Chapter 1, Section 3Chapter 1, Section 3

Theoretical PerspectivesTheoretical Perspectives

Mr. YoungMr. Young

SociologySociology

Essential QuestionEssential Question

Should we view Should we view all three all three Theoretical Theoretical perspectives perspectives when talking when talking about Sociology about Sociology or pick one and or pick one and stick with it?stick with it?

Role of Theoretical PerspectivesRole of Theoretical Perspectives

PerspectivePerspective is the is the way you way you interpretinterpret the meaning of the meaning of an image or an image or eventevent

Theoretical Theoretical PerspectivePerspective- is a - is a set of set of assumptions assumptions accepted as trueaccepted as true

Perspective VideoPerspective Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scVelzyaAF0v=scVelzyaAF0

Understanding PerspectiveUnderstanding Perspective

What do you see?What do you see?

What is this?What is this?

1) Functionalism1) FunctionalismEmphasizes the Emphasizes the contributions contributions (functions) of each (functions) of each partpart of a societyof a society

See See partsparts of society as of society as an integrated an integrated wholewhole

Believe that societies Believe that societies tend to tend to returnreturn to a state to a state of of stabilitystability over time over time

They have a They have a consensusconsensus (agreement) on values(agreement) on values

A) Manifest FunctionA) Manifest FunctionIntendedIntended and and recognized recognized functions of societyfunctions of society

School is suppose School is suppose to teach you math, to teach you math, science, social science, social studies, etcstudies, etc

B) Latent FunctionsB) Latent FunctionsUnintendedUnintended and and UnrecognizedUnrecognized consequences in consequences in societysociety

School is a great School is a great place to develop place to develop friendships, friendships, leadership skills, leadership skills, etcetc

C) DysfunctionC) DysfunctionNegative Negative consequencesconsequences that that are in a societyare in a society

Government is Government is suppose to be good suppose to be good but can have but can have corruptioncorruption

2) Conflict Perspective2) Conflict PerspectiveEmphasizes the Emphasizes the roles of roles of conflictconflict, , competitioncompetition, and , and constraintconstraint within a within a societysociety

Focus on Focus on disagreementsdisagreements among various among various groups in a societygroups in a society

Conflict Perspective Cont.Conflict Perspective Cont.See living as a See living as a contestcontest, who gets , who gets the most the most PowerPower- - the ability to the ability to controlcontrol the the behavior of othersbehavior of others

What’s wrong with this Picture?What’s wrong with this Picture?

3) Symbolic Interaction3) Symbolic InteractionFocuses on the Focuses on the interactionsinteractions among among people based on people based on mutually mutually understood understood symbolssymbols

SymbolSymbol- something - something chosen to chosen to representrepresent something elsesomething else

Those who Those who createcreate and and useuse the symbols the symbols assign the assign the meaningmeaning

Different meanings for different Different meanings for different countriescountries

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/international/2013/02/06/tsr-dnt-international/2013/02/06/tsr-dnt-sayah-shoe-thrown-at-iran-leader.cnnsayah-shoe-thrown-at-iran-leader.cnn

Throwing shoes in Middle EastThrowing shoes in Middle East

Sym. Int. Cont.Sym. Int. Cont.Herbert BlumerHerbert Blumer coined the termcoined the term

DramaturgyDramaturgy- - approach that approach that depicts human depicts human interactioninteraction as as theatrical theatrical performancesperformances

Three Assumptions of perspectiveThree Assumptions of perspective

1.1. We learn the We learn the meaningmeaning of a symbol of a symbol from the from the wayway we see others we see others reactingreacting to it to it

2.2. We base our We base our behaviorbehavior (interaction) (interaction) on the on the meaningmeaning of symbols of symbols

3.3. We use the meanings of symbols to We use the meanings of symbols to imagine imagine how others will how others will respondrespond to to our behaviorour behavior

Essential QuestionEssential Question

Should we view Should we view all three all three Theoretical Theoretical perspectives perspectives when talking when talking about Sociology about Sociology or pick one and or pick one and stick with it?stick with it?