Sociology and Human

Behaviour

The study of the world around us.

Prepared by:
Dr. Abdul Majid Khan
INTRODUCTION

What is Sociology?

The term ‘Sociology’ is composed of two words

1. Latin word = Socius - which means social relationships or association

2. Greek word = Logos - which means study or science

Hence the term ‘Sociology’ means the ‘scientific study of social relationships or society’
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY

DEFINITIONS OF SOCIOLOGY

Auguste Comte: Sociology is the scientific study of society.

Kimbal Young: Sociology is the study of human behaviour in groups.

Max Weber: Sociology is the study of social action.

Gillin: Sociology is the study of human interaction.

Maciver: Sociology is the study of social relationships or the network of relationship that
we call society.

Emile Durkheim: Sociology is the study of social facts through social institution.

In sum, sociology is the scientific study of human behaviour,

interaction and relationships in society.

The ultimate goal is to understand the structure and function of human

society for its development.
SOCIOLOGY AS A SCIENCE

Science is a body of systematized, organized and verifiable knowledge gained through

well-crafted methods and tools such as experimentation and observation.

Whether sociology is a science or not….?????

Characteristics of Science:
 Science as Knowledge
 Science as a Method
 Science as a Tool

Sociology as a Science

 Sociology as Knowledge
 Sociology as a Method
 Sociology as a Tool
 PERSPECTIVES IN SOCIOLOGY
Perspective is a view, an assumption, an attitude towards or way of thinking about something.

Different people can have different perspective on a same thing. For instance, look at a busy
shopping street with a pickpocket, a police officer, a shopkeeper and a road sweeper.

• The pickpocket sees wallets sticking out of pockets or bags: an opportunity to steal.
• The police officer sees crime and disorder.
• The road sweeper sees garbage left by others.
• The shopkeeper sees potential customer.

 Engineer versus common man perspective on thing.

Sociological perspectives is a broad assumption of how different parts of society work or how
collective behaviour operate in different social institutions. It is viewpoint which helps understand
the structure and function of human society.

Three major perspectives in Sociology:

1. Functionalist Perspective
2. Conflict Perspective
3. Interactionist Perspective
1. Functionalist Perspective
Also known as Functionalism. Herbert Spencer Emile Durkheim Robert Merton

1. Functionalism emerged in the late 19th and early 20th century. It prevailed in full
swing until 1960s.
2. Emile Durkheim, Herbert Spencer and Robert K Merton are the main exponents of
functionalist theory.
3. Main Assumption: Society is a complex system composed of interrelated and
interdependent parts, each of which serves a specific function and all parts function
to maintain equilibrium and stability of the overall structure.

4. Social Institutions: Functionalists emphasize the importance of social institutions,

such as family, education, religion, and government, as essential components of
society. Each institution has its own function and contributes to the overall well-being
of society.
5. Consensus and Integration: Functionalists believe that societies are characterized by a
high degree of consensus and integration, meaning that members generally share
common values, norms, and beliefs. This shared culture helps maintain social order.
1. Functionalist Perspective (continued…)
6. Herbert Spencer’s Organic Analogy: Functionalism draws an analogy between society
and a living organism, suggesting that society functions like a living organism where
each part has a specific role, and they work together to maintain the health and
stability of the whole.

7. Durkheim's Contribution: Durkheim, a founding figure in functionalist sociology,

emphasized the role of social integration and cohesion in maintaining social order. He
argued that anomie (a state of normlessness) can lead to social instability.

8. Manifest and Latent Functions: Functionalism distinguishes between manifest

functions, which are the intended and recognized outcomes of an institution or social
practice, and latent functions, which are unintended or hidden consequences that
may also contribute to the stability of society.

9. Critiques: Functionalism has been criticized for its conservative approach, as it tends
to focus on the maintenance of the status quo and may not adequately address issues
of inequality, conflict, and change in society. It has also been accused of overlooking
power dynamics and the role of social conflict.
2. Conflict Perspective
1. Conflict perspective sees society as a group of individuals in a conflict with one
another.
2. It assumes that people are in competition for limited resources: social, material,
and political resources such as food, housing, employment, education etc. It
assumes that society is made of conflicting interest groups who struggle for power
and privilege.
3. Inequality: The conflict perspective views society as inherently unequal, with power
and resources distributed unequally among individuals and groups. It highlights the
role of power struggles in shaping social relationships and institutions.
4. Unlike functionalism which sees parts of society in harmony, it sees different parts
of society in a conflict with one another. It explains the role of conflict and power
struggle in shaping society.
2. Conflict Perspective (Continued...)
5. Power and Control: Conflict theorists examine how those in power use their
influence to maintain their status and control over resources, often at the expense of
less powerful groups. This may include the exploitation of workers, racial
discrimination, and other forms of oppression. German sociologist Max Weber
agreed with Marx but also believed that, in addition to economic inequalities,
inequalities of political power and social structure cause conflict.
6. Ideology: The conflict perspective suggests that ideologies, such as religion,
education, and media, can be used to legitimize and justify the existing social order.
These ideologies may mask the true power imbalances in society.
7. Conflict Driven Social Change: Conflict theorists argue that social change occurs as a
result of conflicts between different groups with competing interests. These conflicts
can lead to social movements, protests, revolutions, and changes in the power
structure.
8. Social Movements: Conflict theorists study social movements as a means through
which marginalized groups can challenge the status quo and demand social change.
Movements for civil rights, gender equality, and labor rights are examples of such
struggles.
2. Conflict Perspective (Continued...)
9. Critiques of Functionalism: The conflict perspective often critiques functionalism for
its focus on stability and equilibrium, arguing that it overlooks the inequalities and
injustices present in society.

10. Intersectionality: Contemporary conflict theorists incorporate the concept of

intersectionality, which recognizes that individuals may experience multiple forms of
oppression and discrimination simultaneously based on factors like race, gender,
class, and sexuality.

11. Contemporary Relevance: The conflict perspective remains highly relevant in

modern sociology and is used to analyze various issues, including income inequality,
racial disparities, gender discrimination, and global economic disparities.

12. The social-conflict paradigm sees society as an arena of inequality that generates
conflict and change. Conflict does not necessarily imply outright violence, it
includes tension, hostility, severe competition, and disagreement over goals and
values.
3. Symbolic Interactionist Perspective
1. George Herbert Mead (1863-1931) is considered the founder of symbolic
interactionism.
2. It focuses on social interaction. It sees society as a product everyday interactions of
individuals.

3. In other words, it attempts to explain how interaction results in establishing social

relationship leading to formation of society.
4. Since interaction involves communication – exchange of meanings through
language and symbols. It is also called symbolic interactionist perspectives.
5. Human beings attach meaning to things and these ascribed meanings of things are
produced by our interactions with others in society.
3. Symbolic Interactionist Perspective (continued…)

6. Such inculcation of ascribed meanings help us sense the world around us based on
our interactions with others. For instance, sign of victory, no parking signs, and
placards and so on are interpreted in terms of their ascribed meaning.

7. Unlike focus on harmony or conflict in functionalist and conflict perspective

respectively, the interactionist perspective focuses on how interaction or social
8. behaviour serves as means of communication – a basic need for survival of society.

For instance, conflict perspective may look at differences in a group protesting

against another group, however interactionist perspective looks at how one group
may interact using signs and symbols to communicate their message to the other
group.
1. FEMINIST THEORY
What is Feminism?
1. The term ‘feminism’ was coined by a French philosopher, Charles Fourier in 1837.

2. Feminism refers to the theory that advocates the social, economic, political and other
rights of women.
3. Feminist theories reflect that women and men should have equal standing in all
spheres of the life; and there should be no discrimination and oppression on the basis
of gender.
4. The idea of equality lies at the heart of feminism.
5. Feminist theorists believe that the socio-cultural, economic, political and legal causes,
that refrain women from their equal access to the opportunities, benefits and
privileges, must be addressed to accord women equal status as men in society.
6. Feminist theorists attempt to point out the causes of discrimination and oppression
against women as well as to devise strategies to make this world a just place for the
women and the other people.
1. FEMINIST THEORY (continued…)
Types of Feminism
Feminism is generally categorized into:

1. Liberal Feminism
2. Radical Feminism
3. Marxist or Socialist Feminism
1. LIBERAL FEMINISM
1. Liberal feminism has its roots in the earlier period of feminist thought that prevailed in
seventeenth and eighteenth century.
2. Core idea: women and men are equal in all regards; and deserve equal rights and
opportunities in social, economic and political spheres.
3. Liberal feminists refute the notion that the inherent biological or natural differences in
men and women. Women and men are equal, they should have equal privileges and
benefits in the society.
4. These are not the biological difference but the social and cultural construction of
biological attributes of women - the gender, which assign them certain roles denying
their access to equal rights and privileges in society, e.g. right to vote, right to own
property, reproductive rights, equal pay and so on.
5. Liberal feminists view gender-roles in familial sphere as a cause oppression against
women. Liberal feminists suggest that the gender-roles should be restructured to make
them androgynous to benefit both the sexes equally.
1. LIBERAL FEMINISM (continued…)
6. Liberal feminists argue that women are mostly deprived of formal education. Apart
from depriving women of formal education which is their basic right, this practice leads
to many other causes of oppression and discrimination against women.

7. Liberal feminists assert that the state must play effective role in protecting women
from oppression, violence and discrimination. No preference for traditional family.

8. Liberal feminism sought for equal rights for women in various areas of the society, e.g.
equal opportunities of employment and equal pay, reproductive rights, and equal
treatment in other spheres.

9. Since its inception, the liberal feminism proved highly successful in achieving their
demands such as right to vote, access to education, access to employment, equal pay,
social rights and reshaping the sex-roles justly
2. RADICAL FEMINISM
1. Radical feminism has its origin in the feminist theories that emerged in the late 1960s
and early 1970s.

2. The core theme of radical feminism is that patriarchy is the real cause of oppression
and discrimination against women in society.

3. The core theme of radical feminism is that patriarchy is the real cause of oppression
and discrimination against women in society.

4. The society is inherently patriarchal with unequal distribution of power among men
and women leads to male domination over women.

5. Patriarchy, dividing the genders into a dominant group of men and subordinate group
women, results in subordinate group's deprivation of most of the rights and privileges
available to the dominant group.
2. RADICAL FEMINISM (continued…)
6. Unlike the liberal feminists who emphasize on provision equal rights on the basis of
similarities between the sexes, the radical feminists focus on elimination of element of
dominance on the basis of natural differences between the sexes to address the
gender inequalities
7. Radical feminism highlights that oppressive gender-roles for women are product of
patriarchal structure of society. Gender-roles are male-defined which serve the
interests of men (Thompson, 1991: 45) as they are the ones with more power in
society.

8. Radical feminism has major focus on oppression of women in private sphere. It sees
the traditional family as a patriarchal setup which is solely ruled by the men.

9. Radical feminism advocates the idea of separatism from men as a solution for women
to be freed from men's dominance in family.

10. Some of the renowned radical feminists also view the biological makeup of women as
the natural cause of their oppression. They argue childbearing ability and pregnancy lie
extra burden on the women. They are in pursuit of biological revolution.
3. MARXIST/SOCIALIST FEMINISM
1. Marxist feminism is the feminist thought that sprouted from amalgamation of Marxism
and Feminism in 1970s and 1980s.
2. Marxist feminists are the feminists who view economic inequalities, between women
and men as two different classes, as a cause of oppression of women in society.
3. Marxist feminism highlights that this kind of oppression of women is a product of
capitalist economic structure of society that divides society into two classes of haves
and have-nots.
4. Since men are the ones who have greater control over resources and means of
production, the women remains the exploited and oppressed class in the society.
5.
6. The only way to eradicate the oppression and exploitation of women is to abolish
capitalist structure of society and have a classless society.
7. Marxist feminism attempts to address all the issues causing lower economic status of
women such as gender-pay gap, gender-segregated jobs and unpaid work of women at
domestic spheres. Men, being in possession of means of production, dominate major
businesses and industry. They determine the overall labour process safegaurd their
economic interest.
 ASK A QUESTION

Do you have any Question?

Thank You !

Prepared by:
Dr. Abdul Majid Khan