DEFINITION“Sociology is the study of s l b r and h n g ps” (Schaeffer, 2011).

Sociology is a branch of s____ s____ that deals with the study of so____ty,

g_____ps, p______es, n_______ (laws, pr_____es, pa____ns of b_______; a belief of what is a______table; unwritten or written rules on how to behave), and

orga______tions.

DEFINITION

“So______gy is a ______science involving the study of the

social lives of p______, g_____, and s_________.”

(American Sociological Society)

DEFINITION

– Sociology studies human society and social behavior through social interaction and social phenomena

█ S_______: Body of knowledge obtained by methods based on systematic observation

– Natural science: Study of _______ features of nature and the ways they interact and change

– Social science: Study of s_____ features of humans and the ways they interact and change

Source: Schaeffer, 2011 (McGraw Hill)

FOCUS OF SOCIOLOGY (SCHAEFFER, 2011)

Impacts of r_____ips on people’s a______de and be_____r.

Photo courtesy of http://www.openideo.com/open/impact/inspiration/social-network-analysis

FOCUS OF SOCIOLOGY

A____s, R_____s, R_____s, and R_______s.

HOW IS SOCIOLOGY DIFFERENT?

Psychology- Individual Behavior

Sociology-Group Behavior

Photo courtesy of: Cardiff University School of Social Sciences

HOW SOCIOLOGISTS EXAMINE SOCIETY?

Rely on critical thinking, which C. Wright Mills calls, SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION

WHAT IS SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION?“An awareness of the relationship between

and individual and the wider society, both today and in the past” (Schaeffer, 2011).

The connection between history (past) and biography (your current personal experiences and context.

SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION

ABILITY TO VIEW One's OWN WORLD as an OUTSIDER!

SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION

ABILITY TO VIEW One's OWN WORLD as an OUTSIDER!

SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION

It allows us to go beyond personal experiences and observation to understand broader public issues.

WHAT IS SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION?

“An a_______s of the r_____hip between an ind______ual and the w____er society, both t_____ and in the p_____t” (Schaeffer, 2011).

The connection between history (past) and biography (your current personal experiences and context).

SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION

It allows us to go beyond per al e s and observation to understand broader p c issues.

DIVORCE

A personal problem between husband and wife.

Divorce may influence family members (family in transition).

Divorce may deconstruct the traditional notion of family.

What are the factors that would lead to divorce?

DIVORCE QUESTIONS THE VERY CONCEPT OF MARRIAGE

To live happily ever after.

Love is the very foundation of marriage.

But why divorce happens?

“Consider unemployment. When, in a city of one hundred thousand, one man is unemployed, that is his personal trouble, and for its relief, we may properly look to the character of the man and his skills. But when in a nation of fifty million employees, fifteen million men are unemployed, that is an issue, and we may not hope to find its solution within the range of opportunities open to any one individual. The very structure of opportunities has collapsed”

C. Wright Mills (1959) 

OTHER SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES DEBUNKING- “Debunking is a process of

questioning actions and ideas that are usually taken for granted.” (Peter Berger)

Aha Attitude

Healthy skepticism regarding common notions

AHA ATTITUDE

WEH ATTITUDE

DIG THE HOLE

SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION

Is also an examination of the effects of social forces on people’s personal and social lives.

 What are social forces? (racism, gender inequality, population growth or decline, globalization, poverty, change in education, etc)

Social forces are processes, realities, and notions/concepts of something that are considered an “in thing”.

Insert video on sociological imagination.

SOCIOLOGICAL THINKING

See the strange from the familiar-to detach oneself from what is common. We challenge familiar ideas.

SOCIOLOGICAL THINKING

Seeing the general in the particular.

EXAMPLE

For many years, scholars thought that Japan is a homogenous society.

But this is no longer the case.

Cultural diversity has existed in Japan even before it opened its door to foreigners.

Foreigners are increasing in Japan.

OTHER EXAMPLES

Women tend to be chattier than men

Military marriages more likely to end in separation or divorce

BENEFITS OF SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE (MACIONIS, 2005)

1. It helps us assess the truth of common sense. (We continuously ask whether or not our common belief are actually/still true).

2. It helps us see the opportunities and constraints in our lives.

3. It empowers us to be active participants in our society.

BENEFITS OF SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE (MACIONIS, 2005)

4. It helps us live in a diverse world.

PRACTICING SOCIOLOGY

© 2006 ALAN S. BERGER 38

• Applied sociology: use of the discipline of sociology with the intent of yielding practical applications for human behavior and organizations

• Clinical sociology: dedicated to facilitating change by altering social relationships or restructuring social institutions

GAME: BINGO

EXERCISE

• Video (child smoking)