Sociology Study of groups More than the sum of their parts. The group is more powerful than a single person. “The Wave.” Social inequality is a big topic in sociologyo Raceo Ethnicityo Classo Gendero Sexualityo Age Involves “politics” – the world could be a better place, broad sense of knowing the world has problems and we can understand them and hopefully solve them. Involves “science” – evidence and research can prove/disprove things. Statistics, math models, data sets. Studying people. Friendship is magic What a social network? Created by friends/family. It’s a group of people that may overlap. History of social network analysis. Really blown up in the last several years.o Bourdieu (social capital): influential for the development of source network analysis. Writing sociological research when people were saying social inequality was due to race. Income equality – social classis important as it relates to money. Social capital – not how much money you have but who you know, quality of friend networks. Who knows you helps you. People are valuable.o Granovetter (weak ties): influential for the development social network analysis. It was during a time when people said social networks worked for helping people get jobs. He said weak ties are actually very important. Social contacts outside your immediate “corediscussion network” are more important than you think. Get jobs from weak ties. Distance between core discussion network and weak ties is importantNetwork effects Dyadic effects: a dyad is 2 people. If the other part of the dyad is suffering from depression, they are more likely to suffer from depression too. Occurs from osmosis on an unconscious level. One-to-one contact.o Widow effecto Dyadic spread: tendency of effects to spread from one person to theirdirect social ties.  Hyperdyadic effects: occur when it’s more than one person. From a friend of a friend. Trying to lose weight? Team up with a friend of a friend.o Hyperdyadic spread: tendency of effects to spread from person to person to person (outside a person’s direct social ties) 3 degrees of influence 6 degrees of separationSocial networks and social capital What’s a friend worth? Beneficial to find out information. We don’t think we have social capital, we can’t see our capital. Friends are resources.Happiness and social networks Happy and unhappy people cluster among themselveso 1 degree – 15%o 2 degrees – 10%o 3 degrees – 6%o Each unhappy person decreases likelihood of happiness by 7%. Magical moments aren’t as random as we think. Real effects on livelihood. People we don’t know have effects on us. Choices subtly influenced by others – 3 degrees of influence.Emile Durkheim – social solidarity Crime is healthy because we are reminded about our collective conscience Societies and groups have social solidarity due to shared experience and/or being interdependent Consensus Perspective Functionalism: what holds societies togetherSocial solidarity We all believe the definitions of right and wrong. Unified set of beliefs that hold us together and it’s a good thing to have Glue that holds us togetherCollective conscience Totality of beliefs and sentiments common to the average member of society Widespread moral compulsion to live in accordance with established rules and norms Becomes visible when we voice common sense Laws are similar to the written form of collective conscience Deviance and crime reaffirms the collective conscience Thoughts and sentiments common to a group of people. Acts as an internal source of direction/guidanceCollective effervescence Perceived social energy that emerges from crowd solidarity. Produced by group rituals and actions. Binds us to the group. Whole is greater than the sum of its parts.Mechanical solidarity Found in simple societies. Solidarity that derives from shared experiences, particularly work experiences. People bound together because they are doing the same stuff. The collective conscience is stronger.Organic solidarity Found in complex societies. Derives from interdependence. Relies on othersfor daily tasks. Everyone has their own specialty. Highly individualized. Collective conscience is less strong. Heterogeneity of skills. Tasks create solidarity.Anomie Alienation (Karl Marx) Disconnect from the group Individual or group wide feelings of aimlessness or purposelessness. Provoked by certain social conditions.  Periphery of social network may experience anomieFunctionalism Human super organism, with anatomy and physiology, structure and function.  Sociological perspective that emphasizes society as an interconnected functioning whole that’s similar to organs in a human body Durkheim  Today most sociologists don’t identify as functionalistsDurkheim’s study of suicide rates Jews < Catholics < Protestants Married < Unmarried Rural < Urban Wartime < PeaceDurkheim’s typology of suicideEgoistic Too little integrationToo selfish. Can’t find a place in a group, focus inward on their personal problems. Isolation andloneliness. AltruisticToo much integrationToo selfless. Committing suicide for “the cause.” So committed to the group, put groups needs above yourself.Anomic Too little Times of rapid poverty/wealth.regulationFatalistic Too much regulationSuicide in a prison/concentration campJonestown massacre fatalistic and altruistic suicides representations of cults often over emphasize the power of the leaderClass stratification here you fall in terms of your income and assets. Classes are fluid. Social class is achieved rather than ascribed The social class we are born into influences our social outcomes more than we thinkKarl Marx – social conflict (class conflict) Location of power – wealth and property Our economic system drives and reflects our cultural life. Economy is everything Class hierarchyo Owner of a large company (bourgeoisie), small business owners (petite bourgeoisie), workers (proletariats). Theory of historyo Primitive accumulation (master/slave) → feudalism (lord/serfs) → capitalism (bourgeoisie/ proletariat) → socialismo History moves through inevitable stages. In the final stage, the poor, unable to buy the things they make under capitalism, will rise up against the rich to usher in socialism. Theory of capital – labor/value Theory of