ASSIGNMENTS

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ASSIGNMENTS

• Write down what you think are 5 stereotypes that
  you may have.
• A stereotype is something that you believe but
  you really have no idea if it is true.
• Research two of the stereotypes and use the
  research to tell me the truth (remember what you
  think is a stereotype could be proven to be
  true).
• Take the Hidden Bias Test.
• Take the Keirsey Personality Test.
• Write 1 ½ page paper describing an event that
  changed the way you view yourself, the world,
  and/or society
• After discussing each of the three sociological
  paradigms, write a one page paper utilizing the
  paradigm that you think best reflects how our
  society is organized.
• Dont forget to ask about the EASY extra credit
  assignment at the end of the unit!!

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• ...THE SYSTEMATIC STUDY OF HUMAN SOCIETY
• SYSTEMATIC
• SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINE THAT FOCUSES ATTENTION ON
  PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR
• HUMAN SOCIETY
• GROUP BEHAVIOR IS PRIMARY FOCUS HOW GROUPS
  INFLUENCE INDIVIDUALS AND VICE VERSA
• AT THE HEART OF SOCIOLOGY
• THE SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE WHICH OFFERS A
  UNIQUE VIEW OF SOCIETY
• WE MAKE IMPORTANT DECISIONS, BUT ALWAYS WITHIN A
  LARGER ARENA CALLED SOCIETY. IS IT FREE WILL?

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OTHER WAYS SOCIOLOGY ALLOWS US TO ACQUIRE A NEW
PERSPECTIVE

• ADVANTAGES OF A SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
• SOCIOLOGY AND SOCIAL MARGINALITY
• ALLOWS US TO NOTICE DIVERSITY (NOT JUST COLOR) IN
  AMERICA
• SOCIOLOGY DRAWS ATTENTION TO SOCIAL CRISIS
  (9-11-01 and the Constitution)
• Should the Constitution be applied selectively?
• Amendments 5 (rights of the accused), 6 (speedy
  public trial), 8 (limits of fines and
  punishments, 9 (rights of people protected as a
  whole)
• IMPORTANCE OF THESE ITEMS
• THEY ALLOW US TO SEE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN MICRO
  AND MACRO SOCIAL ELEMENTS

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The Sociological Perspective

• OBSERVATIONS ARE CERTAINLY IMPACTED BY THE
  PERSONAL PERSPECTIVES THROUGH WHICH PEOPLE COME
  TO VIEW THE WORLD

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THE SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVEPETER BERGER
HOW DOES THE CATEGORY I FIT INTO IN SOCIETY
AFFECT ME? RICH VS. POOR EDUCATION SKILLS

• SEE THE GENERAL IN THE PARTICULAR
• SOCIOLOGISTS INDENTIFY GENERAL SOCIAL PATTERNS IN
  THE BEHAVIOR OF PARTICULAR INDIVIDUALS/GROUPS
• INDIVIDUALS ARE UNIQUEBUT SOCIETYS SOCIAL
  FORCES SHAPE US INTO KINDS OF PEOPLE
• GENERAL CATEGORIES TO WHICH WE BELONG SHAPE OUR
  PARTICULAR LIFE EXPERIENCES
• SOCIETY ATTACHES MEANING TO AGE, SO WE EXPERIENCE
  DISTINCT STAGES IN OUR LIVES (ADULTS AT 18)
• CHILDREN DEPENDENT, ADULTS INDEPENDENT, OLD
  AGE LOSE SOCIAL STANDING AND ANNOYINGLY
  DEPENDENT
• CONSIDER THESE
• PEOPLE MORE LIKELY TO KILL THEMSELVES
• PEOPLE MORE LIKELY TO GO TO AND SUCCEED IN
  COLLEGE AND ENJOY A FAVORABLE QUALITY OF LIFE
• EVERY SOCIETY ATTACHES MEANING TO BEING MALE OR
  FEMALE
• THE SEXES HAVE BEEN SOCIALIZED INTO THEIR ROLES

MORE EMOTIONAL, DEPENDENT, CAN RAISE KIDS, CLEAN,
PROVIDE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT MUST LOOK HOT??????
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IF THE SEXES ARE EQUAL WHY??
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GIRLS THINK ABOUT THIS

• Girls, have you contributed to a culture that
  causes men to look at women as objects?
• What would happen if you didnt get a
  glance/stare from the opposite sex when youve
  dressed to kill?
• What would happen if men quit acting like so
  called PIGS?
• GIRLS
• WHY DO YOU APPLY MAKEUP?

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Broverman (1970)

• Women perceived as healthier if
• more submissive
• less independent, less adventurous
• more easily influenced
• less aggressive, less competitive
• more excitable in minor crises
• more susceptible to hurt feelings less objective
• Same description used to classify unhealthy man
  or immature adult

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CAROL GILLIGANMORAL DEVELOPMENT

• CONCLUDED THAT THE TWO GENDERS USE DIFFERENT
  STANDARDS OF RIGHTNESS
• MALES
• JUSTICE PERSPECTIVE RELY ON FORMAL RULES TO
  DEFINE RIGHT AND WRONG
• BOYS SEE STEALING AS WRONG B/C IT BREAKS THE LAW
  AND GOES AGAINST COMMON MORALITY (IMPERSONAL
  RULES COMMON IN THE WORKPLACE)
• GIRLS
• RESPONSIBILITY PERSPECTIVE JUDGING A SITUATION
  WITH AN EYE TOWARD PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND
  LOYALTIES
• GIRLS ARE MORE LIKELY TO WONDER WHY SOMEONE WOULD
  STEAL, AND TO BE SYMPATHETIC TOWARD THE PERSON
  WHO STEALS (PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS MORE COMMON IN
  THE HOME)
• ARE MALE STANDARDS THE NORMS USED TO JUDGE
  EVERYONE?

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Goldberg (1968)

• An article was given to subjects to evaluate
• Topics included both stereotypical male
  professions (architecture/law) and stereotypical
  female professions (dietetics)
• IV articles were attributed (authored by)
• John McKay
• Joan McKay
• Professional quality judged lower (regardless of
  sex of rater or job content) if subjects thought
  a female wrote it

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SEEING THE STRANGE IN THE FAMILIARPETER
BERGERTHINGS ARENT ALWAYS WHAT THEY SEEM

• SOCIOLOGY ASKS STUDENTS TO
• GIVE UP FAMILIAR ASSUMPTIONS THAT HUMAN BEHAVIOR
  IS SIMPLY A MATTER OF PERSONAL CHOICE AND ACCEPT
  THE CRAZY IDEA SOCIETY SHAPES OUR THOUGHTS AND
  DEEDS
• ANY DOUBTS???
• TO WHAT REAL EXTENT DID YOUR OWN FREE WILL
  ENTER INTO YOUR DECISION TO ATTEND COLLEGE?
• WHAT ABOUT EXTERNAL SOCIAL FORCES?
• AGE(18-24), COST(FAMILY EARNS 75,000 THREE TIMES
  MORE LIKELY TO GO TO COLLEGE VS. A FAMILY MAKING
  20,000)
• WHY DO AMERICANS PLACE THEIR PARENTS IN NURSING
  HOMES VS. CARING FOR THEM AT HOME?

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Share of 1997 High School Graduates Entering
College the Following Fall
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COLLEGE BOUND?

• A COLLEGE DEGREE IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS IN AMERICA
• WHAT IS IT ABOUT SOCIETY THAT MAKES THESE PEOPLE
  MORE OR LESS LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE A COLLEGE
  EDUCATION?
• BLACKS 60 PERCENT
• HISPANICS 66 PERCENT
• WHITES 68 PERCENT
• ONLY PART OF THE STORY
• COLLEGE DROPOUT RATES ARE VERY HIGH AMONGST
  BLACKS AND HISPANICS

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HOW IMPORTANT IS A NAME?
TOM CRUISE
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EXTERNAL FORCES SIT RIGHT ON TOP OF US!!!
REWARDS PUNISHMENTS
SOCIETY
COMMUNITY
NORMS
DYADS
GROUPS
ORGANIZATIONS
AND NORMS
NORMS
NORMS
SOCIETY
SOCIAL EXPECTATIONS
NORMS
NORMS
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Seeing the General in the Particular and The
Strange in the Familiar
EMILE DURKHEIM FOUND SOCIAL FORCES ARE AT WORK
EVEN WITH AN ISOLATED ACT OF SELF-DESTRUCTION
WHAT SOCIAL FORCES ARE AT WORK HERE?
PER 100,000 PERSONS
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• DURKHEIMS STUDY (1858-1917) OF SUICIDE
• MORE LIKELY TO COMMIT
• MEN, PROTESTANTS, WEALTHY PEOPLE, AND UNMARRIED
  PEOPLE HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER SUICIDE RATES
• PROTESTANTISM AND INDIVDUALISM
• MORE ECONOMIC AND PERSONAL FREEDOM LEADS TO
  HIGHER SUICIDE RATES (STRESS AND LESS TIME)
• LESS LIKELY TO COMMIT
• WOMEN, CATHOLICS AND JEWS, THE POOR, AND MARRIED
  PEOPLE HAVE LOWER RATES OF SUICIDE
• BEING CATHOLIC AND GROUP-ORIENTATION
• ONE OF THE BASIC FINDINGS WHY?
• THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THESE GROUPS HAD TO DO
  WITH SOCIAL INTEGRATION
• THOSE WITH STRONG SOCIAL TIES HAD LESS OF A
  CHANCE OF COMMITING SUICIDE

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SUICIDE RATES IN THE U.S.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT SUICIDE BY VIEWING
THIS MAP?
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GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

• IS THE STUDY OF THE LARGER WORLD AND OUR PLACE IN
  IT
• OUR PLACE IN SOCIETY DRAMATICALLY AFFECTS OUR
  LIVES
• SOCIOLOGY OFFERS STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO
  UNDERSTAND THE GLOBAL VILLAGE
• ALL SOCIETIES ARE INCREASINGLY CONNECTED THROUGH
  TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMICS
• INTERDEPENDENCY OF NATIONS
• EX ECONOMIC CRISIS (GREAT DEPRESSION)
• MANY SOCIAL PROBLEMS FACED BY AMERICANS ARE MORE
  SERIOUS ELSEWHERE
• MORE AWARENESS (Feeding the world when the U.S.
  still deals with poverty)
• EX SOCIAL STANDINGS OF WOMEN WORSE IN OTHER
  COUNTRIES
• UNDERSTANDING GLOBAL ISSUES AND THE WORLD AROUND
  AMERICA ALLOWS STUDENTS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND
  THEMSELVES
• EX IN INDIA THE LACK OF BASIC MATERIAL COMFORTS
  NOT IMPORTANT (LOVE OF FAMILY) VS. AMERICAS
  PERSPECTIVE ON WEALTH AND FAMILY
• ARE MATERIAL COMFORTS THE BEST WAY TO GAGE HUMAN
  WELL-BEING?

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WHAT DETERMINES THE LIFESTYLE YOU WILL LIVE?
SELF DETERMINATION OR SOCIAL POSITION OF COUNTRY

• THE POSITION OF OUR SOCIETY IN THE LARGER WORLD
  SYSTEM AFFECTS EVERYONE IN THE US
• HIGH-INCOME VS. MIDDLE-INCOME VS. LOW INCOME
• IN THE US, ON AVERAGE, INDIVIDUALS LIVE WELL NOT
  BECAUSE THEY ARE SMARTER OR HARDER WORKING
• COULD IT BE BASED ON THE GOOD FORTUNE OF BEING
  BORN IN AN AFFLUENT PART OF THE WORLD?

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
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SOCIAL MARGINALITY

• AN OUTSIDERNOT PART OF THE DOMINANT GROUPMAKES
  PEOPLE MORE AWARE OF THEIR ENVIRONMENT
• PEOPLE OF THE DOMINANT RACE THINK OF RACE
  OCCASIONALLY
• BELIEVE IT ONLY AFFECTS PEOPLE OF COLOR
• DEVELOPING A SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE MEANS WE
  MUST FORGET OLD WAYS OF LOOKING AT THE WORLD
• WHEN DID YOU BECOME AWARE OF YOUR ENVIRONMENT?

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SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION

• C. WRIGHT MILLS (1959) SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION
• SOCIETY IS OFTEN RESPONSIBLE FOR MANY OF OUR
  PROBLEMS
• CONNECTION B/T INDIVIDUAL LIVES AND THE WORLD
• WE NEED TO LEARN TO SEPARATE THINGS THAT HAVE TO
  DO WITH
• PERSONAL TROUBLES, OR BIOGRAPHY
• SOCIAL ISSUES, OR HISTORY
• EXAMPLES
• GREAT DEPRESSION OF THE 1930s
• UNEMPLOYMENT AT 25
• 9/11/2001
• WERE THE JOBLESS LAZY OR WAS THE PROBLEM OUT OF
  THEIR HANDS?

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STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THE CONNECTION
BETWEEN BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY!
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BENEFITS OF THE SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

• THE SP PROMPTS US TO ASSESS BOTH THE
  OPPORTUNITIES AND THE CONSTRAINTS THAT
  CHARACTERIZE OUR LIVES
• IN THE GAME OF LIFE WE MAY DECIDE HOW TO PLAY OUR
  CARDS, BUT IT IS SOCIETY THAT DEALS US THE HAND
• WHAT ARE WE LIKELY AND UNLIKELY TO ACCOMLISH AND
  HOW?

• THE SP HELPS US RECOGNIZE HUMAN VARIETY AND
  CONFRONT THE CHALLENGES OF LIVING IN A DIVERSE
  WORLD
• WE TEND TO THINK OUR WAY OF LIFE IS RIGHT,
  NATURAL, AND BETTER
• SP HELPS US THINK CRITICALLY ABOUT STRENGTHS AND
  WEAKNESSES OF ALL WAYS OF LIFE

• THE SP EMPOWERS US TO PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY IN OUR
  SOCIETY
• IF WE DONT UNDERSTAND HOW SOCIETY OPERATES, WE
  ARE LIKELY TO ACCEPT THE STATUS QUO
• KNOWLEDGE GIVES US THE POWER TO CHANGE SOCIETY

• THE SP HELPS US ASSESS THE TRUTH OF COMMONLY HELD
  ASSUMPTIONS
• QUICK TO PRAISE SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE AS SUPERIOR
• ARE WE PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR SUCCESS?
• EX STAR B-BALL PLAYER

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WHY WAS THE SP CREATED AND NEEDED?WHAT CHANGES
WERE OCCURRING IN SOCIETY?SOCIAL REVOLUTIONS
CAUSED SOCIAL CHANGES
SOCIAL CHANGE SOCIOLOGY

• NEW INDUSTRIAL ECONOMY
• NO-LONGER WORKED AT HOME BUT IN FACTORIES
• FAMILIES SEPARATED AND TRADITIONS WEAKENED
• GROWTH OF CITIES
• FACTORY TOWNS REPLACED VILLAGES AND TOWNS BECAME
  CROWDED
• POVERTY, DISEASE, CRIME, AND HOMELESSNESS
• POLITICAL CHANGE
• 1600 PEOPLE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT INDIVIDUAL
  LIBERTY AND INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS, NOT THE KING OR
  GODS WILL
• NOT WORRIED ABOUT BEING LOYAL TO A KING
• JOHN LOCKES (1632-1704) THOUGHTS ARE IN THE
  DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE (POLITICAL CHANGE)
• LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
• HOW WILL SOCIETY FUNCTION WITH THIS NEW FOUND
  FREEDOM
• Removing Religion from society (all public
  institutions)

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THE DISCIPLINES ORIGINS

• THEOLOGICAL STAGE
• SOCIETY WAS AN EXPRESSION OF GODS WILL
• THOUGHT WAS GUIDED BY RELIGION
• METAPHYSICAL STAGE
• SOCIETY DID NOT REFLECT THE PERFECTION OF GOD
• SOCIETY REFLECTED THE FAILINGS OF SELFISH HUMAN
  NATURE
• THE SCIENTIFIC STAGE
• APPLYING THE SCIENTIFIC APPROACHFIRST USED TO
  STUDY THE PHYSICAL WORLDTO STUDY SOCIETY
• SOCIETY OPERATES ACCORDING TO CERTAIN LAWS JUST
  LIKE THE PHYSICAL WORLD (GRAVITY)
• BEHAVIOR CAN NEVER BE FULLY EXPLAINED BY ANY
  RIGID LAWS OF SOCIETY
• HUMAN BEHAVIOR IS TOO COMPLEX

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PERSONALITIES

• AUGUSTE COMTE (1798-1857)
• POSITIVISM LAW OF THREE STAGES THE TWIN
  PILLARS
• KARL MARX (1818-1883)
• CLASS CONFLICT/STRUGGLE
• HERBERT SPENCER (1820-1903)
• SOCIAL DARWINISM
• EMILE DURKHEIM (1858-1917)
• GROUP FORCES SOCIAL SOLIDARITY
• W.E.B. DU BOIS (1868-1963)
• PLIGHT OF AFRICAN AMERICANS

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WOMEN IN SOCIOLOGY

• HARRIET MARTINEAU (1802-1876)
• TRANSLATED THE WORKS OF AUGUSTE COMTE
• FOCUSED ON ISSUES SURROUNDING
• WOMENS RIGHTS
• SLAVERY
• THE WORKPLACE AND FACTORY LAWS
• JANE ADDAMS (1860-1933)
• SOCIAL WORKER
• DEVELOPED PLAN TO HELP IMMIGRANTS NEW TO CITY
  LIFE IN AMERICA
• HULL HOUSE IN CHICAGO
• NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER, 1931

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SOCIAL PARADIGMS

• THEORY A STATEMENT OF HOW AND WHY FACTS ARE
  RELATED
• THEORETICAL PARADIGM A SET OF FUNDAMENTAL
  ASSUMPTIONS THAT GUIDES THINKING (BASIC IMAGE OF
  SOCIETY)
• How to connect facts to form theories
• The paradigm is the broadest unit of consensus
  within a science and serves to differentiate one
  scientific community from another.

DOWN WITH PEOPLE
PEOPLE HOLD DIFFERING OPINIONS ABOUT THEIR SOCIAL
WORLD WE ALL COME FROM DIFFERENT
SOCIAL EXPERIENCES AND THEY BIAS OUR ASSUMPTIONS
UP WITH PEOPLE
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STRUCTURAL -FUNCTIONALISM

• Society is a complex system of parts which
  promote stability.
• Auguste Comte
• How do the parts work together to promote the
  functioning of society?
• How would legalizing marijuana impact society?

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STRUCTURAL -FUNCTIONALISM

• THE BASICS
• A MACRO-ORIENTED (LARGE-SCALE) PARADIGM
• VIEWS SOCIETY AS A COMPLEX SYSTEM WITH MANY
  INTERDEPENDENT PARTS
• THE PARTS WORK TOGETHER TO PROMOTE SOCIAL
  STABILITY AND ORDER
• MAJOR CHANGES TO THE SYSTEMS PARTS IS NOT
  REQUIRED OR DESIRED SYSTEM SEEKS TO MAINTAIN ITS
  EQUILIBRIUM
• KEY ELEMENTS
• SOCIAL STRUCTURE
• REFERS TO RELATIVELY STABLE PATTERNS OF SOCIAL
  BEHAVIOR FOUND IN SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS WHICH
  GUIDES OUR LIVES
• SOCIAL FUNCTION
• REFERS TO THE CONSEQUENCES OF SOCIAL PATTERNS FOR
  SOCIETY
• ALL SOCIAL STRUCTUREFROM FAMILY LIFE, RELIGION,
  TO A SIMPLE HANDSHAKEFUNCTIONS TO KEEP SOCIETY
  OPERATING
• HERBERT SPENCER (1820-1903) FAMILY, EDUCATION,
  AND ECONOMY ARE INTERDEPENDENT, WORKING TOGETHER
  TO PRESERVE SOCIETY
• ORGANIZE SOCIOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS BY IDENTIFYING
  VARIOUS STRUCTURES OF SOCIETY AND INVESTIGATING
  THEIR FUNCTIONS

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ROBERT MERTON

• MANIFEST FUNCTIONS (positive)
• RECOGNIZED AND INTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF ANY
  SOCIAL PATTERNS
• COLLEGE PROVIDES SKILLS AND INFO NEEDED TO
  PERFORM JOBS
• LATENT FUNCTIONS (positive)
• CONSEQUENCES THAT ARE LARGELY UNRECOGNIZED AND
  UNINTENDED
• COLLEGES BRING PEOPLE OF SIMILAR SOCIAL
  BACKGROUNDS TO ENCOURAGE MARRIAGE
• SOCIAL DYSFUNCTION (negative)
• A SOCIAL PATTERNS UNDESIRABLE CONSEQUENCES FOR
  THE OPERATION OF SOCIETY
• POLITICAL CONSERVATIVES CRITICIZE COLLEGES FOR
  PROMOTING LIBERAL THINKING THAT THREATENS
  TRADITION VALUES
• POLITICAL LIBERALS VIEW COLLEGE AS A WAY FOR THE
  WEALTHY TO INCREASE THEIR WEALTH
  (DISPROPORTIONATE ATTEND COLLEGE)
• PROBLEM WITH THEORY
• SOCIAL PATTERNS VARY AND CHANGE, IGNORES
  INEQUALITIES THAT CAUSE TENSION AND CONFLICT, TOO
  CONSERVATIVE
• FOCUS ON WHAT MAKES SOCIETY WORK

EXPAND STRUCTURAL-FUNCTIONAL PARADIGM
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VS.

• Society characterized by inequality and conflict.
  
• The history of all hitherto existing society is
  the history of class struggle.
• Karl Marx Friedrich Engels Manifesto of the
  Communist Party
• What are the social inequalities? Where does
  conflict exist? Who wins, who loses and why?
• How do cars promote inequality in society?

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• THE BASICS
• A MACRO-ORIENTED PARADIGM
• VIEWS SOCIETY AS A STRUCTURED SYSTEM BASED ON
  INEQUALITY THAT GENERATES CONFLICT AND CHANGE
• SOCIAL CONFLICT BETWEEN GROUPS OVER SCARCE
  RESOURCES IS THE NORM (MONEY, POWER, PRESTIGE,
  EDUCATION)
• KEY ELEMENTS
• SOCIETY IS STRUCTURED IN WAYS TO BENEFIT A FEW AT
  THE EXPENSE OF THE MAJORITY
• FACTORS SUCH AS RACE, SEX, CLASS, AND AGE ARE
  LINKED TO SOCIAL INEQUALITY
• DOMINANT GROUP VS. MINORITY GROUP RELATIONS
  (BLACKS-WHITES, RICH-POOR)
• INCOMPATIBLE INTERESTS AND MAJOR DIFFERENCES
• FOCUS ON THE SRUGGLE FOR POWER WEALTH

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THE CONFLICT PARADIGM
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CONFLICT VS. STRUCTURAL PARADIGM
VIEWING THE EDUCATION SYSTEM

• STRUCTURAL-FUNCTIONAL
• TRACKING BENEFITS SOCIETY BECAUSE STUDENTS
  RECEIVE TRAINING THAT IS APPROPRIATE TO THEIR
  ACADEMIC ABILITIES
• SOCIAL-CONFLICT
• TRACKING OFTEN HAS LESS TO DO WITH TALENT THAN
  WITH A STUDENTS SOCIAL BACKGROUND
• WELL-TO-DO KIDS PLACED ON HIGHER TRACKS
• POOR KIDS END UP IN LOWER TRACKS
• SOCIAL STANDING OF ONE GENERATION IS PASSED TO
  ANOTHER
• POOR CHILDREN NOT PREPARED FOR COLLEGE SO FAIL
  (LOWER PAYING JOBS)
• WELL-TO-DO PREPARED FOR COLLEGE SO SUCCEED
  (HIGHER PAYING JOBS)
• PROBLEM WITH CONFLICT THEORY
• IGNORES HOW SHARED VALUES AND INTERDEPENDENCE CAN
  GENERATE UNITY
• PURSUES POLITICAL GOALS NOT SCIENCE

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SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM

• Society is a product of everyday interactions.
• Max Weber
• How is society experienced?
• How do human beings interact to create, sustain,
  and change social patterns?
• The meanings we assign symbols is a product of
  social interaction.
• Human beings act toward things on the basis of
  the meaning they assign them.
• Man is an active creator of his own social
  reality. What does this car symbolize? How does
  it effect social interaction?

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SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM
SYMBOLIC INTERACTION IS A MICRO-ORIENTED
PARADIGM, WHICHMEANS IT IS EFFECTIVELY USED WHEN
ATTEMPTING TO UNDERSTAND SMALLER-SCALE SOCIAL
PHENOMENA

• THE BASICS
• THE VIEW THAT SOCIETY IS THE PRODUCT OF EVERYDAY
  INTERACTIONS
• WE ARE CREATURES WHO LIVE IN A WORLD OF SYMBOLS,
  ATTACHING MEANING TO EVERYTHING
• REALITY IS BASED ON HOW WE DEFINE OUR
  SURROUNDINGS, OBLIGATIONS, OUR IDENTITIES
• EXAMPLE DEFINE HOMELESS MAN AS A BUM VS. HUMAN
  IN NEED
• EXAMPLE POLICE CREATE A SENSE OF SECURITY VS.
  ANXIETY AND/OR OPPRESSION
• PRINCIPLES
• SOCIETY IS A COMPLEX EVER-CHANGING MOSAIC OF
  UNDERSTANDING THAT EMERGES FROM THE VERY PROCESS
  OF INTERACTING
• UNDERSTAND THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF REALITY
• SYMBOLS MEANING CREATED BY THOSE WHO SEE/USE IT