Chapter 1 the sociological perspective

Sociological Perspective
Chapter 1
TODAY’S JOURNAL:
Using your sociological imagination (p. 11)
explain why a runaway “street rat” would
drop out of school, abandon his/her family,
and take to a life on the streets? (Just write
your answer, don’t rewrite the questions in
your journal.)

Sociology-scientific study of
social structure

Psychology- individual, what
makes them unique
Sociology-two or more people
 How a person influences a group
 How a group influences a person
(Sociological Perspective)
Psychology vs. Sociology

Societal vs. Individual
Responsibilities
Someone who can’t find a
job is _____?
Homelessness is the result
of _____?
Immigrants come here
because ______?

“I just want to fit in!”
Humans are creatures of
patterns and habit
Groups will change the way
an individual will react
Conformity
 all groups encourage it b/c
people value being a part of
the group over being an
individual

Sociological Imagination-the
ability of individuals to see the
relationship between events in
their personal lives and events in
their society.

Auguste Comte
The father of sociology
Used scientific observation in
the study of social behavior
Positivism or things we knew
for sure

Auguste Comte (cont.)
• Distinguished between:
• social statics-study of
social stability and order
• social dynamics-study of
social change

Harriet Martineaus
• Writer
• Leading feminist
• Saw slavery and oppression
of women in the same light

Herbert Spencer
Justified corporate wealth
Introduced Social Darwinism
 If left alone, natural selection
would ensure survival of the
fittest
Don’t change social leveling

Karl Marx
Felt concern for the poor
and working class in a
capitalistic system
Believed you should
change society and the
social structure

Karl Marx’s Theory
Bourgeoisie- owned the 5
factors of production,
capitalists
Proletariat- workers who
were paid just enough to
survive

Karl Marx’s Theory (cont.)
Class Conflict-revolution
was inevitable and
encouraged to promote
social change

Emile Durkheim
Society exists because of an
agreement among members of
society
Developed important research
techniques involving statistics
(Suicide Research)

Emile Durkheim (cont.)
• Pre-Industrial Revolution:
• Mechanical solidarity
• Widespread values and beliefs
• Traditional families
• Strong social pressure to
conform

Emile Durkheim (cont.)
• Post-Industrial Revolution:
• Organic solidarity
• Social interdependency based on
a web of highly specialized roles

Max Weber
Believed humans act on the
basis of their own situation
Verstehen-mentally putting
yourself in someone else’s
shoes

Max Weber (cont.)
Rationalization-Post-industrial
mindset emphasizing knowledge,
reason, and planning in contrast
to the tradition, emotion, and
superstitions of before.
Stressed rationality and
objectivity in sociology

Jane Addams
Focused on imbalance of
power amongst American
social classes
Co-founded Hull House
Proponent of suffrage
Only sociologist to receive
Nobel Peace Prize

W.E.B. DuBois
• Studied race and its place in
society

Theoretical Perspectives
Ch. 1, Sec. 3

Theoretical Perspectives
Categories that we can put
various sociological theories into
3 sociological perspectives
Functionalism
Conflict
Symbolic Interactionism

Functionalism
Theories emphasize the
contribution or function of each
part of society and how each part
helps create society as a whole
If there wasn’t a need for it, it
would not be functional and
wouldn’t exist any more

Functionalism
Manifest function is the intended
result of an action
Latent function is the unintended
result of an action, unexpected
byproduct
Dysfunction is an unintended,
negative result

Conflict Perspective
Emphasis on competition,
conflict, and constraint within
society
Groups compete to preserve or
promote their own special
interests
Life is a struggle for power to
then control the behavior of
others

Symbolic Interactionism
Focuses on the interaction
between people based on
mutually understood symbols,
not the larger parts of society
Symbols are something chosen
to represent something else and
can be an object, word, gesture,
facial expression, or action

Chapter 1 the sociological perspective

More Related Content

What's hot

Viewers also liked

Similar to Chapter 1 the sociological perspective

More from Kent Hansen

Recently uploaded

Chapter 1 the sociological perspective