Sociology: Chapter 1

Perspective, Theory, and Method

The Sociological Perspective

Sociology is the systematic

study of human society.

Sociology also encourages

us to see individuality in the
social context.

The sociological perspective

helps us to see the general
in the particular (Peter
Berger 1963).

The sociological perspective

reveals the power of society
to shape individual lives

C. Wright Mills: called this

POV the sociological
imagination

It encourages us to realize
that society guides our
thoughts and deeds.

Benefits of the Sociological

Perspective

The sociological
perspective helps us
assess the truth of
common sense.

The sociological
perspective helps us
assess both
opportunities and
constraints in our lives.

The sociological
perspective empowers
us to be active
participants in our
society.

The sociological
perspective helps us to
live in a diverse world.

The Origins of Sociology

Three major social changes during

the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries (Europe) are important to
the development of sociology.
(1) The rise of a factory-based
industrial economy.
(2) The emergence of great cities in
Europe.
(3) Political changes.

The Origins of Sociology

Auguste Comte believed that the major goal of

sociology was to understand society as it actually
operates.

Comte saw sociology as the product of a threestage historical development:

(1) The theological stage (God >Society).
(2) The metaphysical stage (Humans >Society).
(3) The scientific stage (Science >Society).

Sociological Theory

A theory is a statement of how and why specific facts

are related.

The goal of sociological theory is to explain social

behavior in the real world.

Example: Durkheim had a theory: categories of

people with low social integration (men, Protestants,
the wealthy, and the unmarried) are at higher risk of
suicide.

Sociologists use 3 theoretical

approaches:
Structural-Functional
Social-Conflict
Symbolic

Approach

Approach

Interaction Approach

The StructuralFunctional 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).

Each 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 SocialConflict Approach

Karl Marx

The social-conflict paradigm sees society as an arena of

inequality that generates conflict and change.

Gender-Conflict Approach

Race-Conflict Approach

Structural-Functional + Social Construct = Macro Level

Perspective

Both have their weaknesses

Popularity: Social-Conflict

The SymbolicInteraction 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; Webers 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 takes place

in the field, where people
carry on in their everyday
lives.
Participant observation
investigators
systematically observe
people while joining their
routine activities.

Not all research

requires investigators to
collect their own data.

Secondary analysis
a researcher uses data
collected by others.

The most widely used

statistics are gathered
by government
agencies.

Ten Steps in Sociological

Investigation
(1) What is your topic?
(2) What have others
already learned?
(3) What, exactly, are your
questions?
(4) What will you need to
carry out research?
(5) Are there ethical
concerns?

(6) What method will you

use?
(7) How will you record the
data?
(8) What do the data tell you?
(9) What are your
conclusions?
(10) How can you share what
youve learned?