Chapter 1 Section 1 Examining Social Life What

Chapter 1 Section 1 Examining Social Life

What is sociology? a social science involving the study of the social lives of people, groups, and societies

What is sociology? the study of our behavior as social beings, covering everything from the analysis of short contacts between anonymous individuals on the street to the study of global social processes an overarching unification of all studies of humankind, including history, psychology, and economics

What do sociologists do? Sociologists study society and social behavior by examining the groups, cultures, organizations, social institutions, and processes that people develop.

Careers in Sociology Most sociologists work in research organizations, colleges and universities, state and local government, and consulting service firms. They typically work full time during regular business hours. The median annual wage for sociologists was $74, 960 in May 2012.

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Sociology • Sociology is the science that studies human society and social behavior from a group perspective.

phenomenon • Sociologists examine social phenomenon. • A social phenomenon is an observable fact or event that involves human society.

Social Interaction • Sociologists are interested in studying social interaction. • Social Interaction is how people relate to one another and influence each other’s behavior. • Sociologists focus on the group rather than on the individual.

perspective • A perspective is a particular point of view. – Babies are usually smarter and better looking to their parents than they are to others. – Newlyweds nearly always find their spouses much more attractive than do their friends.

perspective • We all see what is happening around us through our own perspectives, or our own points of view. • We normally do not realize how much of our attitudes and beliefs are determined by our perspectives.

The Sociological Perspective • This view involves looking at the behavior of groups, not individuals in a scientific, systematic way. • The sociological perspective helps us to see that we are social beings and allows us to look beyond commonly held beliefs to the hidden meanings behind human actions.

The Sociological Perspective • Do factors such as friends, family, gender, race, or education affect internet use or crime? • A sociologist would try to find patterns. • Would looking at the influence of television or music provide any clues? • Finding answers to such questions helps sociologists to develop a better understanding of these issues.

Sociological Imagination • What is the sociological imagination? • Sociological imagination is the ability to see the connections between the larger world and our personal lives.

Sociological Imagination • C. Wright Mills created the name sociological imagination. • Mills described the sociological imagination as “the capacity to range from the most impersonal and remote (topics) to the most intimate features of the human self … and to see the relations between the two”

Sociological Imagination • How can having a sociological imagination assist people in their daily lives? 1. It can help us realize that the causes of behavior may be different from what they appear to be on the surface.

Sociological Imagination • How can having a sociological imagination assist people in their daily lives? 2. It can help make us more aware of the fact that our own behavior is the result of social influences-that we have learned our behavior from other people.

Sociological Imagination • How can having a sociological imagination assist people in their daily lives? 3. It can help us look at ourselves and the world around us more objectively.

Sociological Imagination • How can having a sociological imagination assist people in their daily lives? 4. It can help us to see beyond our own dayto-day lives by viewing the world through the eyes of others.

Sociological Imagination • How can having a sociological imagination assist people in their daily lives? 5. It can help us find a balance between our own personal desires and demands and those of our environment.

Social Sciences • • Sociology Anthropology Economics Political Science History Psychology Social Psychology

Anthropology • Anthropology is the comparative study of past and present cultures. • In terms of subject matter, anthropology is the social science most similar to sociology.

Economics • Economics is the study of the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. • Sociology is interested in the impact of the distribution of goods and services on inequality.

Political Science • Political science is the study of the organization and operations of governments. • Government, particularly its impact on people’s lives, is also of interest to sociologists.

History • History is the study of past events in human societies. • Sociology sometimes looks to past events for explanations of present-day social phenomena.

Psychology • Psychology is the study of behavior and mental processes. • Social psychology is the study of how the social environment affects individual personality and behavior.