More Sociology Beginning Sociology Part 2 Basic beliefs

More Sociology Beginning Sociology Part 2

Basic beliefs Human Beings are social animals Human beings belong to social groups Human beings learn

Society & Study The problems for sociologists is that society doesn’t have a physical existence. So sociologists have developed different opinions about the nature of society. As a science sometimes sociologists have been slated for not providing patterns for ‘prediction’ of human behaviour. Yet perhaps that is the nature of human behaviour.

Lots of exam points in using this word However Wait a moment so called ‘natural scientists can’t see argon & gravity but still can physically examine them. It is important that we know these things actually exist as we physically sense them and feel their effects. We can theorise their existence.

Benedict Anderson 1983 Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin & Spread of Nationalism Meaning? Society exists in our thoughts it is why we imagine ourselves to be part of the community, based on the idea of relationships. Argues that society is “imagined because the members of even the smallest nation will never know most of their fellowmembers, meet them, or even hear of them, yet in the minds of each lives the image of their communion. ’

Agencies of Socialisation Identify roles people play, values they might develop and norms they are expected to obey for your chosen agency. Also identify positive & negative sanctions used by each social institution Agency of Roles culture Family Peers School Work Media Religion Values Norms Positive Sanctions Negative sanctions

Source As Sociology for AQA Chris Livesley & Tony Lawson Hodder Arnold, 2005

Homework Make posters of different examples of communities consider in these, norms & values.