Systematic and objective study of HUMAN SOCIETY and SOCIAL INTERACTION – Science of Social...

What is Sociology?Systematic and objective study of HUMAN

SOCIETY and SOCIAL INTERACTION – Science of Social Relations

Science of Social Relations – ie Human Behavior

Whereas, PSYCHOLOGY is primarily focused on the INDIVIDUAL

SOCIOLOGY is the INDIVIDUAL in INTERATION with other or moving

in the SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTSOCIOLOGISTS MAKE A BASIC ASSUMPTION

about HUMAN BEHAVIOR

FAMILIES , ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITIES, ETHNIC GROUPS, SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS, etc.

HUMAN BEHAVIOR is Shaped by society and

social circumstances

HOW DOES SOCIOLOGY fit into the SOCIAL SCIENCES?

What are SOCIAL SCIENCES?Disciplines that APPLY SCIENTIFIC METHOD to the

STUDY of SOCIETY and HUMAN BEHAVIOR

Study of the way goods, services are produced, distributed and consumed

AN attempt is made to explain “WHO” gets “WHAT” and “WHY”

SOURCE of SOCIAL PROBLEMS

Ex: POVERTY

ECONOMICS

Focuses on the forces that shape and motivate individuals

Deals with HUMAN MENTAL PROCESSES -> Behavior originating from SOCIAL INTERACTION

PSYCHOLOGY

Focus on GOVERNMENT and the USE of POLITICAL POWER

POLITICAL BEHAVIOR

POLITICAL SCIENCE

NOT universally considered a SOCIAL SCIENCE, because primary objective is to record human events for future generations.

DEFINES the CAUSES, SEQUENCE and MEANING of PAST EVENTS

HISTORY

Combination of a natural science -> biology and a social science.

Concerned with human biological origins and variations in the HUMAN SPECIES.

CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY – Concerned with all facets of human cultures:

Ex: Kinship forms, linguistics, material artifacts, music/folklore, econ/political structures

ANTHROPOLOGY

General convictions about what is good and bad, right or wrong, appropriate or inappropriate.

Values are abstract

Stating broad behavioral preferences

Ex: Patriotism, Competition, Loyalty

VALUES

Values are NOT INHERITED GENETICALLY

VALUES are the LEARNED products of ENVIRONMENT!

VALUES

There is NO exact and completely accepted definition for the term VALUES. That doesn’t mean that VALUES don’t exist or that we cannot get agreement on how values can be defined.◦ * defined in various ways and have different

meanings to people.◦ * Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary defines

values: - “The quality or fact of being EXCELLENT, USEFUL or

DESIRABLE; worth in thing.

VALUES

Sociology textbook – David Popenoe defines values:

◦ “An idea shared by the people in a society about what is good and bad, right and wrong, desirable and undesirable.

VALUES

MAKING VALUE CHOICES:

◦ Values involve the ability to make choices based on

* A SENSE of MEMORY

* A KNOWLEDGE of the PRESENT

* A VIEW of the FUTURE

DECISION MAKING is a human process involving choices CHOICES represent values

DECISIONS indicate the values we hold

VALUE PROCESSING

CATEGORIES INCLUDE:

A. Deliberate and thoughtful choiceex: winning $50,000 (DECISION-MAKING)

B. Subconscious and Unthoughtful Choiceex: cautiously crossing streets (Habitual)ex: navigating through hallways

C. NO CHOICE (UNCONSCIOUS) – Someone making choices for you.

VALUE PROCESSING

Devised a theory of MORAL DEVELOPMENT in which INDIVIDUALS develop their

thinking about moral problems. Human thinking goes through stages of development - These stages of development occur in all cultures (tested cross culturally)

Dr. Lawrence Kohlberg: Moral Development

The stages are CATEGORIZED into 3 LEVELS:

1 – Pre-Conventional Level:

At this level the child is responsive to CULTURAL rules and labels of GOOD / BAD,

RIGHT – WRONG but are thinking about CONSEQUENCE of ACTION ……

Dr. Lawrence Kohlberg: 6 Stages of Moral Reasoning:

1 – Pre-Conventional Level:

PUNISHMENT / REWARD / EXCHANGE of FAVORS -

Also, in terms of the physical power of those who initiate the rules and labels (i.e. adults)

Dr. Lawrence Kohlberg: 6 Stages of Moral Reasoning:

Avoidance of punishment and unquestioning deference to power are VALUED.

At this stage, there is NO UNDERLYING REASONS or MORAL VALUING

EX: CAUGHT friend STEALING -> Would tell because of punishment if they didn’t

FEAR of PUNISHMENT drives behavior!

STAGE #1 – Punishment and Obedience

PREADOLESCENCE

The right action consists of that which satisfies one’s own needs.

Interaction is viewed as someone views the marketplace: FAIRNESS, EQUAL SHARING, RECIPROCITY exists but are seen as a way of getting what you need.

ex: “I’ll scratch your back……”

STAGE #2 – LEARNING RIGHT & WRONG THROUGH EXPERIENCE

Maintaining the expectations of an individual’s family, group or nation is perceived as valuable.

Involves NOT only conformity to personal expectations and social order but of LOYALTY to it

CONVENTIONAL LEVEL:

Good behavior is that which pleases or helps others. Much conformity to stereotypical images of what the MAJORITY thinks is good.

CONFORMS to PEER EXPECTATIONS!

Stage #3 APPROVAL (Adolescence)

This is an ORIENTATION toward LEGAL AUTHORITY, FIXED RULES and the MAINTENANCE of SOCIAL ORDER. You must do your DUTY (UNIVERSAL SOLDIER), SHOW RESPECT for AUTHORITY and MAINTAIN EXISTING SOCIAL RULES and ORDER

ex: Black & White (this is right / wrong)

This ties in SOCIAL RULES and GROUP RULES CONFORM to GROUP STEREOTYPES

Stage #4 AUTHORITY (LAW and ORDER)

There is a clear effort to define moral values and principles apart from the individuals identification with these groups

POST-CONVENTIONAL, (AUTONOMOUS LEVEL)

Right actions tends to be defined in terms of general individual RIGHTS and in terms of standards which have been critically examined.

There is clear awareness of the relativism of personal values and opinions – right is a matter of PERSONAL VALUES and OPINIONS

STAGE #5 SOCIAL CONTRACT

ADULTS: LESS than 20% EVER GET HERE

Result: Emphasis upon the legal point of view but with an additional emphasis on the possibility of CHANGING the LAW in terms of rational considerations rather than a rigid maintenance of rules and order (Stage #4)

There must be a personal commitment to

laws.


EX: Should Rosa Parks be prosecuted for

riding in the front of the bus?


Right is defined by decision of conscience in accordance with SELF-CHOSEN ETHICAL PRINCIPLES of LOGIC and CONSISTENCY.

* JUSTICE* EQUALITY of HUMAN RIGHTS* RESPECT for INDIVIDUAL

HUMAN DIGNITY.

STAGE #6 BASIC RIGHTS of ALL PEOPLE

Functional Analysis – (Functionalism, Structural Functionalism)

Macro sociological – Large scale patterns of society. The different parts of society (like work, family, education and religion) and how these parts interact.

Auguste Comte says that similar to living organisms - When the various parties of society interact to serve the people beneficially, the parts are FUNCTIONAL, when they interact negatively, they are called DYSFUNCTIONAL.

Sociological Perspectives

Conflict Theory (Marxist Theory)

Karl Marx studied how different classes controlled society throughout history. His primary focus was on the wealthy owners who exploited the poor workers. The average peasant left a farm to work in a factory for barely enough to eat. He died at the age of 30 while while the average wealthy person died at the age of 50.


Conflict Theory

Macro sociological – large scale patterns of power. Who has the power in society? How do they get it? How do they use power to control those without the power?

Ex: Men used to control the economics of society and the family. Women had few alternatives to divorce –had to stay in marriages that were bad – As power has equaled between men / women – more women feel the freedom to leave marriages they are unhappy with --


Symbolic Interaction -

Max Weber studied the role of religion in economics and everyday life - He studied the difference between Protestant and Catholic countries. He found that Catholics follow the church and a traditional way of life and a belief in a reward in the afterlife.


Brian is becoming part of the “in” crowd at his school. At times, members of this “in” group hassle a boy named Fred by pushing him around and took his calculator. Brian happens to know that Fred has only one year to live and that his family wants this fact to be kept secret. In order to make it as a member of a group, however, Brian is expected to join in and pick on Fred. You are Brian. What are your options? At what stage would you be operating in and why?

SAMPLE MORAL DILEMMAS

Mrs. Porter calculates that over the years Mr. Tripp, her local butcher, has cheated her out of at least $750. Unbeknownst to Mr. Tripp, the new driver who delivers meat to his store is Mrs. Porter’s nephew. With a bit of stealth, the nephew has begun to divert some of Mr. Tripp’s meat into the hands of Mrs. Porter. Is there anything wrong with this? At what stage is your judgment about the morality of this? At what stage are Mrs. Porter and her nephew operating?


Barbara, a model, has always refused to pose in revealing clothes or without any clothes. Her husband has said that he will leave her if she ever does it. Her agent, meanwhile, keeps telling her that a popular men’s magazine will pay her $12,000 for a half dozen nude shots. One day, Barbara gets a letter from her brother who runs an orphanage in Bangladesh. He needs $7000 to keep his orphanage going for another 6 months. You are Barbara. What are you going to decide? At what stage will you be operating?


Glenda, an established writer, has discovered that a short story she wrote years ago has just appeared in a popular magazine under someone else’s name. Looking into the matter, Glenda finds that the new “author” is an inner city doctor who spends all his money on medicine for the poor. What are Glenda’s options, and at what stage would she be acting in each case? At what stage was the doctor operating when he “stole” the short story?


Symbolic Interaction –

Protestants embraced change and individualism and a belief that only some would be rewarded in afterlife. This belief led Protestants to work harder to prove their worth (Protestant Work Ethic)


Micro sociological - small group interaction, face-to-face interaction. How do people use symbols / meanings in everyday life?

Ex: As marital roles have changed since urbanization and industrialization, there are new meanings for love, marriage, children, as well as divorce.


Systematic and objective study of HUMAN SOCIETY and SOCIAL INTERACTION – Science of Social...

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