Prev

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Units of A

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Tim

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Soci

al S

cien

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Soci

olin

guist

ics

Theo

ry &

Met

hods

Race

& E

thni

city

Microsociology &

the SelfH

istorical SociologyC

rime &

Deviance

Sex & G

ender Social Institutions

Mar

riage

& K

insh

ip

Ecology &

Society

Mac

roso

ciol

ogy

Wor

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ms

The Pow

er of Words

Sociological theories are abstract principles about how social processes work.

Grand theory refers to sociological theories that are universal, meaning not particular to one place, one time, or one people (e.g., conflict leads to hierarchy formation, etc.).

Hypotheses are assumptions derived from theories for the purposes of comparing empirical cases to expected outcomes.

Theories and Hypotheses

Population

HierarchyFormation

Circumscription

ResourceScarcity

Intensification

EnvironmentalDegradation

Conflict

TechnologicalDevelopment

Emigration

Famine

Plague

Droughts

Bands/Tribes

Chiefdoms

Empires

World-economy

Primal

Archaic

Classical

Modern

Com

plex

ity

Time

Early States

Com

plex

ity

Time

Population

Intensification(rate of production,

distribution, andconsumption)

Hunting & gatheringHorticultural or

other advanced foraging

Agriculture

Irrigation, plow

Mathematics

Architecture

Bureaucracy

Domestication ofPlans and Animals

InstitutionalDifferentiation

TheisticReligions

Once we’ve identified what variables are important in our model, we create a theory that explains all the causal relationships that we expect to see among the variables.

Each causal relationship is a testable hypothesis. It is factual, in that it can be supported or refuted with empirical data.

Constructing a Theory

This variable this one.affects

IV1

DV

IV3

IV2

The Anatomy of a Theory

?Midterm

Grade

Attendance

HW

Sample Theory

Asking forDirections

Male

Familiaritywith Locale

SpatialConceptualization

Getting Lost & Asking for Directions

History ofGetting Lost

Expectations ofSelf-sufficiency

Quality of LifeAge

Marriage

Stability

Causality and Subjectivity

MarriedParents

?

?

?

SIAI:Feminism

? ?

Right to Abortion?

Women’sPolitical

Repr.

Info on Abortion?

AI: Feminism SI: FeminismSIAI:

Feminism

Right toAbortion?

Female

Left-wing AI: Feminism SI: FeminismSIAI:

Feminism

DiscriminatedMinority

Core

Religiosity

Education

IncomeKenyan

SocialMovement

Involvement

Feminism and Attitudes towards Abortion

WVS: CP Hierarchy & Attitudes towards Abortion

Pro-life Pro-choice0 1 2 3 4

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Periphery Semiperiphery Core

No Sometimes, it depends Yes, Under All Circumstances

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Periphery Semiperiphery Core

WSF 2007: CP Hierarchy & Attitudes towards Abortion

Al P

acin

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Cap

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Kid

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Cri

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Febr

uary

Pizz

a

Lat

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Max

Web

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Stro

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Opp

osed

Tur

kmen

ista

n

Tur

quoi

se

Typ

e IV

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

The Ecological Fallacy

What’s wrong with this picture?

2 (S e2 – ê)*½(x)

Qualitative

participant observation

unobtrusive observation

interviews

artifact analysis

Quantitative

internet data set searches

data entry from books, etc.

surveys

coding of narratives

experiments

Basic Sociological Methods

镇

4.2%

1 kg = 2.2 lbs

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

0 - 10 11 - 20 21 - 30 31 - 4041 - 50

51 - 6061 - 70

71 - 8081 - 90

91 - 100

118

179

92100

63

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4 10

Age Groups, World Social Forum (2007)

Assignments 5 & 8: Quantitative DataAssignment 5 requires the use of two variables plus “Name” which is always nominal.

You must choose ONE unit of analysis in the social universe, then gather the values of 30 cases representing your unit of analysis for your 3 variables.

See the back of Assignment 5 for sources of data. You can use any method you want (e.g., ask 30 people 3 questions, get 3 facts on 30 countries, get 3 prices for burgers at 30 dif’t “restaurants”, etc.) to build your dataset.

Subject’s last name Subject’s sex appeal

Subject’s wag factor Subject’s opinion of the 49ers

Subject’s # of employees Subject’s realtor license #

Subject’s opinion of MLK Subject’s criminal record

What subject did with last tax refund Subject’s mileage

Subject’s favorite sitcom Subject’s aversion to work

Subject’s war record Subject’s GNP

Can you have subjective or nominal variables in your dataset?

Internet data searches are usually a quick way to gather quantitative data. Be careful to document your citations to verify the authenticity of your data.

about.com is a good place to start, but use other search engines as well. Don’t be afraid to research things you’ve never researched before.

You can also use another methodology to gather data. Surveys are a popular method, but data entry from books, newspapers, etc. is also an option.

Suggestions for Data Gathering

Assignment 7: Reality Breaching Experiment

Not everyone can do every assignment on this sheet with the same ease; each one requires different personality attributes (e.g., role-playing styles that facilitate keeping a straight face during a humorous situation, approaching strangers in a public place, or altering your accent).

Choose one of the four assignments available on your homework sheet. Once you’ve done the assignment, write up a set of field notes according to the questions that the assignment asks.

Ethnomethodology (“the study of folk-methods”) is a microsociological paradigm that seeks to explain the methods used by various ethnos (folks) to construct, maintain, and reproduce social reality.

All the unspoken rules in any culture are a function of our expectations based on linking symbols (faces, letters, colors, numbers, animals, artifacts, etc.). As long as we obey them, reality will appear to flow smoothly to those around us.

Let’s see what happens when you violate some of the implicit rules in contemporary American society. Make sure you address EVERY question in the assignment you chose.

Reality Breaching

Extra Credit3 pages, 3 points, 3 weeks

Watch Kinsey and address the following questions in a typed essay.

Which methodologies did he use? What were his findings? How was his objectivity put to the test? How did he handle that? What is the importance of objectively understanding human sexuality outside the constraints of our own society?