chp 1 What is SOC PDF

chp 1 what is SOC course SOC100 priority level readings Status Done LEC NOTES SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION C. Wright Mills - ability to see connections between individuals lives +...

chp 1 what is SOC course SOC100 priority level readings Status Done LEC NOTES SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION C. Wright Mills - ability to see connections between individuals lives + experiences to boarder social, historical issues / forces = systematic study of our social word individuals shaped by context EX of broader = family expectations, socio economic status SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE personal troubles VS. public issues personal troubles = personal matters public issues = realm of sociology + beyond social world discusses = like identity WHY DO PEOPLE COMMIT CRIME? Socio-eco, lack of emo/impulse CTRL, genetic, military, injustice, who we define success, lack of positive influences EX/ why we don't cheat on tests in UNI - morals, upbringing, risk ≠ reward WHAT IS STRUCTURE AND AGENCY? explains behaviour STRUCTURE = ordered sets of recurring patterns of behaviour and institutions that make up or society chp 1 what is SOC 1  Understand causes → find behavioural patterns MICRO = face-to-face interactions → peers = who do you spend your time with MESO = organizations → organizational opportunities = existence of support for crime / internal control that prevents some from committing crime MACRO = social economy upper/lower → structural strain GLOBAL = global processes / globalization → Translational organized crime = understand different regulations / laws/ diaspora AGENCY = your agency - ex picking your own clothing Structure - store controls what is available like color/style Individuals capacity to think and act independent of larger social structures To do own thinking / free will Social structures = structural forces Agency and structure = still in context of social world means they have influence TEXTBOOK NOTES YOUTUBE VID → indigenous hunter keeps traditions alive in boreal forest The Canadian boreal forest is the largest intact forest and wetlands ecosystem remaining on earth Follows James Marlowe who teach the young and educate others on there way of life What is sociology? DEFINED - systematic study of the social world and human behaviour. SOCIOLOGISTS study aspects of social life including: chp 1 what is SOC 2  Sociologists study your WORLD How we behave individually and in groups to all aspect of social world like Family Religion Social movements Health Eduction sociological knowledge is systematic + go beyond individual experience What is sociological imagination? describe the work of sociologists having the ability to see connections between an individual’s life, experiences and broader social and historical issues and forces. It transforms your thinking about something sociologist Peter Berger (1963) characterizes the ability to see the strange in the familiar as a key element of thinking sociologically. consider and ask questions about the ways that social life, including our own lives, are patterned by our CONTEXT Ex/ gender plays role in what we think about ourselves C. Wright Mills IDENTIFIED what it meant to see beyond the taken-for-granted daily patterns and routines sociological imagination allows us to explore the relationship between our private lives, historical change, and the elements that shape the social world sociological imagination also allows us to draw connections between the ways in which our lives are tied to those of others around us and to broader public matters. chp 1 what is SOC 3  PERSONAL TROUBLES = issue / events experienced by individual → deal with self & private matter PUBLIC ISSUES = dimensions of social world and historical circumstances Beyond the lives of the individuals to included broader social environment and public concerns about state of social world SOCIOLOGIST PETER BERGER → see the strange in the familiar characterizes the ability to see the strange in the familiar as a KEY element of thinking sociologically. Berger invites us to see them means identifying and leaving behind familiar ideas about the social world. In their place, we consider and ask questions about the ways that social life, including our own lives, are patterned by our context. FOUNDATIONAL TERMS 1.3 SOCIOLOGY - the systematic study of the social world and human behaviour— refers to our social world. SOCIAL WORLD - social world is ultimately composed of what sociologists call social structures SOCIAL STRUCTURES - ordered sets of recurring patterns of behaviour and institutions that make up our society. sociologists are studying aspects of our social world that range from the micro to the global micro level are recurring patterns of behaviour that exist at the level of interaction, whether that be face-to-face or online. Research at the micro level might focus on individual-level behaviours, such as how people select their seat on a bus. EX a feature of Canadian culture is an entitlement to personal space like on a bus you find empty seat first chp 1 what is SOC 4  Meso level refers to dimensions of our social world that exist above the level of face-to-face interactions → relate to organizations, including schools and religion. Research at the meso level might focus on the ways that our behaviour is influenced by something like organizational culture. macrostructures & global structures are social structures that go beyond individuals, groups, and organizations → include institutions like marriage, kinship, religion, law, family EX Social class and the structure of paid work Research at the macro level might explore how social class and inequality across Canada change over time. global level includes patterns of global trade and communication and international migration. lives ALWAYS influenced by social structures → social world have signif influence over experiences , opportunities, barriers and outcomes tendency to think social structure is deterministic → meaning that our lives are completely governed by structures—is FLAWED because other things shape our lives. AGENCY = We can shape our own lives → act and think for selves independent of larger social structural forces EX/ come from long line of dentist and decide to pursue different despite the strong MICRO level influences SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION - view that elements of our social world, including such characteristics as race, gender, and sexuality, are products of particular cultural and historical contexts and upheld by people and institutions these elements/characteristics aren't permanent or inherent but changeable / marked by interrelationship between humans and their social context. EX/ gender → gender is not an inherent biological trait but rather is shaped by cultural and historical contexts. chp 1 what is SOC 5  SOCIOLOGY AS A SOCIAL SCIENCE 1.4 SOCIAL SCIENCE MOTIVATING Q FOCUSING ON EDUC DISCIPLINE What differences exist between different societies and cultures? How has education changed over anthro How are societies and cultures time in Canada? organized? How do cultures develop? How do humans communicate with each other? Are MOOCs (Massive Open communication What happens to communication Online Courses) more effective studies when it is mediated through than traditional teaching technology? methods? How are messages interpreted? How is wealth produced? What level of education What is economic value? economics generates the most payoff for the How do individuals and societies time invested? accumulate wealth? How is geographic space used?How can we measure spatial relationships? How do cultures How is access to education geography influence each other when they affected by where an individual share similar geographic spaces? resides? How is public policy created?What is the role of the government in shaping citizens’ lives?What are the Should postsecondary education poli sci best systems of government? be free? psych How does the mind work?How do How can teachers motivate biology and social context influence students to do better in class? chp 1 what is SOC 6  the mind?What is the relationship between the mind and behaviour? How do people interpret and How does access to education construct their social world?How are differ by gender? Race? Social societies structured via interaction, class?How are decisions made institutions, organizations, and about curricular content?How do soc social structures?What aspects of students make decisions about our social world shape experiences, which postsecondary institutions opportunities, and outcomes? to attend? THE WORK OF SOCIOLOGIST 1.5 SOCIOLOGY OF SOCIOLOGY - putting the discipline under the microscope to understand the thrust of Canadian sociology, its history, and its trajectory. PROFESSIONAL SOCIOLOGY → audience for sociologists tends to be other sociologists their work is directed to academic audience and focused on a central sociological question, and NOT the application of their findings to society. PUBLIC SOCIOLOGY → work of sociologists should be more accessible to the general public and play a larger role in policymaking about engaging with both research and policy, such that research can potentially impact the lives of the people and places under study by sociologists → work occurs locally, nationally, internationally, research alongside community members FROM U.S.A sociology from RADICALISM inspired by Marxism #CommitSociology Looking at “Root Causes” chp 1 what is SOC 7  CHP 1 QUIZ REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. Define sociology and other foundational terms in the discipline. 2. Explain the sociological imagination. 3. Apply the sociological imagination to everyday examples. 4. Explain the connection between the individual and social structures. 5. Compare sociology to other social science disciplines. 6. Explain how different audiences consume the work sociologists produce for different purposes. DEFINITON GLOSSARY BLENDED LEARNING - combining traditional face-to-face learning with tech- based approaches CRITICAL THINKING - a skill involving a careful examination of logic and evidence SOCIOLOGY - the systematic study of the social world and human behaviour— refers to our social world. SOCIAL WORLD - social world is ultimately composed of what sociologists call social structures SOCIAL STRUCTURES - ordered sets of recurring patterns of behaviour and institutions that make up our society. INSTITUTIONS - an enduring and stable set of expectations and behaviours based on a shared values system, reinforced by structural components of society AGENCY - individuals capacity to think and act independent of larger social structure forces SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION - view that elements of our social world, including such characteristics as race, gender, and sexuality, are products of particular cultural and historical contexts and upheld by people and institutions SOCIAL SCIENCES - disciplines that apply the scientific model chp 1 what is SOC 8  SOCIOLOGY OF SOCIOLOGY - putting the discipline under the microscope to understand the thrust of Canadian sociology, its history, and its trajectory. PROFESSIONAL SOCIOLOGY - audience for sociologists tends to be other sociologists PUBLIC SOCIOLOGY - work of sociologists should be more accessible to the general public and play a larger role in policymaking SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION - the ability to see connections between individual lives and experiences to broader social and historical issues and forces PETER BERGER - characterizes the ability to see the strange in the familiar as a key element of thinking sociologically → seeing familiar strange and the strange familiar & ask questions about the ways that social life, including our own lives, are patterned by our context. C. Wright Mills - identified what it meant to see beyond the taken-for-granted daily patterns and routines & sociological imagination allows us to explore the relationship between our private lives, historical change, and the elements that shape the social world & personal troubles/public THEORY - A set of testable ideas designed to explain something observed about our social world MICROSOCIOLOGY - sociological study that focuses mainly on the study of individuals or small groups MACROSOCIOLOGY - sociological study that focuses mainly on large-scale patterns, including society as a whole CANON - refers to a collection of works that are considered the most important and genuine, such as the canon of work of a musician or author → canon KEY organizing principle HARRIET MARTINEAU - early contemporary social thinker, theory building researcher → referred to first feminist social scientist + sociologist MARIANNE WEBER - Leader of feminist organizations and but never mentioned in sociological theory POSITIVISM - an approach to studying our social world according to the principle of the natural sciences chp 1 what is SOC 9  INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION - A rapid economic and social transformation rooted in the introduction of power-driven machinery, leading to the creation of factory production CAPITALISM - an economic system featuring private or corporate ownership of the means of production PATRIARCHY - the system of male domination over women MEANS OF PRODUCTION - the tools, land, equipment, capital, and labour necessary to create goods and services BOURGEOISIE - those who own the means of production. their income is derived from the profits made through the labour of the proletariat PROLETARIAT - those whose subsistence depends on the wages they earn from selling their labour. they do not own the means of production IDEOLOGY - A set of ideals about society that shapes policies and actions FALSE CONSCIOUSNESS - A set of beliefs that are in conflict with the best interests of ones social class CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS - self-awareness and understanding that member of a social class have about their social position NORMS - Generally accepted standards for behaviour VALUES - Generally accepted ideas about what is good, right, important, and desirable SOCIAL SOLIDARITY - the degree of a groups cohesion based on shared values, beliefs and interactions ANOMIE - A negative individual state produced by absent or poorly-defined norms in society DYSFUNCTIONS - Elements of social structures that create instability in a social system SOCIAL CHANGE - a complex system like society requires a harmony between institutions and avoids continued dysfunction by changing some values in order to maintain social order (according to structural functionalists) MANIFEST FUNCTIONS - visible and intended purpose of social structures chp 1 what is SOC 10  LATENT FUNCTIONS - invisible and unintended purposes of social structures SELF - An individual consisting of their thoughts and attitudes about who they are IDENTITY - the multiple individual or group characteristics that signify to the self and others who they are, including such things as gender, ethnicity, and social class ME = the objective Padres of the self that reflect learned expectations, rules, and attitudes through our interactions with other people I = the subjective part of the self that is active and impulsive GENERALIZED OTHER = the internalized expectations, rules, attitudes of our broader society Goffman’s DRAMATURGICAL ANALYSIS = A approach to the study of social interaction as a theatrical production involving stages, scene, and performers IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT = A process wherein people aim to control the image and definitions other people have of them in a social interaction INTERSECTIONALITY = the interconnection of factors trods like race, gender and social class that simultaneously affect our lives GRAND NARRITATIVE - describes a theory that articulates a sense of progress or trajectory of our social world and emphasizes scientific knowledge and rationality SIMULACRA = images or other representations or items that replace reality HYPERREALITY = a social reality where images and simulations are so pervasive that they become reality, independent of ant real existence or origins GENDER OPPRESSION = systematic gender inequality perpetrated against women and girls PATRIARCHY - system of male domination over women - gender in equality CONFIRMATION BIAS = the tendency to seek out or interpret evidence that supports ones existing beliefs DATA = info gathered in research from which conclusions can be made chp 1 what is SOC 11  CONCEPTS = An abstract idea QUALITATIVE = A methodological approach where researcher seek to develop in-depth understandings of social phenomena and interpret meanings of social actors through the collection of non-numerical data QUANTITATTIVE = A methodological approach that relies on numerical data. this approach seeks to determine causal relationships and correlations between variables SAMPLE = A subset of population of interest that us selected to be part of research HYPOTHESIS = A prediction of the relationship between two or more variables VARIABLES = The measure of a concept that can change POPULATION = The entire set of items, events, units, or people about which the researcher has a research interest MIXED METHODS = Using multiple research methods to explore a research topic TRIANGULATION = using multiple methods to cross check research findings INDEPENDENT VARIBALE = The variable that causes change in dependent variable DEPENDENT VARIABLE = the variable that changes after a change in the independent variable CORRELATION = An interdependent relationship between variables CAUSATION = An effect in one variable caused by another variable SPURIOUS RELATIONSHIP = A statement about a relationship between 2 variables that seems to be causal but is not. it involves a third variable that impacts both other variables. sometimes also called spuriousness RELIABILITY = the dependability or consistency of the measure of a concept or phenomenon VALIDITY = How well a measure of a concept or phenomenon measures what is it supposed to PRIMARY DATA = data gathered by a research in a project for their analysis chp 1 what is SOC 12  DATASETS = collection of data CODING = the process of categorizing data for analysis SECONDARY DATA = Data gathered by someone else for analysis by other researchers REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE = a smaller group that represents an accurate cross-section of the population ETHNOGRPAHY = An approach to the study of a social setting and or human culture emphasizing immersion for an extended period of time and systematic, detailed description of that setting FIELD NOTES = Systematic notes capturing observation of social phenomena taken during field research CONTROL GROUP = the group that does not receive the experimental treatment (the IV) EXPERIMENTAL GROUP = the group that is exposed to the experimental treatment (the IV) RANDOM ASSIGNMENT = the assigning of research participants into either the control group or the experimental group through a chance process PROBABILITY SAMPLING = A sampling technique where each unit in a population has an equal chance or probability of being selected. this is often referred to as random sampling NON-PROBABILITY SAMPLING = A sampling technique where each unit is chosen in a non-random way, such as the basis of convenience, association, or purposively on the basis of the research topic SAMPLING FRAME = A list of all items, events, units, or people in a population RESEARCH ETHICS = the ethical principles that inform and guide research to protect the rights of research participants DECEPTION = when researchers provide false or misleading info or conceal their researcher role or research purpose INFORMED CONSENT =Voluntary research participation based on the full disclosure of possible risks and benefits of the research chp 1 what is SOC 13