Sociology Notes

Notes Key

Definitions

Important people

Critical Analysis

Sociology: studies human society and social behavior

9/16/2014

The sociological perspective is a way that one can look beyond commonly held beliefs to the hidden meanings behind human actions. The sociological perspective helps with the realization that all people are social beings, tells that behavior is influenced by social factors, helps broaden one’s view of the world, and tells that there are many different perceptions of social reality. The sociological perspective is very important when trying to view a situation objectively, since, as students of sociology, it is absolutely necessary for us to bypass our biases and try and look at a situation as factually as possible. One example of this would be, as a world, overcoming certain racial stereotypes. Whether or not we like it, racism is still pervasive in our society, and is often embedded in our sense of values. We, as human beings, tend to see certain groups as bad and other groups as good, and we should find a way to ignore these nagging stereotypes.

Why study Sociology? Sociological perspective: reasoning behind human actions (Uncle Karl)

Helps us recognize the balance between personal desires and social environment. How we give and take to accommodate society (Dress Codes).

Sociological imagination: the ability to see the connection between the larger world and your personal life. Seeing the connection between your life and aspects of society that are unfamiliar to us.

Larger scale: drunk driving. Personal effect: drunk drivers endanger my life and the lives of pedestrians and

The Sociological Imagination

Big Picture Issue Personal ProblemAfter the September 11th Terror Attacks, and the subsequent War on Terror Campaign, funding for education was significantly reduced, and said money was diverted to defense spending.

Our education system has taken a hit because of this lack of funding, and we have consequently dropped to 42nd in education in the world

Increased surveillance of citizens by large institutions such as the government, big colleges, and employment offices for big companies has grown in recent years

Citizens have to watch what the put “on the line” and in public so that they can maintain their image and remain safe.

The recession hit hard in 2008, resulting in a lack of funds for public, state funded universities. This funding came from the NIH, but the funds were limited for undergraduate research and new laboratories.

Universities such as Rutgers, which is my state university, may or may not be getting said funding, which can either result in me making different collegiate choices or me having a poorer science experience in college.

10/2/2014

Bell Work: Values determine the material and nonmaterial culture societies create by influencing people’s beliefs and giving them a standard to live by. These standards are essentially a moral code that most members abide by (with a few exceptions of course). For example, Americans tend to place a large emphasis on the value of dressing well, which influences the material culture of America because we focus on the way we dress and often judge a person based on the way we dress. On the other hand, Americans also place a high importance on the truth, which influences our non-material culture.

Virginia Family Hillbillies New Jersey Modern Family

Symbols - Log Cabin- Oil Lamps

- Big House- Electricity- Diamond ring

Values - Family, non-material values

- How you behave

- Material values- How you look

Technology - Flashlight and headlights are the highest amount of electricity

- Way too much technology and toys

Language - Kind and sweet to each other

- Rude to one another

Norms: shared rules of conduct like pledge of allegiance, paying your bills, etc.

One of the subcultures of this school is the Soccer Team. Symbol of

Culture trait: individual belief. Culture complex: bunch of culture traits. Culture patterns: bunch of culture complexes

Goal. Soccer. Sports of the world.

Cultural Commonalities: all societies have basic needs they must fulfill. Cultural universals: common features found in all societies. Cooking, dancing, family, housing, music, myths, etc. Nature of traits can vary among cultures.

Studying cultural variations: sociologists must be wary of their biases and prejudices affecting their observations and conclusions

Ethnocentrism: viewing one’s culture as superior to another. All societies are this way to some extent. Pro: builds unity. Cons: excludes new influences. Cultural relativism: belief that cultures should be judged by their own standards rather than by other cultures.

Variation within Societies: subculture is a group with its own unique values, norms, and behaviors that exist within a larger culture. Age, gender, ethnic etc. Youth subcultures: emo, hipster, punk

Counterculture: group that rejects the values and norms of the mainstream for their own cultural patterns. E.g. Hippies.