Intro Flashcards
What is sociology?
The scientific study of human social activity achieved through recognizing both general patterns in specific situations and specific patterns in general situations. (C. Wright Mills, 1959). AKA study of patterned behaviours
The sociological perspective
Sociologists look at things a certain way, or from a certain perspective or viewpoint.
What are the components of the sociological perspective?
a) seeing the general in the particular
b) seeing the strange in the familiar
c) seeing individuality in social context
In sum, sociology is the study of social order, social disorder, and social change.
Theories
Systems of generalized statements or propositions about phenomena.
1) explain and predict phenomenon in question
2) produce testable and falsifiable hypotheses
Universal Laws
Intended to explain and predict events occurring in the natural and physical world.
Social Theory
a systematic setting out of ideas that relates many events together and brings out their similarities
Deduction
Theory that starts with definitions of some general concepts; lays out the rules as to how to classify things they observe in terms of different categories and then puts forward a number of general propositions about the concepts. Goal is to provide general theories and then apply them to specific events.
Induction
Observe and experience the situation first, and then infer, or induce, what is happening. Goal is to observe specific situations and then generate a general theory or conclusions based on those observations.
Macro Sociology
theoretical perspectives concerned with the character of social structures. Do not pay attention to individual psychology, but rather to institutions and the roles they play within them.
Micro Sociology
Those concerned with person-to-person encounters. Look to individual experiences and how people make sense of a particular situation.
Describing vs Explaining
Description- two planes hit the world trade centre
Explanation- goes beyond a mere description of what took place, to an analysis of WHY that may have been the case.
9 Frameworks for Understanding Human Nature
- What is social theory? Framework
- What is society? Atomistic or Organic
- What is Human Nature? Nurture or Nature
- Individuals: Actors or Reactors
- Ontology- Nominalist or Realist
- Epistemology- Experiential or Positivistic
- Methodology? Qualitative or Quantitative
- Fact or Value Judgement? Subjective or Objective
- Social Order? Human Intent or Naturally
Atomistic vs Organic
Atomistic: Society consists of INDEPENDENT subsystems. Humans have ability to influence or change system.
Organic: System of INTERDEPENDENT parts that are inter-connected, integrated and interact together. Independent institutions are connected through functions. It is like the system of the body, everything is connected and relies on one another. Society doesn’t need humans to change the system.
Nature vs Nurture
Nurture: individual characteristics are formulated in response to their social environment. Learned personalities and characteristics.
Nature: individuals have a given character by nature that is innate and unalterable.
Actor vs Reactor
Actor: free will. Individuals are capable of behaving in ways that alter the social structural conditions that usually affect them.
Reactor: Determinism. individuals react to social structural situations/their actions are determined by social forces outside of them. Individuals react to social structural constraints.
Ontology: Nominalist vs Realist
Nominalist: explain behaviour with reference to human intention. Society exists only because we defined it as such. Humans have capacity to change society
Realist: Explain action or behaviour without reference to human intention and solely on the basis of external forces. Functions outside of human free will.
Epistemology: Experiential vs Positivistic
Epistemology is evidence to justify an ontological claim.
Experiential: methods should be critical and from a moral point of view. Social theory cannot be objective. Theories are based on assumptions and value judgements.
Positivistic: use methods from natural sciences. Evidence is empirical. Can be objective and value-free.
Qualitative vs Quantitative
Qualitative: first hand, systematic observation and impression. No hypothesis, go in with an open mind and then form an impression.
Quantitative: Detached, statistical, controlled experiments. Follow methods of natural sciences. Develop a hypothesis and attempt to prove or disprove.
Subjective vs Objective
Subjective: cannot separate value from research. Each person goes into a research project with certain assumptions and biases which cause them to interpret the data in different ways.
Objective: value-free. We are able to separate our assumptions, values, and personal opinions from the objective, scientific research we collect.
Human intent vs Naturally
Social order can occur with human intervention or naturally.
Conservative Orientation
Want to conserve, or maintain social order and build upon it. Organists, humans are something by nature and we should not interfere with that divine order. Any change in the social system is in the direction of more control. INEQUALITY IS NATURAL AND BENEFICIAL. Values should be kept out of sociology. Objectivists, positivists. Sociology should be deductive. Things are by nature (how they ought to be).
Radical Orientation
Want to disrupt or change the existing social system. Atomistic- allow for the possibility of change, nominalist. Humans have the potential to act. Must change the fundamental basis of order to create change. Ultimate goal is radical revolution. Subjectivists.
Ideology
A system of beliefs or ideas that mediate our contact with social reality. Like a lens, screen or filter under which we view, understand and interpret our social world. Cannot be proven though. No evidence to substantiate their claim.
Dimensions of Ideologies
- Cognitive Dimension: each ideology is a mix of knowledge and belief
- Affective Dimension: An appeal to emotion and sentiment
- Evaluative Dimension: always embody value judgements
- Programmatic Dimension: imply a call to action (e.g. feminism)
- Social Dimension: rooted in social groups
