Sociology of Education Section Newsletter - American Sociological
10/11/2015 Sociological Theory Family Sociology Montclair State University.
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Transcript of 10/11/2015 Sociological Theory Family Sociology Montclair State University.
04/21/23
Sociological Theory
Family Sociology
Montclair State University
Sociological Inquiry
Individuals or families do not exist in isolation
Rather, they react to and influence changes in the social world around them
In this class, we will focus on how families are influenced by the larger social structure Social structure: is a stable framework of social
relationships that guides our interaction with others
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The Sociological Approach
Macro Level
Micro Level
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The Sociological Approach – The Macro Level
Family sociologists examine how these social institutions interact and how they influence behaviors, attitudes, and opportunities in families
Economy
Families
GovernmentEducation
Religion Healthcare
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The Sociological Approach – The Macro Level
Example:A macrolevel analysis of a woman who
feels the tension of balancing work and family would focus on this as a social problem
Solutions might be implementing a family leave policy at the federal level or corporate level
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The Sociological Approach – The Micro Level
Micro level deals with issues of social life at the level of individuals or small groups
At the micro level we focus on patterned behaviors of people that are due to the social conditions in which we find ourselves
We act differently in different settings and places
Micro level analysis focuses on personal choices
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The Sociological Approach – The Micro Level
Example: A microlevel analysis of a woman who
feels the tension of balancing work and family would focus on this as a personal problem
Solutions might be focus on her personal choices -- she should find a way to improve her time management skills
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Social Science Research
How do we know what we know? Most of us understand the world around us through
our personal experience -- the people and situations we have been in or have seen
This personal experience leads to our conclusions about the world
While there is nothing wrong with these ways of knowing -- social scientists are skeptical about relying ONLY on these sources because:
An individual’s experience of those around them is not representative of the broader society
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Social Science Research
How do we know what we know? Social scientists use a systematic and more scientific mode of
investigation Social scientists rely on:
Observations of the social world based on representative samples
Example: If we wanted to study why people in the U.S. get married, we should not just survey college students
We avoid the error of overgeneralization: i.e. using what we know about a small group of people to conclude something about all people
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Sociological Theories
Social science theories explain or help us make sense of patterns in social life
Theories shape and direct research – they point us in a direction
That direction influences what we look for, what we find, and how we explain it
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Sociological Theories
Theories about families and relationships are made up a set of statements that explain why certain relationships occur
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Macrolevel theories
Macrolevel theories focus on: a whole society or a large part of it the BIG PICTURE
Examples: Are marriages less stable in the U.S. compared to
Japan? Compare U.S. divorce rates to Japanese divorce rates
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Macrolevel theories
Macrolevel theories focus on:
a whole society or a large part of it the BIG PICTURE
Examples: How has the decline in “real” male wages influenced
husbands’ and wives’ involvement in the paid labor force Research might examine cost of living and
employment rates by gender and compare data from 1968 to 2008
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Sociological Theories
Theories used to explain relationships at a more personal level are micro level theories
Examples:A researcher wants to know how often
husbands and wives argue on a weekly basis They might observe a husbands and wife in their
home – or tape their conversations over the week
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Major Sociological Theories
Structural Functionalism Operates at the macro level Structural functionalists view society as a social
system with interacting parts The functionalist perspective views society as a
vast organism whose parts are interdependent or interrelated
Think about how social institutions interact: families and the economic system
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Major Sociological Theories
Structural Functionalism Operates at the macro level Structural-Functionalists focus on how social institutions
like families meet the basic needs or functions of a society. The family as a social institution is analyzed from two
perspectives:1) How does the family contribute to the maintenance of the larger social system ?2) And, in what ways does society and other social institutions (like education or economic system) affect families?
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Major Sociological Theories
Conflict Theory (based on Marxist Theory)
Operates at the macro level Focuses on inequality, power, and social
change Basic form of interaction is competition not
cooperation Individuals and groups compete for
advantage
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Major Sociological Theories
Conflict theorists might ask: How do some family members come to
dominate others? Under which circumstances can the
oppressed reduce or eliminate their disadvantages?
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Major Sociological Theories
Conflict Theory (based on Marxist Theory) Operates at the macro level Inequality generates conflict – may lead to revolution
by the proletariat or “have-nots” This inequality affects the lives of many people while
benefits the powerful few Emphasis is on the economic system Within marriages men may have more power than
women because they earn more on average
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Major Sociological Theories
Exchange Theory Operates at the micro level Similar to economic theories that view humans as rational beings who make decisions about the exchange of goods and services
In doing so, they weigh the costs and benefits of exchanges
Emphasis is on efficiency
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Major Sociological Theories
Exchange Theory Operates at the micro level In relationships, for example, people have some
resource that is valued by the other person This is when exchange can take place In relationships -- what do women hold of value? How about men?
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Major Sociological Theories
Gender Theory Operates at both macro and micro level Central concept is gender—the social and cultural
characteristics that distinguish women and men in society.
Oriented toward power in relationships. Feminist theory argues that differences between men
and women are socially constructed to maintain power of men over women.
Emphasizes culture, rather than biology.
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Summary
Families are one social institution among many
Families are influenced by and influence the larger society
Family theories guide research on families These theories may operate at the: macro level (big picture level) or micro level (more personal individual level)