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Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
Warm-Up
1. How would you define sociology?
2. What does sociology mean to you?
3. How would you describe your “place/role in
society”? Be as specific as possible.
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 1
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
Objectives Identify, understand, and make distinctions between the
natural sciences and the social sciences.
Explain how sociology views and studies human behavior, and
how its particular areas of focus are similar to and different
from each of the other social sciences
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Agenda 1. Warm-Up
2. What is Sociology?
3. Chapter 1 Notes (pgs. 2-6)
4. Quiz (p. 7)
5. Mills Reading & Protocol
6. Closing Questions
Chapter One: The Sociological Perspective
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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How Groups Influence People
How People are Influenced by Their Society People Who Share a Culture
People Who Share a Territory
Sociological Perspective – understanding human
behavior by placing it within its broader social context
C. Wright Mills
Society – people who share a culture and a territory
Seeing the Broader Social Context
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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Social Location – the group memberships that
people have because of their location in history
and society
Examples
Jobs
Income
Education
Gender
Age
Race
Social Location - Corners in Life
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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C. Wright Mills proposed a connection
between these two concepts
History is the location in broad stream of
events
Biography is an individual’s specific
experiences
History & Biography
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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The Global Village
Interdependence among countries
Example: Clothes made in China
Instant Communication
Internet, cell phones, economics
Sociology studies both the global network and
our unique experiences
The Growing Global Context
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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The Natural Sciences
Explain and predict events in natural
environment
Divided into fields (i.e. biology, chemistry)
The Social Sciences
Examine human relationships
Divided into fields (i.e. economics, political
science, sociology, psychology)
Sociology and the Other Sciences
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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Psychology
The study of processes within individuals
Sociology
Similarities to other disciplines such as
anthropology, economics, political science,
and psychology
Psychology v. Sociology
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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The Other Disciplines Anthropology
Sister discipline of sociology
Chief concern is the study of culture
Economics
Concentrates on a single social institution
Studies the production and distribution of goods and
services
Political Science
Focuses on politics and government
Studies how people govern themselves
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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Where Does Sociology Fit? Sociologists…
Like anthropologists, study culture
Like economists, are concerned with the
distribution of goods and services in society
Like political scientists, study how people
govern one another and how governments affect
people’s lives
Like psychologists, are concerned with how
people adjust to the difficulties of life
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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Explain Why Something Happens
Make Generalizations
Go beyond the individual case and make
broader statements that apply to groups
Must look for patterns
Predict What will Happen
How the future could be shaped based on
current knowledge
The Goal of Science
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1. How would you describe the sociological
perspective in your own words?
2. Do you think it would be possible for the
United States to withdrawal from the Global
Village? Why or why not?
3. Are natural or social sciences more important
to the study of sociology? Explain.
Closing Questions
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
Warm-Up Read the Old Elephant Story on page 5 of your
textbook.
1. What is the story saying about sociology?
2. What is the story saying about the other
disciplines?
3. How can this story help in our study of
sociology?
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Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
Objectives Discuss the social changes and the changing social conditions
that fostered the development of sociology as a distinct academic
discipline in the middle of the nineteenth century.
Identify and critique the sociological contributions of the
following mid-to-late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century
European thinkers.
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Agenda 1. Warm-Up
2. One Pager Activity/Mini-Presentations
3. Chapter 1 Notes (pgs. 6-10)
4. Helping Experiment Overview
5. Chapter 1 Vocab List
6. Closing Questions
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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In groups you will complete the following:
1. Complete a One Pager (mini-poster) on legal size paper.
2. Your One Pager will include the following:
Name of your sociologist
Their background
Pertinent Information
3. The only words you can use are the name of your sociologist.
Everything else must be a visual representation.
4. You must also answer the questions provided to you on a
separate piece of paper to turn in with your one pager.
5. You will only have 40 minutes to complete this before
presenting to the class.
One Pager Activity!
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Tradition vs. Science
Originally based their questions on myth & superstition
Emerged mid-1800s
Social observers began using the scientific method to test their ideas
Grew Out of Social Upheaval
Industrial Revolution
Rethinking of Social Life
Success of American & French Revolutions
Imperialism
The Success of Natural Sciences
Tradition was breaking down
Use of the scientific method was used in chemistry & physics
Resulted in the birth of sociology
Origins of Sociology
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Credited with being the founder of sociology
Positivism
Applying the scientific method to social world
Coined the term “sociology”
He claimed was the “study of society”
New science would discover social principles but
also apply them to social reform
Sociologists would reform all of society
“Armchair Philosophy”
Idea of drawing conclusions from informal
observations of social life
Auguste Comte and Positivism
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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Second founder of sociology
Disagreed with Comte that sociology should
guide social reform
Lower and Higher Forms of Society
Societies evolve from chaos and barbarism to
calm and civilized
Coined Phrase “Survival of the Fittest”
Believed that overtime societies improve
Fittest members will create a more advanced
society
Herbert Spencer - Social Darwinism
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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Like Comte, he believed people should try to
change society
Engine of human history is class conflict
The Bourgeoisie vs. the Proletariat
Bourgeoisie = owners of means of
production; middle class
Proletariat = exploited workers
Marxism not the same as Communism
Marx did not develop the political system
even though he supported it
Karl Marx and Class Conflict
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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Got sociology recognized as separate discipline
Studied how social forces affect behavior
Studied suicide rates in European countries
(Figure 1.1 on page 11)
Conclusions?
Identified Social Integration
The degree to which people are tied to social
group
Strong social bonds decrease likelihood that
someone will commit suicide
Emile Durkheim and Social Integration
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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Religion and the Origin of Capitalism
Disagreed with Marx that economics is the central
force in social change
Believed religion is central force in social change
Protestant Ethic and Spirit of Capitalism
Protestant Ethic was the self-denying approach to
life
Spirit of Capitalism is the readiness to invest capital
in order to make more money
Max Weber and the Protestant Ethic
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1. Do you agree or disagree with Herbert
Spencer’s idea of only “the fittest members of
society being able to create an advanced
society”? Explain your answer.
2. Weber argued that religion was the central
force in social change. Do you agree or
disagree? Explain.
Closing Questions
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
Warm-Up Read the Old Elephant Story on page 5 of your
textbook.
1. What is the story saying about sociology?
2. What is the story saying about the other
disciplines?
3. How can this story help in our study of
sociology?
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Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
Objectives Explain the role of values in social research as prescribed by
Max Weber.
Distinguish between “Verstehen,” as envisioned by Max
Weber, and “social facts,” as defined by Emile Durkheim.
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Agenda 1. Warm-Up
2. Chapter 1 Notes (pgs. 11-15)
3. Excerpt from The Tipping Point Discussion
4. Work on Vocabulary or Essay
5. Closing Questions
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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Sociology Should be Value-free
Weber’s view that a sociologist’s personal
values/biases should not influence social
research
Sociology Should be Objective
Weber’s view that total neutrality is the
“hallmark of social research”
Research Should involve Replication
Sociologists should repeat studies in order to
compare results with the original findings
Values in Sociological Research
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Goals &
Uses of
Sociology
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Weber
Verstehen – means “to grasp by insight”
Best interpreter of human behavior is someone who
“has been there”
Importance of Subjective Meanings
Ways in which people interpret their own behavior
Durkheim
Stressed Social Facts
Group patterns of behavior (p. 13)
Explain Social Facts with Other Social Facts
Each pattern explains some condition of society
“Patterns that hold true year after year indicate that as thousands
and even millions of people make their individual decisions, they are
responding to conditions in their society.” (p. 13)
Verstehen and Social Facts
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They go hand-in-hand
Example: Why is Tuesday a popular Birth-day? (p.14)
Four Relevant Social Facts:
1. Due to technology, the hospital is a dominate force in the
US medical system.
2. Medical technology has made delivery by cesarean section
safer.
3. Doctors took over the delivery of babies.
4. Medicine in the US is a business with profit as a primary
goal.
As a result of the above facts, C-sections are 26% of all births
Add Verstehen to this equation and it is easier for doctors to
schedule births when it is most convenient – Tuesday!
How Social Facts and Verstehen Fit
Together
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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1800s Sex Roles Rigidly Defined
Four K’s (in German) church, cooking, children, &
clothes)
Few People Educated Beyond Basics
Higher education reserved for men
Most had some reading/writing and little math
Harriet Martineau
Born wealthy in England Published Society in America before Durkheim and
Weber were born; her work was ignored
Most known for translating Comte’s writings
Sexism in Early Sociology
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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“Patterns that hold true year after year indicate
that as thousands and even millions of people
make their individual decisions, they are
responding to conditions in their society.”
(p. 13)
1. Do you agree or disagree with the quote
above? Explain your answer.
Closing Questions
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
Warm-Up Read the box Listening to an Early Feminist on
page 15 and answer the following questions:
1. Do you think Martineau’s concerns are still
valid in today’s society? Why or why not?
2. Why do you think women have had to fight
for their rights throughout US history?
3. Will men and women ever be truly equal?
Why or why not?
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Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
Objectives Explain the role of values in social research as prescribed by Max
Weber.
Distinguish between “Verstehen,” as envisioned by Max Weber, and
“social facts,” as defined by Emile Durkheim.
Discuss the debate between social reform and social analysis, and the
role applied sociology plays in this debate.
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Agenda 1. Warm-Up
2. Chapter 1 Notes (pgs. 16-20)
3. Du Bois & Hussein
4. Closing Questions
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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Began at the University of Kansas in 1890
North American, like their European
counterparts, were blocked from the field
Many women turned to social activism
Working with the poor coined the
profession of social workers
Difference between sociology and social work
Social work = profession
Sociology = research based
Sociology in North America
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Came from wealth and privilege
Worked for social justice and a voice for the poor
Co-founded Hull House in Chicago
Open to people who needed refuge such as
immigrants the sick, aged, and poor
Wanted to bridge the gap between the powerful and
the powerless
Fought for 8-hour workday and end to child labor
Co-winner of Nobel Peace Prize in 1931
Jane Addams & Social Reform
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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1st African American to earn a doctorate from
Harvard University
Published many books on the terrible race
relations and conditions in the US in the early
1900s
Helped found the NAACP
Eventually frustrated by the lack of progress in
race relations he moved to Ghana and died there
at the age of 93
W.E.B. Du Bois & Race Relations
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Parsons
Shifted from social reform to social theory
Developed abstract models of society that
influenced a generation of sociologists
His work alone did not gain much attention
Mills
Wanted to focus on social reform
Power Elite = top leaders in business,
politics, and the military are an “imminent
threat to freedom”
Talcott Parsons & C. Wright Mills:
Theory v. Reform
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Conflict amongst sociologists over analyzing
society or working toward social reform
Basic/Pure Sociology
Sociological research aimed at making
discoveries about life in human groups, not to
make changes in those groups
Applied Sociology
The use of sociology to solve problems from
the family to crime and pollution
Continuing Tension
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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Group One
1. Read the box on Page 18. Think about &
discuss the scenario and question you are
distributed.
Group Two
1. Read the box on Page 21. Think about &
discuss the scenario and question you are
distributed.
Discussion Activity
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 41
1. What did C. Wright Mills mean by the term
the “power elite”? Do you think he was
correct to fear them? Why or why not?
2. Is racism still present in American society? If
you answer yes, give an example from your
life.
3. Do you think it is possible for everyone to be
treated equally? Why or why not?
Closing Questions
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
Warm-Up 1. What is the difference between basic/pure
sociology and applied sociology?
2. Which type of sociology do you think is more
beneficial to society? Why?
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Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
Objectives Define the word “theory” and explain why theory is an
important part of sociology.
Identify the three major theoretical perspectives in sociology—
symbolic interactionism, functional analysis, and conflict
theory—and describe the particular level of analysis,
characteristics, viewpoints, and concerns associated with each.
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Agenda 1. Warm-Up
2. Chapter 1 Vocab Quiz
3. Chapter 1 Notes (pgs. 21-28)
4. Sociological Theories Worksheet
5. Puzzle Activity
6. Closing Questions
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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Theory
General statement about how some parts of
the world fit together and how they work
Three Major Sociological Perspectives
Symbolic Interactionism
Functional Analysis
Conflict Theory
Theoretical Perspectives
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Symbolic Interactionism
Society is viewed as composed of symbols
that people use to establish meaning, develop
their own views of the world, and
communicate with one another
Brought up by Charles Horton Cooley
Symbols allow relationships and society to exist
Applying Symbolic Interactionism
Pages 22-23
Symbolic Interactionism
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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Functional Analysis
Theory that society is a whole unit made up of interrelated
parts that work together
Also known as functionalism
Robert Merton
Functions = the beneficial consequences of people’s actions
Dysfunctions = consequences that harm society
Manifest Function = action is intended to help some part of
society
Latent Functions = actions that have unintended
consequences that help a society adjust
Applying Functional Analysis
Pages 25-26
Functional Analysis
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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Karl Marx is the founder of Conflict Theory
Conflict Theory
Theory in which society is viewed as composed of groups
that are competing for scarce resources
Karl Marx
Working class needs to rise up against the privileged
Struggle between bourgeoisie and proletariat
Feminists
Struggle between men and women
Men and women should have equal rights
Conflict Theory Today
Those in Authority vs. Masses
Most likely to develop between people who are in close
relationships
Conflict Theory
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Macro Level
Examining large-scale patterns of society
Functionalists & Conflict Theorists
Micro Level
Examines small-scale patterns of social
interaction
Symbolic Interactionists
Levels of Analysis
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1. Do you think it is more beneficial for a
sociologist to study society at the macro or
micro level? Explain your answer.
2. Describe a situation in which
Closing Questions
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
Warm-Up Read the box Studying Job Discrimination on
page 30 and answer the following questions:
1. Draw one conclusion just by looking at the
graph in Figure 1.5.
2. Do you think President Bush should have
funded such a program? Why or why not?
3. Should ex-convicts have the same rights as
citizens once they have served their time?
Why or why not?
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Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
Objectives Discuss “public sociology.” Do you think that social reform,
rather than social science, has become the more dominant goal
of sociology?
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Agenda 1. Warm-Up
2. Chapter 1 Notes (pgs. 28-31)
3. Chapter 1 Review Worksheet
4. Closing Questions
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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Reform vs. Research
Three Stages in Sociology
1. First Phase – Stressed the need to do
research in order to improve society
2. Second Phase (1920s-WWII) – Make
sociology a respected field of knowledge
3. Third Phase (end of WWII) – Brown v.
BOE decision made sociologists focus on
social change
Trends Shaping the Future
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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Public Sociology
American Sociological Association (ASA)
refers to the public becoming more of the
sociological perspective
No “one size fits all” in social policy
Trends Shaping the Future
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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Diversity of Orientations
Lots of differing opinions and focuses
among sociologists
Currently sociologists are leaning toward
applying sociological knowledge
Trends Shaping the Future
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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Globalization
The extensive interconnections among
nations due to the expansion of capitalism
United States dominates sociology
Dominance gives way to only studying US
groups instead of global groups
Globalization
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
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1. Do you think American sociologists (or even
ordinary citizens) live in a “bubble” where
they often do not consider other groups,
cultures, etc? Why or why not?
2. Do you think it is more important for
sociologists to focus on American groups and
solutions or global ones? Explain your answer.
Closing Questions
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