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Introduction to Sociology

Introduction to Sociology. The Sociological Perspective. Stresses the social contexts in which people live and how the contexts influence people’s lives Sociology looks to answer one question: How do groups influence people, especially how they are influenced by society?

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Introduction to Sociology

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  1. Introduction to Sociology

  2. The Sociological Perspective • Stresses the social contexts in which people live and how the contexts influence people’s lives • Sociology looks to answer one question: • How do groups influence people, especially how they are influenced by society? • Society – Group of people who share a culture and a territory

  3. The Sociological Perspective • Each society has its own specific characteristics • Roles of men and women • People don’t do what they do b/c of inherited mechanisms (instincts); they do what they do b/c of external influences – life experiences • This will help us escape the cramped personal view and help us see links b/w what people do and the social settings that shape their behavior

  4. The Sociological Perspective • Throughout this course, you will see that the way you look at the world is a result of your exposure to different human groups. This course will offer you new insight into the process of self-discovery

  5. Explaining different phenomenons • Humans gradually developed science in order to better satisfy their curiosities about the world around them • Science – Application of systematic methods to obtain knowledge and the knowledge obtained by those methods • Sociology – Scientific study of society and human behavior

  6. Explaining different phenomenons • Natural sciences • The intellectual and academic disciplines designed to comprehend, explain and predict events in our natural environment • Biology • Chemistry • Physics • Geology • Social sciences • Examines human relationships • Anthropology • Economics • Political Science • Psychology • Sociology

  7. Goals of Science • 1st goal – Explain why something happens • 2nd goal – Make generalizations, to go beyond the individual case and make statements that apply to a broader group or situation • To achieve generalizations, sociologists look for patterns – recurring events or characters • 3rd goal – Predict, specify what will happen in the future in light of current knowledge

  8. Goals of Science • Scientists in all fields of study try to move beyond “common sense” – prevailing ideas in society, the things that “everyone knows” or “you know…” are true • Everyone today can be mistaken just as much as people were 100 years ago • The world is flat. • No one could ever walk on the moon. • The sun revolves around the Earth.

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