Sociology Ch. 1 The Sociological Perspective

Sociological Perspective

understanding human behavior by placing it within its broader social context.

Sociology

the scientific study of society and human behavior

Analysis of documents

written sources that give data; such as photographs, movies, CDs, etc.

Reliability

the extent to which research produces consistent or dependable results

Functional Analysis

a theoretical framework in which society is viewed as composed of various parts, each with a function that, when fulfilled it contributes to society’s balance.

Conflict theory

theoretical framework in which society is viewed as composed of gorups that are competing for scarce resources

Positivism

application of scientific approach to the social world.

Social integration

the degree to0 which members of a group are united by sharing similar values and other social bonds; social cohesion

Rapport

feeling of trust between researchers and the people they are studying

Validity

the extent to which an operational definition measures what it is intended to measure.

micro-level analysis

an examination of small-scale patterns of society; such as how the members of a group interact

macro-level analysis

examination of large-scale patterns of society

symbolic interactionism

theoretical perspective in which society is viewed as composed of symbols that poeple use to establish meaning, develop their views of the world, and communicate to one another

Research model

1. selecting a topic

2. defining the problem

3. reviewing the literature

4. formulating a hypothesis

5. choosing a research method

6. collecting data

7. analyzing the results

8. sharing the results