Introduction to Sociology Sociology 101

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Soc 101 Dr. Townsand Price-SpratlenWednesday,
January 11th - Today in Brief

• Review Points
• What is one of the ingredients of society?
• What is a Functionalist assumption? Critique?
• For Today
• Conflict, Interactionist Paradigms
• Methods of Data Collection, Process
• In-class writing assignment 1
• Next WED Chapter 2 -- Culture

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Conflict Paradigm

• Assumptions
• Scarce valued material symbolic goods
• Results Individuals/groups struggle, interest
  tensions
• Prerequisites of Karl Marxs (1818-1883)
  approach
• Determine the system of production
• Which group(s) own and control the production
  process? (owners vs. nonowners)
• Conflict Critique
• What about shared values, consensus?
• Is all motive really about power, tension?

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Interactionist Paradigm Everyday social
interaction

• Guiding issues
• Processes which structure interactions between
  people
• Appropriate vs. inappropriate behaviors
  (learning diff.)

• Prerequisites Goffman's Dramaturgical Approach
• Impression Management
• On-stage and off-stage
• Interactionist Critique
• Where is the macro in all this?
• Conceptually muddled, measurement

Importance of testing alternative explanations
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Experiment on Prison Interaction by Zimbardo
Hypothesis Prison violence is rooted in the
social character of prison. Outcome
Interaction patterns between prisoners and
guards Control group Randomly assigned
guards Treatment Groups Randomly assigned
prisoners Result Excessive aggression by
guards Severe anxiety, rage and depression by
prisoners (Early cancellation of experiment)
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Example Columbus Congregations for Health
Youth (CoCHY)
Research Issue How does level of religious
participation and change affect adolescent health
outcomes? (Church-based sample) Study
population Religiously active youth in
Columbus Sampling method Purposive sampling
using congregational networks Questionnaire Self
-administered (PDAs), longitudinal Completed
Wave I currently designing Wave II survey
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Ex CoCHY Project Field Research
Research Issue How are youth participating in
congregational settings? Study setting Diverse
congregations size, denomination, class
diversity Field research method Participant
Observation, In-depth interviews, focus
groups Key findings -- Ritual first, then
Spirit within Challenging alienations --
?????
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• Pick one of the following research topics (or
  quickly make one up)
• Why do some teens join gangs?
• Divorce creates emotional and developmental
  problems for children
• Big corporations offer workers more job security
  than small firms
• Discuss how you would do sociological research on
  the topic in terms of
• 1. How you would define the study population
  (who you would study)
• 2. Which research method you would use
• 3. Why you chose that method, what are its
  advantages
• Each group should turn in a piece of paper for
  the group with a short legible write-up of your
  group's discussion
• 1. At the top of the page, write each of your
  names your TA's name
• 2. Write the research question you talked
  about
• 3. Write your answers to the three issues
  above