1. Chapter 1 - Intro. To Sociology

2. What is sociology? -ology? Soci- ?
The study of social groups and how social groups influence -and are influenced by-the people who live within them.

3. What are some social groups that you belong to?
Family -- movie audience clubs
School class bus passenger
Church lunch table queue member

4. Sociological Perspective - focus on group never individual
Boy joins a gang
Woman gets divorced
Teen commits suicide
How would a psychologist analyze these behaviors?
How would a sociologist analyze these behaviors?

5. Social Structure
The PATTERNED interaction of people in social relationships
EXAMPLE # 1: the “typical classroom”
EXAMPLE #2: Bronze analogy
EXAMPLE #3 “Mob Mentality”

6. Why study sociology?
Sociological imagination - the ability to see the relationship between events in personal life and events in society.
EXAMPLE: Family size

7. 3 Major Theoretical Perspectives
1. Functionalism - emphasizes the contributions (functions) of each part of society.
See parts of society as integrated whole
change in one part=change in other parts
society returns to state of stability after upheaval
society tends to have consensus on values

8. Theoretical Perspectives cont’d-
2. Conflict Perspective
a society experiences inconsistency/conflict everywhere
society is continuously subject to change
society involves the constant coercion of some members by others

9. Theoretical Perspectives cont’d-
3. Symbolic Interaction - approach that focuses on the interactions among people based on mutually understood symbols

11. Symbolic Interaction cont’d
People’s interpretation of symbols are based on meanings they learn from others
people base their interaction(behavior)on the interpretation of symbols
Symbols permit people to have internal conversations.They can gear their behavior to the behavior that they think others expect of them.

12. Review
Review Worksheet
Questions??
Quiz Chapter 1