sociology: theories, methods, and perspectives

the scientific study of society, social behavior, and the groups, organizations, and institutions that shape our daily lives.

French scholar who created structural functionalism and believed in social control

believed that sociology should be studied through observation, evidence, and research rather than opinions and theories (empirical viewpoint).

the rules, values, and expectations in society that influence how people think, feel, and behave.

feeling left out of society, which makes us view society differently.

an event that disrupts normal life and makes people question how society works.

how where we live in the world shapes and constraints our lives. economics and technology connect countries, how different countries face different challenges, and how societies around the world affect one another.

the belief that peoples personal problems are connected to larger issues in society.

c. wright mills

personal problems, social structure, policies, cultural norms, unemployment, underemployment due to economic crisis, etc.

it enables us to understand how society shapes and constraints our lives as well as gives an insight on how society works, how it encourages us to be change makers. widens our global viewpoint, and allows us to discover what's true.

industrial revolution and french revolution

the growth of factories and industries, more people moved into cities (urbanization), increased use of money, markets, and mass production. this is all relevant because it created social problems and changed how society lived together.

introduced new ideas about rights and freedoms, encouraged democracy and political equality. this is relevant because people began studying how society works, why it changes, and how those changes affect people.

theological, metaphysical, and scientific stage

people explained the world through religion and Gods

people explained the world through abstract ideas and natural forces

people explained the world using science, facts, and evidence.

understanding society using science, facts, observations, and evidence rather than opinions and beliefs.

positivism based on logic and reasoning

positivism based on observation and experience

studying society using science, facts, and observations

studying sociology using social facts and how society influences peoples behaviours, thoughts, and action

studying sociology using social classes, inequality, and how conflicts between the rich and the poor shape society

studying sociology by understanding peoples actions and why individuals behave a certain way and how they affect society

different ways of understanding how society works

structural-functional, social-conflict, and symbolic-interaction

different parts of society that work together to keep it running

society being shaped by inequality and competition between groups for power and resources

how people create meanings through interactions

how institutions help maintain society

an intended or planned result

unintended or unexpected result

something that disrupts society or causes problems

problems with race, ethnicity, class, sex, age, etc.

inequality between men and women, linked to feminism which is a fight against the patriarchy.

conflict and inequality based on race and ethnicity.

micro level approach that focuses on small, everyday interactions between people.

how people communicate (face-to-face analysis)

words, objects, and gestures

based on cultures how do people change according to symbolic interaction?

true

positivism, interpretive, and critical.

uses science, logic, and observation to understand society

focuses on understanding the meanings peoples give to their actions and experiences (Verstehen)

focuses on identifying problems in society and encouraging social change

concepts, variables, measurements, and operationalism

ideas we create in our minds to understand things

factors that can have different values or change

finding the value of a variable using numbers, scores, or time

turning abstract ideas into things we can observe and measure

consistency of measurements

accuracy of a measurement

a change in one variable results in a change in the other

correlation, time order, and spurious correlation

relationship between two variables that change together

the cause variable changes before the effect variable

a false relationship between two variables

when two variables seem related, but one doesn't actually cause the other

independent and dependent

factor that you change and control (something you manipulate)

factor that you measure and see how it responds to a change

they protect the safety, research, and privacy of research subjects.

consent is needed

be honest of funding

don't let personal interest affect results

be culturally sensitive.

selection and definition of topic, literature review, key questions to ask, requirements for the research, ethics, methodology, data collection, interpretation and conclusions, and publication.