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sociology
the scientific study of social behavior and human groups. It focuses on social
relationships; how this relationships influence people's behavior; and how societies total
relationships develop and change
sociological imagination
an awareness of the relationship between an individual and the wider society, both
today and in the past. helps us to to comprehend the links between our immediate
social settings and remote impersonal social world that surrounds and helps shape us
science
refers to the body of knowledge obtained by methods based on systemic observations.
sociology science involves organized, systemic study of phenomena in order to
enhance understanding
natural science
the study of the physical features of nature and the ways in which they interact to
change
examples: astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology and physics
social science
the study of the social features of humans and the ways in which they interact to change
examples: sociology, anthropology, economics, history, psychology and political science
theory
a set of statements that seeks to explain problems, actions, or behaviors. can have both
explanatory and predictive powers
Auguste Comte - development of society
believed that a theoretical science of society and a systematic investigation of behavior
were needed to improve society
coined the term sociology to apply to the science of human behavior
French theorist gave sociology the name and presented ambiguous challenges to the
fledging disciplines
Harriet Martineau - development of society
Scholars learned of Comte's works through translations by Harriet
Wrote Society in America which examined religion, politics, child rearing, and
imagination in the young nation. It gave social class distinctions to such factors as
gender and race. first book on sociological methods
emphasized impacts on economy, law, trade, health, and population could have on
social problems
Herbert Spencer - development of society
did not feel compelled to correct or improve society, instead he hoped he would
understand it better
, Applied concept of Darwin's study On the Origin of Species and evolution in order to
explain how they change and evolve over time. survival of the fittest some people are
naturally rich while others are naturally poor.
Unlike Comte, he suggested that since societies are bound to change eventually, one
need not be highly critical of present social arrangements or work actively for social
change.
Emile Durkheim - development of society
theoretical work on suicide
insistence that behavior must be understood within a larger social context, not just in
individualist terms.
developed a fundamental thesis to help explain all forms of society.
Studied the Arunta, and focused on the functions that religion preformed and
underscored the role of group life in defining what we consider to be religion. religion
reinforces a groups solidarity
Work done on consequences of work in modern societies - Anomie
Anomie
refers to the loss of direction felt in a society when social control of individual behavior
has become ineffective. It often times occurred during a time of profound social change,
when people have lost their sense of purpose or direction. people are confused and
unable to cope with the new social environment that they may resort to suicide .
Created by Emile Durkheim
Max Weber - development of society
verstehen
said we cannot analyze our social behavior by the same type of objective criteria we
use to measure weight or temperature. to understand behavior we must learn subjective
meanings people attach tot heir actions - how they themselves view and explain they
behavior
Created an ideal type
similar views to Emile Durkheim
verstehen
german word for understanding or insight. Max Weber encouraged students to use this
in their intellectual work
ideal type
a construct or model for evaluating specific cases. Weber's purpose of the ideal type
was to provide a useful standard for measuring bureaucratic an actual organization is.
Karl Marx - development of society