Sociology Unit 1

Sociology

The study of human behavior from a group perspective

Social Intraction

• how people relate to one another and influence each others behavior

Social Phenomenia

observable facts or events that involve human society

Anthropology

comparing of past and present cultures

Psychology

studies behavior and mental processes

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Econmics

study of how good and services are produced

Poltical science

examnination of the principles organization and the operation of government as the focus of political systems and behavior.

History

Study of the past events in human sociteties

Auguste comte

Founder of sociology

Harriet Martineau

believed that scholars should work to improve the subject not just study it, translated Comte’s work to English. Wrote Society in America

Herbert Spencer

Linked biology and sociology, studied evolution as a theory of social change. coined the term “Survival of the fittest”

Karl Marx

 conflict theory, revolution would bring about faster social change.  Believed society is built on class structure based on economic standing. (haves and have nots) 

Emilie Durkheim

Developed France’s first Sociology course - believed in functionalist perspective.

Max Weber

Was more interested in how groups in society interact than society as a whole

Jane Adams

 opened the Hull House in Chicago, to help with welfare, education, recreational services for poor residents. Studied social forces of industrialization and urbanization. 

W.E.B. Du Bois

first African American to earn a PHD from Harvard, studied how race played a major role and influence in communities. Helped found the NAACP 

Functionalist

society is a set of interrelated parts that work together to produce a stable social system, people work together to make society run smoothly. 

Dysfunction

the negative elements of society that can disrupts -ex:crime

Conflict

Forces of society that promote competition

Interactionist

Watching how people interact

symbol

a object, phrase, or person that has meaning

Sociological Perspective

looking at social life in a scientific and systematic way. Rather than depending on the media. The ability to look beyond commonly held beliefs to hidden meanings in human action.

Sociological imagination

The ability to see connections between the larger world and your own personal life and experiences. 

Participang Behavior

Researcher becomes directly involved in the behavior

Case study - an intense analysis of a person, group, event or problem

Case study

An intense analysis of a person, group, event, or problem

Statistical analysis

analyzing data that have already been collected to determine the strength of the relationship that may exist between two or more variables. 

Research process and ethical issues

Researchers conduct their studies by guided ethics and follow ethical standards of professional integrity

Culture

All the shared products of human groups

Language

The organization of written or spoken symbols into a standardized system

Values

Shared beleifs about what is good, bad, right and wrong

Norms

Shared rules of conduct that tell people how to act in specific situations

Folkway

describes socially acceptable behavior, but does not carry great moral significance if broken

More

have great social/moral significance to them

Ex. Murder

Law

rule of conduct developed and enforced by a government

Cultural variation

There are many elements of culture that all societies share

Cultural Universals

Festure that are common to all cultures

Subcultures

A group that has values, norms, and/or behaviors that are not shared by the entire population

Counter culture

A subculture which consciously challenges the norms and values of the larger society

Ethnocentrism

The belief that a group or a culture is superior

Xenocentrism

Belief that ones own group is inferior in comparison to others

Cultural Relativism

Cultures should be judged by their own standards as opposed to someone else’s

Cultural diffusion

the spreading of cultural traits across different cultures

Cultural leveling

Cultures become more and more alike over time

Cultural lag

material culture tends to change faster than nonmaterial