Sociology

and the
Study of Society
 The Sociological Perspective
• Sociology

- the “scientific study of society, including patterns

of social relationships, social interaction and
culture” (Calhuone 2002).

- studies societies to promote social change, create

new theories, and document human behavior.
 Auguste Compte
• coined the term
“sociology” in 1830.
• Isidore Marie Auguste
Francois Xavier Comte
 C. Wright Mills
• coined the phrase
“sociological
imagination” in 1959.
Sociological
Concepts
1. Society
2. Social Interaction
3. Social Organization
4. Social Structure and
Agency
 Society
-defined as a product of human
interactions as humans subscribe
to the rules of their culture.
 Comparison of Theories on Society
Sociologist Perspective on Society
Auguste Study society as a social organism posssesing a
harmony of structure and function.
Compte
Emile Society as a reality in its own right. Collective
consciousness is of key importance to society,
Durkheim which society cannot survive without.

Talcott Society is a total complex of human

relationships in so far as they grow out of the
Parsons action in terms of means-end relationship.
George Society is an exhange of gestures that involves the use
of symbols.
Herbert Mead
Morris Society as a collection of individuals united by
Geinsberg certain relations or mode of behavior that marks
individuals off from others who do not enter into
these relations or who differ from them in behavior.
George Society as the complex of organized associations
Douglas Cole and institutions with a community.

Robert Society as a system of usages and procedures

Maclver and of authority and mutual aid of many groupings
Charles Page and divisions, of controls of human behavior and
liberties.
 Social Interaction
-process within the framework of
society.
-A compilation of ways and means
by which humans interact with each
other within the confines of a
society.
Several points made about social interaction:

1. Space is not an issue

2. There can be multiple and simultaneous interactions
3. A dialog can have an active end and an inactive end
4. Subject-posiotionality is present in any interaction
5. The meanings we ascribe to the actions of others are
informed by the values and norms that are upheld in our
society
 Social Organization
-refers to the
interrelationship of parts of
society.
• Category of Status • Group
-may include being a -basic unit of an
student, a son and a organization, and involves
parent. at least two individuals.
• Roles • Institutions
-set of accepted behaviors -building blocks of society.
that define the individual’s Examples:
responses and -family -marriage
inclinations. -education -religion
-government
Social Structure and Agency
-foundation of every society from
which emanates the possible roles,
statuses, institutions, and
organizations.
Subdisciplines
of
Sociology
• Social organization
– Studies that involve social structures such as
institutions, social groups, social stratification,
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social mobility, and ethnic groups are a part of

No one indebted for others,while many people don't know how
to cherish others.No one indebted for others,while many people
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social organization. 01
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• Social psychology ADD TITLE HERE
No one indebted for others,while many people don't know how to

– Focuses on the study of the impact of group cherish others.No one indebted for others,while many people
don't know how to cherish others.

life to a person’s nature and personality.

• Social change and disorganization
– Branch of sociology that inquires on the shift in
social and cultural interactions and the
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interruption of its process through delinquency,

No one indebted for others,while many people don't know how
to cherish others.No one indebted for others,while many people
don't know how to cherish others.

deviance, and conflicts.01

04
• Human ecology ADD TITLE HERE
No one indebted for others,while many people don't know how to

– Pursues studies that relate human behavior to cherish others.No one indebted for others,while many people
don't know how to cherish others.

existing social institutions.

• Population/Demography
-Inquires on the interrelationship between
population characteristics and dynamics with that
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of a political, economic, and social system.

No one indebted for others,while many people don't know how
to cherish others.No one indebted for others,while many people
don't know how to cherish others.

01
• Applied sociology
04
- Uses sociological research and methods to ADD TITLE HERE
No one indebted for others,while many people don't know how to

solve contemporary problems. cherish others.No one indebted for others,while many people
don't know how to cherish others.
Methods
in
Sociology
2 Primary Methodological Perspectives
– Positivist and Anti-positivist.
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• Positivist orientation
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– Perceives society as01a quantifiable subject

from which objective conclusions can be made.
04
• Positivist perspective ADD TITLE HERE
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– Uses methods employed by the natural cherish others.No one indebted for others,while many people
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sciences to understand social phenomenon.

• Auguste Compte
– Introduced positivist perspective.
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• Example of positivism
No one indebted for others,while many people don't know how
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– Durkheim’s work 01 on suicide in 1951.

• According to Durkheim 04 ADD TITLE HERE
– Individuals who fall into the extremes of No one indebted for others,while many people don't know how to
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their society are bound to commit suicide. don't know how to cherish others.
• People who live in a society with strong
ties
– Prone to commit altruistic suicide
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• People who live in a society with weak ties
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– Prone to commit egoistic suicide

don't know how to cherish others.

01
• People who live in a society with no rules
– Prone to commit anomic04suicide ADD TITLE HERE

• People who live in a society with too many No one indebted for others,while many people don't know how to
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rules
– Prone to commit fatalistic suicide
• Anti-positivist orientation
– Promotes a subjective approach wherein social
phenomena are understood through individual
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experiences.
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• China
don't know how to cherish others.

01
– Is reported to have high incidences of suicide,
especially among females04 in rural areas. ADD TITLE HERE

• Pearson and Lui’s work on suicide No one indebted for others,while many people don't know how to
cherish others.No one indebted for others,while many people
don't know how to cherish others.

– based on a Chinese village woman named

Ling.
 Value of
Sociology
for the
21st Century
• Sociology
– Was established at a time when society was
changing drastically due to technological and
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political developments.
No one indebted for others,while many people don't know how
to cherish others.No one indebted for others,while many people
don't know how to cherish others.

– Provides policy makers

01 with concrete bases for
decisions that affect human population and alter
04
their social landscape Society. ADD TITLE HERE
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• Society cherish others.No one indebted for others,while many people

don't know how to cherish others.

– Is in constant process of change.

• Tambay
- Unemployed youth who are in
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process of waithood.
No one indebted for others,while many people don't know how
to cherish others.No one indebted for others,while many people
don't know how to cherish others.

01
• Clarence Batan 04
– Conducted a sociological study of
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No one indebted for others,while many people don't know how to
cherish others.No one indebted for others,while many people

tambay. don't know how to cherish others.