Theoretical Perspectives of Sociology

1
Theoretical Perspectives of Sociology
2
How we Influence Others

• SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION - An awareness of the
  relationship between an individual and the wider
  society

3
Peoples thoughts, feelings, and actions are
strongly influenced by the social interaction of
the groups to which they belong-Sociologists
concentrate on the ways that people relate to
each other and influence one anothers behaviors
4

• View ones own society as an outsider would

5
Handout The Role of Influence in Our Lives
6
Macrosociology

• Study large scale phenomena or entire
  civilizations
• Example prison systems, violence, marriage

7
Microsociology

• Study small groups
• Example types of families (single parent vs.
  traditional), status on a sports team, teachers
  expectations their effect on student performance

8
3 Theoretical Perspectives

• FUNCTIONALIST each group serves a function to
  maintain societys stability
• If it doesnt contribute to stability, then it
  doesnt get passed down to next generation

9

• Functionalists dont make judgments of whether a
  behavior is acceptable or unacceptable
• Hope to explain how an aspect of society that is
  so frequently attacked (like prostitution) can
  manage to survive

10

• Each social group/institution serves 2 functions
• Manifest functions overt, open, stated,
  conscious
• Latent functions covert, hidden, unintended,
  unconscious

11
Handout Manifest and Latent Functions
12
Dysfunction element or process of society that
disrupts a social system or leads to a decrease
in stability It is not always negative
13

• CONFLICT the view that our social world is
  characterized by continual struggle between
  competing groups
• Believes social behavior is best understood in
  terms of conflict or tension between competing
  groups

14

• Conflict is not necessarily violent
• Conflict theorists cant accept functionalist
  theory because that says the status quo is fine

15

• INTERACTIONIST generalizes about everyday forms
  of social interaction in order to understand
  society as a whole focus on microsociology (like
  people on juries or in their jobs)

16

• See symbols as an important part of human
  communication, usually non-verbal (facial
  expressions, posture, gestures)
• Cultures use different gestures as symbols

17

• Different ways societies portray suicide without
  using words
• U.S. finger at your head (shooting)
• Japan fist against stomach (stabbing)
• New Guinea hand around throat (hanging)

18
Lets look at our high school from the three
perspectives, as sociologists would