How does an understanding of conventional wisdom affect your understanding of sociology?
We all have different perspectives, which gives us advantages and disadvantages on how we view and study sociology
How is the sociological perpective different from the psychological perspective?
it never focuses on just one individual, but rather a group as a whole
Why do patterns interest sociologists?
helps sociologists study categories of people and their behavior, instead of an individual's personal behavior
How did Emile Durkheim use bronze to illustrate sociology's assumption that the behavior of a group cannot be predicted from knowledge about individual members
she explains how bronze is made up of lead, copper, and tin, but does not have similar properties as them. Similarly she says that individual parts being mixed up do no predict the group's personality
How can using your sociological imagination, a term introduced by C. Wright Mills, make a difference in your life?
to help grasp behavior of others in correlation to their personal lives and society
Who is the father of sociology, and why is he recognized as such?
Auguste Comte; he was the first advocate of the scientific study of sociology
What is the difference between social statics and social dynamics?
social statics is the study of social stability and order; social dynamics is the study of social change
Why is Harriet Martineau considered an important person in the origin of sociology?
she inspired future feminist theorists by writting about the inferior position of women in society
How did Herbert Spencer use the human body to explain the functioning of a society?
he explained that like a body, a society is composed of parts working together to promote its well-being and survival
How did the theory of social change called Social Darwinism reflect Charles Darwin's theory of evolution?
he believed if social change was left alone, the survival of the fittest would become apparent in society, similar to Darwin's belief on natural selection
How did the ideas of Karl Marx, who did not consider himself a sociologist, affect the field of sociology?
Marx identifies social classes which he then believed would transform into the bourgeoisie and proletariat
What is the difference between mechanical and organic solidarity?
mechanical solidarity focuses on dependence on tradition and family, while organic solidarity is based upon a web of highly specified roles
What did Durkheim's suicide statistics reveal about human social behavior?
human socail behavior must be explained by social factors rather than just psychological ones
What was Max Weber's contribution to sociological research?
Weber said human beings act on the basis of their own understanding of a situation
Summarize the development of sociology in the United States.
it began at the university of Chicago and was the best until WW2; then other universities adapted to the idea of sociology
What were the contributions of early American sociologists Jane Addams and W.E.B DuBois?
Adams worked on social problems created by the imbalance of power among social classes; DuBois focused on the question of race inside and outside the United States
Identify the three major theoretical perspectives in sociology today.
Functionalism, Conflict Theory, Symbolic Interaction
How did Robert Merton divide functions?
manifest and latent
What is the best theoretical perspective to use in sociology and why?
there is no best way because they have different areas
What is the goal of sociological research?
to test common sense assumptions and replace false ideas with facts and evidence
Why are the research methods of sociologists different from those of most other scientists?
they are limited in their ability to set up lab experiments to replicate real-life conditions
What are two major quantitative research tools?
survey and precollected data
What are the 3 tyoes of qualitative research?
survey research, secondary analysis, and experiment
What is survey research?
when people answer a series of questions
What is secondary analysis?
defined by information gathered by one researcher and used by another for a different purpose
What is an experiment?
where research occurs in a lab setting with a minimum of contaminating influences
What concept is reffered to in the following quote by novelist Leo Rosten: "If an explanation relies on a single cause, it is surely wrong"?
the concept of multiple causation
What is a variable?
a characteristic that is subject to change
What are the four types of variables?
independent, dependent, qualitative, quantitative
Why doesnt the existence of a correlation always indicate a cause-and-effect relationship?
because although two ideas may be correlated, their causations can be different.
How does causation differ from correlation?
bc things that correlate do not have to have the same causation
What are three standards for proving a cause-and-effect relationship?
two variables must be correlated; all other possible factors must occur before a change in the dependent variable can occur.
What is the scientific method?
the recognition and formulation of a problem, the collection of date through observation and experiment, and the formulation and testing of hypothesis
How is the scientific method actually applied in sociological research?
sociologists may conduct explatory studies prior to statinf hypotheses and developing research designs
What is the main concern of the Code of Ethics published by the American Sociological Association?
getting the greatest possible benefit with the least possible harm
In order to conduct ethical research, what four things must a sociologist do?
portect from social, financial, or psychological damgae, or legal prosecution