Chapter 1 - A sociological compass

Question 1

What is sociology?

Answer 1

the systematic study of human groups and their interactions

Question 2

The sociological perspective

Answer 2

Looking at the patterns of social relations that might encourage or inhibit actions

Question 3

Social Structures

Answer 3

Relatively stable patterns of social relations. Sociologists explore how an individual’s personal troubles are connected to the social structures in which the individual lives

Question 4

Microstructures

Answer 4

patterns of close social relations formed during face-to-face interactions

ex. family, friends, colleagues

Question 5

Macrostructures

Answer 5

patterns of social relations that lie outside and above your circle of intimates and acquaintances

ex. class relations (power systems) and patriarchy

Question 6

Global structures

Answer 6

patterns of social relations that lie outside and above the national level, including international organizations, patterns of worldwide travel and communications and economic relations between countries

Question 7

The Social imagination

Answer 7

By C. Wright Mills

The quality of mind that enables a person to see connection between personal troubles and social structures

(or social issues are caused by larger social factors) such that individual challenges arise from social issues

Originated from the scientific revolution (that people should use evidence to draw conclusions) and democratic revolution (people are responsible for organizing society and that humans can solve social problems) and industrial revolution

Question 8

Quality of mind

Answer 8

refers to one’s ability to look beyond personal circumstances and into social context

ex. looking at the greater forces at work that influence your actions and livelihood - lie why are you at university

Question 9

Invitation to Sociology

Answer 9

By Peter Berger
- goal is to see the general in the particular
- to look at seemingly unique events and recognize the larger features involved
- think about what is familiar and see it as strange (not always easy)

Question 10

Charles Wright Mills

Answer 10

The Social Imagination
- to look at how society influences our personal troubles

Question 11

Peter Berger

Answer 11

Invitation to Sociology
- the goal to see the general in the particular (look at how society influences seemingly normal things in your life)

• so see the strange in the familiar

Question 12

Auguste Comte

Answer 12

Introduced Sociology as a scientific methodology (study of society with scientific methods)

Question 13

Max Weber

Answer 13

Rationalization
- rationalize society to achieve given goals, but makes life like living in a glass cage

• loss of individuality, autonomy, and individual freedom. Also makes everyone specialized and have an obsession with bigger and better things

Question 14

Pierre Bourdieu

Answer 14

Cultural Capital
- that the beliefs, normas, and values that people draw upon in everyday life influences how we see others
- cultural capital is symbolic not material

Question 15

George Herbert Mead

Answer 15

Action and Internal Dialogue (child development)

• actions are guided by our internal dialogue
• use internal dialogue to regulate their behaviour

Question 16

Emile Durkheim

Answer 16

The sociological perspective

• looking at the individual actions through sociological factors

Also - fuctionalism
- social relations or structures govern human relations

Question 17

Michel Foucault

Answer 17

Dominant vs subordinate culture

• he believed that society was a fight between dominant and subordinate culture

Question 18

Conflict theory

Answer 18

social classes struggling against each other to avoid oppression - Karl Marx

Question 19

Symbolic Interactionism

Answer 19

• microlevel social interactions that says to understand these interactions you need to look at the subjective meanings people attach to these interactions

Question 20

Feminist Theory

Answer 20

The belief that patiarchy influences women and how society view them influences their actions and behaviours

Question 21

fuctionalism

Answer 21

• social relations or structures govern human relations