Early Theorists

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Early Theorists

• The early sociologists were primarily
  philosophers.
• This somewhat abstract origin impacted the way
  sociology was viewed
• For more information on the theorists go to
• http//www2.fmg.uva.nl/sociosite/topics/sociologis
  ts.html

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AUGUSTE COMTE

• FOCUSED ON THE USE OF SOCIAL STATICS AND SOCIAL
  DYNAMICS
• CONSIDERED THE FATHER OF SOCIOLOGY

• COINED THE TERM SOCIOLOGY
• USE OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
• CALLED POSITIVISM BY COMTE
• OBJECTIVITY VS. SUBJECTIVITY

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KARL MARX

• WRITINGS THE BASIS FOR CONFLICT THEORY
• FOCUSED ON ECONOMICS
• ECONOMICS DETERMED ALL ASPECTS OF THE
  CULTURAL/SOCIAL STRUCTURES.

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Marx

• BELIEVED THAT THERE WERE ONLY TWO GROUPS
• HE REFERRED TO THESE GROUPS AS THE CAPITALISTS
  AND THE PROLETARIAT

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CAPITALISTS

• Marx used this in reference to the owners who
  controlled the means of production
• Means of Production refers to the lands,
  monies, equipment, etc.

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PROLETARIAT

• CLASS OF LABORERS
• LITTLE OR NO ACCESS TO THE MEANS OF PRODUCTION

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EMILE DURKHEIM

• FIRST TO ACTUALLY CARRY OUT THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
• USED VIGOROUS AND OBJECTIVE INVESTAGATION
  TECHNIQUES

• STATISTICAL ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
• FOCUSED ON SOCIAL INTEGRATION(the degree to which
  an individual was tied to their social group)

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SUICIDES

• AN INDIVIDUALS DEGREE OF SOCIAL INTEGRATION WAS
  SIGNIGICANT IN DETERMINING THE RATE AND OCCURANCE
  OF SUI CIDES

• THOSE WITH LITTLE TIES AND THOSE WITH STRONG
  TIES, MORE LIKELY TO COMMIT SUICIDE

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ALTRUISTIC

• THE NORMS OF GROUP ADVOCATE SUICIDE.
• SUTTEEWIDOW BURNING
• NATIVE AMERICANS/ESKIMOS
• KAMIKAZE PILOTS(WWII JAPANESE PILOTS)
• http//www.relst.uiuc.edu/durkheim/Summaries/sui
  cide.html

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EGOISTIC

• EGOISTIC-FAILURE TO IDENTITY WITH THE SOCIAL
  INSTITUTIONS OF SOCIETY. ACCEPTS BLAME AND GUILT
  FOR ACT/BEHAVIOR

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ANOMIE

• OF NORMLESSNESS, WHICH RESULTS IN SUICIDAL
  IDEATION OR BEHAVIOR
• FOUND THAT PROTESTANTS HAD HIGHER

• RATE OF SUICIDE IN COMPARISON TO CATHOLICS
• SINGLES, DIVORCEES, MEN HAD HIGHER RATES
• STILL USED TODAY

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ANOMIE

• AN NO LONGER SHARE IN THE NORMS OF SOCIETY
• DUE TO A RAPID CHANGE IN SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT
• EXPERIENCE A SENSE OF NORMLESSNESS

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SUMMARY

• DURKHEIM IS A FUNCTIONALIST
• EXAMINED ISSUES AT THE MACROLEVEL
• QUANTITATIVE MODE OF RESEARCH

• HIS STUDY OF SUICIDE ASSISTED IN THE RESHAPING OF
  SOCIOLOGICL INQUIRY

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MAX WEBER(VAYBER)

• GERMAN SOCIOLOGIST
• USUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE THEORETICAL
  FRAMEWORK OF INTERACTIONISM

• STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF OBJECTIVE
  INVESTIGATION

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VERSTEHEN

• OBJECTIVELY EXAMINING SUBJECTS DEVELOPING A
  SYMPATHETIC UNDERSTANDING OF ONES SUBJECT

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VERSTEHEN CONTD

• TRY TO DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHY THEY ACT
  OR BEHAVE IN A CERTAIN MANNER
• ALTHOUGH HE STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF GAINING AN
  INTERPRETATIVE UNDERSTANDING OF ONES SUBJECT,
  OBJECTIVITY IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL.

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ROBERT MERTONFUNCTIONALIST

• THREE BASIC FUNCTIONS-MANIFEST/LATENT/LATENT
  DYSFUNCTIONS
• ALL THINGS HAVE INTENDED AND UNINTENDED
  CONSEQUENCES

• MACROLEVEL ANALYSIS