American Society

The Sociological View

Loyola University Maryland

The Sociological View

What is Sociology?
What Is Sociological Theory?
The Development of Sociology
Major Theoretical Perspectives
What Is the Scientific Method?

SC103 American Society

What is Sociology?

What is Sociology?

Sociology is the discovery and

explanation of patterns of social
action.

Focuses primarily on:

Influence of social relationships on

peoples attitudes and behavior
How societies develop and change
SC103 American Society
What is Sociology?

The Sociological
Imagination

C. Wright Mills described

sociological imagination as

Awareness of
relationship
between an
individual and the
wider society, both
today and in the
past.

Ability to view ones

society as an
outsider would,
without ones
limited experiences
and cultural biases.

SC103 American Society

What is Sociology?

The Sociological
Imagination

Looks beyond a limited

understanding of human behavior

View the world

and its people
in a new way
See through a
broader lens

SC103 American Society

What is Sociology?

Sociology and
the Social Sciences

Science: body of knowledge

obtained by methods based on
systematic observation

Natural Science:
study of physical
features of nature
and the ways they
interact and
change

Social Science:
study of social
features of
humans and the
ways they
interact and
change

SC103 American Society

What is Sociology?

Sociology and Common Sense

Commonsense knowledge, while

sometimes accurate, is not always
reliable
Money is the root of all evil
Love knows no reason
Disasters create panic
SC103 American Society
what is Sociology?

Sociology and Science

Study the influence that society has

on peoples attitudes and behavior

Seek to understand ways in which

people interact and shape society

Examine social relationships with

others scientifically
SC103 American Society
What is Sociology?

Sociology as Science
Science

is a method of obtaining
objective and systematic knowledge
through observation.
It is empirical.
It is systematic.
It focuses on causation.
It is provisional.
It is objective.

SC103 American Society

What is Sociology?

Conducting Sociological
Research

Research

Methods

Detailed plans developed

to make observations to
test hypotheses.

Most

Common Methods

Observational techniques
Surveys
Experiments

Conducting Sociological
Research
Common

Research Problems

Reactivity
Values and Objectivity
Ethical Concerns

Research

goals

Basic Sociology
Applied Sociology

SC103 American Society

What is Sociology?

Steps in Conducting
Social Research
Problem
Formulation

Public
Dissemination

Drawing
Conclusions

Research
Design

RESEAR
CH

Data Analysis
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What is Sociology?

Data
Collection

What Is
Sociological Theory?

Theory: set of statements that

seeks to explain problems, actions,
or behavior

Effective theories have explanatory

and predictive power

Theories are never a final statement

about human behavior
SC103 American Society
What is Sociology?

The Development
of Sociology

Philosophers/religious authorities of
ancient and medieval societies made
observations of human behavior

Did not test or verify

European theorists made

pioneering contributions to
development of science of human
behavior
SC103 American Society
what is Sociology?

Early Thinkers: Comte, Martineau, and

Spencer

Auguste Comte (17981857)

Harriet Martineau (18021876)

Believed systematic investigation of behavior

needed to improve French society
Coined term sociology
Emphasized impact that economy, law,
trade, health, and population could have on
social problems

Herbert Spencer (18201903)

Studied evolutionary change in society

SC103 American Society
what is Sociology?

mile Durkheim

mile Durkheim (18581917)

Developed fundamental thesis to help

explain all forms of society
Behavior must be understood within
larger social context, not just in
individualistic terms

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what is Sociology?

Max Weber

Max Weber (18641920)

To fully comprehend behavior,

sociologists must learn the subjective
meaning people attach to their actions

Employ verstehen (understanding;

insight)

Ideal Type: construct for

evaluating specific cases

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Karl Marx

Karl Marx (1818-1883)

Society fundamentally divided

between two classes that clashed in
pursuit of interests
Marx and Engels argued the working
class needed to overthrow the class
system
Emphasized group identification and
associations that influence ones place
in society
SC103 American Society
what is Sociology?

Modern Developments

Charles Horton Cooley (18641929)

Used sociological perspective to look

at face-to-face groups such as families,
gangs, and friendship networks

Jane Addams (18601935)

Combined intellectual inquiry, social

service work, and political activism

SC103 American Society

what is Sociology?

Modern Developments

Robert Merton (19102003)

Combined theory and research

Developed frequently cited
explanation of deviant behavior
Some innovators accept the
goal of pursuing material
wealth but use illegal means to
do so
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what is Sociology?

Major Theoretical Perspectives

Three general views of society

Functionalist perspective
Conflict perspective
Interactionist perspective

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what is Sociology?

Functionalist Perspective

Emphasizes that parts of a society

are structured to maintain its
stability
Talcott Parsons (1902-1979) key

contributor
Viewed any society as vast network of
connected parts, and
Each part helps maintain the system
as a whole
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what is Sociology?

Functionalist Perspective

Functions and Dysfunctions

Hindu prohibition against slaughtering

cows

Manifest Functions: institutions

are open, stated, conscious
functions
Latent Functions: unconscious or
unintended functions that may
reflect
hidden purposes of an institution
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what is Sociology?

Conflict Perspective
Assumes social behavior is best
understood in terms of conflict or
tension between competing
groups
The Marxist View: conflict is part of
everyday life in all societies

Conflict theorists more radical and

activist than functionalists

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what is Sociology?

Conflict Perspective

A Different Voice: W. E. B. Du Bois

(1868-1963)

Conducted research to assist the

struggle for a racially egalitarian
society
Believed knowledge essential to
combating prejudice and achieving
tolerance and justice
In-depth studies of urban life
Helped foundSC103
the
NAACP
American
Society
what is Sociology?

Feminist Perspective

Views inequity in gender as central

to all behavior and organization

Often allied with conflict theory, but

Tend to focus on the relationships of
everyday life like the interactionists
would
Extended analysis beyond the male
point of view
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what is Sociology?

Interactionist Perspective
Generalizes about everyday forms
of social interaction to understand
society as a whole
Sociological framework for viewing
humans as living in a world of
meaningful objects

Nonverbal communication: can include

many gestures, facial expressions, and
postures
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what is Sociology?

Interactionist Perspective

George Herbert Mead (1863-1931)

Sometimes called symbolic

interactionist approach

SC103 American Society

what is Sociology?