SOC 100_Week 1 PowerPoint Lecture

SOC 100Introduction to Sociology

Instructor: Jan Chaparro, MSWWeek 1

7/5/16

DISCOVER SOCIOLOGY

What is Sociology?

Discover SociologyWeek 1 Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this week’s lesson, you will be able to:• Define the basic concepts used in the discipline

of sociology.• Explain the major theoretical paradigms of

sociology.

A Curious MindSociological Imagination

Sociologist C. Wright Mills suggested that uncovering the relationship between what he called personal troubles and public issues calls for a sociological imagination - the ability to grasp the relationship between individual lives and the larger social forces that shape them. Especially the ability to differentiate between an individual's personal failings and the social factors that contribute to not only that individual, but large numbers of individuals - including large groups of people based on age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, etc.

Structure Agency

A Curious MindSociological Imagination

Structure: patterned social arrangements that have an effect on agency and that may enable or constrain social action.

Structure Agency

Agency: the ability of individuals and groups to exercise free will and to make social change on a small or large scale.

Sociologists take a strong interest in the relationship between structure and agency. For the most part, sociologists understand the relationship as reciprocal; that is, it goes in both directions, as structure affects agency and agency, in turn, can change the dimensions of a structure.

A Curious MindCritical Thinking

In everyday life, we frequently accept things as “true” because they are familiar, feel right, or are consistent with our beliefs; some may refer to this as common sense.

Critical thinking takes a different approach—recognizing poor arguments, rejecting statements not supported by evidence, and questioning our assumptions. All arguments are not equally valid. Those supported by logic and backed by evidence are clearly preferable to those that are not.

To think critically, it is useful to follow the six simple rules which have been adapted for use in our textbook.

A Curious MindCritical ThinkingSix Simple Rules

1. Be willing to ask any question, no matter how difficult.2. Think logically and be clear. 3. Back up your arguments with evidence.4. Think about the assumptions and biases—including your own—

that underlie all studies. 5. Avoid anecdotal evidence.6. Be willing to admit when you are wrong or uncertain about your

results.

Critical Thinking Learning Activity

1 Back up

your arguments

with evidence

2

3

4

5

6

Think about the

assumptions and biases -

including your

own - that underlie all

studies.

Be willing to ask any

question, no matter how

difficult.

Think logically and be clear.

Avoid anecdotal evidence.

Be willing to admit

when you are wrong

or uncertain

about your

results.

Each student is to choose 2 of the "gift boxes" below that will assign you 2 of the rules of critical thinking.

Each student will develop a 4-slide PPT on their rules, to include what they mean and how they can be demonstrated. This activity will determine 1/3 of your discussion/participation points.

A Curious Mind Critical Thinking

Critical thinking means becoming a “critical consumer” of the information that surrounds us. It is important to look beyond the commonsense understanding of social life and develop a critical perspective. Being a critical consumer of information also means paying attention to the sources of information we encounter and asking questions about how data was gathered.

The Development of Sociological Thinking

The Birth of SociologySociology’s roots can be traced to four interrelated historical developments that gave birth to the modern world:

•Science: The Scientific Revolution•Progress: The Enlightenment•Industrialization: The Industrial Revolution•Urbanization: The Population Shift Toward Cities

19th-Century FoundersAuguste Comte (1798–1857): A French social thinker referred to as the father of sociology. He coined the term sociology to characterize what he believed would be a new “social physics” or the scientific study of society. He argued that all sciences and societies go through three stages:

•Theological •Metaphysical•Scientific Reasoning

Sociological Theory• A theory is a statement of how and why

specific facts are related. Sociological theory is a logical, rigorous framework for the interpretation of social life that makes particular assumptions and ask particular questions about the social world.

• Theories that address very broad social patterns and social structures that affect society as a whole are said to have a macro-level orientation.

• Theories that are more focused on social interaction in specific situations are said to have a micro-level orientation.

Macro-level

Micro-level

One Way of Looking at the World Or Many?Macro-level Orientation

– Structural Functional Paradigm• Lives guided by social structures• Social structures have specific functions• Norms are essential to keep society in line and to be able

to identify deviance – Emile Durkheim– Robert Merton

» Manifest functions» Latent functions» Social dysfunctions

– Social Conflict Paradigm• Social life is an arena of inequality• Struggle over access to scarce cultural resources

– Karl Marx

One Way of Looking at the

World Or Many?Macro-level Orientation

– Social Conflict ParadigmThe Gender Conflict Approach

– Harriet Martineau– Jane Addams– Ida B. Wells-Barnett

The Race-Conflict Approach– Ida B. Wells Barnett– W.E.B. Du Bois

Sociological TheoryMicro-level Orientation

– Symbolic Interaction Paradigm• Society as the product of interaction between individuals• Use of symbols to get a sense of self in relation to others.• Important theorists:

– George Herbert Mead ( 1863-1931)– Erving Goffman (1922-1982)– Max Weber

Week One OverviewDiscover Sociology

This week’s PowerPoint looks at the following:• Sociology is an academic discipline that takes a scientific approach to

answering the kinds of questions our curious minds propose. • Sociology is the scientific study of human social relationships, groups,

and societies. • The Sociological Imagination is the ability to grasp the relationship

between individual lives and the larger social forces that shape them. This includes the two concepts – agency and structure.

• Critical thinking is the ability to evaluate claims about truth by using reason and evidence.

• To think critically, it is useful to follow six simple rules; as outlined in our text.

Week One Overview(continued)

• Critical thinking means becoming a “critical consumer” of the information that surrounds us. Meaning it is important to look beyond the commonsense understanding of social life and develop a critical perspective.

• Sociology’s roots can be traced to four historical developments that gave birth to the modern world: the scientific revolution, the Enlightenment, industrialization, and urbanization.

• We learned the names and contributions of Sociology’s 19th-century founders, as well as some early and mid 20th-Century U.S. sociological theorists.

• Women and people of non-European heritage were systematically excluded from influential positions where sociology and the other modern social sciences originated. In spite of these exclusions, some prominent female and minority theorists emerged.

• Sociologists often look at the same events, phenomena, or institutions and draw different conclusions. A reason for this is that they may approach their analysis from different theoretical perspectives such as the major three of the discipline:− Social Function Paradigm− Social Conflict Paradigm− Symbolic Interaction Paradigm

• The following themes will be key components in the text and course in the weeks to follow: Power and Inequality, Globalization and Diversity, Technology and Digital Society

Week One Overview(continued)

Although the lecture slideshow attempts to cover most of the

topics for the week, it is always best for students to read the

assigned chapter for the week. This will be useful for

completing the quiz scheduled for most weeks of the course.

Professor Chaparro

Instructor Note:

Week Two Preview• Chapter 2: Discover Sociological Research• Chapter 3: Culture

Assignments Due

Next Week

• Quiz 1• Critical Thinking Exercise• Sociological Paradigm Exercise

This Week

• Quiz 2 – Chapters 2 & 3• Scientific Method Exercise• Culture Exercise

All assignments are due by dates and times found in the course addendum.