Intro

Question 1

What is sociology?

Answer 1

The scientific study of human social activity achieved through recognizing both general patterns in specific situations and specific patterns in general situations. (C. Wright Mills, 1959). AKA study of patterned behaviours

Question 2

The sociological perspective

Answer 2

Sociologists look at things a certain way, or from a certain perspective or viewpoint.

Question 3

What are the components of the sociological perspective?

Answer 3

a) seeing the general in the particular
b) seeing the strange in the familiar
c) seeing individuality in social context

In sum, sociology is the study of social order, social disorder, and social change.

Question 4

Theories

Answer 4

Systems of generalized statements or propositions about phenomena.

1) explain and predict phenomenon in question
2) produce testable and falsifiable hypotheses

Question 5

Universal Laws

Answer 5

Intended to explain and predict events occurring in the natural and physical world.

Question 6

Social Theory

Answer 6

a systematic setting out of ideas that relates many events together and brings out their similarities

Question 7

Deduction

Answer 7

Theory that starts with definitions of some general concepts; lays out the rules as to how to classify things they observe in terms of different categories and then puts forward a number of general propositions about the concepts. Goal is to provide general theories and then apply them to specific events.

Question 8

Induction

Answer 8

Observe and experience the situation first, and then infer, or induce, what is happening. Goal is to observe specific situations and then generate a general theory or conclusions based on those observations.

Question 9

Macro Sociology

Answer 9

theoretical perspectives concerned with the character of social structures. Do not pay attention to individual psychology, but rather to institutions and the roles they play within them.

Question 10

Micro Sociology

Answer 10

Those concerned with person-to-person encounters. Look to individual experiences and how people make sense of a particular situation.

Question 11

Describing vs Explaining

Answer 11

Description- two planes hit the world trade centre

Explanation- goes beyond a mere description of what took place, to an analysis of WHY that may have been the case.

Question 12

9 Frameworks for Understanding Human Nature

Answer 12

1. What is social theory? Framework
2. What is society? Atomistic or Organic
3. What is Human Nature? Nurture or Nature
4. Individuals: Actors or Reactors
5. Ontology- Nominalist or Realist
6. Epistemology- Experiential or Positivistic
7. Methodology? Qualitative or Quantitative
8. Fact or Value Judgement? Subjective or Objective
9. Social Order? Human Intent or Naturally

Question 13

Atomistic vs Organic

Answer 13

Atomistic: Society consists of INDEPENDENT subsystems. Humans have ability to influence or change system.

Organic: System of INTERDEPENDENT parts that are inter-connected, integrated and interact together. Independent institutions are connected through functions. It is like the system of the body, everything is connected and relies on one another. Society doesn’t need humans to change the system.

Question 14

Nature vs Nurture

Answer 14

Nurture: individual characteristics are formulated in response to their social environment. Learned personalities and characteristics.

Nature: individuals have a given character by nature that is innate and unalterable.

Question 15

Actor vs Reactor

Answer 15

Actor: free will. Individuals are capable of behaving in ways that alter the social structural conditions that usually affect them.

Reactor: Determinism. individuals react to social structural situations/their actions are determined by social forces outside of them. Individuals react to social structural constraints.

Question 16

Ontology: Nominalist vs Realist

Answer 16

Nominalist: explain behaviour with reference to human intention. Society exists only because we defined it as such. Humans have capacity to change society

Realist: Explain action or behaviour without reference to human intention and solely on the basis of external forces. Functions outside of human free will.

Question 17

Epistemology: Experiential vs Positivistic

Answer 17

Epistemology is evidence to justify an ontological claim.

Experiential: methods should be critical and from a moral point of view. Social theory cannot be objective. Theories are based on assumptions and value judgements.

Positivistic: use methods from natural sciences. Evidence is empirical. Can be objective and value-free.

Question 18

Qualitative vs Quantitative

Answer 18

Qualitative: first hand, systematic observation and impression. No hypothesis, go in with an open mind and then form an impression.

Quantitative: Detached, statistical, controlled experiments. Follow methods of natural sciences. Develop a hypothesis and attempt to prove or disprove.

Question 19

Subjective vs Objective

Answer 19

Subjective: cannot separate value from research. Each person goes into a research project with certain assumptions and biases which cause them to interpret the data in different ways.

Objective: value-free. We are able to separate our assumptions, values, and personal opinions from the objective, scientific research we collect.

Question 20

Human intent vs Naturally

Answer 20

Social order can occur with human intervention or naturally.

Question 21

Conservative Orientation

Answer 21

Want to conserve, or maintain social order and build upon it. Organists, humans are something by nature and we should not interfere with that divine order. Any change in the social system is in the direction of more control. INEQUALITY IS NATURAL AND BENEFICIAL. Values should be kept out of sociology. Objectivists, positivists. Sociology should be deductive. Things are by nature (how they ought to be).

Question 22

Radical Orientation

Answer 22

Want to disrupt or change the existing social system. Atomistic- allow for the possibility of change, nominalist. Humans have the potential to act. Must change the fundamental basis of order to create change. Ultimate goal is radical revolution. Subjectivists.

Question 23

Ideology

Answer 23

A system of beliefs or ideas that mediate our contact with social reality. Like a lens, screen or filter under which we view, understand and interpret our social world. Cannot be proven though. No evidence to substantiate their claim.

Question 24

Dimensions of Ideologies

Answer 24

1. Cognitive Dimension: each ideology is a mix of knowledge and belief
2. Affective Dimension: An appeal to emotion and sentiment
3. Evaluative Dimension: always embody value judgements
4. Programmatic Dimension: imply a call to action (e.g. feminism)
5. Social Dimension: rooted in social groups