What is Sociology?

Which of these best describes sociology as a subject?

• The study of individual behavior

• The study of cultures

• The study of society and social interactions

• The study of economics

C. Wright Mills once said that sociologists need to develop a sociological __________ to study how society affects individuals.

• Culture

• Imagination

• Method

• Tool

A sociologist defines society as a group of people who reside in a defined area, share a culture, and who:

• Interact

• work in the same industry

• speak different languages

• practice a recognized religion

Seeing patterns means that a sociologist needs to be able to:

• compare the behavior of individuals from different societies

• compare one society to another

• identify similarities in how social groups respond to social pressure

• compare individuals to groups

What do you think C. Wright Mills meant when he said that to be a sociologist, one had to develop a sociological imagination?

Describe a situation in which a choice you made was influenced by societal pressures.