1. The Nature and Uses of Sociology
CHAPTER ONE
The Nature and Uses of Sociology
Introduction to Sociology, 5/e © 2012 BVT Publishing

2. Introduction to Sociology
What is Sociology?
Sociology considers a wide range of questions.
How do groups influence individual human behavior?
What are the causes and consequences of a particular system of social order?
Introduction to Sociology, 5/e © 2012 BVT Publishing

3. The Sociological Imagination
Our experiences guide our perceptions
C.Wright Mills: understanding the relation between history and biography
Sociological Perspective
Questioning the obvious
Macrosociology and Microsociology
How to read a table
Introduction to Sociology, 5/e © 2012 BVT Publishing

4. Sociology vs. Common Sense
What is common sense?
Examples of common sense explanations vs. sociological explanations: school shootings, poverty, capital punishment, suicide, violence
Experiences influence our beliefs
Generalizations and stereotypes
Introduction to Sociology, 5/e © 2012 BVT Publishing

5. Sociology and the Other Social Sciences
What is meant by social sciences?
Applies the scientific method to studying human behavior.
Besides Sociology, what are the other social sciences?
What about Social Work?
Introduction to Sociology, 5/e © 2012 BVT Publishing