CHAP. 1 S 205
max weber thought all behavior could be divided by
1- behavior oriented toward higher values like politics 2-behavior oriented towards habit 3-behavior oriented towards emotion 4- behavior oriented towards self interest
how can sociology help us?
1- it allows us to see the social world from many perspectives and can better understand peoples problems 2- we are better able to assess the results of public policy initiatives (pg.24) 3- can provide us with self-enlightenment and increased self understanding
durkheim
1- main dynamic of modern development is the division of labor as a basis for social cohesion and organic solidarity 2- durkheim beleived that sociology must study social facts as things, just as science would analyze the natural world, his study in suicide led him to stress the influence of social factors, qualities of a society external to the individual, on a persons actions. Durkheim argued that a society exerts social constraint over our actions
Weber
1- main dynamic of modern development is the rationalization of social and economic life 2- weber focused on why western societies developed so differently from other societies. he also emphasized the importance of cultural ideas and values on social change
Karl marx
1- the main dynamic of modern development is the expansions of capitalism. Rather than being cohesive, society is divided by class differences 2- marx believed that we must study the divisions within a society that are derived from the economic inequalities of capitalism DISAGREED WITH COMTE AND DURKHEIM
Social Construction
An idea or practice that a group of people agree exists. Maintained over time by people that take its existence for granted
sociological imagination
Application of imaginative thought to the asking and answering of sociological questions
Karl Marx
Class Conflict Theory engine of human history is class conflict Bourgeoisie vs Proletariat Marxism not same as Communism
Auguste Comte
Coined term Sociology as study of human behavior and society. Tried to understand how societies construct order from chaos
Capitalism
Economic system based on the private ownership of wealth, which is invested and reinvested in order to produce profit
Emile Durkheim
Established sociology as a scientific discipline by developing principle research. Credited with concept of division of labor. Devoted entire book on concept of suicide and breakdown of social order. Writing from late 1800s to early 1900s
Microsociology
Examines small group interactions to see how they impact larger institutions in society.
Biography
Individual's specific experiences
Social location
Jobs Income Education Gender Age Race/ethnicity
History
Location in broad stream of events
Jane Addams
Nobel Peace Prize winner Founded Hull house for poor immigrants in Chicago Leader of Suffrage movement
External influences
Our experiences become part of our thinking and motivation
How people are influenced by their society
People who share a culture and people who share a territory
August Comte
Positivism Applying the scientific method to social world Coined term sociology Armchair sociologist
Max Weber
Protestant Ethic Disagreed with Marx that economics are central force in social change; said that was religion spirit of capitalism
Harriet Martineau
Published Society in America before Durkheim and Weber were born Ignored advocate for abolition of slavery traveled widely wrote extensively
Max Weber
Saw values and ideas as the impetus for social change. Studied religion's role in development of capitalism. Writing early 1900s
Conflict Theory
Sees social conflict as the basis of society and social change and that emphasizes a materialist view of society. A critical view of the status quo and a dynamic model of historical change. Propounded by Karl Marx that claims society is a in a state of perpetual conflict due to competition for limited resources. Social order is maintained by domination and power, rather than consensus and conformity. Sees social conflict as the basis of society and social change The main emphases are on: 1. a materialist view of society (focused on labor practices and economic reality) 2. a critical stance toward existing social arrangements 3. a dynamic model of historical change (in which the transformation of society is inevitable)
Anomie
Situation in which social norms lose their hold over individual behavior. Durkheim
Herbert Spencer
Social Darwinism Second founder of sociology disagreed with Comte that sociologists should guide reform lower and higher forms of society coined phrase survival of the fittest
Emile Durkheim
Social Integration got sociology recognized as seperate discipline degree to which people are tied to social group Suicide guy
Social Change
Social life is dynamic; it is constantly changing due to human activity
Bourgeoisie
Social order dominated by so-called middle class. Middle class.
Agency and Structure
Sociologists recognize that individuals, although constrained by social forces, have the capacity to behave or think in ways that fall out of established patterns
Division of Labor
Specialization of work tasks by means of which different occupations are combined within a production system. Durkheim
Organic Solidarity
The social cohesion that results from the carious parts of a society functioning as an integrated whole. Durkheim
Social Order - Socialization
The social processes through which children develop an awareness of social norms and values and achieve a distinct sense of self.
Link between conflict theory and feminist theory
There is a link between feminist theory and conflict theory in that both deal with stratification (the arrangement or classification of something into different groups) and inequality in society and both seek, not only to understand that inequality, but also to provide remedies for it.
Beureaucracy
Type of organization marked by a clear hierarchy of authority and the existence of written rules of procedure and staffed by full-time, salaried officials. Ex. Universities. Weber
Social Structure
Underlying regularities or patterns in how people behave in their relationships with one another
Materialist conception of history
View developed by Karl Marx, according to which material, or economic, factors have a prime role in determining historical change
Karl Marx
a German philosopher and political activist who contributed significantly to sociology's conflict theory. Marx theorized that capitalism created social inequality between the bourgeoisie, who owned the means of production (money, factories, natural resources, and land), and the proletariat, who were the workers. Marx predicted that inequality leads to class conflict.
rationalism
a concept used by max weber to refer to the process by which modes of precise calculation and organization, involving abstract rules and procedures, increasingly come to dominate the social world
capitalism is..
a restlessly expanding system pushing outward across the world. this is how marx explained the global spread of western industry. capatilist compete to sell stuff, so they need to be cheap and efficient and then theres constant technology innovations
Harriet Martineu
a social activist who traveled the United States and wrote about social changes that were radical for this time. Translated Comte's work into English, making his ideas accessible to England and America.
feminist theory
a sociological perspective that emphasizes the centrality of gender in analyzing the social world and particularly the uniqueness of the experience of women. There are many strands of feminist theory, but they all share the desire to explain gender inequality in society and to work to overcome it
functionalism
a theoretical perspective based on the notion that social events can best be explained in terms of the functions they perform, that is, the constributions they make to the continuity of a society. PIONEERED BY COMTE
positivism
a theory stating that certain knowledge is based on natural phenomena and their properties and relations.
bureacracy
a type of organization marked by a clear hierarchy of authority and the existence of written rules of procedure and staffed by full time salaried officials. WEBER STUDIED. ex- hospitals, government firms, industrial firms
organic solidarity
according to Durkheim, the social cohesion that results from the various parts of a society functioning as an integrated whole
social constraint
according to durkheim, the conditioning influence on our social behavior of the groups and societies of which we are all members. Social constraint was regarded by durkheim as one of the distinctive properties of social facts
social facts
according to emile durkheim, aspects of social life that shape our actions as individuals, such as the state of economy. Durkheim believed that social facts could be studied scientifically
Social facts
aspects of social life that shape our actions as individuals. Durkheim believed that social facts could be studied scientifically. D
structural functionalism or functionalism
based on the assumption that society is a unified whole that functions because of the contributions of its separate structures. It grew out of the writings of Herbert Spencer, he argued that just as the various organs of the body work together to keep the body functioning, the various parts of society work together to keep society functioning. Society is viewed as an ordered system of interrelated parts, or structures, which are the social institutions that make up society (family, education, politics, the economy). Each of these different structures meets the needs of society by performing specific functions for the whole system (society). The main principles are these: 1. Society is a stable, ordered system of interrelated parts, or structures. 2. Each structure has a function that contributes to the continued stability, or equilibrium, of the whole.
emile durkheim
beleived sociologist must develop methodogical principles to guide their research
marxism
believe sociology is a combination of sociological analysis and political reform
feminism is links
between sociological theory and political reform. the feminism theory emphasizes that gendered patterns and gendered inequalities are socially constructued
Social Constraints
conditioning influence on our behavior of the groups and societies which we are members. Ex. Laws. Durkheim
social constraints..
constrains our activities in a parrallel way, limiting what we can do as individuals
to study the function of a social activity is to analyze its contribution to the..
continuation of the society as a whole. ex- knowing how the heart pumps contributes to a person living
auguste comte
created the word sociology and beleived it could be studied scientifically. "the study of life". using science to predict behavior and wanted to reconstruct society
anomie and suicide
durkheim theorized that suicide is a result of this. (normalness ) a sense of disconnection brought about by the changing conditions of modern life. the more firmly anchored a person is to family, religion, and the workplace, the less anomie he is likely to experience. used to describe the alienation and loss of purpose that result from weaker social bonds and an increased pace of change
anomie
durkheim, the concept first brought into wide usage in sociology by durkheim to refer to a situation in which social norms lose their hold over individual behavior; the change in the modern world was so rapid this it brought about stress "anomie" and created suicidal behaviors
durkheim and marx
durkheim- ideas or values human beings hold that cause social change marx- economy causes social change
division of labor
durkheims analysis of social change was based on the development of this, the specialization of work tasks by means of which different occupations are combined withing a production system. All societies have at least some rudimentary form of division of labor, especially between the tasks allocated to men and those performed by women. with the development of industrialism, the division of labor became vastly more complex than in any prior type of production system. In the modern world, the division of labor is international in scope
according to symbolic interactionalists..
every human interaction is an exchange of symbols
Macrosociology
examines large scale structures to determine how they impact groups and individuals.
everything is in a constant flux..
flexibility, diversity, differenciation, communication and in the process our own identities are being transformed
latent functions
functional consequences that are not intended or recognized by the members of a social system in which they occur
symbolic interactionism
george herbert mead, a theoretical approach in sociology that emphasizes the role of symbols and language as core elements of all human interaction
relative deprivation
how people evaluate themselves depends on whom they compare themselves too, example of middle range theory
symbolic interactions have been found difficulty in dealing with
larger scale structures and process
max weber
like karl marx agrees economic factors are important in social change but not as important as ideas and values. studied western society compared to other civilizations. sociology of religion. thought it couldnt be studied using science like durkheim and marx
Feminist Theory
looks at gender inequalities in society and the way that gender structures the social world. It developed along side of the women's right movement of the 20th century. Argues that gender and power are inextricably intertwined in society.
merton
manifest and latent functions, functions and dysfunctions. To look for the dysfunctional aspect of social behavior means to focus on features of social life that challenge the existing order.
capitalism
marx, an economic system based on the private ownership of wealth, which is invested and reinvested in order to produce profit, class divisions
materialist conception of history
marx, material or economic factors have a prime role in determining historical change
iron cage
max webers pessimistic description of modern life, in which we are caught in bureaucratic structures that control out lives through rigid rules and rationalization.
rational choice approach
more broadly, the theory that an individuals behavior is purposive. within the field of criminology, rational choice analysis argues that deviant behavior is a rational responce to a specific social situation
harriet martineau
neglected founder, methodological insight: when studing a science you need to consider all aspects. insisted that analysis of society must include all its members. brought to attention ignored issues like marriage, children and religious life to the sociological eye. AGREED WITH COMTE SOCIOLOGISTS SHOULD DO MORE THAN OBSERSE, BUT ACT IN WAYS THAT BENEFIT SOCIETY
w.e.b du bois
neglected founder: "double consciousness," talking about identity through the lens of the experiences of african americans, ones self is influenced by history like slavery. tries to sociologically explain color differences
according to weber...
noneconomic factors have played key roles in modern social development like religious values
middle range theory
people should work with these; they are specific enough to be tested by empirical research but suffiently general to cover a range of phenomena. bigger theories are harder to work with
jean baudrillard
postmodernist, beleived that electronic media created a chaotic empty world
opiates of the masses
quote by karl marx. criticism of the use of religion to create false consciousness in the working class. Encouraged in their piety, the proletariat focus on the happiness promised in the after life rather than on deprivations suffered in this world. Indeed heaven is seen as a reward for patiently suffering those deprivations. Keeps the working class form demanding better conditions in this life.
functionalists..
regard order and balance as the normal state of society.. ex- religion reaffirms peoples adherance to core social values which mantains social cohesion
symbolic interaction ism
sees interaction and meaning as central to society and assumes that meanings are not inherent but are created through interaction. It helps us explain both our individual personalities and the ways we are all linked together; it allows us to understand the process by which social order and social change are constructed. Founded by George Herbert Mead. sees interaction and meaning as central to society and assumes that meanings are not inherent but rather are created through interaction
the rational choice approach posits that if you could have only a single variable to explain society..
self interest would be the best one. althought rational choice approach cant explain every human action
ideologies
shared ideas or beliefs that serve to justify the interests of dominant groups. ideologies are found in all society's in which there are systematic and ingrained inequalities among groups. The concept of ideology connects closely with that of power, since ideological systems serve to legitimize the power that group holds
the postmodern world is not destined, as marx hoped to be a..
socialist one, but one dominated by new media like movies and tv and has nothing to do with our history
aguste comte
sociology needs to be treated like any other scientific discipline. He laid the ground work for future sociologists and helped establish the discipline. He coined the term. He also developed positivism
Max Weber
studied how society was becoming industrialized. He was concerned with the process of rationalization, applying economic logic to all human activity. He believed that contemporary life was filled with disenchantment, the result of the dehumanizing features of modern societies.
Erving Goffman
studied how the "self" is developed through interactions with others in society used the term dramaturgy to describe the way people strategically present themselves to others. found it interesting that a person could "act" one way in front of his or her parents, and yet "act" totally differently in front of friends. When you think about it, people are usually very adept at recognizing the social situation they are in and acting accordingly. This does suggest, though, that we are always acting, so when you feel you are being "your true self," is this really the case?
George Herbert Mead
studied the connection between thought and action—or between the individual and society suggested that social processes give meaning to objects in our society—people interact, and meanings come from these interactions. For example, a chair isn't inherently important as an object for sitting (as many of us know, it can also be used for climbing and reaching, for blocking an entrance, or as a weapon against an enemy), but because we interact on a daily basis with others who use chairs most commonly for sitting, we come to accept that this is the meaning of this object. This is a trivial example, but the idea can be applied to lots of other objects in our society—for example, things like flags or religious icons have meanings that have been shaped by social interactions.
power
the ability of inividuals or the members of a group to achieve aims or further the interests they hold. power is a persuasive element in all human relationships. many conflicts in society are struggles over power, because of how much power one group or indivdual has governs how far they are able to put their own wished into practice. IMPORTANT IN MARXISM
Rationalization
the application of economic logic to human activity ; the use of formal rules and regulations in order to maximize efficiency without consideration of subjective or individual concerns
postmodernism
the beleif that society is no longer governed by history or progress. post modern society is highly pluralistic and diverse with no "grand narrative" guiding its development
Herbert Spencer
the first great English-speaking sociologist. believed in evolution and coined the phrase "survival of the fittest." believed that societies evolve through time by adapting to their changing environment. His philosophy is often referred to as social Darwinism.
manifest functions
the functions of a type of social activity that are known to and intended by the individuals in the activity. MERTON
disenchantment
the rationalization of modern society. the inevitable result of the dehumanizing features of the bureaucracies that dominated the modern social landscapes.
microsociology
the study of human behavior in the context of face to face interaction
macrosociology
the study of large scale groups, organizations, or social systems
sociology
the study of society. The systematic of scientific study of human society and social behavior from large scale institutions and mass vulture to small groups and individual interactions
mechanical solidarity
the type of social bonds present in premodern agrarian societies in which shared traditions and beliefs created a sense of social cohesion . Durkheim
Emile Durkheim
worked to establish sociology as an important academic discipline. studied the social factors that bond and hold people together. he studied the relationship between social isolation and suicide at the macro-level. Central Figure in functionalist
