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Ch1Sec3 Sociology

Ch1Sec3 Sociology. Theoretical Perspectives. The Role of Theoretical Perspectives. Perception – the way you interpret the meaning of an image or event Depends on beliefs, values, what you focus on Sociolological theoretical perspective – set of assumptions about the workings of society.

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Ch1Sec3 Sociology

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  1. Ch1Sec3 Sociology Theoretical Perspectives

  2. The Role of Theoretical Perspectives • Perception – the way you interpret the meaning of an image or event • Depends on beliefs, values, what you focus on • Sociolological theoretical perspective – set of assumptions about the workings of society

  3. Major Sociological Perspectives • Each perspective has a different slant on human social behavior • I. Functionalism • Views society as an integrated whole • II. Conflict Perspective • Emphasizes competition, change, & constraint • Class, race, and gender struggles • III. Symbolic Interactionism • Focus more on the way people interact with each other • How individual use shared symbols as they interact

  4. TURN TO PG 27 AND COPY THE CHART

  5. Auguste Comte • Positivism – scientific observation in study of social behavior • Social statics – stability & order • Social dynamics-social change

  6. Functionalism • Contributions made by each part of society-how they work together • Ex) family, economy, religion parts of society • Family –provides for reproduction & care for members of society • Economy- production of goods and services for society • Religion – beliefs and practices related to sacred things of society • Change in one part affects another part of society • Ex) Industrial Revolution affected family life

  7. Functionalism • Function- contribution made by some part of society • Manifest functions – intended and recognized consequences of an aspect of society • Ex)school-teach math skills • Latent functions- unintended and unrecognized consequences of an aspect of society • Ex)school-development of close friendships • Dysfunction- negative consequence of an aspect of society • Ex)being treated as a “number” by bureaucratic government agency • Give an example of each of these terms.

  8. Functionalism Each component of society affects each other Sociologists: Herbert Spencer Emile Durkheim

  9. Emile Durkheim • Society exists because of broad consensus • Mechanical solidarity- Preindustrial society • Widespread consensus of values & beliefs, conformity, tradition, family • Organic solidarity-Industrial society • Social interdependency, specialized roles, dependent on one another

  10. Conflict Perspective Conflict Perspective Functionalism • Reverse of functionalism • Disagreements among groups in society and between societies (competition) • Contest for power (ability to control others) • Those with most power get the largest share of what is valuable in a society (wealth, prestige, privilege) • Some groups have more power, some have less • Basic agreement on values within society • Cooperation, common goals

  11. Karl Marx • Concern for poverty, inequality, working class • Not just study world but change it • 2 main social classes • Bourgeoisie (capitalists)-those who own the means for producing wealth • Proletariat – work for bourgeoisie, paid just enough to stay alive • Class conflict – clash between 2 classes • Wage workers overtake capitalists – classless (communistic) society • Planned revolution could speed up change from capitalism to communism • Felt capitalism would self-destruct anyway

  12. Which Perspective is Better? • Neither!– different focus • Functionalism – consensus, stability, cooperation of a population • Conflict – constraint, conflict, change in a society • Each deals with large social units • Ex) Economy, broad social processes, conflict • Last perspective focuses on ways people interact

  13. Max Weber • Most important influence • Humans act on the basis of their own understanding of a situation • Sociologists must discover personal meanings, values, beliefs, attitudes • Verstehen – understand behavior by putting self mentally in someone else’s place • Rationalization- use of knowledge, reason, planning

  14. Symbolic Interactionism • Focus on interaction among people • Symbol- represents something else • Object, word, gesture, facial expression, sound • Ex) American flag – symbol of US • Meaning is determined by those who create/use symbol- must be understood by whole group

  15. 3 Basic Assumptions • I. We learn meaning of symbols by others’ reactions • Ex) Latin America, whistling at end of performance is bad, in North America, booing at end is bad • II. We base our behavior on those meanings • Ex) Avoid encore if you hear whistling in LA, booing NA • III. We use meanings of symbols to imagine how others will respond to our behavior before we act • Dramaturgy – human interaction like theatrical presentation (dress, gestures, tone of voice)

  16. Guess Which Perspective • Societies are in relative balance. • Power is one of the most important elements in life. • Religion helps hold a society together morally. • Symbols are crucial to social life. • Many elements of a society exist to benefit the powerful. • Social life should be understood from the viewpoint of the individuals involved. • Social change is constantly occurring

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