SOC-1051 Chapter : Cheat Sheet 1
1) What is sociology?
(The study of social relationships, social institutions, & society.)
i) Concerned with every aspect of the self in relationships with
others and every aspect of the social world that affects a
person’s thoughts or actions
ii) Study of social life and the social causes and
consequences of human behavior
2) Social life-encompasses all interpersonal relationships, all groups or
collections of persons, and all types of social organizations
3) Sociological Perspective
i) The way to recognize patterns in social events and view
personal experiences in the light of these patterns
ii) Sociological Imagination-Ability to use sociological
perspectives
iii) Empirical investigation-allows us to determine whether our
generalizations about society are accurate. We can see
beyond OUR individual experiences.
iv) Empirical-ideas based on observation/experiences NOT
preexisting ideas.
4) Sociological Perspective operates on two levels:
i) Macro-entire society, social institutions (large scale
structures/processes)..war, divorce, unemployment
ii) Meco-corporation, school, smaller communities, classrooms
iii) Micro-everyday life, interpersonal interactions (concerned
with individual behavior)..veteran, divorcee, unemployee
*things we are mistaken about:
Divorce rate is high but marriage is stable, capital punishment doesn’t
decrease murder rates, suicide rates higher among white males, etc
5) Sociology and other social sciences
a) Sociology-The scientific study of social relationships, social
institutions, and society
b) Economics –the study of how goods and services are produced
and consumed and distributed within societies.
c) Political Science (Conflict theory)-power, government, political
processes, election, etc; social conflict (conflict inevitable,
natural, and cause of social change and action.)
d) Anthropology
Physical- studies primitive cultures by using artifacts, genetic
mutations, and physical traits.
Cultural/ Social- study society as a whole.
e) Psychology(human mental processes & behavior)
i) Social psychology-how social behavior influences
individual and vice versa.
ii) General theory- a set of logical and systematically
interrelated statement that explains a process or phenomena
6) The Development of Sociology
a) August Comte-French, father of Sociology, he was a natural
scientist→1st name was social physics (said sociology would
discover basic laws of society). Viewed society as an organism-
structure w many interrelated parts that evolved to complex.
b) Law of Human Progress- each of our leading conceptions, our
knowledge, all human intellectual development passes through 3
conditions:
(a) the theological, or fictitious
(b) the metaphysical, or abstract
(c) the scientific, or positive
c) Two stages of society
i) Social static-explain the current stage of society (stable);
how society has maintained without going extinct
ii) Social dynamic-how society has changed & its social
progress; ex. Republican to democratic, etc.
d) Herbert Spencer-British: theory of social evolution- the better
equipped society will survive and society with problems will go
extinct; survival of the fittest (coined this term). He though
conflict & change were necessary to evolution.
e) Karl Marx-father of conflict theory-struggle & strife at the core
of society (cause of social change). There is conflict bc limited
resources & everyone wants it.
Exploitation-taking something valuable away from others. Must have
surplus value to have something to take away.
Means of Production- (farmland, factory, materials)separates classes:
Bourgeoisie-have means of production and offer it to the Proletariats
who offer labor. (opposite=communism-everyone equal>true equality
NOT possible)
Industrial Revolution: made middle class popular bc didn’t have
means of production but earned income from labor= false class
consciousness (awareness among social class that they share unique
common interest. Knowing ab class leads to revolution!)-Marx said
this BAD bc lack their own m.o.p.
(Marx wanted equality bc everything so unequal during his time but
communism leads to everyone working less hard since no reward for
hard work) society will not change unless we start revolution, ex.
Factory, get rid of the owner, and everyone get a share of it
Economic Determinism-all aspects of life (change, social conditions,
society) based on economic factors:
Base-the economy & dynamics regarding the means of
production (economic system) ex)education
Supersturcture-all aspects of society other than economy
ex)schools
f) Emile Durkheim-French; structural functionalism- how society
is structured and what is the function of each part of the structure-
gender and equality, family, etc.
Collective Consciousness-something we ALL share. (Collective
psyche that results from blending individuals mentalities)
Quantitative analyses on suicide-some ppl who aren’t socially
integrated commit suicide. Shows that suicide is a social behavior bc
affected by relationship w society.
Methods of Integration:
Mechanical Solidarity-ppl do similar work (primitive society)
Organic Solidarity-division of labor makes society more
intergrated-ppl related in complex ways
g) Max Weber-german; looked at society from individual
perspective (social class involves subjective perceptions)
The Protestant Ethic & the Spirit of Capitalism-wanted to know
why capitalism (private mop) evolved in Europe-bc of their religion.
Our motive/beliefs drive social forces (religion).
Verstehen-interpretive understanding;put yourself in other ppls shoes
to understand them;learn their subjective meaning for their behavior.
(oppose Marx)=must analyze society from a neutral standpoint-Value
Free Sociology
7) Sociology in North America:
The Chicago school: first dept of sociology-emphasized importance of
social interactions in human development; Robert Park: (urban
sociologist) urban communities are areas of competition and
cooperation like nature;R. Merton: middle range theory-propositions
w restricted forces (we must be humble and limit what we study)
8) Theories-collection of propositions that explain process: Conflict
theory assumes that conflict is a permanent feature of social life and a
key source of change.(society in constant change!) Marx- assumes
that it is roots in a class struggle between the employers and the
workers. (no society w/out hierarchy, all want power, struggle for
resource for power) Legitimate Power & Authority-someone makes
rule and ppl follow it. (Legal=jail,court /Traditional=parents
/Charismatic=do things to be nice)
9) Structural functionalism-(society in harmony!)Societies contain
certain interdependent structures, each of which performs certain
functions for the maintenance of society; Social Structure-stable
patterns of society like the ways ppl are related & the characteristics of
groups of groups influencing our behavior.
a) These functions (role parts o structure play) can either be
intended and recognized (manifest like teaching children) or
unintended and unrecognized (latent like supervising children).
Some consequences are dysfunctional -lead to breakdown of the
system. Structural functionalism theories assume that systems
have a tendency toward equilibrium and balance.
b) Normal State-society in peaceful time; Pathological State-
turmoil (war)
Status-social position of individual: ascribed-born
with(race/gender)/achieved-earned(husband); Role-
expectations/behaviors w/ status
10) Symbolic interactionalism-How we maintain relationships sing
symbols (lang). Society is based on shared meanings, language, social
interaction, and symbolic processes. It is the mind that differentiates
humans & permits people to develop a social self. The Concept of
Self- bc symbols define us (ex-girl teach clothes).
Document Summary
Divorce rate is high but marriage is stable, capital punishment doesn"t decrease murder rates, suicide rates higher among white males, etc: sociology and other social sciences who offer labor. (opposite=communism-everyone equal>true equality. Industrial revolution: made middle class popular bc didn"t have means of production but earned income from labor= false class consciousness (awareness among social class that they share unique common interest. Factory, get rid of the owner, and everyone get a share of it. Economic determinism-all aspects of life (change, social conditions, society) based on economic factors: Base-the economy & dynamics regarding the means of production (economic system) ex)education. Supersturcture-all aspects of society other than economy ex)schools: emile durkheim-french; structural functionalism- how society is structured and what is the function of each part of the structure- gender and equality, family, etc. Collective consciousness-something we all share. (collective psyche that results from blending individuals mentalities) Quantitative analyses on suicide-some ppl who aren"t socially integrated commit suicide.
