The Sociological Perspective Chapter 1 The Sociological Perspective

Seeing the Broader Social Context How Groups Influence People How People are Influenced by Their Society People Who Share a Culture People Who Share a Territory © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Social Location - Corners in Life Jobs Income Education Gender Age Race/Ethnicity © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

C. Wright Mills - History and Biography History - Location in Broad Stream of Events Biography - Individual’s Specific Experiences External influences—our experiences—become part of our thinking and motivation © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Global Context and the Local The Global Village Instant Communication Pick up a telephone or use the Internet to communicate instantly with people anywhere Sociology Studies both the Global Network and Our Unique Experiences © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Sociology and the Other Sciences The Natural Sciences Explain and Predict Events in Natural Environment The Social Sciences Examine Human Relationships Divided into specialized fields based on their subject matter © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Sociology and the Other Sciences Anthropology Studies Culture Economics Studies the Production and Distribution of Goods and Services Political Science Studies How People Govern Themselves © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Sociology and the Other Sciences Psychology The Study of Processes Within Individuals Sociology Similarities to Other Disciplines Sociologists focus primarily on industrialized & postindustrialized societies © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Goal of Science Explain Why Something Happens Make Generalizations Look for Patterns Predict What will Happen Move Beyond Common Sense © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Risks of Sociology Nooks and Crannies People Prefer Hidden People Attempt to Keep Secrets People Feel Threatened by Information They peer behind the scenes to get past those sugar-coated images © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Origins of Sociology Tradition vs. Science The Industrial Revolution Masses of people moved to cities in search of work Grew Out of Social Upheaval Imperialism of the Time Rise of the Scientific Method © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Auguste Comte and Positivism Applying the Scientific Method to Social World Comte began to wonder what holds society together Coined the Term “Sociology” “Armchair Philosophy” © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Herbert Spencer - Social Darwinism Second Founder of Sociology Disagreed sharply with Comte’s idea that sociologists should guide social reform Lower and Higher Forms of Society Coined Phrase “Survival of the Fittest” Spencer’s idea that it was wrong to help the poor offended many © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Karl Marx and Class Conflict Engine of Human History is Class Conflict The Bourgeoisie vs. The Proletariat Marxism Not the Same as Communism Marx thought that people should try to change society Marx did not think of himself as a sociologist © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Durkheim and Social Integration Got Sociology Recognized as Separate Discipline Studied How Social Forces Affect Behavior Identified “Social Integration” - Degree to Which People are Tied to Social Group Applying Durkheim © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Max Weber and the Protestant Ethic Religion and the Origin of Capitalism Disagreed with Marx’s claim that economics is the central force in social change Said that role belongs to religion Religion is Central Force in Social Change Protestant Ethic and Spirit of Capitalism © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Values in Sociological Research Sociology Should be Value-Free Sociology Should be Objective Research Should Involve Replication Goals and Uses of Sociology That bias has no place in research is not a matter of debate © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Verstehen and Social Facts Weber Verstehen - “To Grasp by Insight” Importance of Subjective Meanings Durkheim Stressed Social Facts Explain Social Facts with Other Social Facts How Social Fact & Verstehen Fit Together © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Sociology in North America First Took Root in 1890 at University of Kansas Spread Rapidly in Next 20 Years Not at Harvard until 1930 American Journal of Sociology 1895 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Sexism in Early Sociology Attitudes of the Time 1800s Sex Roles Rigidly Defined Few People Educated Beyond Basics Harriet Martineau Published Society in America Before Durkheim and Weber Were Born Her work was Ignored © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Racism at the Time: W.E.B Du Bois B.A. from Fisk University First Harvard Ph.D. for African American It is difficult to grasp how racist society was at this time Published a Book Each Year from 1896-1914 Neglected by Sociologist Until Recently © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Jane Addams: Sociologist and Social Reformer Member of American Sociological Society from Start Came from Background of Wealth and Privilege Co-Founded Hull House Co-Founded American Civil Liberties Union © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Talcott Parsons and C. Wright Mills Many early North American sociologists saw society as corrupt & in need of reform Parsons Developed Objective Analysis and Models of Society Mills Deplored Theoretical Abstractions in Favor of Social Reform Continuing Tension in Sociology © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Theoretical Perspectives Basic Sociology Symbolic Interactionism How People Use Symbols in Everyday Life Applying Symbolic Interactionism Changing meaning of symbols affects expectations Public Sociology Social Reform is risky © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Applying Symbolic Interactionism - Examples The Meaning of Marriage The Meaning of Divorce The Meaning of Parenthood The Meaning of Love In Sum Symbolic interactionists look at how changing ideas put pressure on married couples © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Functional Analysis Society is a Whole Unit Made Up of Interrelated Parts that Work Together Functionalism, Structural Functionalism Robert Merton and Functionalism Functions Manifest Latent © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Functional Analysis Applying Functional Analysis Dysfunctions Economic Teams Education of Children Teaching of Religion © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Functional Analysis Care of the Sick and Elderly A Glimpse of the Past - 1800s Changes in the Functions of… Family Friends © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Conflict Theory Karl Marx and Conflict Theory Conflict Theory Today Feminists and Conflict Theory Applying Conflict Theory Functionalists and Conflict Theorists - Macro Level Symbolic Interactionists - Micro Level © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Trends Shaping the Future Sociology Full Circle: Reform vs. Research Three Stages in Sociology Diversity of Orientations Globalization Application of Globalization © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.