sociology final assignment

What is a Theory

A Theory is an EXPLANATION of a phenomenon based of VALUES, BELIEFS, and INFORMATION at given HISTORICAL LOCATION.

You can see that I bolded some important parts of that definition.

At its' very base a theory EXPLAINS something. In chemistry - theory might explain the interaction of two agents. In Sociology, theories explain social behaviors and trends.

All theories however are grounded in what INFORMATION is available as well as the VALUES and BELIEFS of the person or group who is trying to explain something. So when we believed the earth was flat, that is all the information we had to go on. Often religious dogma has driven our explanation of something.

A different TIMES and PLACES, we have different information and our values and beliefs change. That is why explanations may change as well.

There is an old film titled "The Gods Must Be Crazy". When a coca-cola bottle is thrown out of a low flying prop plane and lands in an isolated tribal community who knows nothing about aeronautics - they explain it as a message from the Gods.

In Sociology we have three main theoretical paradigms (groups of theories - or theoretical perspectives)

1) Structural Functionalist - this macro level perspective always asks - WHAT IS THE PURPOSE?

2) Symbolic Interactionist - this micro level perspective always asks- HOW ARE PEOPLE EXPERIENCING/INTERACTING/NEGOTIATING?

3) Social Conflict - this macro level perspective always asks - WHERE IS THERE INEQUALITY?

Research Perspectives vs Methods

It is important to differentiate between a research PERSPECTIVE and a research METHOD.

A perspective is the framework of how you address your research question and what your goals are.

A method is the actual nuts & bolts of how you do the research. How you collect the data.

There are three research perspectives that line up with the three theoretical paradigms:

1) POSITIVIST research maintains a neutral perspective and collects data through objective observations. These are Structural Functionalists who see society as an orderly system and want to objectively study it like a hard scientist in a lab. They are concerned with DATA

2) INTERPRETIVE research looks for deeper understandings of society by jumping in observing while participating in society. These Symbolic Interactionists want to discover peoples subjective understanding of their work. They are concerned with the STORY.

3) CRITICAL research looks for inequality and inequity in the social world and are guided by politics. These Social Conflict researchers are looking to provide evidence to bring about social change. They are concerned with their AGENDA.

Any of these perspectives may use any methods to get their research done.

There are 4 main sociological research methods:

1) Experiment - the researcher investigates cause and effect under highly controlled conditions

2) Surveys - subjects respond to a series of questions or statements

3) Participant Observation - the researcher systematically observes people while joining in their activities

4) Existing Sources/Secondary Analyses - the researcher uses data/information already available to test their hypotheses.

Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/introduction-sociology-2e/pages/1-introduction-to-sociology

What is Culture?

Culture refers to the beliefs, values, behavior and material objects that, together, form a peoples' way of life.

There are five components to Culture:

1) Symbols - anything that carries meaning and is recognized by people who share a culture

2) Language - a system of symbols that allows for communication. This is the key to cultural transmission

3) Values - culturally defined standards by which people judge desirability, goodness and beauty, and which serve as broad guidelines for social living. Values are broad principles which underlie beliefs

4) Beliefs - specific statements which people hold to be true

5) Norms - rules and expectations by which a society guides the behavior of its members

What is Culture?

Culture refers to the beliefs, values, behavior and material objects that, together, form a peoples' way of life.

There are five components to Culture:

1) Symbols - anything that carries meaning and is recognized by people who share a culture

2) Language - a system of symbols that allows for communication. This is the key to cultural transmission

4) Beliefs - specific statements which people hold to be true

5) Norms - rules and expectations by which a society guides the behavior of its members

Primary vs Secondary Groups

A social group is when two or more people who INTERACT and IDENTIFY with each other.

There are 2 types of social groups:

1) Primary - these are groups like family and friends who share intimacy, have face-to-face knowledge, tend to be small in size (under 10) and the members have emotional reasons for membership

2) Secondary - these are larger groups that are more impersonal and members do not necessarily recognize each other. Members have an instrumental reason for membership. Examples are work and school.

What is Stratification?

Stratification is a system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy

There are 4 principles of stratification:

1) Social Stratification is a trait of society, not simply a reflection of individual differences (people are not at the top because they are harder workers)

2) Social Stratification persists over generations (through things like inheritance)

3) Social Stratification is universal but variable (every society has some type of power hierarchy but it might be based on different categories from another)

4) Social Stratification involves not just inequality but beliefs (these systems persist because of widespread ideology that supports the inequality)