Examples:1) in good economic times: --marriage rate rises --divorce rate falls2) concerns of each new generation: --1930’s: financial security --1960’s: escape materialism/conservatism; find meaning in life --2000’s : pay for college; find meaningful work; balance career and family.Summary? Beliefs and experiences are caused by the social setting of people’s lives? Sociology offers opportunity to rise above un-self-aware views of social issues --through systematic observation and theory
Wednesday, 4 October 2017
What is Sociology?
?What is Sociology? ? Sociology is the scientific study of human society and social behavior.1) SCIENCE (three elements):?A set of METHODS to gather information —field observation (!!) —surveys —existing data —experiments ?CONCEPTS and THEORIES——the stock of accumulated knowledge (more on this throughout the term) ?A set of VALUES* guiding scientific activityVALUES:a) Universalism:? Facts are evaluated on impersonal criteria, such as statistical methods or duration of field observationb) Communalism:? Scientific findings belong to all of us.c) Objectivity:? Science is politically/morally neutral? This is DIFFICULT in the social sciences because people hold strong values about social issuesd) Organized Skepticism:? Final judgment is never in? Nothing is too sacred to be questioned? Be your own most demanding critic*What are some non-scientific ways of viewing social life and social issues? Stereotype ---easier, safety Authority ---comfort2) HUMAN SOCIETY“a group of interacting individuals sharing the same territory and participating in a common social structure.”* Individuals are not isolated: WE LIVE IN A WEB OF RULES**** This web of invisible rules guides our behavior.* These rules exist beyond our individual existence.* Violation of these rules results in: —ostracism / shunning / loss of friends —loss of respect (and support) from parents —jail* Adherence results in good grades, friends, respect, money, love, family, houses, cars.**Rules of student life: Pay tuition, don’t cheat Turn in assignments. Attend class. Maintain GPA. **How enforced? Academic probation, holds, kicked out. Bad grades. Can’t participate. These rules form social structures—relationships between people as defined by the rules governing their position? rules define family roles, social class roles, etc.? social structure is like architectural structure—the parts are defined by their relationship to each other ? social structures vary across societies Social life is NOT chaotic.3) SOCIAL BEHAVIOR? behavior oriented toward others? this covers MOST of what we do daily? our behavior is highly structured by a web of rules (expectations of others) —meaningful groups, such as friends and family —powerful institutions, such as school, government, businessThe basic sociological insight:“HUMAN BEHAVIOR is shaped by social rules and social structures.”To THINK OCIOLOGICALLY is to be aware on the relationship between our INDIVIDUAL LIVES and the WIDER SOCIETY.
Examples:1) in good economic times: --marriage rate rises --divorce rate falls2) concerns of each new generation: --1930’s: financial security --1960’s: escape materialism/conservatism; find meaning in life --2000’s : pay for college; find meaningful work; balance career and family.Summary? Beliefs and experiences are caused by the social setting of people’s lives? Sociology offers opportunity to rise above un-self-aware views of social issues --through systematic observation and theory
Examples:1) in good economic times: --marriage rate rises --divorce rate falls2) concerns of each new generation: --1930’s: financial security --1960’s: escape materialism/conservatism; find meaning in life --2000’s : pay for college; find meaningful work; balance career and family.Summary? Beliefs and experiences are caused by the social setting of people’s lives? Sociology offers opportunity to rise above un-self-aware views of social issues --through systematic observation and theory
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