Instructor Manual: Kendall/Atkins, Sociology in our Times, 13e, 2027, 9798214158433; Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
Instructor Manual
Kendall/Atkins, Sociology in our Times, 13e, 2027, 9798214158433;
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Purpose and Perspective of the Chapter......................................................................2
Chapter Objectives........................................................................................................2
Key Terms.....................................................................................................................2
What’s New in This Chapter........................................................................................4
Chapter Outline.............................................................................................................4
Additional Discussion Questions..................................................................................5
Additional Activities and Assignments.........................................................................6
Additional Resources....................................................................................................7
Video Suggestions.....................................................................................................................................7
Additional Resources for Instructors.........................................................................................................9
Intro Sociology YouTube Channel.......................................................................................................... 11
© 2027 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly 1
accessible website, in whole or in part.
a
, Instructor Manual: Kendall/Atkins, Sociology in our Times, 13e, 2027, 9798214158433; Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
PURPOSE AND PERSPECTIVE OF THE CHAPTER
The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the discipline of sociology by explaining its meaning, scope,
and importance in understanding human social life. It explores the development of sociological thought,
the role of the sociological imagination, and key theoretical perspectives. The chapter also highlights how
early and later sociologists addressed issues of social order, stability, and change, shaping the foundation
of modern sociological inquiry.
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
The following objectives are addressed in this chapter:
1-1 Define sociology and how it can contribute to our understanding of social life.
1-2 Describe what is meant by the sociological imagination.
1-3 Describe the historical context in which sociological thinking developed.
1-4 Discuss why early social thinkers were concerned with social order and stability.
1-5 Discuss why many later social thinkers were concerned with social change.
1-6 Describe the central areas of focus for early sociologists in the United States.
1-7 Compare the key differences among the functionalist, conflict, symbolic interactionist, and
postmodern perspectives on contemporary social life.
[return to top]
KEY TERMS
Anomie: Emile Durkheim’s term for a condition in which social control becomes ineffective as a result
of the loss of shared values and of a sense of purpose in society.
Conflict perspectives: The sociological approach that views groups in society as engaged in a
continuous power struggle for control of scarce resources.
Functionalist perspectives: The sociological approach that views society as a stable, orderly
system.
Industrialization: The process by which societies are transformed from dependence on agriculture
and handmade products to an emphasis on manufacturing and related industries.
Latent functions: Unintended functions that are hidden and remain unacknowledged by participants.
Macrolevel analysis: An approach that examines whole societies, large-scale social structures, and
social systems instead of looking at important social dynamics in individuals’ lives.
© 2027 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly 2
accessible website, in whole or in part.
a
, Instructor Manual: Kendall/Atkins, Sociology in our Times, 13e, 2027, 9798214158433; Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
Manifest functions: Functions that are intended and/or overtly recognized by the participants in a
social unit.
Microlevel analysis: An approach that focuses on small groups rather than large-scale social
structures.
Positivism: A belief that the world can best be understood through scientific inquiry.
Postmodern perspectives: The sociological approach that attempts to explain social life in
contemporary societies that are characterized by postindustrialization, consumerism, and global
communication.
Social Darwinism: Herbert Spencer’s belief that those species of animals, including human beings,
best adapted to their environment survive and prosper, whereas those poorly adapted die out.
Social facts: Emile Durkheim’s term for patterned ways of acting, thinking and feeling that exist
outside any one individual but that exert social control over each person.
Society: A large social grouping that shares the same geographical territory and is subject to the same
political authority and dominant cultural expectations.
Sociological imagination: C. Wright Mills’ term for the ability to see the relationship between
individual experiences and the larger society.
Sociology: The systematic study of human society and social interaction.
Symbolic interactionist perspectives: The sociological approach that views society as the sum of
the interactions of individuals and groups.
Theory: A set of logically interrelated statements that attempts to describe, explain, and (occasionally)
predict social events.
Urbanization: The process by which an increasing proportion of a population lives in cities rather than
in rural areas.
[return to top]
© 2027 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly 3
accessible website, in whole or in part.
a
, Instructor Manual: Kendall/Atkins, Sociology in our Times, 13e, 2027, 9798214158433; Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
WHAT’S NEW IN THIS CHAPTER
The following elements are improvements in this chapter from the previous edition:
New Sociology & Everyday Life opener “Applying Sociology Skills in Any Career”
Updated discussion of sociological imagination
Clearer introduction to concepts that are central to the study of sociology
More focus on sociology and careers
New Thinking Ahead: Changing Opportunities in Sociology
[return to top]
CHAPTER OUTLINE
I. Putting Social Life into Perspective
a. Icebreaker: 15–20 minutes total
i. Our society is very diverse. One way to think of diversity is to think of the many
different demographics (e.g., education level, nationality, religion, marital status,
gender, age, or others) that exist.
ii. Take the next 5 minutes to create a list of the demographics that make you who
you are.
iii. Then as a class, create a graph showing the different ways that your class is
diverse.
b. Subdisciplines in Sociology
i. What else will you learn in sociology?
II. The Sociological Imagination
a. Unemployment as a Personal Trouble
b. Unemployment as a Public Issue
III. The Development of Sociological Thinking
IV. Early Social Thinkers Focus on Social Order and Stability
a. Auguste Comte
b. Harriet Martineau
c. Herbert Spencer
d. Émile Durkheim
V. Differing Views on the Status Quo: Stability or Change?
a. Karl Marx
b. Max Weber
c. Georg Simmel
© 2027 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly 4
accessible website, in whole or in part.
a
Instructor Manual
Kendall/Atkins, Sociology in our Times, 13e, 2027, 9798214158433;
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Purpose and Perspective of the Chapter......................................................................2
Chapter Objectives........................................................................................................2
Key Terms.....................................................................................................................2
What’s New in This Chapter........................................................................................4
Chapter Outline.............................................................................................................4
Additional Discussion Questions..................................................................................5
Additional Activities and Assignments.........................................................................6
Additional Resources....................................................................................................7
Video Suggestions.....................................................................................................................................7
Additional Resources for Instructors.........................................................................................................9
Intro Sociology YouTube Channel.......................................................................................................... 11
© 2027 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly 1
accessible website, in whole or in part.
a
, Instructor Manual: Kendall/Atkins, Sociology in our Times, 13e, 2027, 9798214158433; Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
PURPOSE AND PERSPECTIVE OF THE CHAPTER
The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the discipline of sociology by explaining its meaning, scope,
and importance in understanding human social life. It explores the development of sociological thought,
the role of the sociological imagination, and key theoretical perspectives. The chapter also highlights how
early and later sociologists addressed issues of social order, stability, and change, shaping the foundation
of modern sociological inquiry.
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
The following objectives are addressed in this chapter:
1-1 Define sociology and how it can contribute to our understanding of social life.
1-2 Describe what is meant by the sociological imagination.
1-3 Describe the historical context in which sociological thinking developed.
1-4 Discuss why early social thinkers were concerned with social order and stability.
1-5 Discuss why many later social thinkers were concerned with social change.
1-6 Describe the central areas of focus for early sociologists in the United States.
1-7 Compare the key differences among the functionalist, conflict, symbolic interactionist, and
postmodern perspectives on contemporary social life.
[return to top]
KEY TERMS
Anomie: Emile Durkheim’s term for a condition in which social control becomes ineffective as a result
of the loss of shared values and of a sense of purpose in society.
Conflict perspectives: The sociological approach that views groups in society as engaged in a
continuous power struggle for control of scarce resources.
Functionalist perspectives: The sociological approach that views society as a stable, orderly
system.
Industrialization: The process by which societies are transformed from dependence on agriculture
and handmade products to an emphasis on manufacturing and related industries.
Latent functions: Unintended functions that are hidden and remain unacknowledged by participants.
Macrolevel analysis: An approach that examines whole societies, large-scale social structures, and
social systems instead of looking at important social dynamics in individuals’ lives.
© 2027 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly 2
accessible website, in whole or in part.
a
, Instructor Manual: Kendall/Atkins, Sociology in our Times, 13e, 2027, 9798214158433; Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
Manifest functions: Functions that are intended and/or overtly recognized by the participants in a
social unit.
Microlevel analysis: An approach that focuses on small groups rather than large-scale social
structures.
Positivism: A belief that the world can best be understood through scientific inquiry.
Postmodern perspectives: The sociological approach that attempts to explain social life in
contemporary societies that are characterized by postindustrialization, consumerism, and global
communication.
Social Darwinism: Herbert Spencer’s belief that those species of animals, including human beings,
best adapted to their environment survive and prosper, whereas those poorly adapted die out.
Social facts: Emile Durkheim’s term for patterned ways of acting, thinking and feeling that exist
outside any one individual but that exert social control over each person.
Society: A large social grouping that shares the same geographical territory and is subject to the same
political authority and dominant cultural expectations.
Sociological imagination: C. Wright Mills’ term for the ability to see the relationship between
individual experiences and the larger society.
Sociology: The systematic study of human society and social interaction.
Symbolic interactionist perspectives: The sociological approach that views society as the sum of
the interactions of individuals and groups.
Theory: A set of logically interrelated statements that attempts to describe, explain, and (occasionally)
predict social events.
Urbanization: The process by which an increasing proportion of a population lives in cities rather than
in rural areas.
[return to top]
© 2027 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly 3
accessible website, in whole or in part.
a
, Instructor Manual: Kendall/Atkins, Sociology in our Times, 13e, 2027, 9798214158433; Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
WHAT’S NEW IN THIS CHAPTER
The following elements are improvements in this chapter from the previous edition:
New Sociology & Everyday Life opener “Applying Sociology Skills in Any Career”
Updated discussion of sociological imagination
Clearer introduction to concepts that are central to the study of sociology
More focus on sociology and careers
New Thinking Ahead: Changing Opportunities in Sociology
[return to top]
CHAPTER OUTLINE
I. Putting Social Life into Perspective
a. Icebreaker: 15–20 minutes total
i. Our society is very diverse. One way to think of diversity is to think of the many
different demographics (e.g., education level, nationality, religion, marital status,
gender, age, or others) that exist.
ii. Take the next 5 minutes to create a list of the demographics that make you who
you are.
iii. Then as a class, create a graph showing the different ways that your class is
diverse.
b. Subdisciplines in Sociology
i. What else will you learn in sociology?
II. The Sociological Imagination
a. Unemployment as a Personal Trouble
b. Unemployment as a Public Issue
III. The Development of Sociological Thinking
IV. Early Social Thinkers Focus on Social Order and Stability
a. Auguste Comte
b. Harriet Martineau
c. Herbert Spencer
d. Émile Durkheim
V. Differing Views on the Status Quo: Stability or Change?
a. Karl Marx
b. Max Weber
c. Georg Simmel
© 2027 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly 4
accessible website, in whole or in part.
a
