...According to Kendall (2012), sociology is “the systematic study of human society and social interaction.” (p.5). It is the study of societies with emphasis on modern and complex societies. Sociology is also the study of the development and structure of the human society. It is concerned with group activities such as how people interact with each other and their behavior during the interaction. Sociology includes four major sociological perspectives: functionalism, conflict theory, symbolic interactionism, and post-modernism. All of these theories in sociology equip us with different perspectives with which to view the social world. Each of the four major theoretical perspectives offer a range of explanations about the human behavior and social...
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...Group Leadership and Conflict Summary Group Interaction Our group interaction was non-existent. Two of five group members posted to the discussion area by Sunday. What I believe was an issue was that it was just a discussion instead of a group assignment. At least with a group assignment, like a paper, we would have to collaborate to complete a task for a grade. I cannot really answer many of the other questions pertaining to the group interaction because of the lack of participation. Although, in past experiences with Learning Teams, things go very well. I have experienced conflict within most of the Learning Teams in the beginning and only once they were not resolved by the end of the first assignment. Conflict Styles The conflicts can be constructive and destructive depending on the situation. The collaborative groups utilize conflicts as an opportunity to provide innovative solution for an issue. The leadership capability of the group leader can develop a strategy to avoid destructive conflicts in a group. The conflicts can be broadly categorized into five groups based on two dimensions which are concern for own goals and concern for group goals. When group members give low priority for own goals and low priority for group goals then it can be referred as avoidance style of the members. When an individual in group gives high priority for group goals and low priority for own goals then it can be treated as accommodation style. When a team member gives little priority...
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...Why Study Sociology of Education? There are several answers to this question. Someday you may be a professional in the field of education or in a related field; you will be a tax payer, if you aren’t already; you may be a parent with children in the school system; right now you are a student involved in higher or continuing education. If you are sociology major, you are studying education as one of the major institutions of society; if you are an education major, sociology can give you a new perspective on your field. You may be at college in pursuit of knowledge; or it may be that this course is required, or you need the credit, or the teacher is supposed to be good, or it fits into your schedule. Let’s consider these reasons further. Ⅰ.Teachers and Other Professionals In 1990, of all college graduates, 104,715, or 10 percent, were graduated in the field of education, and many hold teaching positions. Many other college graduates will teach in their respective academic fields as social work and business have regular contact with schools when dealing with clients and employees. Ⅱ.Taxpayers Taxpayers finance schools at the elementary, secondary, and higher education levels. Almost 100 percent of the bills for physical plants, materials, salaries, and other essentials come from tax monies. In 1989, revenues for schools, a large amount of which is from sales, income, and property taxes, come from three sources: 6.2 percent from federal government, 47.7 percent from states...
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...Abstract Within this research our main focus enlightens on how religion and family is affected by the functionalist perspective. The functionalist perspective, also called functionalism, is one of the major theoretical perspectives in sociology. It has its origins in the works of Emile Durkheim, who was especially interested in how social order is possible or how society remains relatively stable. The functionalist perspective emphasizes the interconnectedness of society by focusing on how each part influences and is influenced by other parts. Each of the social institutions contributes important functions for society: Family provides a context for reproducing, nurturing, and socializing children; education offers a way to transmit a society’s skills, knowledge, and culture to its youth; politics provides a means of governing members of society; economics provides for the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services and religion provides moral guidance and an outlet for worship of a higher power. Functionalism has received criticism for neglecting the negative functions of an event. Critics also claim that the perspective justifies the status quo and complacency on the part of society's members. Functionalism does not encourage people to take an active role in changing their social environment, even when such change may benefit them. Instead, functionalism sees active social change as undesirable because the various parts of society will compensate naturally...
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...different and influential impact on the factors of society. The methodology of various sociologists reflects their attitude towards the society and its various customs and traditions. The following mentioned are the various methodologies adopted by sociologists in the field of social sciences. Marxist sociology emerged around late 19th/early 20th century, influenced by the thought of Karl Marx. Marx is seen as one of the most influential thinkers in early sociology, alongside thinkers such as Max Weber and Émile Durkheim. KARL MARX The theory propounded by Karl Marx is Marxism; in a nutshell it is the theory and practice of working-class emancipation. Marxism is also a method of looking at the world. One of the most important foundations of Marx's method was dialectical thought. Marx relied a lot on historical materialism and dialecticism to propound his theories in social science. Marx relied heavily on these two methods for social science research. Historical materialism starts from the realization that in order for human beings to survive and continue existence from generation to generation, production relations will be created among men to survive and produce goods essential for man’s livelihood. Marx believed that this leads to division of labour and some people live off the work done by others by owning...
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...discipline has provided insight into the precarious nature of human behavior and social interaction. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the conceptual foundations of social psychology. Within this analysis will be the definition of social psychology, an analysis of its four key characteristics, an explanation of the concept of situationism, and identification of the five core social motives and how these concepts affect the field of social psychology. Social Psychology Social psychology can be defined as the study of how an individual’s situations influence his or her behavior, emotions, thoughts, etc., with particular focus on how individuals perceive as well as affect on another (Myers, 2008). Furthermore, social psychology primarily focuses on social relations, social influence, and social thinking. According to Myers (2008), social relations refers to certain attributes such as aggression, helping others, prejudice, and attraction and intimacy. Social influence comprises factors such as pressure to conform, biology and culture, groups of people, and persuasion. Finally, social thinking refers to individuals’ beliefs, attitudes, judgments, and perception of oneself as well as others (Myers, 2008). Social psychology is often associated with, or misinterpreted as, sociology when in fact it is much different; to understand the conceptual foundations of social psychology, it is important to note these differences. Social psychology endeavors...
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...the part of sociologist with regard to the scope of sociology because it is so elastic a subject that it is hard to establish just where its precinct begins and ends. Everything and anything under the sun seems to fall under the purview of sociology. However, such assumption is nullified. There are two main schools of thought regarding the scope of sociology: the specialistic or formalistic school and the synthetic school. The Specialistic/Formalistic School This school of thought was led by the German sociologist George Simmel. The other main advocates of this school were Vierkandt, Max Weber, Small, Von Wiese and Tonnies. They were of the opinion that sociology was different from other branches of social science and deemed it necessary to confine to the enquiry of certain defined aspects of human relationship. It was to study only the abstract forms of social relationships but not their contents. They regard sociology as pure and independent science. According to Simmel, sociology is distinct from other social sciences for the reason that it has its own abstract mode of dealing with the same topic of social relationship which other social science like history, economics, political science etc. too deals with, but in their own way. To him sociology is a specific social science that describes, classifies, analyses, and delineates the forms of social relationships. Vierkandt maintains that sociology is a special branch of knowledge concerned with the ultimate...
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...The field of sociology is an old but ever changing systematic study of human behaviour in a social context. Sociologists focus upon relationships between society and what we can describe as thought and action, or understanding and behavior as well as their contributing social factors in order to enhance our understanding of individual human experience and to consequently improve society (Furze et al, 2015). In reflection of my sociology studies this semester, the key concept that highlights what I’ve learned and how the knowledge gained as a result has impacted my personal experiences is the “Sociological Imagination”. The Sociological Imagination is a unique way of thinking that allows individuals to see the interrelation between private troubles...
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...relationship between the individual and the community. This altered our essential concepts of the public and private monarchy within social life during the twentieth century. In the twenty-first century, the contemporary liberal democratic impulse towards both an unfettered individualism and a strong restricted civic community or culture has developed major challenges to Weber’s ‘modern’ approach to public administration. From former U.S. President Bill Clinton’s declaration that “the era of big government is over” in 1995, to recent proclamations within international theories of a new world order cemented by a ‘global’ civil society, ‘bureaucracy’, as the foundation of the contemporary nation-state, has been challenged on a theoretical and practical level. It is from this exemplar that democratic administration theory has largely emerged. Responding to the new challenges of traditional bureaucracy and their subsequent ‘hollowing out of the State’ as an effective institution, democratic administration theory has attempted to construct a new basis of administrative rule in which both the ‘expert’ and ‘client’ becomes leveled in their discourse through democratic and even radical reform of the administrative process itself. This newfound principle of political rule is in stark contrast to Max Weber’s belief in the eventual “leveling of the governed” in their submission to a rational-legal order. According to Weber, this system will be administered by bureaucratic experts...
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...HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT STUDIES NAME: MWENYA MAKASA COMP NO: 14129965 COURSE: SOCIOLOGY 1110 LECTURE: MRS NTASHALA TUTOR: MR MWILA LUDAMO TUTORIAL DATE: WEDNESDAY 18-19HRS TASK: ASSIGNMENT ONE DUE DATE: 28TH January, 2015 QUESTION: Discuss the three Main Perspectives in Sociology and indicate their usefulness in Contemporary society? The nature of this essay is to discuss the three main perspectives in sociology and indicate their usefulness in contemporary society. The essay will first start with the definition of the term sociology and the term perspective. Later the essay will identify the three main sociological perspectives which are the key concepts of this essay. And a conclusion will be drawn at the end of this essay. The term sociology can be dated back in 1840. It was a word introduced by the French philosopher and the father of positivism (the use of scientific method in observing and studying social behavior). Auguste Comte (1789-1857) is considered to be the founder of the term sociology used to describe a new way of looking at the society. Therefore sociology can be defined as a scientific way of thinking about society and its influence on human groups (Taylor 2011). Perspectives in sociology provides us with different mindset in which we feel and see the world for example, a musician in America would rather sing about...
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...opinions pertinent to the effect on the gamut of society and individuals within a community, is inevitable. Albeit, each perspective's view generated as a result of these social milestones, equally hold valid points. Therefore, while social networking sites provide a multitude of beneficial improvements to the world, there are just as many issues that arise, and all three sociological perspectives serve to complement one another in the comprehension of social media networks and the sway they bring to societies. As Viewed Through the Structural-Functional Theorists’ Lens English philosopher and biologist Herbert Spence (1820-1903) first introduced Structural-Functionalism Theory through his writings, which employ macro, as well as mid-level analysis. Further, the functionalist perceives society as a socially systematized structure involving interrelated parts (social institutions) that contribute by coequally...
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...REVISTA DE SOCIOLOGÍA, Nº 28 (2013) pp. 31-49 Elites, political elites and social change in modern societies1 Luis Garrido Vergara* Resumen Los estudios académicos acerca de las élites políticas poseen una vibrante historia reciente. El objetivo aquí es proveer un resumen selectivo de esa historia, enfocándose en la importancia de la distinción social y en las teorías de la estructura de poder como el marco teórico para comprender la influencia de las élites políticas en el cambio social. Dado que nuevas perspectivas y preocupaciones han surgido en este campo, la organización de este artículo no es completamente cronológica. Aunque puedan haberse ignorado muchas contribuciones relevantes, la intención aquí es brindar algún sentido de la riqueza e importancia de lo que han logrado los académicos acerca de la relación entre élites y representación, los vínculos entre élites, democracia y cambio social y las teorías de la estructura de poder. En este artículo también se estudia hasta qué grado la introducción de una nueva metodología de investigación por parte de la teoría de la dominación de clase de Domhoff abrió una nueva perspectiva en los estudios sobre las élites. Finalmente, se presentan una estrategia de investigación para las élites y dos conclusiones principales. Palabras clave: Élites políticas - cambio social - estructura de poder - representación. Abstract Scholarly studies of elites and political elites have a vibrant recent history. My aim here is to provide a selective...
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...2013) The three theories sociologists have created are based on observations made while examining social life during interactions at the macro level and micro level. These theories include: symbolic interactionism, functional analysis and conflict theory. The main focus of symbolic interactionism is that symbols, those to which we formulate meaning, help us to understand how we view the world and communicate with one another. (Henslin, 2013) Symbolic interactionism observes face-to-face interaction on the microsociological level. When we look at objects and give them meaning, we know how to behave in the various relationships of our world. Symbolic interactionism is present everywhere in our daily lives. If we view a stop sign while driving, we know that this symbol requires us to stop. George Herbert Mead (1863-1931) is a sociologist and one of the founders of symbolic interactionism. Mead taught his views on symbolic interactionism at the University of Chicago. After his death, many of his lectures were compiled into a book, Mind, Self and Society. (Henslin, 2013) The second theory, functional analysis, is based on the idea that society is made up of interrelated parts that work together in harmony as a whole. (Henslin, 2013) Functional analysis theory observes events that happen and behaviors that occur because of the event; what caused the reaction. Socialists have used this theory to change and improve behaviors on the macro sociological level to help society function...
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...Sociology of Health Author’s Name Institution’s Affiliation Sociology of Health The social perspective in sociology of health explains the society's view concerning health. It is a discipline that describes an illness using social factors present in daily activities of life. Sociologists show how wellness and disease, the treatment and explanation of illness production in a social organization can be understood differently from a medical perspective of nature, biology, and lifestyle in an attempt of explaining sickness (Bahar, 2013). It is a significant facet of interpreting biological information that shows the creation of health and disease in a political, social, and cultural environment. In describing various social phenomena, sociologists examine how social life impacts morbidity and mortality rates and how it alternatively influences the society. Medical sociology uses sociological theory to explain the relationship between social factors and health to define this issue and its systems (Amzat & Razum, 2014). Amzat and Razum (2014) demonstrate that it tends to separate nature from the community. It means that it illustrates how scientific knowledge mediates social relations. Moreover, medical sociology shows how the technical realm of medical practice is inconsistent with social processes in nature. It is a claim of understanding constructivism through an objective in natural science. Various studies identify the inconsistencies between current medical practice...
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...NEO-POSITIVISM STUART DODD (1900) Contributed the S theory as a qualitative systematic theory of society. The symbol S representing situation. Situations are of 4 components; time, space, population, and characteristics. GEORGE ZIPF (1902-1950) The guiding postulate of his theory is the “principle of least effort”- that is, in situations allowing alternatives, people choose those procedures that result in the "least average rate of probable work” WILLIAM OGBURN (1886-1959) Contributed the “hypothesis or theory of culture lag”- the lag between the adaptive culture (nonmaterial culture) and the more advanced material culture. HUMAN ECOLOGY ROBERT PARKS (1864-1959, American) Introduce the term human ecology competition as the basic process in human relationships; biotic factors as the proper field of study in human ecology. ERNEST BURGESS (1886-1996, American) Introduced the Concentric Zones Theory in the development of cities. AMOS HAWLEY His “ecological theory” proposes five ecological processes which bring about changes in the pattern of relationships: concentration expansion or centralization, contraction or decentralization, segregation and conversion. WALTER FIREY Advanced the socio-cultural ecology; posited the theory that space may have symbolic value; cultural definition and cultural values in the giving of meaning to space. EUGENE ODUM Advance the “equilibrium theory” or a balanced development...
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