that allows everyone to survive and thrive.  Sometimes these rules are ____________________, other times they are not.  For example, a written rule in North American culture is that you should not steal.  And this makes sense; after all, if everyone was allowed to steal from everyone else, what would be the point of working for money to purchase luxuries (not to mention working to produce them!)?  An unwritten rule is not to lie to your best friend.  Again, this makes sense since if everyone lied to one another, who could you confide in and trust?  Of course, as you probably already noticed, these rules get broken.  But, overall, these rules are accepted and allow our society to work.

Signs… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1Q7cP3i j5g They tell us what to do and not to, when to do it etc. Societies function because people _______________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ Though this may conflict with your inner desires, if applied equally, most people willing accept the ____________________ representations’ power to direct our actions.

Socializing? Uhm, no… You can’t really understand sociology unless you first understand what is meant by society (after all, that’s what sociology studies!). Latin translation of society - “a ______________ association with others” dictionary.com definition - “a highly structured system of human organization for large-scale community living that normally furnishes protection, continuity, security, and a national identity for its members.” (Dictionary.com). From the second definition, you can see that sociology necessarily needs certain aspects.

Aspects of sociology Determined Structure Vary in size Protects Similarities    Identity Common connections Exclusion    Inclusion    Safety in Numbers

Faceless Facebook? Are you one of the 100+ million members who comprise Facebook?  Facebook (and other social networking sites) have had a huge impact on how people socialize.  No longer are boundaries or borders an issue when it comes to meeting new people. But are you meeting the actual person?  Fraudulent identities aside, many sociologists wonder whether people are accurately portraying themselves when using any Internet based socialization site.  Who are you – and when are?