Ch 1 Sec 1&2 Flashcards
Sociology
Scientific study of “social structure”
Sociology perspective
Never focuses on the individual the view is always at the social, or group, level
Social structure
The pattern of interactions of people in social relationships
Sociological imagination
The ability of individuals to see the relationships between events in their personal lives and events in their society
Perspective
A particular point of view
Auguste Comte
First used “sociology” in 1824
Father of sociology
French philosopher
Main concern to Improve society
What question sociologist always ask?
Why do people behave/act the way they do?
Sociologist study….
Belief system Values system Societal and group rules Ways of organizing families Educational systems Religions Political systems/election trends Economic systems
Why study patterns of human behavior?
Bc we see outside events in our lives as intensely personal (ie marriage of William and Kate)
Why do sociologists study events and look for the things outside the individual that influence behavior?
Person relationships like marriage they study do figure out “what social influences make it difficult for couples stay together”
Social facts
Any social activity or situation that can be observed or measured (ie patters in religious affiliation)
American sociologist who said “you will enrich your life when you come to possess “sociological imagination”
C. Write mills
Society
An organized group of people in which there are “social experiences”
Social experience
A relationship; a give and take between 2 or more people; involves everything from a handshake to the election of a president
Interact
Direct behavior toward one another (ie parents/children)
Why are cultural expectations and social structures important?
Because they regulate individual and group behavior do that people can act together to achieve common goals
Why do people behave the way they do?
Environment/social situation most of the time
Why is all behavior social in some respect?
Because it’s influenced by other people
Physical setting vs social setting
Physical: elevator
Social: alone and someone enters the elevator
Behavior will change when?
According to injection of a stranger into a situation