Intro Sociology ch 1 and 2 (Intro and research of sociology) openstax

advantage of fieldwork as a research method

-It allows us to see a situation from the inside of a particular group. -It provides richer information about social situations than other methods. -It gives the researcher greater flexibility to adjust to different situations.

A survey is

-research technique for assessing behaviors and attitudes of a sample or population -a research method in which subjects respond to a series of items or questions.

The pioneering researcher who is considered the father of sociology is ________

Auguste Comte.

Describe a situation in which a choice you made was influenced by societal pressures.

To get married when I became pregnant.

culture

a group's shared practices, values, and beliefs

theory

a proposed explanation about social interactions or society

hypothesis

a testable proposition that describes a relationship that may exist between events

symbolic interactionism

a theoretical perspective through which scholars examine the relationship of individuals within their society by studying their communication (language and symbols)

Conflict Theory

a theory that looks at society as a competition for limited resources

grand theories

an attempt to explain large-scale relationships and answer fundamental questions such as why societies form and why they change

conflict theory of education

emphasizes the power and inequality that are part of education as a social institution -Social Control. Middle-class Bias. School tracking. Inequality among schools

What Is Sociology?

the systematic and scientific study of society and social interaction. In order to carry out their studies, sociologists identify cultural patterns and social forces and determine how they affect individuals and groups. They also develop ways to apply their findings to the real world.

sociology

the systematic study of society and social interaction

reification fallacy

the tendency to accept conditions of everyday life as natural rather than socially constructed.attaching human-like qualities to such concepts as "society" and "culture" an error of treating an abstract concept as though it has a real, material existence

experiment

the testing of a hypothesis under controlled conditions

latent functions

the unrecognized or unintended consequences of a social process

antipositivism (Max Weber)

the view that social researchers should strive for subjectivity as they worked to represent social processes, cultural norms, and societal values

accuracy

using a tool makes the measuring more precise.

independent variables

variables that cause changes in dependent variables

Why Study Sociology?

-See how behavior is "influenced" by society. - Understand (global) inter-dependence - See connection between self / society - See "new" ways of problem solving

Write down the first three steps of the scientific method. Think of a broad topic that you are interested in and which would make a good sociological study—for example, ethnic diversity in a college, homecoming rituals, athletic scholarships, or teen driving. Now, take that topic through the first steps of the process. For each step, write a few sentences or a paragraph: 1) Ask a question about the topic. 2) Do some research and write down the titles of some articles or books you'd want to read about the topic. 3) Formulate a hypothesis

1. Ask a question 2. Research existing sources 3. Formulate a hypothesis -Drunk driving. 1. Why do people drive drunk? 2. Think there is no other way home, nothing bad has ever happened to them, are too scared to call for a ride elsewhere 3. If people are provided with safe rides home, then they will not drive drunk

Why do you think the ASA crafted such a detailed set of ethical principles? What type of study could put human participants at risk? Think of some examples of studies that might be harmful. Do you think that, in the name of sociology, some researchers might be tempted to cross boundaries that threaten human rights? Why?

Because of the nature of experiments, particularly the fact that they are often done on living creatures, the ASA needed to craft a detailed set of ethical principles. Any type of study that might injure, defame, or kill human participants would them at risk. I think that some researchers might be tempted to cross boundaries that threaten human rights because it has been done before.

Think of a recent time when you used informal negative sanctions. To what act of deviance were you responding? How did your actions affect the deviant person or persons? How did your reaction help maintain social control?

I always give disapproving looks to people who pack up early during class while the teacher is still talking. Those people always are more quiet after and sometimes even stop the disrespectful disruption.

How do you think taking a sociology course might affect your social interactions?

I hope that, by taking a sociology course, I will become more aware to other's perspectives and feelings towards a subject. I hope that the course will make more more alert to the factors contributing to one's decision and the reasoning behind things that I may not agree with.

Do you tend to place more value on qualitative or quantitative research? Why? Does it matter what topic your are studying?

I tend to place more value on qualitative research as it looks beyond the general standards/statistic shown by society and focuses more on individuals and their viewpoint. When it comes to applying qualitative or quantitative research, the topic being studied is able to influence which type of research to use. For example, if you want to find the average height of women in your town, you would most likely choose quantitative data, but, if you were hoping to identify how people feel about a certain ride at a theme park, you would apply qualitative research.

Which theory do you think better explains how societies operate-structural functionalism or conflict theory? Why?

I think structural functionalism better explains how societies operate. With structural functionalism, you see society as a structure with interrelated parts that all work together to maintain stability, showing the importance of each part of society contributing to a cause. In conflict theory, it view society as more of a competitive setting in which each person fends for their own. I think that society is less individual and more of a structure of people working together.

Do you think the way people behave in social interactions is more like the behavior of animals or more like actors playing a role in a theatrical production? Why?

I think that way people behave in social interactions is, usually, more like actors playing a role in a theatrical production. In social interaction, there is generally back and forth conversation and reactions from what is said within the conversation. Animals do not communicate in such ways, making social interaction more like actors in a theatrical production.

What do you make of Karl Marx's contributions to sociology? What perceptions of Marx have you been exposed to in your society, and how do those perceptions influence your views?

Karl Marx's contribution to sociology are extremely important in identifying the relationship between social conflict and societal change. Marx's perceptions of change caused by struggle has been able to influence my views on things such as global warming and economics. With global warming, our planet is at risk of fatality, pressuring changes to occur and our economy is slipping into despair due to mismanagement, presenting the need for a change in leadership.

_____ is a way of understanding the world based on science

Positivism

Which of the following best describes sociology as a discipline?

The study of society and social interaction

Why are twin studies an important way to learn about the relative effects of genetics and socialization on children? What questions about human development do you believe twin studies are best for answering? For what types of questions would twin studies not be as helpful?

The twin studies show the effects of shared genetics but were socialized in different ways. Instances of this type of situation are rare, but studying the degree to which identical twins raised apart are the same and different can give researchers insight into the way our temperaments, preferences, and abilities are shaped by our genetic makeup versus our social environment.

Paradigms in Sociology

Theoretical perspectives, 3 main ones in soc, functionalist, conflict and symbolic interactionist (framework or model of the world) -philosophical and theoretical frameworks used within a discipline to formulate theories, generalizations, and the experiments performed in support of them

What do you think C. Wright Mills meant when he said that to be a sociologist, one had to develop a sociological imagination?

To put it simply, sociological imagination is an ability to connect personal challenges to larger social issues. -The promise of the sociological imagination is to allow individuals to understand their place in the broader social and historical context. In order to be a sociologist, we must a see our own and other people's behavior in relationship to history and social structure. Since a sociological imagination is an awareness of the relationship between a person's behavior, experience, and the wider culture that shaped the persons choices/perceptions, Mills meant that being a sociologist required one to look beyond the surface and consider all factors (behavior, environment, society pressures, etc.).

Consider some of the specific issues or concerns of your generation. Are any ideas countercultural? What subcultures have emerged from your generation? How have the issues of your generation expressed themselves culturally? How has your generation made its mark on society's collective culture?

Today, there are many issues of our generation. One specific counterculture example is that of the new age Neo-nazis that have emerged directly in contrast to the culture of today. One subcultures that I am involved in is my sorority. Many of the issues of our generation are expressed through media, and our generation has definitely made its mark on society's collective culture through its digital footprint as well

verstehen

a German word that means to understand in a deep way

society

a group of people who live in a defined geographical area who interact with one another and who share a common culture

code of ethics

a set of guidelines that the American Sociological Association has established to foster ethical research and professionally responsible scholarship in sociology

The term interpretive framework can be defined as:

a sociological research approach that seeks in-depth understanding of a topic or subject through observation or interaction; this approach is not based on hypothesis testing seeks to understand social worlds from the point of view of participants, which leads to in-depth knowledge. more suited to field research or qualitative research

dynamic equilibrium

a stable state in which all parts of a healthy society work together properly

dramaturgical analysis

a technique sociologists use in which they view society through the metaphor of theatrical performance

hypothesis

a testable educated guess about predicted outcomes between two or more variables

functionalism

a theoretical approach that sees society as a structure with interrelated parts designed to meet the biological and social needs of individuals that make up that society

dependent variables

a variable changed by other variables

macro-level

a wide-scale view of the role of social structures within a society

Which would a quantitative sociologist use to gather data? a. A large survey b. A literature search c. An in-depth interview d. A review of television programs

a. A large survey

Who coined the phrase symbolic interactionism? a. Herbert Blumer b. Max Weber c. Lester F. Ward d. W. I. Thomas

a. Herbert Blumer

Validity refers to actually measuring what you intend to measure. a. True b. False

a. True

. A sociologist defines society as a group of people who reside in a defined area, share a culture, and who: a. interact b. work in the same industry c. speak different languages d. practice a recognized religion

a. interact

positivism

an approach to the study of society that relies specifically on empirical scientific evidence, such as controlled experiments and statistics. a belief that we should not go beyond the boundaries of what can be observed

What would a symbolic interactionist say is involved in nearly all social interactions?

an exchange of symbols

constructivism

an extension of symbolic interaction theory which proposes that reality is what humans cognitively construct it to be

content analysis

applying a systematic approach to record and value information gleaned from secondary data as it relates to the study at hand

. Which of the following was a topic of study in early sociology? a. Astrology b. Economics c. Physics d. History

b. Economics

The conflict perspective is most likely to look at the social world on a micro level. a. True b. False

b. False symbolic interactionism

Which founder of sociology believed societies changed due to class struggle? a. Emile Comte b. Karl Marx c. Plato d. Herbert Spencer

b. Karl Marx

Who believed that the history of society was one of class struggle? a. Emile Durkheim b. Karl Marx c. Erving Goffmann d. George Herbert Mead

b. Karl Marx

In social research, _______is attempted by minimizing a sociologist's personal bias. a. Peer review b. Objectivity c. Replication d. Double blind

b. Objectivity

Which research technique would most likely be used by a symbolic interactionist? a. Surveys b. Participant observation c. Quantitative data analysis d. None of the above

b. Participant observation

Kenneth and Mamie Clark used sociological research to show that segregation was: a. beneficial b. harmful c. illegal d. of no importance

b. harmful

. C. Wright Mills once said that sociologists need to develop a sociological __________ to study how society affects individuals. a. culture b. imagination c. method d. tool

b. imagination

Which sociological research method is the least likely to produce quantitative data? a. analysis from existing sources b. participant observation c. the survey d. the experiment

b. participant observation

Weber believed humans could not be studied purely objectively because they were influenced by: a. drugs b. their culture c. their genetic makeup d. the researcher

b. their culture

conflict theory of deviance

believe that a society's inequalities are reproduced in its definitions of deviance, so the less powerful are more likely to be criminalized

Which of the following is an example of an unethical sociological research practice? a. Conducting a literature review prior to conducting an experiment b. Drawing conclusions from a study which the hypothesis did not predict c. Observing participants in a study without their consent d. Using a control group and an experimental group during observation

c. Observing participants in a study without their consent

Which of the following best describes sociology as a subject? a. The study of individual behavior b. The study of cultures c. The study of society and social interaction d. The study of economics

c. The study of society and social interaction

Berger describes sociologists as concerned with: a. monumental moments in people's lives b. common everyday life events c. both a and b d. none of the above

c. both a and b

What did the Clarks use in their experiment noted in Exercise 1.13? a. children and dogs b. adults and dolls c. children and dolls d. adults and pets

c. children and dolls

Seeing patterns means that a sociologist needs to be able to: a. compare the behavior of individuals from different societies b. compare one society to another c. identify similarities in how social groups respond to social pressure d. compare individuals to groups

c. identify similarities in how social groups respond to social pressure

. Berger writes that sociology a. is not an academic discipline b. makes the strange familiar c. makes the familiar strange d. is not a science

c. makes the familiar strange

The difference between positivism and antipositivism relates to: a. whether individuals like or dislike their society b. whether research methods use statistical data or person-to-person research c. whether sociological studies can predict or improve society d. all of the above

c. whether sociological studies can predict or improve society

Which theoretical approach places gender, class, and race at the core of the theory?

conflict theory

Which of these theories is most likely to look at the social world on a micro level? a. Structural functionalism b. Conflict theory c. Positivism d. Symbolic interactionism

d. Symbolic interactionism

Studying sociology helps people analyze data because they learn: a. interview techniques b. to apply statistics c. to generate theories d. all of the above

d. all of the above

A symbolic interactionist may compare social interactions to: a. behaviors b. conflicts c. human organs d. theatrical roles

d. theatrical roles

Which research method would give a rich, detailed, inside view of a particular group, setting, or subculture?

ethnography

empirical evidence

evidence that comes from direct observations, scientifically gathered data, or experimentation

Which theoretical approach uses the analogy of the human body in assessing the role of each part of society in the continuation of society as a whole?

functionalism

field research

gathering data from a natural environment without doing a lab experiment or a survey

case study

in-depth analysis of a single event, situation, or individual

qualitative sociology

in-depth interviews, focus groups, and/or analysis of content sources as the source of its data

According to the sociological perspective, people's behavior:

is influenced by the social context

debunking

looking beyond the obvious to expose falseness by examining merit, logic, and evidence.

ethnography

participating and observing thinking and behavior in a social setting

social institutions

patterns of beliefs and behaviors focused on meeting social needs

dysfunctions

social patterns that have undesirable consequences for the operation of society

Betta is unemployed; Is it due to individual circumstances (e.g., poor employee, lazy), or might it be due to other circumstances such as high unemployment rates in an economic recession or lack of available vocational training? Asking this question is an example of using _______.

sociological imagination

The significance of the sociological imagination is that:

sociology attempts to understand personal behavior in the larger social context

manifest functions

sought consequences of a social process

significant others

specific individuals that impact a person's life

quantitative sociology

statistical methods such as surveys with large numbers of participants

What kind of research method would be best suited if you were hired by a real estate company to learn how the residents in a gated community feel about racial desegregation?

surveys and interviews

sociological imagination

the ability to understand how your own past relates to that of other people, as well as to history in general and societal structures in particular

social facts

the laws, morals, values, religious beliefs, customs, fashions, rituals, and all of the cultural rules that govern social life

generalized others

the organized and generalized attitude of a social group

function

the part a recurrent activity plays in the social life as a whole and the contribution it makes to structural continuity

figuration

the process of simultaneously analyzing the behavior of an individual and the society that shapes that behavior

social solidarity

the social ties that bind a group of people together such as kinship, shared location, and religion

micro-level theories

the study of specific relationships between individuals or small groups

correlation

when a change in one variable coincides with a change in another variable, but does not necessarily indicate causation

Hawthorne effect

when study subjects behave in a certain manner due to their awareness of being observed by a researcher