Chapter 1 - Perspective, Theory, & Methodology Flashcards
What is sociology?
Systematic study of human society
What are sociology’s points of view?
1) seeing the general in the particular - (general social patterns in behaviour of particular individuals)
2) seeing the strange in the familiar (society shapes our lives)
3) seeing individuality within a social context
What are benefits of a sociological perspective?
1) helps us understand common sense
2) helps us see opportunities and constraints in our lives (assess world around us)
3) empowers us to work with new knowledge and provides a language for us to discuss what’s around us
4) helps us live in a diverse world (see outside ourselves or our nation)
What 3 areas of society did sociology emerge across during the Industrial and French Revolutions?
1) social change
2) science
3) marginalized voices
Who is considered the “Father of Sociology”?
August Comte
What were some of August Comte’s beliefs?
Knowledge developed through sociology would help people gain power over social change
What were August Comte’s stages?
Theological, Metaphysical and Scientific
What is positivism?
Way of understanding based on science (repeated until you’ve proven it, you’re positive)
Positivism is early science
What was Emile Durkheim’s view of society?
Totality of different, interrelated parts, and each part performs functions that support the whole
What is Anomy?
Disconnected individuals living in uncertainty with no shared moral compass
What was Marx’s approach to society?
Society is determined by its economic system. He identified unequal division between capitalist class and proletariat. He inspired anti-capitalist movement.
What was Max Weber’s perspective of society?
Society is shaped by political, social, and cultural factors, not only the economic system. (More religious - God made some rich and some poor)
What is rationality?
Use of reason and logic to achieve a goal as efficiently as possible
What is formal rationality?
It emphasizes calculation and efficiency
What is McDonalization?
Modern, global expansion of principles of formal rationality (Americanization)
What is structural functionalism?
Theoretical paradigm that emphasizes the way each part of a society functions to fulfill the needs of society as a whole
What is the difference between manifest and latent functions?
Manifest function - intended outcome
Latent function - unintended outcome
What is social constructionism?
Sociological theory that argues that social problems and issues are less objective conditions than they are collective social definitions based on how they’re framed and interpreted
What is Microsociology?
- Derived from Weber’s social theory.
- Focuses on individuals and small groups.
- Considers how social life is constituted through everyday interactions and communication
What is symbolic interactionism?
Emphasizes that we base our actions on how we think others perceive us
What is microsociology’s view of society?
Shared reality that people construct as they interact with one another and it is dynamic
What is the social conflict theory?
- derived from Karl Marx’s social theory
- Views society as an arena of inequality that generates conflict and social change
- society is structured in a way to benefit a few at the expense of the majority
Feminism
Key perspective within conflict theory
Name 2 branches of second-wave feminism and their views
Liberal feminism - sought to achieve equality with men within existing social stuctures
Radial feminism - identified patriarchy - system of male power - as source of inequality
What is the third wave of feminism?
- Critiques second-wave feminism for overlooking differences among women
- concerned with matrix of domination (inequality shaped by gender, race, class, sexuality, etc)
- intersecting forms of oppression need to be challenged simultaneously
What is post-modernism?
Questions ideas of a single reality or truth
Leads to relativism
What is post-structuralism?
Emerged along with disillusionment with conflict theory and lack of social change and was influenced by post-modernism
- emphasis on cultural diversity and the role of media
- denies notion of unitary self - identities are multiple, fluid, fragmented
What is a theoretical paradigm?
Set of fundamental assumptions that guides thinking
What are theories?
Abstract ideas about the world
Offer explanations of aspects of social life
What is operationalization?
Process of translating theories and concepts into hypotheses and variables
What is a hypotheses?
Explanation for how variables are related to one another
What are variables?
Observable elements equivalent to a concept
What are Independent and Dependent variables?
Independent - causes (independently test each one)
Dependent - effects (depends on the results)
What is the primary research method?
Experiment
What is quasi-experimental research?
Observes naturally-occurring phenomenon (no manipulation)
Controlled environment constructed after data is gathered
What is the most popular research method, especially used to study large populations?
Surveys
What are goals of survey research?
1) Describe characteristics of study group
2) test theories about the group
3) generalize results to a broader population
What is a sample?
Population in a study
What is random sampling?
Each person in a population has an equal chance to be selected for the study (represent each subgroup in a population for most accurate results)
What are procedures for random sampling?
Simple random sampling, stratified sampling, cluster sampling
What is the goal of field research?
Collect rich, nuanced data by observing and interviewing people in the field
Requires that researchers gain an understanding of the lives of research subjects “from the inside” in order to grasp their worldview
What is ethnographic or participant observation research?
Emersion in the daily lives of participants, usually for extended period of time
What are in-depth interviews?
Popular method involving extensive interviews with participants. Interviews are recorded and later transcribed and may be highly structured or unstructured (more like a conversation). Everyone is asked the same questions
What is the purpose of documentation?
Analyzed to develop understanding of study group
What is the purpose of conducting research with existing data?
Looking at what else the data may tell
What is secondary data analysis?
Analysis of official statistics and existing surveys. There is an advantage because the survey work is already done but disadvantage because the data set may not address the researcher’s questions
What is historical research?
Historical sociology draws on historical documents in the research process. Limited by kinds of data recorded and made available
What is content analysis?
Applied to documents to reveal patterns. Requires careful sampling and analysis procedures
What is the Androcentricity vs. Gynocentricity?
Approaching the topic from a male-only perspective vs. female-only perspective
What is overgeneralizing?
Using data collected from one sex and applying the findings to both sexes
What is gender blindness?
Failure to consider impact of gender at all
What are double standards?
Using different standards to judge males and females (inequality)
What is interference?
A subject under study reacts to the sex of the researcher
What is a correlation?
Relationship by which two or more variables change together
Making use of the sociological perspective encourages:
Challenging commonly held beliefs
Sociologists try to:
Analyze and predict human behaviour
Which sets of societies did sociology arise in?
France, Germany, and England
Where was the sociological perspective developed?
Areas where greatest changes were taking place
What is the term for a basic image of society that guides thinking and research?
Theory
