Sociological Perspectives & Inquiry

Chapter 1
SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES,
SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION
AND SOCIOLOGICAL INQUIRY
Chapter Outline
I. Meaning of Sociological Perspectives, Sociological

Imagination and Sociological Inquiry
II. Characteristics of Sociological Perspectives
III. Goal of Sociological Inquiry
IV. Steps or Procedures in Sociological Inquiry
V. Methods, Techniques and Tools in Sociological Inquiry
VI. Traits and Behavioral Characteristics Required in
Sociological Inquiry
VII. Summary
VIII.Study Helps
IX. Worksheets
Chapter Objectives
After studying the chapter the students should be able to:

Explain the concepts of sociological imagination and
sociological perspectives;
Discuss the characteristics of sociological perspectives;
Give examples to illustrate the characteristics of sociological
perspectives;
State the goal of sociological inquiry;
Explain the procedures in sociological inquiry;
Identify the methods, techniques and tools in sociological
inquiry;
Appreciate the works and contributions of the sociologists and
social scientist for the betterment of society; and
Give the traits and behavioural characteristics required in
sociological inquiry.
Chapter Group Activity
Directions:
1. Think of a particular social problem based on your personal or

communal experience.
2. Tell something about the problem:

Its causes (reason for existence)
Its effects
On you
On community/society
3. What course/courses of action can you suggest in order to

minimize if not eradicate the said social problem.
4. Demonstrate your output through symbolic act or through songs.

I. MEANING OF SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES,
SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION AND SOCIOLOGICAL
INQUIRY
SOCIOLOGY
The scientific study of human societies.
A branch of social science.
Social Science a body of systematically arranged knowledge
that shows the operation of general laws. It consists of all those
disciplines that apply scientific methods to the study of the
society and human behavior. (Tischler, 1996).
Social Science uses various methods of empirical investigations
and critical analysis to develop and refine body of knowledge to
the pursuit of social welfare. Its subject matter ranges from the
micro level of face-to-face interaction to the macro level of
societies at large.
INQUIRY
SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
A distinct way of thinking which theorizes that the social world
guides our actions, thinking and life choices.
It focuses not on individuals but their group, or society, and
attempts to explain human social structures and forms of
activity and interpersonal relations using social facts or social
forces.
Rubington (2002)
A sociological way of looking at the things which includes a
basic orienting idea from which ones conceptualization and
analysis follow, and it reflects a particular set of ideas and
assumptions regarding the nature of people and society.
INQUIRY
SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
Aims of Sociological Perspective
1. To help us to see general social patterns in the behavior of particular
individuals; and
2. To offer insights about the social world that extend far beyond
explanations that rely on individual quirks and personalities.
Sociologists:
Are not limited to common sense knowledge
Try to investigate what lies beyond the commonly accepted reality and
understand some of the rules that govern human behavior in the society.
INQUIRY
CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

Maciones, J. (1997)
1. Seeing the general in the particular.
Sociologist: Look for general patterns in the behavior of particular
individuals. (Peter Berger)
Uniqueness of individuals are not erased.
Social forces: impinge on our lives so many unseen yet significant
ways.
rich vs. poor, men vs. women, educated vs. illiterate, children vs.
adult.
2. Seeing the strange in the familiar.
Things are not always what they seem. (Peter Berger)
Society guides our thoughts and deeds.
Human behavior is not just simply a matter of what people decide to do.
INQUIRY

Maciones, J. (1997)
3. Human behavior is not as individualistic as we think, but
rather social forces affect human behavior.
Some categories of people were more likely than others to take their
own lives. (Emile Durkheim).
Men, Protestants, wealthy people, and the unmarried had significantly
higher suicide rates compared to women, Catholics and Jews, the poor
and married people.
Durkheim deduced that these differences corresponded to peoples
degree of social integration.
Low suicide rates characterized categories of people with
strong social ties.
High suicide rates were found among those who were more
socially isolated and individualistic.
INQUIRY

Maciones, J. (1997)
4. Sociological perspective has a global perspective, the study
of the larger world and our societys place in it.
Global awareness is seeing the world as a global village
Global awareness is a logical extension of the sociological
perspective
Where we are placed in our society affects our individual
experience.
The position of our society in the larger world system also
affects everyone in our country.
Our global village indicates that people the world over are far
from equal in their quality of life.
INQUIRY

Maciones, J. (1997)
Our global village indicates that people the world over are far from
equal in their quality of life.
1. High-income countries are industrialized nations in which

most people enjoy material abundance.
On the average, individuals in these countries live well,
not because they are particularly bright or exceptionally
hard-working but because they have the good fortune
to have been born in an affluent region of the world.
The sociological perspective tells us that many of the
achievements we attribute to our personal abilities are
also products of the privileged position we occupy in
the world-wide system.
INQUIRY

Maciones, J. (1997)
Our global village indicates that people the world over are far from
equal in their quality of life.
2. Middle-income countries are nations characterized by

limited industrialization and moderate personal income.
3. Low-income countries are nations with little
industrialization and with severe poverty is the rule.
INQUIRY
C. Wright Mills (1959): American sociologist
He coined the term sociological imagination.
Sociological imagination
The process of linking individual experience with social
institutions and ones place in history.
It means the vivid awareness of the relationship between
ones personal experiences and the wider society.
It is the ability to connect seemingly impersonal and
remote historical forces to the incidents of an individuals
life.
It suggests that people look at their own personal
problems as social issues and, in general, try to connect
their own individual experiences with the workings of
society.
INQUIRY
For example: Ones reaction to being poor and
unemployed. An individual may attribute his/her
poverty or inability to find a job to his personal
characteristics rather than the larger social forces
at work such as the poor economy and job market.
Individuals who feel this way are trapped due to their
narrowed vision of the problem of unemployment or
poor economy.
Solution: sociological imagination a quality of mind

that enables one to do the following:
INQUIRY
1. See what is going on in the world and what may be
happening within ourselves.
2. See that society not our own foibles or failings is
responsible for many of our problems.
3. See that many of our personal problems can be
transformed into political issues.
4. See the power of society to shape our own
individual lives.
5. Define the troubles we endure in terms of historical
change.
INQUIRY
6. See the intricate connection between the
patterns of our own lives and the course of world
history.
7. Know what this connection means for the kind of
men we are becoming and for the kinds of
history-making in which we might take part.
In short: sociological imagination is that quality of
the mind essential to grasp the interplay of men and
society, of biography and history, of self and world.
INQUIRY
In short: sociological imagination is a way of looking
at our personal experiences in terms of what is
going on in the world around us.
INQUIRY
THE SOCIOLOGIST AND SOCIOLOGICAL INQUIRY

Sociology is the scientific study of human societies.
Sociologist one who studies the institutions and
development of society. He is a person with
professional knowledge and skills in studying the facts
of society and social behavior through rigorous
scientific inquiry in order to arrive at certain
generalizations and truths about social life and society.
The main task of sociologist is to study human groups
and furnished the specialized sciences with the
scientific data they need to carry on their work
successfully.
In short: sociologist undertakes sociological inquiries or
sociological researches for a better understanding of
human societies.
INQUIRY
THE SOCIOLOGIST AND SOCIOLOGICAL INQUIRY

Sociological inquiry refers to scientific
investigation or intellectual and rigorous research on
a particular issue, problem, concern or situation for a
better understanding of the same.
It is concerned with the repetitive patterns in human

behavior, presented according to logically related
hypotheses and supported by empirical evidence.
To be meaningful, these facts have to be ordered

according to a conceptual scheme or theoretical
framework.
INQUIRY
FUNDAMENTSAL PROCEDURES IN SOCIOLOGICAL INQUIRY

Sociological inquiry follows the steps in the scientific method
as follows:
1. Defining the problem.
. Selecting a topic for research and defining key
concepts. The topic must be one that can be
investigated by scientific methods. Broad topics must
be narrowed down to specific research questions.
2. Reviewing the Literature.
. Familiarizing oneself with the existing theory and
research on the topic. The literature must present
the gist of the journal articles and books that
document what research has already been done on
the topic.
INQUIRY

Sociological inquiry follows the steps in the scientific method as
follows:
3. Forming a hypothesis.
. Defining the relationship between measurable variables so
that they can be measured and the hypothesis tested. A
hypothesis is commonly referred to as an educated
guess. It is a prediction about the relationship between
two or more variables.
4. Choosing a research design.
. Selecting a method for study: experiment, case study,
survey, field observation, or a historical approach.
Research methods are different ways that sociologists
gather data to answer the research problems.
. Triangulation: the use of multiple methods to get at a
problem.
INQUIRY

Sociological inquiry follows the steps in the scientific
method as follows:
5. Collecting the data.
. Collecting and recording the information that
will test the hypothesis.
6. Analyzing the data.
. Working with and examining the data to shed
light on the hypothesis. The data must be
organized and analyzed to determine if the
hypothesis was proved or disproved. Statistical
analysis of the data can be done using
computers.
INQUIRY

Sociological inquiry follows the steps in the scientific
method as follows:
7. Drawing conclusions.
. Summarizing the outcome of the study,
indicating its significance, relating the findings
to existing theory and research, and identifying
problems for future research.
8. Communicating the results of the study.
. Publishing the descriptions of the research
study along with the findings and conclusions in
technical journals.
INQUIRY
METHODS AND TECHNIQUES IN SOCIOLOGICAL INQUIRY

The following are the methods used by sociologists and
social researchers:
1. Experiment.
. A research method that exposes subjects to a
specially designed situation.
. By systematically recording subjects reactions,
the researcher can assess the effects of
different variables.
. It offers the most effective technique for
establishing a cause-and-effect relationship.
INQUIRY

The following are the methods used by sociologists and social
researchers:
2. Survey.
. It uses either questionnaires or interviews, or both to
learn how people think, feel or act. Good surveys use
random samples and pre-tested questions to ensure
high reliability and validity. It is a procedure for
gathering information from a large number of people.
. A scientifically conducted survey is a complex
undertaking. It involves choosing a sample,
constructing and asking right questions, and analyzing
the data.
. Survey items from an interview or questionnaire may
be open-ended or close-ended.
INQUIRY

social researchers:
3. Case Study.
. Intensive study and examination of a person or
a specific group, organization or institution is
carried out.
. It enables one to examine a particular subject in
depth for it involves examination of the subject
over a long period of time.
. It is also known as scientific biography, case
history, case work or diary of development, or
longitudinal study.
INQUIRY

social researchers:
4. Field Observation or Participant
Observation.
. In this method, the researchers deliberately
involve themselves in the activity, group, or
community they are studying in order to get an
insiders view.
. In non-participant observation, the researcher
enters the situation as a third party as he
observes and records what he is studying.
INQUIRY

social researchers:
5. Historical Approach.
. Historical materials (documents, government
archives, historical manuscripts, letters,
newspapers, memoirs, diaries, biographies,
etc.-data) pertaining to acts, ideas, and events
that shaped human behavior in the past are
analyzed.
. The aim is to gain insight and understanding of
present realities in the context of what took
place in the past.
INQUIRY

The following are the techniques used in sociological inquiry:
1. Qualitative Technique examines data from observations,
interviews and publications which are not statistical in nature.
The tools used, include: historical records, biographies,
autobiographies, diaries, speeches, editorials, and videotapes.
Interviewing. The researcher may interview subjects face-to-
face or by telephone. It can be:
a. Structured or Directive It is a procedure in which
carefully phased standard questions or schedule often with
multiple choice answers are asked in a fixed order to
provide a systematic and comparable data and hence
facilitates analysis.
For example: Do you think homosexuals should be
permitted to join the armed forces? with four possible
answers: Yes/No/Uncertain/No opinion.
INQUIRY

Interviewing. The researcher may interview subjects
face-to-face or by telephone. It can be:
b. Unstructured or Nondirective. It is a procedure
in which neither the questions nor the answers are
predetermined, instead, the researcher let the
interviewee or respondent guide the flow of the
interview. Here the researchers do not seek
answers to specific questions but to explore a
broad or subtle aspect of social life.
For example: How do you cope up with retirement?
Are you in favor of death penalty? Why?
INQUIRY

2. Quantitative Technique.
It uses statistics which deal with a mass of data and
permit more precise statements of their relationships.
It involves the classification and enumeration of data,
analysis of the quantitative relationships involved,
and assignment of numerical values to their
relationships.
The tools used include:
Census and vital statistics
Local, national and international reports
Sampling measures of central tendency such as
mean, median, and mode; measures of negative or
positive variability
INQUIRY
TRAITS AND BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS REQUIRED

FOR SOCIOLOGICAL INQUIRY
1. Ethical neutrality or value-free position.
2. Adherence to positivism and verstehen or empathetic
understanding.
3. Ability to discern repetitive patterns of human
behavior from a variety of social experiences.
4. Sociological imagination and sociological
perspectives.
5. Skeptical receptivity or doubting attitude.
6. A persistent critical spirit (critical-mindedness).
7. Skills in applying the methods, techniques and tools
of scientific inquiry.
INQUIRY
TRAITS AND BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS REQUIRED

FOR SOCIOLOGICAL INQUIRY
8. Honesty, cooperation and industry.
9. Liberalism and open-mindedness.
10.Sensitivity to social issues and problems.
11.Deep involvement and commitment in the resolution
of social problems.

Sociological Perspectives & Inquiry

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Chapter 1

I. Meaning of Sociological Perspectives, Sociological

After studying the chapter the students should be able to:

1. Think of a particular social problem based on your personal or

2. Tell something about the problem:

3. What course/courses of action can you suggest in order to

4. Demonstrate your output through symbolic act or through songs.

CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

1. High-income countries are industrialized nations in which

CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

2. Middle-income countries are nations characterized by

Solution: sociological imagination a quality of mind

THE SOCIOLOGIST AND SOCIOLOGICAL INQUIRY

THE SOCIOLOGIST AND SOCIOLOGICAL INQUIRY

It is concerned with the repetitive patterns in human

To be meaningful, these facts have to be ordered

FUNDAMENTSAL PROCEDURES IN SOCIOLOGICAL INQUIRY

FUNDAMENTSAL PROCEDURES IN SOCIOLOGICAL INQUIRY

FUNDAMENTSAL PROCEDURES IN SOCIOLOGICAL INQUIRY

FUNDAMENTSAL PROCEDURES IN SOCIOLOGICAL INQUIRY

METHODS AND TECHNIQUES IN SOCIOLOGICAL INQUIRY

METHODS AND TECHNIQUES IN SOCIOLOGICAL INQUIRY

METHODS AND TECHNIQUES IN SOCIOLOGICAL INQUIRY

METHODS AND TECHNIQUES IN SOCIOLOGICAL INQUIRY

METHODS AND TECHNIQUES IN SOCIOLOGICAL INQUIRY

METHODS AND TECHNIQUES IN SOCIOLOGICAL INQUIRY

METHODS AND TECHNIQUES IN SOCIOLOGICAL INQUIRY

METHODS AND TECHNIQUES IN SOCIOLOGICAL INQUIRY

TRAITS AND BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS REQUIRED

TRAITS AND BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS REQUIRED

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