U1: C1 - What is Sociology Lesson

What is Sociology

Sociology

The study of the development, structure, and functioning of human society

Sociology refers to social behavior, society, patterns of social relationships, social interaction, and culture that surrounds everyday life

Social Science

• Sociology - study of social behavior from group perspective

• Psychology - study of behavior

• History - study of the past

• Political science - study of government

• Anthropology - study of comparing past and present

• Economics - study of scarcity of goods

Sociological Perspective

It is impossible to view society in an objective lenses without separating yourself from your own perspective. Your values, ideals, norms, etc... will add judgement and prejudice.

When studying sociology, it is important to separate your own perspective. Hence, you will be viewing a situation from a sociological perspective.

This will allow you to acknowledge other ways of social reality

Sociological Imagination

Understanding that you and your social reality exists in a bigger world view with many different social realities is crucial to understanding and studying sociology.

Recognizing this difference is called the sociological imagination

Sociology as a Science

Sociology research is conducted the same way that hard science research is conducted, by use of the scientific method, just instead of chemical reactions and dissections, sociologists use people and groups.

Scientific Method

• Define the Problem - what are we studying

• Review the Literature - what do we know

• Form a Hypothesis - what is the current thought

• Choose a research design - how to conduct experiments

• Collect the Data - record and observe

• Analyze the Data - what does the data mean

• Present Conclusions - what are we adding to the field of knowledge

Cause and Correalation

Sociologists must determine what is causing the findings and what correalations exist. They do this by determining the variables (anything that different) to know if the difference makes the reacts differently.

Basic Research Methods

• Survey - questionnaires or interviews

• Analysis of existing sources

• Observational studies - case studies with participants

• Experiment - using variables to find results

• Statistical Analysis - using math and gathered statistics

Ethics of Research

Sociologists, whenever using human participants, must be aware of privacy of participants as well as telling them what is going on, as deceiving can give false results.

However, some experiments require deception so participants must at least know any risks and consent to experimentation. This is called informed consent.