The sociological perspective stresses the social contexts in

� The sociological perspective stresses the social contexts in which people live and how these contexts influence people’s lives. � Seeing � The the Broader Social Context Global Context—and the Local

� Groups make up our society when we share a culture and a territory. � How People Are Influenced by Their Society �People Who Share a Culture �People Who Share a Territory � Our social location depends on where we stand in our group membership. �Jobs �Education �Age − Income − Gender − Race/Ethnicity

� The Global Village �Because of globalization, we have become a global village where products imported from around the world are part of our daily lives. � Instant �Pick Communication up a telephone or use the Internet to communicate instantly with people anywhere

� 50 would be female 50 would be male 26 would be children There would be 74 adults, 8 of whom would be 65 and older � 60 Asians 15 Africans 14 people from the Americas 11 European

� 33 Christians 22 Muslims 14 Hindus 7 Buddhists 12 people who practice other religions 12 people who would not be aligned with a religion 12 would speak Chinese 5 would speak Spanish 5 would speak English 3 would speak Arabic 3 would speak Hindi 3 would speak Bengali 3 would speak Portuguese 2 would speak Russian 2 would speak Japanese 62 would speak other languages

� 83 would be able to read and write; 17 would not 7 would have a college degree 22 would own or share a computer 77 people would have a place to shelter them from the wind and the rain, but 23 would not � 1 would be dying of starvation 15 would be undernourished 21 would be overweight 87 would have access to safe drinking water 13 people would have no clean, safe water to drink

� The Natural Sciences �These are the intellectual and academic disciplines that are designed to explain and predict the events in our natural environment. �Explain and Predict Events in Natural Environment �Examples include biology, geology, chemistry, and physics.

� The Social Sciences � Social sciences attempt to objectively understand the social world. �Examine Human Relationships �Divided into Specialized Fields Based on Their Subject Matter

� Anthropology �Studies Culture �Anthropologists often study tribal societies and their goal is to understand a people’s culture, which includes: artifacts, structure, ideas and values, and forms of communication. � Economics �Studies the Production and Distribution of Goods and Services �Economists want to know how social goods are being produced and distributed.

� Political Science �Studies How People Govern Themselves �Political scientists focus on politics and government. � Psychology �Studies Processes Within Individuals �Psychologists study the processes that occur within the individual.

� Sociology �Similarities to Other Disciplines �Sociology is Still Distinct �Sociology overlaps other disciplines in that they study culture, fiscal inequality, governments, and how people adjust to difficulties in their lives.

� Scientists �Explain move beyond common sense. Why Something Happens �Make Generalizations �Look for Patterns �Predict What Will Happen �Move Beyond Common Sense

� Sometimes sociologists study issues or make claims through their research that are unpopular. �Nooks and Crannies People Prefer Hidden �People Attempt to Keep Secrets �People Feel Threatened by Information �They peer behind the scenes to get past those sugarcoated images

� Basic Sociology �Analyzing some aspect of society to only gain knowledge � Applied �Using � Public Sociology sociology to solve problems Sociology �Using the sociological perspective for the benefit of the public � Social Reform is Risky �Disrupting the status quo can be challenging

How can Dora the Explorer be an example of applied sociology? The text explains the reason.

� Clara Rodriguez is the sociological consultant for Dora the Explorer. She advises on the social implications of what the viewers will see on the program. � This ranges from advice about Dora as a role model for girls to what aspects of Latino culture to present and even to colors, music, and Spanish phrases.

� How People Use Symbols in Everyday Life � Applying Symbolic Interactionism �Changing The meaning of symbols affects expectations Meaning of of Marriage Divorce Parenthood Love

George Herbert Mead (1863– 1931) is one of the founders of symbolic interactionism, a major theoretical perspective in sociology. He taught at the University of Chicago, where his lectures were popular. Although he wrote little, after his death students compiled his lectures into an influential book, Mind, Self, and Society.

� Society is a Whole Unit Made Up of Interrelated Parts that Work Together � Functionalism, Structural Functionalism � Robert Merton and Functionalism �Manifest Functions �Latent Dysfunctions � Applying Functional Analysis

Robert K. Merton (1910– 2003), who spent most of his academic career at Columbia University, was a major proponent of functionalism, one of the main theoretical perspectives in sociology.

Sociologists who use the functionalist perspective stress how industrialization and urbanization undermined the traditional functions of the family. Before industrialization, members of the family worked together as an economic unit, as in this photo of a farm family in Minnesota in the 1890 s. As production moved away from the home, it took with it first the father and, more recently, the mother. One consequence is a major dysfunction, the weakening of family ties.

� Karl Marx and Conflict Theory � Conflict Theory Today � Feminists and Conflict Theory � Applying Conflict Theory

� Each Approach is a Lens

� Functionalists �Macro Level: large-scale patterns of society. � Symbolic �Micro and Conflict Theorists − Interactionists − Level: what people do when they are in one another’s presence.

� First Phase of Sociology �Sociological � Second Phase of Sociology �Sociological � Third Research Improves Society Research Develops Abstract Knowledge Phase of Sociology �Sociologists Find Ways to Apply Their Research Findings

� Broaden our Horizons � Consider Global Issues � Universal Principles

� Sociology Should be Value-Free � Sociology Should be Objective � Research Should Involve Replication � Goals and Uses of Sociology � That bias has no place in research is not a matter of debate