The Sociological Perspective What is it and how
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The Sociological Perspective What is it and how does it differ from other perspectives?
What is Sociology? �Sociologists study: • Interactions among people as individuals, groups, and societies; • How social forces affect the way people interact with one another; • How social interaction creates and maintains society.
“Everyday social life—our thoughts, actions, feelings, decisions, interactions, and so on—is the product of a complex interplay between societal forces and personal characteristics. To explain why people are the way they are or do the things they do, we must understand the interpersonal, historical, cultural, organizational, and global environments they inhabit. To understand either individuals or society, we must understand both. ” -- C. W. Mills, 1959
“The Sociological Imagination” � Question: • Why do people get divorced? • Why has the divorce rate in America increased so much over the past 50+ years? • How have social changes that have occurred over this period affected changes in the family and gender roles? � Term first coined by C. Wright Mills � Refers to the ability of individuals to see the impact of social forces on their private lives.
Classical Example of the Application of the Sociological Perspective and the Sociological Imagination �Durkheim’s study of suicide • Recognized the impact of social forces on suicide rates. • Identified three types of suicide: �Anomic �Egoistic �Altruistic
How Does the Sociological Perspective Differ from Other Perspectives? �Contrasting fields: • Biology: focuses on innate characteristics Focus on processes within the individual. (genetics, biochemical explanations, etc. ) • Psychology: focuses on personal characteristics (the mind) Focuses on what goes on • Sociology: focuses on human interaction within among the larger society people, groups, and societies.
How Might Research on Alcohol Abuse Differ Between these Three Disciplines? �Biology �Psychology �Sociology
Sales Pitch �Question: • What can I do with a degree in sociology? �Answer: • Almost anything! Social Services Public Relations Community Work Corrections University Administration Teaching Government Services Health Services Business