1. Sociology
Chapter 1:The Sociological Point of View

2. Sociology
“In a commonsense sort of way every normal
human being is a social scientist”
- Rodney Stark, Ph.D. Sociology

3. Sociology
 We are all “social
scientists” in that we must
develop an ability to
understand and predict
human behavior in order to
maintain “normal”
relationships…
 Consider what it means to
describe someone as being
“socially awkward” or worse
still “sociopathic”

4. Sociology
 Of course the ability to
predict the behavior of
people we know does
NOT make us all
sociologists by strict
definition…
 In fact most people don’t
know…
 …What Sociology is?
 …What sociologists study?
 …What the &$#%!! the
sociological imagination is?

5. Sociology
 The text defines Sociology as: the social science that
studies human society and social behavior!
 The definition your syllabus while similar is even
shorter…
– Sociology is the SCIENTIFIC study of human
SOCIAL behavior!
 Sociology is founded on the premise that (we)
humans ARE first and foremost SOCIAL BEINGS!
 Sociologists argue that our humanity arises out our
social relationships with others…

6. Sociology
 The subject of Sociology is
– THE GROUP!
 Most sociologists define a group as two
(or three) or more people who maintain a
stable pattern of interactions and share a
common identity.
 Sociologists further define groups as
either:
– Primary: close, stable, intimate
attachments
– Secondary: united by common
interests, change frequently,
limited attachments
 Sociologists use the term aggregate to
describe an “unrelated” crowd or
collection of individuals

7. The Sociological Perspective
 Your are encouraged to develop a Soc
POV so you can:
 See the hidden meaning behind human actions
using your Sociological Imagination
 Broaden your view of the world
 Establish a balance between personal desires and
the good of the community

8. The Sociological Perspective
 The sociological perspective asserts that humans
are fundamentally social beings!
 Ok, OK sounds simple – easy enough so far - but
ask yourself why? What makes us unique? Social
Interaction allowed us to develop civilization but
ask yourself what is it about human beings that
sets us apart from all other creatures?

9. The Sociological Perspective
 Humans develop or mature slowly in comparison to
many other creatures and require extensive parenting
and social interaction in order to survive.
 Civilization is far too complex to pass on through
inherited traits (instincts) but we humans have created
culture that is in fact shared and transmitted through
common language instead.
 Humans have the ability to anticipate responses to our
actions and this allows us to form stable relationships!

10. The Sociological Perspective
 Free will has been
debated for centuries by
theologians and
philosophers. Some
people argue that human
actions are predetermined
- others believe in free will.
What do you think?
 If you believe in free will
however how in the world
can we anticipate or
predict the behavior of
others???

11. The Sociological Perspective
 Most sociologists assert that human beings do
indeed have free will…
…but also argue that rational human beings, when
possible, will make choices that are most
rewarding to themselves!
 The ability to predict human behavior rests on the
assumption that people will act in self interest
whenever possible!

12. The Sociological Imagination
 In 1959 an American Sociologist named
C. Wright Mills coined the term Sociological
Imagination to describe what he saw as an
ability to connect social forces and
individual behavior!
 Sociologists maintain behavior is shaped or
influenced by “social structures” that possess
tremendous power to influence individual actions and
choices!

13. Sociology’s place in the Social Sciences
 In order to have a place
among the sciences
Sociologists must employ
the Scientific Method in
their subject of study…
 The scientific method
consists of four parts
– 1)Observation
– 2)Hypothesis
– 3)Experimentation/Research
– 4)Conclusion/Theory
 (note: these “steps” may be
placed in any order)

14. Sociology’s place in the Social Sciences
 Social Phenomena or Social Facts are
proportional facts that accurately describe groups
rather than given individuals!
 Applying the scientific method to the study of
human behavior becomes possible once social
facts are discovered!
 The discovery of social facts changes the
social sciences forever!

15. Sociology’s place in the Social Sciences
 Sociology is one of several related disciplines that are
collectively known as the social sciences.
 The are six other major social sciences: Anthropology,
Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, and
Psychology…
 While the social studies share a common subject
– human beings – each may be distinguished by a
unique focus on a particular aspect of human behavior!

16. The Social Sciences
 Anthropology studies prehistoric or pre-
industrial man.
 Economics examines how people
allocate scarce resources.
 Geography focuses on the way humans
interact with their physical environment.
 History is an exploration of humanities
past.
 Political Science studies the ways
humans govern themselves.
 Psychology is primarily concerned with
the human mental processes and
emotions. Psychology typically focuses
on the internal motivations for behavior
of the individual.
 Most social scientists count History as
the “oldest” and Sociology is generally
considered the “youngest” in this family!

17. The Social Sciences

18. History of Sociology

19. History of Sociology
 C.W. Mills is credited with defining the sociological
imagination in 1959 but social philosophers have been
examining the relationship between society and
human behavior since the earliest days of civilization!
 The “history” of Sociology, however, doesn’t begin
with the Sumerians or the Egyptians – or even the
Greeks…
 Sociology, is in fact , a relatively new science… and it
was born… in France!

20. History of Sociology
 In 1838 A French nobleman,
August Comte predicted a
science he called “Sociology”
would one day guide
civilization to an orderly,
progressive, utopian future.
 Comte, while credited with
being the first to use the word
sociology in his writings
-never referred to himself as
a sociologist…
…so Comte is instead
considered as an important
social philosopher by most
modern sociologists…

21. History of Sociology
 Herbert Spencer (1820 -1903) is an
important British social philosopher
(like Comte) who was influenced by
the work of Charles Darwin. Spencer
advocated a biological model of
society and his ideas served as
foundation for theories of
functionalism and social evolution.
 Spencer coined the phrase “survival
of the fittest” NOT Darwin! Spencer
argued that the strongest, “most fit”
societies would survive! Social unrest
is “natural” and necessary for social
evolution!

22. History of Sociology
 Sociology as a science emerges
from the flames of revolution – the
Scientific, Political Revolutions of
the 18th century and the Industrial
Revolution that achieves full
steam in the 19th century -
provide the sparks necessary to
give rise to “a science of society.”
 During the Industrial Revolution
millions of Europeans move from
farms to the city and the economy
of western Europe began to shift
an from agricultural base to an
industrial one.

23. History of Sociology
 European governments began to keep records (known as
moral statistics in France) to help guide policy during this
period of rapid social and economic change.
 These “moral statistics” were collected by region and
included population, births (legit or illegitimate), cause of
death, gender, marriage status, literacy rates, criminal
history, age and more…
 French moral statistics were compiled for years and
published in the Compte and eventually made the science
of Sociology possible by providing a collection of Social
Facts – just the data needed to conduct the scientific
method!

24. History of Sociology
 As you recall, social phenomena or
social facts are proportional facts that
describe groups rather than given
individuals!
 Applying the scientific method to the study
of human behavior becomes possible once
social facts are discovered!

25. History of Sociology
 1897 a Frenchman named
Emile Durkheim published
Suicide. Durkheim analyzes
social facts (statistics) using
the scientific method in a
groundbreaking book on the
SOCIAL causes of suicide!
 Durkheim is the first to refer
to himself a SOCIOLOGIST,
taught Sociology at a
French university, and is
widely regarded as the
Father of Sociology!

26. Sociology
 There are three giants in
Sociology!
– Emile Durkheim (1858 – 1917)
known as the “Father of Sociology”
– Karl Marx (1818 – 1883) a self
described German “Historian” and a
trained Economist who saw history in
terms of class struggle
– Max Weber (1864 – 1920) also a
German, narrowed the focus of
Sociology by concentrating on ways
in which society influenced - and
was influenced by - small groups.

27. Sociological Approaches
 Sociology is divided into two
approaches:
 1) Micro sociology – is an
examination of small group
interaction and the way
social forces shape
behavior of individuals
 2) Macro sociology – is
concerned with the study of
large groups with emphasis
on developing global
theories that may be
applied to all.

28. Sociological Approaches
 Micro sociologists  Macro sociologists
– explore influences of social – Seek wide ranging
forces on choices and comparisons of - and
behaviors… explanations for - social
– focuses on primary group conditions
interactions – focus on relationships b/w
– studies sources of small social structures (i.e. and
group conflict and solidarity society
– theories incl. symbolic – Seeks causes of wars,
interaction, exchange ethnic conflicts or
theory, social creation of self nationalism and ethnic
and mind solidarity
– theories incl. functionalism,
conflict theory, social
evolution,

29. Sociological Theories
Conflict
Functionalism
Theory
(Macro)
(Macro)
Interactionism
(Micro)

30. Sociological Theories
 Functionalism: theoretical
perspective that views society as a
set of interrelated parts that work
together to produce a stable social
system. Focus: Social Structures
 Conflict Theory: theoretical
perspective that focuses on those
forces in society that promote
competition and change.
Focus: Class Conflict, Power
 Interactionism: theoretical
perspective that focuses on how
individuals and small groups
interact with one another in society.
Focus: Social construction of
self and mind, Symbolic Interaction

31. The Social Sciences

32. Sociological Approaches
 Micro sociologists  Macro sociologists
– explore influences of – Seek wide ranging
social forces on choices comparisons of - and
and behaviors… explanations for - social
conditions
– focuses on primary – focus on relationships
group interactions b/w social structures
– studies sources of (i.e. and society
small group conflict – Seeks causes of wars,
and solidarity ethnic conflicts or
– theories incl. symbolic nationalism and ethnic
solidarity
interaction, exchange
– theories incl.
theory, social creation functionalism, conflict
of self and mind theory, social evolution,

33. Sociological Theories