Transcript Why Do Sociologist Study Population?

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Definition: group of people living in a particular
place at a specified time
Why Do Sociologist Study Population?
• we look for patterns to help understand
human social behavior
• we also look for patterns to help us
predict how people will behave
Definition: the study of human population
What about population do Sociologists study?
• composition of population (size, location, diversity)
• population trends (migration, fertility, mortality)
1. Low Mortality Rate (as measured by the Crude Death Rate)
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Lower the nations mortality rate, the faster its population grows
Infant mortality is the highest in poor nations, where people lack of adequate
nutrition and safe water and have little access to high-quality medical care
2. High Fertility Rate (as measured by the Crude Birth Rate)
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birth rates are the highest in low-income nations, where access to birth control
is limited and women have few choices about how many children to bear
Natural Population Increase: rate of natural increase
Do the Math: Crude Birth Rate minus Crude Death Rate
Example:
U.S. = 13.8 - 8.1 = 5.7 (0.57)
Doubling Time: time (years) required for a population to double its size
Do the Math: divide the number 70 by the growth rate
Example:
Central America = 70/1.9 = 2.8%
Exponential Growth: amount of population increase is greater although
rate remains the same
Example: 1,2,3,4,5 versus
2,4,8,16, 32
Zero Population Growth: time where deaths and births are balanced
creating no increase in population
Fact: 60 high income nations reached zero population growth (Population Reference
Bureau, 2006)
Malthusian Theory:
• Population, if left alone,
will exceed food supply
• Checks on population can
be positive or preventative
Famine
Disease
War
Family Planning
Birth Control
1 Child Rule
Demographic Transition Theory:
• Economic growth/ development
can help predict growth
• Considers agricultural
productivity and methods of
birth control
Definition: movement of people to the cities
Importance: most significant impact and forces social change
Results: poverty and cultural change
Causes of Urbaniztion:
• Search for employment
• Access to services
• Better Healthcare
• Educational Opportunities
• Modern Conveniences
• Access to Art, Culture, Entertainment
Suburbanization: population shift to areas surrounding the cities
Gentrification: development of low-income areas by people of
middle class, upper class, or developers
Definition: study of the relationship between humans and their
city environments
Why Do Sociologists Study Urban Ecology?
As cities grow, patterns of migration emerges
As cities expand, culture changes
As cities expand, inequality is more evident
Concentric Zone Theory
Cities grow from the center
outward
Sector Theory
Transportation routes affect
urban growth
Mutiple Nuclei Theory
City has several centers
devoted to separate zones
Peripheral Theory
Growth of suburbs around
central city