Sociology 1101 2014 1 People exists in multiple contexts that shape behavior and life outcomes 2 Defining Sociology a Basic definition Systematic study of human society i Unit of analysis individuals groups institutions relationships etc b Contribution general patterns that emerge i How they are lived c Focus intro to the discipline i Focusing on faith of US teens d Sociology in the news CNN i An oddity for a teenager to be passionate about their Christian faith 1 Sociological Foundations 2 Sociological Perspective a Systematic study patterns of behavior b Group behavior as primary groups individuals c Themes i Seeing General in the particular 1 Patterns in behavior of particular people ii Seeing strange in the familiar 1 Going to college 7 100 80 20 iii Benefits 1 Assessing opportunities constraints 2 Active participants in society a More informed citizens d Exploring the social circumstances of the society around us 1 Global Perspective a Broadening the scope of Social Explorations b Global Village 1 000 snapshot p 10 i Study of larger world our place in it ii An unequal place 1 Income population education health iii From 7 billion to 1 000 1 603 Asians 2 149 Africans 107 Europeans 85 Latinos 3 75 of income earned by 200 residents 4 67 college degrees system c Value of a global perspective i Study of the larger world our place in it 1 Where we live shapes how we live 2 Societies increasingly interconnected 3 Social problem severity 4 Learning more about ourselves a Appreciating where we are iv The sociological perspective reminds us that our achievements also result from our nations privileged position in the worldwide social 2 Origins explaining social change a Industrial economy i Harnessing power ii Distance from home b Growth of cities i New form of concentration ii Immigration for opportunity iii Social challenges ex Jewish ghetto c Political societal awareness i From God s will to personal liberty ii U S French Revolutions iii Comte 1838 sociology positivism 3 Basic Theoretical Approaches a Structural Functional Approach i Society is viewed as an organism in which each part serves a function iii Assumptions ii Macro level Emile Durkheim August Comte 1 Society is a system of interdependent subsystems 2 Each part works to keep society operating in an orderly way 3 Members generally agree about what is morally right and wrong iv Core questions 1 How is society held together 2 What are the major parts of society 3 How are these parts linked 4 What does each part do to help society work v Critique 1 Power inequalities 2 Rationale for status quo lead to conflict tension b Social Conflict Approach 3 Too simplistic almost completely ignores inequalities that may i Made up of different groups in constant competition with each other ii Groups must struggle to maximize their benefits iii Macro level Karl Marx W E B DuBois 1 Society is a system of social inequalities based on class gender 2 Society operates to benefits some categories of people and harm iv Assumptions and race others v Core questions 3 Social inequalities cause conflict that leads to social change 1 How does society divide a population 2 How do advantaged people protect their privileges 3 How do disadvantaged people challenge the system seeking change vi Critique 1 Cannot explain societal unity 2 Middle class c Symbolic Interaction Approach i Evolves from interactions with the social environment and other individuals iii Assumptions ii Micro level Max Weber Erving Goffman 1 Society is an ongoing process 2 People interact in countless settings using symbolic communications iv Core questions 3 The reality people experience is variable and changing 1 How do people experience society 2 How do people shape the reality they experience 3 How do behavior and meaning change from person to person and from one situation to another v Critique 1 Where is structure in all the micro interactions 2 Too small scale a Doesn t look at the influence of the large scale processes 4 From Theory to Culture The legacy of Prof W E B DuBois a U S Sociology Pioneer i Harvard PhD 1895 ii Differences within culture iii Race and American iv Differences within culture v Challenged perceptions of inferiority 1 Perceptions as cultural element 2 Need for double consciousness vi Research to Org Action cultural change b Useful distinctions i Culture a society s system of shared learned values and norms which are society s design for living ii Nation political entity borders iii Society people interacting in a territory sharing culture 1 Anything that carries particular meaning to people who share c The Elements of Culture i Symbols that culture ii Languages 1 System of symbols communication continuity 2 Set of verbal and written symbols which allow people to communicate with each other iii Values and beliefs 1 Standards of assessment 2 Statements held as truth iv Norms 1 Established societal rules of that guide behavior expectations v Ideal and real culture 1 Most values vs lived experience d Culture shock e Values i Disorientation from unfamiliar expectations i Abstract ideas about what is right or wrong or desirable or undesirable in a particular culture 1 Perspective which recognizes and promotes equality for all f Cultural Diversity i Multiculturalism cultures ii Subculture 1 A group of people within a culture which differentiates them from the larger culture to which they belong g Culture change over time i Invention a Ex Cellphone ii Discovery 1 The creation of new cultural elements 1 Understanding something that already exists more fully a Ex Women holding political office iii Diffusion 1 The spread of cultural traits from one society to another 1 What is Socialization P 79 feel and act a This chapter stresses one key theme Society shapes how we think 2 Definition Lifelong social experience by which people develop their human potential and learn culture a DISTINCTION 1 Personality a person s fairly consistent patterns b DISTINCTION 2 Nature and nurture We are much more than our acting thinking feeling biology c Nurture matures more in shaping human behavior p 63 3 Socialization Theories The Social Self a G H Mead 1863 1931 i Main idea social behaviorism a social self ii Premise iii How 1 Self not there at birth 1 Through social interaction with others iv How v What ii Premise iii What iv How v Diff 1 We imagine situations from others point of view 1 Constant negotiation taking place I Me Mind b Charles Horton Cooley 1864 1929 i Main idea The