Introduction to Sociology

The Sociological Perspective

• Sociology is defined as the scientific study of social structure, focusing on human social behavior.
• The sociological perspective examines the behavior of groups rather than individuals.
• Perspective means a particular point of view.
• Social structure refers to the patterned interactions of people in social relationships.
• Sociological imagination is seeing the connection between society and your self.
• Conformity is when people change belief, attitude, action and perception.
• Conventional behaviour is based on general belief or practice.

The Nature of Sociology

• Sociology possesses a unique viewpoint called the sociological perspective, which views behavior at a group level rather than an individual level.

The Social Sciences

• The social sciences are branches of learning that deal with human society.
• Anthropology is closely related to sociology, focusing on preliterate societies and cultures, while sociology concentrates on modern, industrial societies.
• Psychology studies individual human mental and emotional processes, also study abt development and functioning of indivi.
• Economics involves the study of the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.
• Political science focuses on the investigation of the organization, administration, history, and theory of government.
• History examines past events in human societies.
• Sociologists tend to seek social explanations, rather than personal ones, when studying behaviors such as delinquency. For example, gang membership is attributed to societal influences teaching young men to be "masculine".

The Importance of Patterns

• Social structure is defined as the patterned interaction of people in social relationships.
• Group behavior cannot be predicted from individual characteristics; new dynamics emerge when individuals come together.
• People conform to align with groups they belong to or aspire to join, seeking a sense of belonging.
• Conformity is encouraged by all groups, regardless of size and brings peace and good relations within the group but can lead to negative behaviors if conforming to the wrong group.

Acquiring the Sociological Imagination

• Sociological imagination is the ability to see the link between society and self.
• Benefits include understanding the effects of societal events, making conscious decisions instead of conforming, and challenging conventional social wisdom.

Sociology Today: Job Opportunities

• Job opportunities are available in social services, community work, corrections, business, college settings, health services, publishing/journalism, government services, and teaching.

Culture and Society

• Culture encompasses material (physical objects) and nonmaterial (abstract concepts) elements.
• Material culture includes physical objects like resources, spaces and cars.
• Nonmaterial culture includes ideas, beliefs, values, languages, gesture, norms, folkways.
• Understanding culture is crucial as it explains human social behavior and provides a blueprint for relationships within society.

Culture and Heredity

• Culture is more influential than instinct in shaping human behavior because humans create culture to respond to basic needs where instincts may fall short.
• Heredity affects behavior through biologically inherited reactions to physical stimuli and drives to reduce discomfort.

Sociobiology

• Sociobiologists believe behaviors aiding survival are biologically based and transmitted genetically, including parental affection, friendship, sexual reproduction, and education.
• Darwin's theory of evolution is the natural selection means strong species survive and reproduce, while the rest perish.
• Criticism of sociobiology revolves around the idea that genetics could be used to justify labeling certain races as superior or inferior.
• There's growing belief that genes and culture interact in complex ways to shape and limit human nature.

Norms: The Rules We Live By

• Norms are rules defining appropriate and inappropriate behavior, explaining similar behaviors in similar situations.
• Benefits of norms = social approval and guidance to expected behaviors.
• Types of norms include folkways, mores, taboos, and laws.

Folkways, Mores, and Laws

• Mores dictate what is considered moral and ethical behavior, differentiating between right and wrong, and are stricter than folkways.
• Conformity to mores is a social requirement, while following folkways is a personal choice.
• Violating taboos results in severe punishment, such as imprisonment, banishment, or death.
• Laws are consciously created and enforced, unlike folkways and mores which emerge slowly and unconsciously.
• Mores serve as an important source for laws, though not all mores become laws.

Enforcing the Rules

• Sanctions, either formal or informal, can be positive or negative.
• Sanctions are what we need to do to be accepted by and conformed to the society.

Values - The Basis for Norms

• Values are broad ideas about what most people in a society consider desirable and do not dictate precise ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving.
• Values serve as the foundation for norms and are involved in most aspects of daily life but Identical values do not result in identical norms.
• Basic values in the U.S. include achievement, success, activity, work, efficiency and practicality
• Some values tend to change over the years.

Social Structure and Status

• Social structure refers to the underlying patterns of relationships in a group.
• Status is a position a person occupies within a social structure.
• Ascribed status is assigned, not earned or chosen.
• Achieved status is earned or chosen.
• Status set includes all statuses a person occupies at a given time.
• Master status significantly affects most aspects of a person’s life.