Sociology: Chapter 1

Perspective, Theory, and Method

The Sociological Perspective
 Sociology is the systematic  Sociology also encourages
study of human society. us to see individuality in the
social context.

 The sociological perspective  The sociological perspective

helps us to see the general reveals the power of society
in the particular (Peter to shape individual lives
Berger 1963).


PC ). W* ritghhet
sMoiclliso:loc ga ilcleadl this
 It encourages us to
realize that society guides imagination”
our thoughts and deeds.
 Benefits of the Sociological
Perspective
 The sociological  The sociological
perspective helps us perspective empowers
us to -e active
acsosmesmsotnhesetr participants in our
society.
nusthe.o” f


Tpehresps eoctioivleoghic
 The sociological
ealpl s us assess -oth perspective helps us to
opportunities and live in a diverse world.
constraints in our lives.
 The Origins of Sociology
 Three major social changes during
the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries (/ urope) are important to
the development of sociology.
(1) The rise of a factory0-ased
industrial economy.
(2) The emergence of great
cities in
/urope.
(3) Political changes.
 The Origins of Sociology
 Auguste Comte -elieved that the major goal of
sociology was to understand society as it actually
operates.

 Comte saw sociology as the product of a three0

stage historical development:
(1) The theological stage (God 4Society).
(2) The metaphysical stage (5umans
4Society).
(3) The scientific stage (Science 4Society).
 Sociological Theory

 A theory is a statement of how and why specific facts

are related.

 The goal of sociological theory is to explain social

-ehavior in the real world.

 / xample: Dur7heim had a theory: categories of

people with low social integration (men, Protestants,
the wealthy, and the unmarried) are at higher ris7 of
suicide.
Sociologists use 3 theoretical
approaches:
□
Structural-Functional Approach

□
Social-Conflict Approach

□
Symbolic Interaction Approach
 The Structural–Functional Approach
Comte Durkheim Spencer
 The structural-functional paradigm sees society as a complex
system whose parts work together.

 It asserts that our lives are guided by social structures (any relatively
stable pattern of social behavior).
 / a c h social structure has social functions (the consequences of a
social pattern for the operation of society as a whole).

 Manifest Functions— recognized ; intended consequences of any

social pattern
 Latent Functions— the unrecognized ; unintended consequences of
any social pattern

 Social Dysfunctions — any social pattern that may disrupt the operation
of society
 The Social–Conflict Approach
Karl Marx
 The social-conflict paradigm sees society as an arena of
inequality that generates conflict and change.

 Gender-Conflict Approach

 <ace-Conflict Approach

 Structural-Functional + Social Construct > Macro

Level Perspective

 Both have their wea7nesses

 Popularity: Social-Conflict
The Symbolic–Interaction Approach
Max Weber & George Herbert Mead
 The symbolic-interaction paradigm sees society
as the product of the everyday interactions of
individuals.

 Studies how people, in everyday interaction,

construct reality


It focuses on patterns of social interaction in specific
settings.

 Symbolic-interactionism has a micro-level

perspective.
 Research: Doing Sociology
 Positive Sociology -uses the logic of science to
understand how variables are related@ tries to
establish cause ; effect@ demands objectivity
 Interpretive Sociology -focuses on the meanings that
people attach to behavior@ people construct reality
in their everyday lives@ W eberAs Verstehen is
learning how people understand their world
 Critical Sociology -uses research to bring about social
change@ focuses on inequality@ rejects principle of
objectivity claiming all research is political
 The Methods of Sociological Research

Part 1
 The Experiment —
investigates cause and
effect under highly
controlled conditions.
 The experiment is used
to test a hypothesis —
an unverified statement
of a relationship
between variables.
 A Survey — subjects
respond to a series of
questions in an
interview.
-The most widely used
of all research methods.
-They yield descriptive
findings.
 The Methods of Sociological Research
Part 2
 Investigation ta7es place  Not all research
in the field, where people requires investigators to
carry on in their everyday collect their own data.
lives.
 Secondary analysis
a
—researcher uses data
 Participant observation collected by others.
— investigators
systematically observe 

people while joining their Tsthaetismtiocs

routine activities. tawreidgealythuesred
by government
agencies.
 Ten Steps in Sociological
Investigation
(1) What is your topicC (6) What method will you
(2)What have others useC
already learnedC
(dFa)ta5Cow will you record the
(3)What, exactly, are your
questionsC (G) What do the data tell youC
(9) What are your
conclusionsC
(D)cWarhryatowutillreyso (1H) 5 o w can you share what
youAve learnedC
euanrceheCd to

(E)Are there ethical

concernsC