ISS 210 1nd Edition Exam 1 Study Guide Know how to locate all the states of the US and provinces of Canada Book Review ISS 210 sec 3 Society and the Individual Spring 2014 Dr Judy Pugh Study Guide for Callero The Myth of Individualism Introduction 1 On p 2 Callero says This book addresses the question of personhood from a sociological perspective What are the key points in the sociological point of view that he introduces The individual Society 2 What are the main features of a psychological perspective on the individual Independent unique can do whatever you want if you set your mind to it 3 What is the myth of individualism In what ways does this concept reflect a sociological perspective as an alternative to a psychological perspective Not everyone can do anything they want if they work for it there are many outside factors that help us to succeed We as individuals cannot accomplish much without the help of other people and resources Therefor individualism is a myth sociology focuses on groups so it also disbeliefs individualism because it is based upon how things are accomplished not by individuals 4 Briefly list key points in the history of the concept of the individual WWII the books Waldon Two and 1984 5 How does today s concept of radical individualism differ from earlier concepts of the individual Today people are very geared towards individual power and what you can do if you put your mind to it We are more selfish and focus more on doing things for ourselves In the past we were less focused on the individual and more centered around growing as a society and as a nation The more stereotypes and differences we find in the community the more the concept of individualism grows 6 What broad questions about the human condition were raised by World War II Is human nature inherently evil Are we destined to repeat such horror Can alternate government forms control the violence Will technology create worse weapons of mass destruction How did this happen 7 How might sociology contribute to our understanding of social forces Sociology is less geared towards individualism social forces are always needed making our accomplishments less individualized Ch 1 Individualism the power of a myth 1 Why does C discuss Kaczynski and what argument is he making He wants to prove individualism is a myth Kaczynski was a person who believed strongly in individualism He lived apart from the community and wanted to prove he didn t need anyone This led him to become insane showing that we do basically everything not individually 2 Examine C s definition of individualism p 15 How does he define radical individualism Individualism favors the person over the group private life over public and personal expression over social experience A worldview where autonomy independence and self reliance are highly valued and thought to be natural It is based on selfdetermination and beliefs that your actions will directly impact your unique destiny 3 Discuss American society as a culture of individualism Give examples We are expected to raise our own kids and teach them the right values so others do not have to do so We are taught to believe hard work will get you where you deserve 4 Give some examples of the myth of the individual in literature Little red hen 3 little pigs The wizard of oz Life in the woods On the duty of civil disobedience It s a wonderful life The grapes of wrath The giving tree 5 What is economic individualism Acts based upon the belief the primary importance of the individual and in the virtues of self reliance and personal independence What is capitalism Privately owned and controlled goods most of our production is not owned by certain people but made on their private property Only about 1 of people control the big businesses and companies Controlled mainly by profit Wealthy people want to keep as much for themselves as possible and make labor costs as cheap as possible What is the relationship between capitalism and the ideology of individualism Many people work for others very few work for themselves Those who do work for themselves have others helping them stay floating 6 What kinds of problems characterize a system based on radical individualism People set higher expectations than they are likely to achieve People who actually are radical individualists end up going crazy due to no other contact 7 Explain the idea of sociology as myth buster Sociology can be used to test common knowledge of todays society by using evidence from real people and real situation s 8 In summary what does this chapter tell us about how social forces shape our lives We rely more heavily on social forces than we realize We need them to survive and succeed Ch 2 Becoming a person the power of symbols 1 Why does C discuss evil witches and missing links Witches weren t considered people He talks about how today people are considered things that grow up and use symbols 2 Discuss the social construction of personhood The word of personhood has in the past not been correctly defined accusing people of being witches Power maters in the classification process Today we know what people are and are not but there is still use of stereotypes Social categories form the basis of our thoughts towards others in society 3 Contrast signs and symbols Symbols are ways of communication letters words pictures etc Signs are things people or animals can do When we pull out a leash it is a sign to the dog that he is going to a walk When a dog sits by the door and barks it is a sign he wants to go outside 4 What is social cognition and how does it figure in child development Social cognition is the encoding storage retrieval and processing of information in the brain as well as the ability to learn symbols employ role taking skills and communicate effectively These are all learned skills all children must develop in these areas but the way we learn can differ 5 Give examples of group differences in cognition Some people learn better through listening and others learn better seeing or with hands on activities There are also different thought communities ex when we look at a fish tank we stare at the fish but many Chinese and Japanese people would look at the tank as a whole and see the fish as less important American culture puts a stronger emphasis on personal responsibility and many other cultures put a stronger emphasis on a more collectivist orientation 6 Discuss the idea of the sociology of emotion How are emotions related to social