Sociology Exam 1

Sociology

The scientific study of social behavior and social institutions. (The scientific study of human behavior and society)

Society

A group of people who live within a defined territory and who share a culture

Guiding Principle

“our lives are affected by not onky our individual characteristics but our place in the social world”

Debunking Motif

Peter L. Berger — A theme of sociology in which the aim is to see beyond the superficial understandings of social reality

Social Location

Social Backgrounds/ environments

• sex/gender

• Age

• Race

• Family

• Income

• Education

• Social Class

• Occupation

The Sociological Perspective

C. Wright Mills — The belief that people’s social backgrounds influence their attitudes, behavior, and life chances

The Sociological Imagination

C. Wright Mills — the realization that personal troubles are rooted in public issues

Biography

All the day to day activities from birth to death that make up a person’s life

History

Power of time period born to shape our biography

Personal Troubles vs Public Issues

• blaming the victim (change the person)

• Blaming the system (change the way human activity has been organized)

Theory

A comprehensive and systematic explanation of events that leads to testable predictions

Macrosociology

Deals with issues involving large-scale social change and social institutions

• wide angle lense

• Large scale patterns

Microsociology

Deals with social interaction in small settings

• zoom lens

• Face to face interaction

Functionalism

View that social institutions are important for their contributions to social stability

• stable, ordered system of interrelated parts working together

Conflict Theory

View that society is composed of groups with different interests arising from their placement in the social structure, and that social change is necessary to reduce ineqality

• unewal distribution of economic wealth and power in a society

• Competition between groups for scarce resources

Symbolic Interactionism

A micro perspective — focus on the meanings people gain from social interaction

• how people use symbols in everyday life

• Words, road signs, flags, body language

Utilitarianism

View that that people interact so as to maximize their benefits and minimize their disadvantages

• max rewards & minimize costs

Generalization

A conclusion drawn from sociological research that is meant to apply to broad categories of people but for which many exceptions will always exist

How do we know what we think we know (limited)

• common sense

• The media

• Personal experience

• Expert authorities

• Tradition

The Scientific Method

1. Select a topic

2. Review the literature (background research)

3. Form a hypothesis

4. Measure the variables and collect data

5. Analyze the data

6. Draw conclusions

Variables

Factors that can vary

Independent Variable Vs Dependant Variable

Independant variables causes the dependant variable to change

Hypothesis

A statement of the relationship between two variables concerning the units of analysis the researcher is studying

Unit of analysis

The focus of sociological research, usuay a person, organization, or geographical region

Quantitative Data

Counting/statisitcs

• survey

• Experiments

• Secondary Data Analysis

Qualitative

Observing, describing, interpreting

• field research (observation)

• Intensive interviews

Representative sample

Would represent the whole population

Random Sample

A subset drawn from the larger population in which every unit in the population has the same chance of being included

Convenience Sample

A nonrandom sample that is used because it is relatively quick and inexpensive to obtain

Quota Sample

A nonrandom sample in which units in the sample are chosen according to one or more characteristics so that the sample resembles these characteristics of the populatiin as closely as possible

spurious correlation

A relationship between an independant variable and a dependent variable that exists only because the effects of a third variable have not been taken into account (icecream and drowning rates — its really just hot outside)

Necessary Critera for Causality

1. Correlation

2. Causual Order (ind. variable comes before dep. variable)

3. No spurious correlation

4. Explanation for the relationship between variables is the BEST explanation

Drawing conclusions

Is your theory supported? Does data disprove ir support theory?

Steps to Surveys

1. Determine population

2. Select a representative random sample

3. Ask neutral questions

Secondary Data Analysis

Analyze data collected by others

• us cencys bureaub

• Pew research center

Field Research

Conducted in natural setting — rither

• paticipant observation (researched participates w subjects)

• Non-participant observation (researcher doesn’t participate with the subjects)

Example of Tearoom Trade — guy did study on gay men

Ethics in research

“do no harm”

• need informed consent

• Protect subjects anonymity

• And do no harm

How to Measure Average

• mean

• Median

• Mode

Culture

The artifacts and ways of thinking, feeling, and acting that are part of any society

• symbols

• Language

• Beliefs

• Values

• Norms

• Artifacts (objects)

Cultural Transmission

Culture passed from one generatio to the next in a society

• sybolms

• Language

• Beliefs

• Values

• Norms

• Artifacts (objects)