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Various Perspectives . Interactionist perspective. Various Perspectives . Interactionist perspective. From Beliefs to Values . Beliefs, defined Three kinds of beliefs Attitude, defined The link between beliefs, attitudes, and value. What is a “Value,” then . Three definitions
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Various Perspectives • Interactionistperspective
Various Perspectives • Interactionist perspective
From Beliefs to Values • Beliefs, defined • Three kinds of beliefs • Attitude, defined • The link between beliefs, attitudes, and value
What is a “Value,” then • Three definitions • Sociological • Synonymous with “attitude” • Similar to an attitude, but more basic
Value orientations, continued • Values serving individual interests vs. values serving collective interests • Terminal vs. Instrumental Values • Openness to change vs. conservation
the importance of VALUES • Value hierarchy • Overt, or hidden • Value congruence and conflict • What values are not!
Three types of Social ProblemsIn the value conflict perspective • Physical • Ameliorative • Moral • These are not mutually exclusive!
Social Problems and Values • Social problems as value conflict • Another view of social problems as a process: • Social problems emerge from a mix of objective conditions and subjective definitions
Sociology and Social Problems • “personal” problems vs. “social problems” • The Sociological Imagination • Biological and Psychological influences • “Objective reality” • “Subjective reality” • The Social Construction of Society
Social Constructionism • The role of “meaning” • The role of “language” • The role of “social learning” • How social “things” are socially constructed • gender, race, status, money, college degree • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qgWH89qWks • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir1UABBe1v4
A Key Assumption for this course • “…all human knowledge is socially constructed through our language, which means that all social problems are socially constructed.” (Best 2008:16)
The importance of meaning Hey, these people I live with feed me, love me, provide me with a nice warm, dry house, pet me, and take good care of me... They must be Gods!
The importance of meaning Hey, these people I live with feed me, love me, provide me with a nice warm, dry house, pet me, and take good care of me... I must be God!
The Social Problems Process • Who defines something as a social problem? • What do they (try to) do about it? • How does it “spread?” • How does it impact those affected?
Stages of a Social Problem • Transformation process • Legitimization process
Stages of a Social Problem • Conflict stage • Outside the system, or change the system?
The importance of Critical Thinking • Making arguments • Issues and Conclusions • Reasons and Evidence • Stated and Unstated Assumptions • Fallacies of logic
Social Class • Karl Marx’s view: • Max Weber’s view: • Our working definition: • “At its most basic, class is one way societies sort themselves out” (pg. 8)
Social Class • The four most commonly used criteria to measure class: • Other ways we measure class?
From Class to Inequality • Social Mobility • Quote, page 14 • Causes of the drop in mobility
From Class to Inequality • Rising inequality and class differences has led to negative changes in:
Inequality • As a way to talk about social class • As a way to talk about the economic distribution in America • As a way to discriminate
How much do they have, anyway? Ask the GINI !