Soc. 100 Lecture 08.Chapter 1

1. Edited 3/31/01 Soc. 100 Lecture 08.Chapter 1 Introducing Sociology 1

2. (1) Explaining poverty:popular vs sociology (2) What is Sociology (3) Challenge of Sociology (1) Intro:All of us are amateur Sociologist (a) Sociology; a definition* (3) The Promise of Sociology* The Sociological Imagination* (4) Sociology and common sense* (5) Suicide a Sociological Perspective (6) Sociology and TV News Chapter 1 lecture/discussion 2

3. Example: Rosa Lee Cunningham (text p5,6) Public Opinion and Poverty (1) Recognize unequal opportunity (2) Hold individuals responsible (3) Sympathetic toward poor (4) Don’t like welfare programs (1)a Explaining poverty:popular view 3

4. Social Forces Cause Rates vary time, place, age, race and ethnicity Explanation specifics: Social Structure: economy; poor neighborhoods, lack of entry level jobs, lack of education Race: effects neighborhood, home, education quality, job networks, single mothers, higher possibility of jail then job Work: ways to make a living and framework for life lacking Culture:by those in poverty helps survive in poverty/ghetto but perceptions and problems in job interview. (e.g. “Are you eye balling me!) Inner city residents share hard work, honesty …values but difficult to apply.Outside groups stereotypes of effect. * Note: typical welfare participant is white (70%), live in suburbs, small towns and rural areas, 2 out of 3 are children, 9 of 10 adults were women, African Americans had highest ratio, most not become welfare dependant (1)b Explaining poverty:sociological view Example, Chicago South Side: 2 out of 3 unemployed, ½ no high school, 2/3 single mothers, 6 of 10 on welfare, poor economy 4

5. Observation: humans or intensely social We are, in large part, who we are because of when and where and to whom we were born Society creates and limits opportunities Structure of society affects attitudes, behavior often in non perceived ways (eg. graying of America) Social Institutions: established patterns organized around important functions: family(replenishment), education(socialization to group), religion(meaning), politics(social control), economics(distribution of goods and services Social Stratification: groups, societies are divided into layers/strata with unequal access * Beginning definition: Sociology is the systematic study of the groups and societies in which people live , how social structures and culture is created and maintained or changed and how they affect our behavior (2)a What is Sociology 5

6. Psychologist: most interested in internal causes of behavior and individuals Sociologist: interest in external causes of behavior and groups Social Psychologist:interest in group X to individual Anthropologist: similar to sociologist except no time and space limits Economist: focus on economy exchange between individuals and groups Political Scientists: focus on political aspects of social life * (2)b What are other Social Sciences 6

7. * Sociology; the study of the groups* (small->large) humans build and how these affect our behavior (2)c Sociology: an alternative definition groups are relationships, identifications, to which one feels they are part of. The smallest are personal (primary) groups (family) The largest are impersonal possibly with no direct interaction between all members (society). Sociologist examine Social institutions (family, education, economy, government, religion) and their affects on individuals Sociologist study creation, maintenance and change of societies and institutions Structure of Society molds attitudes and behavior 7

8. Tell me about the following: Give a definition of sociology and explain the sociological perspective in your own words. Political scientists, Economists, Anthropologists Psychologists, and Social Psychologist, How are they similar and how different? What are Social institutions and what functions do they perform Social Stratification (what is it, examples?) What is the challenge of Sociology? How does Sociology differ from common sense What is the sociological explanation for Suicide Compare and contrast Social Science and Mass Media (1c) Sociology Intro: group discussion Know and be able to recognize and give examples of all bold and italicized terms 8

9. Sociology developed at end of the 19th century with accelerating social change Industrialization changed work and life styles Moves from small, intimate stable communities to urban tenements Urban populations experienced squalor, riots and organized protest (e.g. French revolution) New: nation states, governments, social classes Religion was loosing some of its power (3) Challenge of Sociology: explain social changes 9

10. -General Enlightenment-direct and indirect effects on public understanding, policy makers, news, public opinion poll (developed by sociologist), concepts (social role, white collar crime, self-fulfilling prophecy, white flight -Questioning public Assumptions (myths, common sense): the debunking motiv •missing children kidnapped?(p14, 15), •crime rate increase? -Identifying Social Problems: How widespread is family violence -Designing Solutions, William J Wilson advisor to president on urban poverty and welfare reform(5 recommendations p16, 17) (3)b Tasks of Sociology HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW: all the T-F questions on the pre test were false 10

11. Sociological Imagination -Private troubles vs. public issues* -Sociological problem vs. "social problem" (Not discussed in text) -Difference in role as a sociologist and use of sociology [theoretical vs. applied] (Not discussed in text) * (3)c Sociological Imagination 11

12. (2b) The Sociological Imagination The ability to see the interplay of biography and history and the connection between public issues and personal problems (troubles)* Social Forces: forces beyond the the control of an individual explainable in terms of social patterns not individual psychology 12

13. * public issues and personal problems (troubles) public issues(aspects of the society) personal problems (troubles) Examples: Divorce X Post WWII Marriages Unemployment X Economic Change Suicide --check Dirkheim .. war, economic 13

14. * 1. Overlap of much common sense and Sociology (Rich get richer and poor get poorer) 2. Sociology rejects much common sense (Revolutions and social conditions) (T-F questions on the pre-test all F) 3. Seeing and believing: which comes first. Perception is socially based. (what you see is what you get but it may not be what is there) (depth, color, social roles -surgeon & son, race) 4. Social definition/determiners of reality (Ash 1952 study and autokenetic) (Sociology vs. Mass media) (4) Sociology and common sense* 14

15. (5) Suicide, the most individual of acts: a SociologicalPerspective * Nomathetic vs. idiographic explanations; Sociologists use idiographic explanations Example: Durkheim's Suicide {rejected mental state, nationality, biology, climate,) Type of Suicide Structure of social relationships Egoistic (lack of attachment -Protestants) Anomie (breakdown of norms, war) Altruistic (excessive attachment, Japanese) Fatalistic (excessive control, opposite anomie, prison) Excessive individualism No clear expectations/norms Too much group importance No action possible Patterns vs. ( Idiographic) Individual Cases year, age, sex, 'race', economy,culture (religion) ,marital/family X Suicide 15

16. Suicide Stories may function as an advisement (5)b Copycat Suicide, Patterns -average increase of 58 suicides week after media treatment -more media coverage X increase in suicides -celebrity suicides X bigger increase suicides -teenagers more prone to copycat suicides Why teenagers? • advising aspect of reporting • cultural status/situation of teenager - Kurt Cobain’s suicide shows preventative measures for controlling copycat suicides can be made Page 32-33 16

17. Reality • less crime in schools • Low, low probability of personal involvement Stories may function as an advisement Patterns -number of incidents in 2 years following Columbine -is media coverage X increase in number and size? Social Factors changes in family structures (economic, stability--no “village”) American values of violence (current international events), success, special people (celebrity worship as seen in pop media, popular music) groups/”gangs” like this have existed for some time but “denial” since MC and white vs ethnic communications possibilities (internet) Why teenagers? Are teenagers more prone to copycat incidents? • advising aspect of reporting • cultural status/situation of teenager--peers, ID seeking, cultural of insults Can measures for controlling these incidents be made (5)b Copycat School Shootings? 17

18. (6) Sociology and TV News Sociology and Mass Media Characteristics Characteristics of Mass Media Sociological Reasoning What are the characteristics of sociological reasoning? (1) bite by bite Why-context and relations (2) dramatic picture all social behavior (3) unique event / personality social forces (4) bad news / hard news normal / typical (5) big business guided by theory not ad sales [6] common sense logic & empiricism "scientific method" Data gathering techniques check out chapter 2 and the web outline for A02 (7) (8) (9) 18

19. Next classes: Be prepared for a quiz and discussion on Chapter 2 19

20. Don’t Print Truths or Consequences 26. Religious cults that prophesize the end of the world at a specific date and time and fail in their prediction are devastated by the failure and disband. 27. With crime rates as they are one has to be most concerned about the possibility of being killed by a criminal. 20

21. Don’t Print (__)_________________*****You will receive back answers but not questions****School___ Group, L Name, First, (please print) ***Use back if you need more space**** ______________(1) One major reason the typical welfare recipient (70%) does not work is because? ______________(2) A riddle: A man and his son are in an accident. The father is killed; the boy is rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery. The surgeon comes into the operating room and exclaims "I can't operate, that's my son." Who is the surgeon? ______________ (3) Solomon Ash found that less then ___in three would disagree when faced with unanimous agreement on an incorrect estimate of lengths of two lines. ______________ (4) Why is the typical "missing child" on a milk carton missing  T or F (5) TV in the US is a product of a democracy and is uncensored ______________ (6) Name the sex and race of a typical suicide in the US ______________ (7) Suicide occurring during economic booms Emile Durkheim called___________________. ______________ (8) History typically examines all the particulars of a time or event while Sociology looks for recurring patterns. The Sociology approach to knowledge is called? ______________(9,10) Name two differences between TV news and Sociology. ________________________________ and _________________________ 3. Quiz Chapter 1a 21

22. Don’t Print * Name_____________________ School____________________ (1) One major reason the typical welfare recipient (70%) does not work is because? he/she is under 18 (2) A riddle: A man and his son are in an accident. The father is killed; the boy is rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery. The surgeon comes into the operating room and exclaims "I can't operate, that's my son." Who is the surgeon? the boys mother (3) Solomon Ash found that less then 1 in 3 would disagree when two people before them agreed on an incorrect estimate of lengths of two lines. (4) The typical "missing child" on a milk carton is likely runaway or taken by family member 3. Quiz Chapter 1 22

23. (5) TV in the US is a product of a democracy is uncensored T or F (6) Name the sex and race of typical suicides in the US M,W (7) Suicide occurring during economic booms Durkheim called anomie (8) History typically examines all the particulars of a time or event while Sociology looks for recurring patterns. Soc is a nomothetic approach to knowledge (9,10) Two of the differences between TV news and Sociology are: scientific method of gathering/reporting, theoretical perspective* *