Ch1.1 and 1.4: introduction to sociology Flashcards
sociology
the systematic study of society and social interaction
society
group of people whose members interact, reside in a definable area, and share a culture
micro-level sociology
- focuses on the social dynamics of intimate, face to face interactions
- researches conducted with a specific set of individuals (family, partners, friend groups)
macro-level sociology
focuses on the properties of large-scale, society-wide social interactions that is beyond the immediate milieu of individual interactions (dynamics of institutions, class structures, gender relations, whole populations)
global-level sociology
focuses on structures and processes that extend beyond the boundaries of states or specific societies
macro level processes
according to Georg Simmel, macro level processes are nothing more than the sum of all unique interactions between individuals at any one time, with the properties that would be missed if sociologists only focused on micro-level interactions
Émile Durkheim’s study of suicide
Durkheim showed that rates of suicide between religious communities could not be explained by individual factors, but had to be explained by macro-level variables dealing with different religious beliefs and practices, and different degrees of social integration of their communities
sociological imagination
pioneered by C. Wright Mills, encourages individuals to connect personal experiences to broader social issues and historical contexts as a way to address the dilemmas of the micro/macro divide
what does sociological imagination allow us to do
allow the ability to see a personal trouble in the context of the broader social processes
allow sociologists to examine the problem and apply systematic and scientific methods without letting their biases and preconceived ideas influence their thinking
social structures
when general patterns persist through time and become routinized at micro-levels of interactions, or institutionalized at macro or global levels of interactions
reification
the way in which abstract concepts, complex processes come to be thought of as “things”
individual
inconceivable without the relationships to others that define their internal, subjective life and their external, socially-defined roles
figuration
the process of simultaneously analyzing the behaviour of individuals and the society that shapes behaviour, proposed by the German sociologist Norbert Elias (no society without individuals, no individuals who are not affected by society)
who is Bernard Blishen
he was appointed to be the research director for the newly established Royal Commission on health studies
Peter L. Berger’s definition of a sociologist
described as someone who is concerned with understanding society in a disciplined way
what does sociology teach people
- ways to recognize how they fit into the world
- to not accept easy explanations
- to organize their thinking to ask better questions and formulate better answers
- increases willingness and ability to see the world from other peoples’ perspectives
- ability to collect, read, and analyze statistical information
- capacity for critical thinking about social issues and problems
- prepares people for a wide variety of careers
agency
the capacity of individuals to have the power and resources to fulfill their potential (gives you a sense of choice)
anomie
a social condition or normlessness in which a lack of clear norms fails to give direction and purpose to individual actions
capitalism
an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership and production of goods and their sale in a competitive market
content
the specific reason or drives that motivate individuals to interact
egoistic suicide
suicide which results from the absence of strong social bonds tying the individual to a community
formal sociology
a sociology that analytically separates the contents from the forms of social interaction to study the common forms that guide human behaviour
function
the part of a recurrent activity plays in the social life as a whole and the contribution it makes to structural continuity
social actions
actions to which individuals attach subjective meanings
social facts
the external laws, morals, values, religious beliefs, customs, fashions, rituals, and cultural rules that govern social life
social reform
an approach to social change that advocates slow, incremental improvements in social institutions rather than rapid, revolutionary change of society as a whole
social solidarity
the social ties that bind a group of people together such as kinship, shared location, and religion
Verstehen
German for “understanding”, refers to the use of empathy, or putting oneself in another’s place, to understand the motives and logic of another’s action
