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SOCI 331 > M1: Lec 1-2 > Flashcards

M1: Lec 1-2 Flashcards

-three central problems -August Comte -etc.

1
Q

Define sociological theory

A

-body of organized and verifiable ideas which sociologists have developed about social life

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2
Q

What does the definition of sociological theory tell us about sociological theory?

A
  • organized, all ideas are related

- verifiable, able to test these ideas

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3
Q

Do all sociologists use the same approach to study sociological theory?

A

No

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4
Q

How will we organize our study of sociological theory?

A
  • around three central problems:
  • problem of agency
  • problem of method
  • problem of change
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5
Q

What will we use the three central problems for?

A

We will use them to ask how each theorist answers these questions, as they will all differ in solutions

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6
Q

Why are the three problems central?

A

Every sociologist has to deal with them implicitly or explicitly

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7
Q

What question does the problem of agency ask?

A

-what is the nature of the relationship between human action/individuals and social structure/society?

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8
Q

What are the answers for the problem of agency?

A

-macro, micro. micro-macro linkage

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9
Q

Can you believe in macro, micro or micro-macro simultaneously?

A

No, they are logically contradictory

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10
Q

What is macro extremism? (4)

A
  • focuses on properties of societies
  • emphasizes social structures and processes
  • societies have their own needs, goals, interests and laws of their own
  • structural constraint is key
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11
Q

What is the diagram for macroextremism?

A

S–>I

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12
Q

What is the diagram for micro-macro linkage?m

A

I <=> S

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13
Q

What is the diagram for micro extremism?

A

I–>S

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14
Q

What do macroextremists think about individuals intentions, motives and reasons?

A

-irrelevant to sociological explanation of life

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15
Q

What is micro extremism? (4)

A
  • gives priority to the individual
  • studies face to face interactions, everyday routines etc.
  • societies are a result of intentional, meaningful behaviour
  • societies are constituted, created and changed by the social interactions of its members
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16
Q

What do micro extremists believe about purposes, motives and reasons of individuals?

A
  • these are central explanations of what they do

- significant variables in research

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17
Q

What is micro macro-linkage

A
  • rejects both micro and macro extremism
  • starts from the link between individuals and societies
  • argues that individuals and societies are mutually constituting and mutually constituted
  • Gidden’s structuration theory
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18
Q

What is Gidden’s structuration theory?

A
  • the patterning of social relationships only exists if individuals actively repeat particular forms of conduct from one time and place to another
  • these social relationships make human action possible
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19
Q

What does the problem of method ask?

A

-can the social sciences be modeled like the natural sciences?

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20
Q

What are the answers to the problem of method question?

A
  • Yes, naturalism

- No, verstehen

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21
Q

What is naturalism?

A
  • a belief that social phenomena can be studied in the same way as natural phenomena
  • humans are treated as objects in nature
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22
Q

As a naturalist, what does the science of sociology become a search for?

A
  • Invariant laws of social activity

- laws that hold at all place and time

23
Q

What is verstehen?

A
  • a belief that sociology cannot be modelled like the natural sciences
  • this is because the purposive component of human action is not found in nature
  • Gidden’s double hermeneutic
24
Q

What is Gidden’s double hermeneutic?

A
  • we create society and are influenced by society

- we’re participating in the world we’re studying

25
Q

What does verstehen say about invariant laws?

A

-laws are really historical products of human action

26
Q

What is the problem of change?

A
  • three questions that every theory of social change at the historical level must answer;
  • what is changing
  • what is the course of change
  • what is the mechanism of change
27
Q

What is the answer to what is changing under the problem of change?

A

-always society

28
Q

What does the question about the course of change mean?

A

-what does the social change consist of, how would I describe the change?

29
Q

What is the mechanism of change?

A

-the cause or causes of social change

30
Q

What are the assumptions every theorist has about the nature of change?

A

-whether the change is a form of developmentalism or evolutionary theory

31
Q

In what contexts did sociology become a discipline?

A
  • french revolution + American revolution

- Industrial revolution

32
Q

How did the French revolution and American revolution influence sociology?

A
  • these revolutions started a dissolution of social order guided only by secular ideas
  • people began to try and figure out what was going on, society, classes etc.
33
Q

What three factors were most important in the Industrial revolution?

A
  • Industrialization
  • Urbanization
  • Population growth
34
Q

In summation, how did the French, American and Industrial revolution influence the creation of sociology?

A
  • it was a transition from traditional society to modern society
  • theorists wanted to help deliver humanity from oppression to freedom
  • wanted to understand consequences of these changes and what brought these changes on
35
Q

Why is Auguste Comte important?

A
  • he coined the term sociology; viewed society as an object of science
  • made the hierarchy of sciences and law of three stages
36
Q

What would Comte’s answer be to the second question?

A

-he was a naturalist

37
Q

What is the hierarchy of sciences?

A
  • explains the relationships between the natural sciences and the social sciences
  • rates analytical sense and historical sense
38
Q

Which science was most general and which most complex?

A

-sociology was most complex and math was most general

39
Q

What is the law of three stages?

A

-movement of all aspects of human history from theological stage–>metaphysical stage–>positive stage of thought styles

40
Q

What are thought styles?

A
  • shared ways in which people approach and comprehend reality
  • thought styles determine all other aspects of social life
  • change in thought style=change in society
41
Q

What was the theological stage?

A

-everything was explained by Gods or spirits

42
Q

What was the metaphysical stage?

A

-everything was explained by abstract essences or forces and abstract philosophical speculation

43
Q

What is the positive stage?

A
  • explained by science

- laws that are empirically verified

44
Q

What are Comte’s 4 assumptions about social change?

A

Social change is;

  • progressive
  • in stages
  • inevitable (different societies develop at different rates)
  • irreversible
45
Q

What type of knowledge passes through the three stages?

A

-all knowledge, science and non-science

46
Q

Why do some sciences transition through these stages faster?

A

-astronomy was discovered before bio so will transition before bio

47
Q

Why didn’t Comte put psychology into the hierarchy?

A
  • believed psychology to be religious

- categorized it with bio

48
Q

What are the four methods social facts can be collected scientifically?

A
  • observation
  • experimentation
  • comparison
  • historical method
49
Q

What did Comte’s definition of positivism entail?

A

-his critique of Hegel’s idea of negation and science should be empirical and research-oriented

50
Q

What does positivism mean now?

A

-science must be precede by the scientific method

51
Q

What did Comte ultimately want social change to be?

A
  • he wanted social change to be without revolution and disorder
  • feared social upheaval
52
Q

Why would one refer to Comte as a technocrat?

A

-he believed highly trained professionals should make social and political decisions

53
Q

Which science did Comte crown the queen of science?

A

-Sociology

54
Q

Can the problem of change be micro extremism?

A

-No, because its entered around society

SOCI 331 (11 decks)

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