Warm-Ups Jan. 8-Jan. 18

#1

Q. What would you do about people who talk excessively in class?

A.

#2

Q. What is your definition of society? What holds it together? Explain.

FORMAT for the Notes

TOPIC

Information about the topic

Information about the topic

Information about the topic

Information about the topic

Intro to Sociology

What is Sociology?

Sociology is the field of science that studies social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior.

Sociologists can study very small social relationships (such as family);

They can explore large social connections (such as government institutions);

They can also explore specific issues that shape human interaction (such as gender, poverty, race, etc.)

They can also studies human interaction as a whole (such a globalization).

Society and People

The common denominator in sociology is PEOPLE! Society shapes:

What PEOPLE do; How PEOPLE do it; and How PEOPLE understand what others do.

“In the game of life, we may decide how to play our cards, but it is society that deals us the hand,”

Macionis and Plummer

Bias and Prejudices

All people have a bias and/or prejudice concerning social issues (including Sociologists). Sociologists attempt to avoid allowing their

personal values from influencing their research. The goal is to remain neutral.

Sociologists tend to study controversial social issues so that people can see that there are other perspectives other than their own, so new ideas can be created, and we can learn from humans have done in the past.

Sociology and You

Students of Sociology will need to learn to agree to disagree. There are many perspectives and everyone will

not share the same view. The point of studying Sociology is gaining a new

perspective even if it isn’t the same as yours. “Those who danced were thought to be quite

insane by those who could not hear the music"

-- A. Monet

Debunking

Sociologists want to debunk commonly accepted notions of society. Debunking is the process of questioning actions and ideas

that are usually taken for granted. It refers to looking behind the scenes to find patterns and

processes that shape human behavior.

Skepticism is fundamental to Sociologists. They must question commonly accepted conceptions of

human affairs. Ex. Are Drugs bad?

Are Drugs Bad?

Society tells us: YES It impairs our judgment; It can shorten our life; It can lead to death; etc.

Society tells us: NO Prescription drugs (if used properly) can save lives; Some drugs are legal (U.S. is a huge exporter of

tobacco);

The Father of Sociology

Auguste Comte: He coined the term sociology. He sought to discover the laws that governed the evolution of

the mind. He framed his “law of three states.” First, people seek a theological (super-natural) explanation (i.e. God

controls all); Second, people seek a metaphysical (abstract) explanation (i.e. law of

man controls all); Third, people seek a positive explanation (i.e. the individual controls

his/her actions).

He created the theory of Positivism. Positivism is the idea that the highest power that controls the individual is him/herself. Achievement is largely based on free will.

Major influences of Sociology

Herbert Spencer: He argued that our mind develops from the influences of nature around us. That sociologist should study family, religion, politics…

Karl Marx: Greatly influenced how we view the influence of economic classes.

Emile Durkheim: Founder of modern Sociology. He believed that Society is the great influence on the individual.

Max Weber: He believed that bureaucracies were the greatest influence on the development of the human mind.

The Scientific Method

Step One: Find a Concept (Define the problem). Step Two: Review the Literature (read up on other

similar studies). Step Three: Hypothesis (State an educational

guess about the relationship between the two phenomena or variables that can be tested).

Step Four: Select a Research Design (This is where you will collect and analyze your data).

Step Five: Develop a Conclusion (Either your hypothesis was correct, incorrect, or may need to be looked at again using a different research design)

Variables

Variables are measurable traits or characteristics that are subject to change under different conditions. Researchers must suggest how one aspect of human behavior influences or affects another.

Independent Variable: This is the variable that will affect another variable.

Dependent Variable: This is the variable affected. Example: The higher education you have (independent

variable) will influence your income level (dependent variable)

Research Design

Once a researcher has developed their question(s) about society they must decide a method of analysis and a method of gathering data Methods of Analysis: individuals, birth rates,

votes, nations, business establishments. (They must also decide if they will study one time period or several points in time.)

Methods of Gathering Data: surveys, interviews, field research (observation), document study (ex. marriage certificates), experiments.

Surveys When a survey is given you can interview someone

or give them a questionnaire. (What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?)

Observation allows researchers to look at whole settings, which would not be able to be investigated through other techniques.

Experiments allow researchers to manipulate variables to be able to view the outcome. The researchers assign subjects to two groups:

The experimental group is exposed to the independent variable;

The control group is not

Hawthorne Effect

In some experiments, the presence of a social scientist or other observer may affect the behavior of the people being studied.

Western Electric conducted an experiment in the 1920s and 1930s at their Hawthorne plant to determine how to improve productivity.

Researcher manipulated lighting and working hours to see the impact. Every setup had a positive impact, even steps that would seem to lessen productivity.

Why did productivity improve? Their behavior was apparently influenced by the greater attention being paid to them not the experiments.

Code of Ethics

The professional society of the discipline, the ASA, public the first Code of Ethics for Sociologists in 1971

It puts forth the following basic principles: Maintain objectivity and integrity in research; Respect the subject’s right to privacy and dignity; Protect subject from personal harm; Preserve confidentiality; Seek informed consent when date is collected; Acknowledge research collaboration and assistance; Disclose all sources of financial support (Why?)

Confidentiality Sociologists occasionally find themselves subject to

questions from law enforcement because of the knowledge they gained.

In May 1993, Rike Scarce, a doctoral candidate in Sociology at Washington State University, was jailed for 159 days because he decline to tell a federal grand jury what he knew about the University Research laboratory by animal rights activists. Scarce was conducting research for a book on environmental protestors.

The ASA, or American Sociological Association, supports the right of scholars to preserve confidentiality, however there is no legislation protecting researchers today.

Issues in the Approach

Reliability: Results are not always consistent. Validity: Is the researcher measuring exactly what

he/she says she is measuring. Generalization: Often types sampling will not

accurately represent the whole group. Objectivity: It is difficult to research a topic without

having any opinion. This opinion may influence results.

Research Ethics: Because it can be dangerous to get some results the researcher must not risk their lives and true results may not come about.

Benefits of Sociology

The benefits of studying Sociology are: Allows one to recognize patterns and trends in

society; Allow the development to be critical thinkers; Encourages good research skills in data

collection; Enhances management skills.

Sociological Research There are numerous topics that are taught in Sociology classes

and Sociologists will spend their lives researching. Some popular subjects include:

Culture; Socialization; Gender Roles; Race/Ethnicity; Social Deviance and Violence; Human Sexuality; Work and the Work Place; The Group Mentality; Religion; Family; Criminology; Death and Bereavement; Globalization; Third World Countries; etc.

Sociology Careers

Sociologists can find a wide range of jobs which include:

Marketing and Publicists (How to sell new consumer goods to society)

Researcher (Companies/Governments will pay sociologists to study trends)

Government (Working for the Census Bureau, DMV, Law Enforcement, Social Worker, …)

Human Resources Management (Working for large firms to solve inter-office conflict)

Psychology (Working to solve personal conflict of individuals/families)

Teaching

Homework: Jan. 8- Jan. 11

#1

Ch. 1 Section 1 Review p. 8

2. Identify and explain C. Wright Mills

3. Comparing (compare sociology with the social sciences)

4. Why is a sociological imagination important in sociology?

Warm-Ups Jan. 8-18

#6

What I think keeps society intact is… (write four more sentences.)

#7

Define “norm”

A norm in our society that tells us what we should do is…

#8

High school traditions… (write four more sentences).

Norm

definition: are group-held beliefs about how members should behave at a given time and place; they allow us to see what the group considers to be necessary for survival; purpose is to create conformity

Example: Wearing a team uniform appropriately.

Custom

definition: a set of agreed norms that may become enforced through laws, but are sometimes unwritten

Example: showing deference when a national anthem is played (standing, removing hat, placing hand on heart, singing, bowing head, etc)

Traditions

definition: a belief or behavior passed down within a group or society with a symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past.

Example: lawyer wigs, mortar boards,

Institutions

definition: abstract structures, patterns, or abstract mechanisms that lead to social order and cooperation; these govern the behavior of individuals to preserve social stability

Examples: marriage, family, religion, education, research institutions, medicine, law, military, police, mass media, entrepreneurship (business), civil society (social progress organizations)

Functionalist View of Graduation Ceremony

Institution (education)American Education System

Tradition Commencement

Custom Moving the tassle from one side to the other upon

graduation

Norm Everyone wears the same color gown

Notices/Reminders Tomorrow

Functionalism Poster due Tuesday

Quiz on the crossword Globalization objectivity Hawthorne Effect functionalist perspective observation theory independent variable control group Durkheim the first step to sociological research

Crossword, Rice, and Introduction to Soc. Notes due

Functionalism OverviewInstitutions:Crucial element

(they create order)

Custom:Crucial element

(legality; a crime (or semi-crime) when not practiced

Traditions: Crucial element

(patterns/symbolic behaviors that are handed down)

Norm:Crucial element

(it creates uniformity)

The Meaning of Food

Title of episode:_______________________

Institution?:

Tradition?:

Customs?:

Norms?:

Summarize Food’s Role in this episode (5 sentences):

Conflict Theory TodayBook p. 16

1. Describe “conflict theory”:

2. It is associated with ___________.

3. It focuses on competition between _____________

4. They compete over ____________

5. When one group gains control over these things they establish __________________

____________ in order to _________________

6. Conflict leads to social _________.

Video

Conflict Theory TodayVideo

1. The groups competing are …

2. The scarce resources involved are…

3. The group in control of these resources are…

4. Examples of rules and procedures that support their power are…

5. I think the social change that will come from this conflict is…(write at least 4 sentences)