Transcript 1Sociology Intro

WHAT IS SOCIOLOGY?
i.
Definition
ii.
The Sociological Imagination
iii. Sociology vs. Commonsense
What is Sociology?
Sociology is the systematic study of human society and
social interaction.
The goal of sociologists is to study society, in order to
determine how human behavior is shaped by group
life, and how group life is shaped by individuals.
Society:
Is a large grouping that shares the same geographical
territory and is subject to the same political
authority and dominant cultural expectations.
Why is Sociology Important?
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It helps us understand our
“social world” and ourselves.
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Through sociology we see that
our behavior is shaped a great
deal by the groups that we
belong to and the society in
which we live.
The Sociological Imagination
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A creative thinking used to understand social
behavior described by C. Wright Mills.
It is “an awareness of the relationship between an
individual and the wider society”.
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This allows people to comprehend the links between
their immediate, personal settings and the
impersonal social world that surrounds them.
A key element in the sociological imagination is the
ability to view one’s own society as an outsider
would, rather than from the perspective of personal
experiences and cultural biases.
Possible Answers
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Transportation
Road Rage
Pollution
The Environment
Rich/Poor (Socioeconomic status)
Poverty
Stereotypes
Prejudice
Homelessness
Crime
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Also important is the ability to see the difference
between “PERSONAL TROUBLES” vs. “PUBLIC
ISSUES”.
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UNEMPLOYMENT
WAR
MARRIAGE
SOCIOLOGY VS COMMONSENSE
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Most of us use our own personal experiences or
“COMMONSENSE” to understand our daily lives and peoples
behavior.
Many commonsense notions are not true, they are myths.
Sociologists on the other hand use scientific standards, not
myths or heresay.
Sociologists use research techniques to present their findings.
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Aliant Video: Sociology Introduction