What is sociology?

Question 1

What is sociology?

Answer 1

1. the study of the development, structure and functioning of human society
2. the study of social problems

Question 2

What is the sociology of sport?

Answer 2

a) the development, structure and functioning of sport in human society – who takes part and in what ways
b) social problems related to sport – deviancy (e.g. violence), drug use, promoting health through sport.

Question 3

What is a society?

Answer 3

The various types of social groups we live in

-Global, national, city/town, sports clubs

Question 4

What is culture?

Answer 4

A socially constructed ways of thinking, feeling and acting

• Speak, eat and greet
• Sports

Question 5

What is comparison?

Answer 5

the best way of revealing how cultures are ‘socially constructed’
-Across different cultures, over time

Question 6

What are the shared assumptions in sociology?

Answer 6

• Behaviour is ordered or patterned
• Emphasis on the social rather than the biological (nurture vs. nature)
• Viewing ‘commonsense’ or ‘ideologies’ with suspicion
• Sociology as a critical discipline, intent on ‘debunking myths’

Question 7

What are the main divisions in sociology?

Answer 7

• Macro and Micro
• Agency and Structure
• The Role of Values
• Consensus vs. Conflict