Lesson 2
Unit 10: Sociology
What is sociology?
“Sociology is the study of human social life, groups and societies. It is
dazzling and compelling enterprise, having as its subject matter our own
behaviour as social beings.” – Anthony Giddens (1989)
Sociology- ‘the study of people in social groups.’
Key Concepts:
>Sociology is the scientific study of human behaviour.
>Sociologists are concerned with the study of human societies, and must
specifically, the different groups within these societies.
>They study how these groups relate to each other and influence
individual behaviour.
Repoll- to get on with somebody.
Norms: are social rules that define correct behaviour in society.
Values: are what are important to an individual or social group.
Deviants: are often identified as those that do not follow the norms or
have different values.
Sociologists use several different concepts such as:
Social Structure- the building blocks of society, for example family and
education systems and NHS
Social Organisation- is based on patterns of social interactions between
different relationships, for example parents and children, teachers and
students, employers and employees.
Social Diversity- consider culture, consent, gender roles, religion,
language and understanding.
Tajfel and Turner (1987) Social Identity Theory (SIT); we all want to be
loved and belong.
Anomie: lack of usual social or ethical standards in an individual or group.
Emilie Durkheim Research and how does this have to do with
homosexuality:
He was a French sociologist, he studied suicide, religion and social labour
and rules of sociological methods. Durkheim believed that society exerted
a powerful force on individuals. He says, ‘to make progress, individual
originality must be able to express itself.’ However, in this time it wasn’t
Unit 10: Sociology
What is sociology?
“Sociology is the study of human social life, groups and societies. It is
dazzling and compelling enterprise, having as its subject matter our own
behaviour as social beings.” – Anthony Giddens (1989)
Sociology- ‘the study of people in social groups.’
Key Concepts:
>Sociology is the scientific study of human behaviour.
>Sociologists are concerned with the study of human societies, and must
specifically, the different groups within these societies.
>They study how these groups relate to each other and influence
individual behaviour.
Repoll- to get on with somebody.
Norms: are social rules that define correct behaviour in society.
Values: are what are important to an individual or social group.
Deviants: are often identified as those that do not follow the norms or
have different values.
Sociologists use several different concepts such as:
Social Structure- the building blocks of society, for example family and
education systems and NHS
Social Organisation- is based on patterns of social interactions between
different relationships, for example parents and children, teachers and
students, employers and employees.
Social Diversity- consider culture, consent, gender roles, religion,
language and understanding.
Tajfel and Turner (1987) Social Identity Theory (SIT); we all want to be
loved and belong.
Anomie: lack of usual social or ethical standards in an individual or group.
Emilie Durkheim Research and how does this have to do with
homosexuality:
He was a French sociologist, he studied suicide, religion and social labour
and rules of sociological methods. Durkheim believed that society exerted
a powerful force on individuals. He says, ‘to make progress, individual
originality must be able to express itself.’ However, in this time it wasn’t
