Social Status Positions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking human experience is heavily informed by social status positions there is some latitude in fulfilling roles social context matters in what we do and think experience is linked to complex meaning What meanings motivate behaviour? LO 5

Social Status Positions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking the complex of meaning guiding the human experience are the social norms and social roles of social status positions that “make-up” social relationships using Sociololgical imagination – if public issues (social & historical context) that shape private troubles (day-to-day behaviour & thinking) are made up of social relationships then social status positions allow us to understand the “social context” LO 5

Social Status Positions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking Critical thinking –the concept of social status position when applied to background information about what people do and think in a social relationship allows us to be specific about the social norms and social roles that guide or motivate experience can identify particular norms and roles that meaningfully influence what people do within social relationships LO 5

Social Status Positions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking An Example: Why Do We Give Students Grades? a classroom is a social relationship associated with particular meanings that shapes what we do and think How do we know particular actions will be associated with particular meanings? LO 5

Social Status Positions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking Critical thinking: why do instructors give grades? gather relevant background information about grading practices in the classroom clues about complex of meaning Ie students may assume teachers grade based on a standard Teachers may compare students’ performance LO 5

Social Status Positions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking continuing to ask questions and gather answers will show that granting and receiving a grade means different things all of which motivate actions in different ways a classroom can also be described as a network of social status positions understanding these gives us more detail about how social relationships shape what we do and think LO 5

Social Status Positions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking “student”, “instructor”, “Dean”, “administrator” these status’ are related on the basis of social norms and social roles describing these norms allows us to identify the forces that motivate actions Ie instructor are expected to teach students Deans are expected to ensure high standards LO 5

Social Status Positions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking based on these norms instructors and Deans grant grades in particular ways to answer the question “Why do instructors give grades” we reflect on the norms that connect social status positions that make-up a classroom applying relevant concepts to background information in order to make distinctions LO 5

Social Status Positions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking an instructor’s relationship with other status positions influences how s/he grades Ie curved grades may allow an instructor to meet a Dean’s expectation of ensuring high standards, and assist students in learning fulfilling social norms which link instructors to wider society LO 5