THIS IS A REWRITE PLUS ADD CONTENT TO 5 PAGES, MLA, 1 SOURCE. THE BOOK: ESSENTIALS OF SOCIOLOGY

1- The author covers several of the main figures (persons) involved in the “origins of sociology”. You need to clearly identify two (2) of these figures and discuss their contributions to the development of sociology.

-Auguste Comte, He was the first thinker who realized the need for a distinct science of human society. He created sociology as a science of society or science of human behavior. The purpose of this new science, he said, would not only be to discover social principles but also to apply them to social reform. Comte developed a grandiose view: Sociologist would reform society, making it a better place to live.

-Herbert Spencer, stated “societies are evolving from a lower form to higher forms. As generation pass, a society most capable and intelligent survive, while the less capable die out”. Spencer called this principle survival of the fittest. As an agnostic, he also rejected the notion of a divine being, at least insofar as it is possible to say anything meaningful (or empirical) about it. Likening society to an organism, Spencer emphasized that it should be permitted to develop organically, without the intervention of the State.

2. Explain the basic ideas of symbolic interactionism, functional analysis, and conflict theory.

-Symbolic Interactionism is how society is viewed as composed of symbols that people use to establish meaning, develop their views of the world, and communicate with one another. Symbolic interactionism emphasize that deviants, like people who are more conformist, live in a world that is socially constructed. Certain identities are available and others not available; some behaviors get you prestige and respect while others are deprecated or punished, and the behaviors that are approved or punished may change dramatically over time.

For example, why would juveniles smoke cigarettes even when all medical research point to the dangers of doing so? The answer is in the definition of the situation that people create. Research find that young adults are well informed about the risks of tobacco products, but they also think that smoking is cool, and that smoking projects a positive image to their friends. So, the symbolic meaning of smoking supersedes those actual facts regarding smoking and risk.

- Functional analysis is that society is a whole unit, made up of interest parts that work together. The government, or state, provides education for the children of the family, which in turn pays taxes on which the state depends to keep itself running. That is, the family is dependent upon the school to help children grow up to have good jobs so that they can raise and support their own families. In the process, the children become law‐abiding, taxpaying citizens, who in turn support the state. If all goes well, the parts of society produce order, stability, and productivity. If all does not go well, the parts of society then must adapt to recapture a new order, stability, and productivity.

For example, during a financial recession with its high rates of unemployment and inflation, social programs are trimmed or cut. Schools offer fewer programs. Families tighten their budgets. And a new social order, stability, and productivity occur.

-Conflict theory, focuses on the negative, conflicted, and ever‐changing nature of society. Unlike functionalists who defend the status quo, avoid social change, and believe people cooperate to effect social order, conflict theorists challenge the status quo, encourage social change (even when this means social revolution), and believe rich and powerful people force social order on the poor and the weak. Conflict theorists, for example, may interpret an “elite” board of regents raising tuition to pay for esoteric new programs that raise the prestige of a local college as self‐serving rather than as beneficial for students.

3- Using the first seven (7) steps of a research model, demonstrate the process by which a sociological study is conducted. Choose a subject, a social problem, that you are interested in studying and illustrate a potential study in this area, ensuring that you identify how the first seven (7) steps could be conducted.

1. Domestic violence.

2. According to the latest 2005 National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), over the decade from 1993 to 2005, the average annual domestic violence rate per 1,000 populations for intimate partners and/or relatives was 5.9 for females and 2.1 for males. About a third of the victims reported they were physically attacked; two thirds were threatened with attack or death. A little more than half of the female victims suffered an injury, but only 5% were seriously injured. A little over 3% were sexually assaulted. Fewer male victims, 41.5%, reported injuries, less than 5% seriously. Those who were separated (or divorced) experienced more nonfatal domestic violence than those who were together. Victimization rates vary among different subpopulations. The highest reported rates are for Native American women.

3. Klein, A. R. (2008, April). Practical Implications of Current Domestic Violence Research. Retrieved August 17, 2016. Victims of domestic violence are not reporting the crime to authorities because they belief that the abuse was a private or personal matter (22% for female and 39% for male); fear of reprisal (12% for female, 5% for male); desire to protect the suspect (14% for female, 16% for male); and belief police won’t do anything.

4. The greater the availability of domestic counseling will boost their knowledge and changes the accused behavior. 

5. Analysis of Documents.

6. Examine police reports, court records and local community service for domestic abused victims.

7. An early study of a specialized detective unit in Dade County found it did not affect re-abuse rates. However, the Unit focused on referring parties to counseling. Subsequently, specialized units have been found more effective. Victims self-report significantly less re-abuse (but are more likely to report the re-abuse they do suffer). Another study found specialized responses reduce “personal harm,” but not non-personal harm such as property damage. The positive effect may be tied to safety planning offered victims. By contrast, research finds that victim services alone are not associated with increased victim safety. Research in New York City among victims in public housing suggest that specific crime prevention training as opposed to general victim counseling may be more associated with reduced subsequent victimization. In North Carolina, 29% of the abusers handled by the specialized domestic violence unit had at least one subsequent domestic violence offense during a two year follow up period compared to 37% of those handled solely by patrol units. This reduced rate was obtained despite the fact that the specialized unit handled the more serious cases and offenders with more prior offenses. The odds ratio for domestic violence unit suspects re-offending was nearly half of that for the non-unit suspects. Unit suspects who re-abused also re-abused less often, averaging .46 new assaults compared to .62. The difference is statistically significant but because fewer unit abusers re-abused, the actual difference in the number of new incidents for just those abusers who re-abused was less, 1.59 compared to 1.67, not reaching statistical significance

References

https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/sociology/the-sociological-perspective/three-major-perspectives-in-sociology

Klein, A. R. (2008, April). Practical Implications of Current Domestic Violence Research. Retrieved August 17, 2016.