Sociology Study Stuff PDF

Study stuff for sociology Sociological imagination Uncovering the relationship between personal issues and public issues Grasp the relationship between individual lives and the larger social forces that shape them If one person in...

Study stuff for sociology Sociological imagination Uncovering the relationship between personal issues and public issues Grasp the relationship between individual lives and the larger social forces that shape them If one person in a society is unemployed, that’s on them. But if a bunch of people in society are unemployed, then it is society’s problem.  Critical thinking- the ability to evaluate claims about truth using reason and evidence Critical thinking is incredibly important in sociology. Critical thinking helps us answer uncomfortable or hard questions, Be willing to ask any question, no matter how difficult Think logically and be clear. Logic and clarity require us define concepts in ways that make it easier for us to study them Back up your argument with evidence. Seek out studies and research. Think about your own assumptions and biases. We don’t want to exclusively seek out evidence that supports our beliefs. Avoid anecdotal evidence- evidence from a single circumstance may illustrate an exception rather than the rule Be willing to admit when you are wrong or uncertain about your findings. Learn from your mistakes! Historical development of sociological thought We can trace sociology’s roots to 4 interrelated historical developments that gave birth to the modern world; the scientific revolution, the enlightenment, industrialization, and urbanization Scientific Revolution Began in the 16th century, in Europe Rise of modern natural and physical science Success of natural science contributed to the belief that science could be fruitfully applied to human affairs, so people could improve society and perfect it.  The Enlightenment Started in France in the 18th century Philosophers promised that humans could attain great heights by applying scientific understanding to human affairs Sociology as we know it emerged in this time Emile Durkheim, the first modern sociologist, stated that sociological understanding meant a fairer society.  The Industrial Revolution Began in England in the mid-to-late 18th century Traditional agricultural and artisan communities gave way to more efficient, profit-based manufacturing in factories Rapid social change and bustling economies led to social inequality and confusion. Sociologists wanted to understand what was going on. Karl Marx stated that industrialization would make life intolerable for the masses, and believed that the elimination of private property/capitalism would make the world just.  Urbanization Industrialization led to urbanization, because cities grew when people moved there for factory work Some sociologists lamented the loss of communal village life and it’s replacement by an alienating urban existence. Durkheim worried about breakdown of stabilizing beliefs. He argued that traditional communities were held together by shared norms, but modern industrial communities were threatened by anomie, a state of normlessness that led to chaos and decreased meaning in people’s lives. Sociological paradigms There are three sociological paradigms: structural functionalism, social conflict, and symbolic interactionism Structural functionalism Explains social organizations and change in terms of roles performed by different social structures, phenomena, and institutions. Each part of society, good or bad, serves a specific function, and all parts work together to ensure the health of the entity as a whole Any existing phenomena or institution serves a function. If it served no function, it’d evolve out of existence Eg. We don’t usually see crime as good for society, but structural functionalists will state that since criminals are in all societies, they must serve a function. The criminal reminds people in a society what is considered normal/moral, because when criminal behavior is punished, it reminds people of what is right and good. Social conflict paradigm Seeks to explain social organization and change in terms of the conflict that is built into social relationships. It is rooted in Marx It focuses on what divides people rather than unites people Group interests drive relationships, and various groups in society will act in their own interests. Conflict is inevitable. The more powerful group in a conflict will have the upper hand in furthering it’s interests, generally.  Symbolic interactionism Both the self and society as a whole are the products of social interaction based on language and other symbols. They do this by means of symbols. Symbols can be both verbal and nonverbal Eg. If you get the symbolic label of “bad” as a child, you may internalize it and think that you yourself are bad.  3 main themes of book Power and inequality- power is the ability to mobilize resources and achieve goals despite other’s resistance. Power is distributed unequally and some people use it to marginalize other social groups. This results in inequality, a difference in opportunities among social groups Globalization and diversity-Globalization is the process through which everyone has become interconnected. This has made us more aware of social diversity, or the mixture of different groups in society and the recognition of diversity as important. Technology and society- technology is the practical application of knowledge to transform other resources for human use. Technology has the power to alter everything from our work to how we interact. Scientific method Create a research question Review existing knowledge Select the appropriate method Weigh the ethical implications Collect the data Analyze the data Share the results Quantitative and qualitative Quantitative data- variables that express qualities and dont have numerical values. Eg. a parent’s preference for public or private school Quantitative variables- factors that can be counted. Eg. Rates of unemployment Components of a sociological theory Theories are made up of concepts, or ideas that summarize a set of phenomena. Concepts are the building blocks of research and prepare a solid foundation for sociological work. To create theories, we need to define concepts in a way that is viable, with an operational definition. An operational definition describes the concept in a way that it can be observed and measured. Eg: Upper middle class being defined as those with advanced degrees or those that earn more than $200,000 per year. Key methods in sociological research Some key methods in sociological research include survey research, fieldwork, experimentation, working with existing information, and participatory research. Survey research A survey uses a questionnaire or interviews administered to a group of people or by telephone/email to determine their characteristics, opinions, and behaviors. Pros: versatile Cons: may reveal what people say rather than what they do. Responses are sometimes intended to make the interviewee look good in front of interviewer When is it appropriate to use them: on a small number of people, selected to represent a population Fieldwork This is a research method that uses in-depth and often extended study to analyze a group or community. The researcher will go out into the field and directly interact with their subjects. Interviews and participant observation, where the researcher actively participates in a society, are often used. Pros: gain deeper understanding of community Cons: fieldwork can sometimes be dangerous, especially involving the study of illegal activities When would you use it: Gain more in-depth information for your study Experimentation What it is: research techniques for investigating cause and effect under controlled conditions. We conduct experiments to measure the effects of independent variables on dependent variables. When to use: if you want to modify one variable to see what happens to another Working with existing info What it is: Work with existing written materials, cultural products, and statistical data to make conclusions. Why would you use it: to do a secondary analysis of data, work with archival data to analyze a historical period, etc. Participatory Research This type of study supports an organization or community trying to improve its situation when it lacks the needed economic or political power to do so by itself. The researcher fully participates by training the members to conduct research on their own while working with them to enhance their power When would you use it: to conduct an empirical study while also furthering a community or organizational goal that will benefit from the results of the study.  Component parts of cultureq2qzs Beliefs- particular ideas that people accept as true. Our beliefs can be based on faith, personal experience, superstition, science, etc. They are real when they are real in their consequences Values-the abstract and general standards in society that define ideal principles, such as those governing notions of right and wrong. We tend to staunchly defend these; we use values to legitimate our behavior in society. Norms- accepted social behaviors and beliefs that spring from cultures and guide how we choose to behave Taboos- powerful mores, the violation of which is considered serious and even unthinkable. Eg. incest Importance of language in representing and creating culture Language- a symbolic system composed of verbal, nonverbal, and written representation for conveying messages. It is closely tied to cultural objects and practices. Our understandings and actions also emerge from language.  Globalization Functionalist theories to globalization- globalization is meant to spread similar norms and values, so globalized values/norms can strengthen societal solidarity by allowing people to share language and ideas that serve to increase communication. Conflict theory: the globalization of cheap fast food hurts international niche cuisines. This gives the globalizing entity colonial power over the indigenous cultures.  The birth of the social self Socialization- the process by which people learn the culture of their society It takes place every day without us thinking about it. Biologically recognized capacities don’t develop into human ways of thinking and acting, unless you interact with others in a social environment. The principal agents of socialization including parents, teachers, religious institutions, peers, exert enormous influence on us. How do agents of socialization shape us? Families- they teach us about norms related to safety and danger. They teach us “gender” (who does what household work) and teach us socially defined roles of mother, brother, sister, father, etc. Schools and teachers: teach respect for authority, social skills, patriotism, competitiveness, hidden curriculum: the unspoken classroom socialization into social norms/skills, such as norms from everything to social class to sexuality Peers- can initiate you into a subculture (eg. slang, underground media), can be bad or good peer pressure influences Religion- teaches you what is right and wrong, teaches you how to dress and comport yourself, can be beneficial with teachings of service and self-discipline Socialization across life course Pre-conventional stage- people seek to achieve personal gain or avoid punishment. Children are socialized into this way of thinking between ages 7-10. Conventional stage- socialized into society’s norms and values and would feel shame or guilt about violating them. This is not simply about punishment from others, but that you’d feel guilty as well. Children are socialized into this more developed form of morality around age 10. Post conventional stage- the individual invokes general, abstract notions of right and wrong. People at the highest levels of post conventional morality will go beyond social convection entirely, appealing to a set of abstract principles. What’s a total institution? Institutions that isolate individuals from the rest of society to achieve administrative control over most aspects of their lives. Examples: prisons, the military, religious orders, rehab centers  Theories of socialization- dramaturgical approach Dramaturgical approach- the study of social interaction as it were governed by the practices of theatrical performance Front stage- people are social actors engaged in a process of impression management through the use of props, costumes, gestures, and language. Eg. the right gesture for a job interview would be a handshake, and the right costume for a job interview would be a suit We suffer if we deviate from the normative script  Ethnomethodology This is used to study the body of common-sense knowledge and procedures by which ordinary members of a society make sense of their social circumstances and interactions. Ethno refers to folk or ordinary people Methodology- methods people use to govern interactions Social interaction and communication are not possible unless most folks have learned to assign similar meanings to the same interactions  Conversational Analysis Way participants in social interactions recognize and produce coherent conversation. Conversation is any form of verbal communication, and any types of conversations. Social interaction is not simply a random succession of words and phrases but a reciprocal process occurring in a sequential, patterned manner. Research has also emphasized that conversations are impacted by the larger social structure and power relations that follow us into conversation. Eg, dispatchers hold the power over the caller in emergency phone calls.