Sociology Basics

Definition and Scope

• Sociology is the scientific study of human social behavior, relationships, and institutions.
• It examines the social structures, institutions, and relationships that shape human behavior and society.

Key Concepts

• Social Structure: The pattern of relationships and institutions that make up a society.
• Social Institutions: Established and organized systems that shape social behavior, such as family, education, and economy.
• Socialization: The process of learning and internalizing social norms, values, and behaviors.
• Culture: The shared beliefs, values, and practices of a society or group.

Theoretical Perspectives

• Functionalism: Views society as a system with interdependent parts, where each part contributes to the overall functioning of the system.
• Conflict Theory: Focuses on the conflicts and inequalities within society, arguing that social change is driven by these conflicts.
• Symbolic Interactionism: Examines how individuals interact with each other and the symbols they use to convey meaning.

Research Methods

• Qualitative Research: Focuses on in-depth, non-numerical data, such as observations, interviews, and content analysis.
• Quantitative Research: Focuses on numerical data, such as surveys, polls, and statistical analysis.
• Experiments: Controlled studies that test cause-and-effect relationships.

Areas of Study

• Demography: The study of population dynamics, including population growth, migration, and aging.
• Criminology: The study of crime, deviance, and social control.
• Social Stratification: The study of inequality, including social class, race, and gender.
• Family and Marriage: The study of family structures, relationships, and dynamics.

Famous Sociologists

• Auguste Comte: Considered the father of sociology, who coined the term "sociology" and emphasized the importance of scientific study.
• Emile Durkheim: Focused on the study of social institutions and the role of social norms in shaping behavior.
• Karl Marx: Developed conflict theory, arguing that social change is driven by class conflict.
• Max Weber: Developed the concept of social action, which emphasizes the importance of individual agency in shaping social behavior.

Definition and Scope

• Sociology examines human social behavior, relationships, and institutions, focusing on social structures and institutions that shape human behavior and society.

Key Concepts

• Social structure refers to the pattern of relationships and institutions that make up a society.
• Social institutions are established and organized systems that shape social behavior, such as family, education, and economy.
• Socialization is the process of learning and internalizing social norms, values, and behaviors.
• Culture refers to the shared beliefs, values, and practices of a society or group.

Theoretical Perspectives

• Functionalism views society as a system with interdependent parts, where each part contributes to the overall functioning of the system.
• Conflict Theory focuses on the conflicts and inequalities within society, arguing that social change is driven by these conflicts.
• Symbolic Interactionism examines how individuals interact with each other and the symbols they use to convey meaning.

Research Methods

• Qualitative Research focuses on in-depth, non-numerical data, such as observations, interviews, and content analysis.
• Quantitative Research focuses on numerical data, such as surveys, polls, and statistical analysis.
• Experiments are controlled studies that test cause-and-effect relationships.

Areas of Study

• Demography studies population dynamics, including population growth, migration, and aging.
• Criminology studies crime, deviance, and social control.
• Social Stratification studies inequality, including social class, race, and gender.
• Family and Marriage studies family structures, relationships, and dynamics.

Famous Sociologists

• Auguste Comte, considered the father of sociology, emphasized the importance of scientific study and coined the term "sociology".
• Emile Durkheim focused on the study of social institutions and the role of social norms in shaping behavior.
• Karl Marx developed conflict theory, arguing that social change is driven by class conflict.
• Max Weber developed the concept of social action, emphasizing the importance of individual agency in shaping social behavior.