SociologicalTheory

KeyVocabulary
Social groupsofpeople

SocialStructures organizedpatternofsocial
relationshipsandsocialinstitutions
 AMatterofPerspective
Sociologistslookattheworldintwodifferentways:
Macro largerpicture
Micro localizedviewpoint
 ConflictTheory
Groupsandsocietiescompetetopromotetheirownself
interestsandvalues
Resultsincompetition,inconsistency,coercionandconstraint
Whohasthepower?(wealth,prestige,privilege,etc.)

KarlMarx
 ConflictTheory
Inordertoenactachangeinsociety,theremust
beashiftinthebalanceofpower.
 Functionalism
Aroundtheworld,thereisabasicagreementonthevaluesof
anygivensociety
Peoplecooperatetoreachcommongoals
Partsofsocietyareintegratedtoformawhole

EmileDurkheim
 Functionalism
Changeinoneaspectmayeffectchangeinanother
Changesareabsorbedintosociety
Societieswillreturntostateofstability
Functionalism
 SymbolicInteraction
Symbol onethingthatrepresentssomething
else(i.e.object,word,gesture,sound,etc.)

1. Learnmeaningsfromothersreactions
2. Webasebehavior(interaction)onmeanings
3. Meaningsthenformourfuturebehavior
MaxWeber
 SymbolicInteraction
Wemodifyourbehavior andeventhinking
basedonhowwethink othersmayreacttous
 SymbolicInteraction
Humaninteractionasadramaticperformance
Wepresentourselvesthroughdress,gestures,tone,etc.
 Summary
SocialReality

macroperspective microperspective

Functionalism Conflict SymbolicInteraction

Peopleworktogether Peopleareatoddsin Societyformsthe

toformsociety formingsociety individual
 DivorceinAmerica
Statisticsshowthatthenumberofdivorcesinagivenyear
hasbeenontheriseinrecentdecades.Sociologistswantto
knowwhythistrendisoccurringinAmericansociety
 ConflictTheory
Duringthelastfewdecades,therightsofwomenhave
expandedgreatly.Withthemovefromamaledominated
societytoamoregenderequalculture,womennowhave
theabilitytoendbadrelationshipsandliveindependently.
 Functionalism
Traditionally,menandwomenweredependent
upononeanothertoworkasuccessfulfarm.Inthe
modernworld,wearenolongercodependent.
SymbolicInteraction
Themeaningsbehind
thesymboldivorce
haschangedfrom
negativetopositive.
 TheInternet
Inyourlifetimes,theuseoftheinternethas
becomestandardforthebulkoftheUSpopulation.
In1969,therewereonlyfourconnected
computers.By2000anestimated55%ofthe
populationwasonline.Today,84%haveinternet
access.Howhastheinterneteffectedoursociety?
 SociologyoftheInternet
Functionalist:individualswithdisabilitiescando
jobsathomethatwouldbedeniedtothem
otherwise.
ConflictTheory:individualscomingfromschools
withfewresourceshavelessopportunityfor
successinourmoderntechdrivensociety.
SymbolicInteraction:childrenaremoreproneto
misbehavior,learningfromthepoormessagesand
lessonsofferedbywhattheyexperienceonline.
 ApplyingTheory

ManyveteransoftheArmedForces,after
completingtoursofdutyintheMiddleEast,are
returningtocollegeratherthanenteringjobsas
veteranslikepreviousgenerationsdid.Howmight
anyofourtheoriesexplainthistrend?
 Seeifyoucanapplyanyofour
theoriestosomemoreexamples
USadultswhoclaimtobelieveinGodis
declining(85%in2005to71%in2015)
USranksasagloballeaderinscientific
publishing(30%ofpublishedarticlesin2012)
butsscoreslowonstandardizedtestsinschool
(27th of64inscienceand35th inmath)
TheUnitedStateshasalowernumberof
doctorsforeachmemberofthepopulation
thanEuropeancountries(2.7per1000people
comparedtoover3/1000)
 Activity
Inasmallgroup,createashortskitthatmodels
sociallife.Itcouldbesomethingfromaspecificevent
inhistoryorsimpledailyinteraction.Thendescribe
howsociologistsfromtwoofthethreeperspectives
mightexplainwhytheeventsoccurredastheydo.

HistoricalEvent Colonization,WWI/II
CurrentEvent SameSexMarriage,DeathPenalty
DailyInteractions Gettingreadyforschool,at
lunchwithfriends,etc.

Analyzewhypeoplearebehavingthewaytheydo.