The document provides an overview of topics that will be addressed in the study of sociology. It discusses how sociology examines groups, how they are formed and how they change, as well as the actions of individuals within groups. Some key topics that may be studied include social structure, conformity, theoretical perspectives like functionalism and symbolic interactionism, and how sociologists seek to understand the influence of groups on individual behavior. Information is gathered through observation and measurement of "social facts" like attendance at events, crime patterns, marriage rates, etc. The purpose of studying sociology is to better understand how group behavior shapes individuals and societies over time.

14. Conflict Perspective