Sociology 210 Study Guide

A sociological perspective is a framework for thinking about, describing, or explaining how human activities are organized and how people relate to one another and respond to their surroundings.

Everyone in the world has a theory about why something happens or how it happens, but in sociology there are many different types of theories that often contradict each other. Theory is defined as “a statement of how and why specific facts are related” (Macionis, 2013). Most theories explain why people act in certain ways and explains why a person in a group may act different than someone that is alone. When building sociological theories most sociologist ask their selves two different questions: “What issues should we study?” and “How should we connect the facts?” (Macionis, 2013). By answering these questions the sociologist is led to a road map, or a theoretical approach. Theoretical approach is described as “a basic image of society that

"Live your life at the point of impact, moving at the speed of life, we are bound to collide with each other." A sociological concept is a way sociologists develop a certain and unique way for understanding the world around us because of one 's specialized training. How one approaches society leads to making different types of discoveries that some to various conclusions. These individual perspectives can tell one something about what one is trying to understand. A sociological concept is affected by the personal experiences of the sociologist, his or her interests, abilities, opportunities, and the specific historical circumstances. It is the guiding principal that attempts to explain and predict the social world in which we live.

o our lives are affected not only by our individual characteristics, but by our place in the social world.

Second each structure has a function that contributes to the continued stability or equilibrium of the unified whole. Therefore, everything is perceived in a “big picture” from a macro point of view on life in our society. Manifest functions are the obvious, intended functions of a social structure, while latent functions are the less obvious, perhaps unintended functions.

Sociologists employ three major theoretical perspectives in sociology today. They are the structural-functionalist perspective, the conflict perspective, and the symbolic interactionism. The structural-functionalist perspective is done at a macro level and its focus is on the relationships between the parts of society. The Conflict perspective is done at a macro level and its main focus is on how the wealthy controls the poor and weak.

Social structures tend to influence the decisions an individual acts upon in a society. Social structures are exterior beliefs or perceptions that affect or interfere with our ego and conscience. Social structures work closely together with social units because social units are about the person, while social structures are about the person intergrading the exterior influences with his conscience to make a decision in a society. “Social structures the stable patterns of interactions, statuses, roles, and organizations that provide stability for the society and bring order to individuals’ lives. For example, I am a member of the Roman Catholic Church and I belong to the Republican political party. Using the examples I used for social units, my religion and political party will affect me when trying to make a decision. Society may see it as normal to abort, participate in pre-martial sex or use contraceptives during sex but my religion sees it as morally wrong to do any of these examples. The demands and beliefs of my religion will interfere with my conscience when trying to do a decision that society expects me or allows me to do. “Christians are

A key part of engaging in sociology is to adopt a sociological viewpoint or 'think sociologically'. Etymologically, sociology is the 'study of society' but this doesn't differentiate sociology from other forms of social study. Hence, many begin to describe thinking sociologically by what it is not - it is not thinking politically, thinking anthropologically, thinking historically or thinking psychologically, for example (Berger 1966: 11-36; Reiss 1968: 2-3). Others try to determine the nature of sociological thinking by detailing practical phenomena which can be thought about such as social systems and their subsystems, social institutions and social structure, and social aggregates, relationships, groups and organisations (Reiss 1968: 1),

In order to understand have theory of Sociological perspectives you must first define the three major philosophies. The first sociological perspective will be the symbolic interactionist perspective which focus on the everyday details of life. They look at how people interpret different signs and symbolic images that have a specific meaning to the originator but sometimes loses meaning to the receiver. Since words are not concrete and can sometime be manipulated to another person to justify why they thought this was the correct interpretation. The second sociological perspective I would like to address is the Functionalist perceptive which focus on how we are held together by adapting to social consensus. The majority

Sociology is and what do sociologists study. It is also vital to look at the three basic

Sociological theories are embedded in a particular social context and are deeply influenced by them. Each sociological thinker or theorist has to respond to the social institution in which he or she exists and to try and make sense of the enveloping culture. In other words, sociological theories are sociologist’s response to the context in which he lives and works.

Sociology is the study of the social lives of human beings and how humans live culturally and socially develop relationships. It is crucial to understand the society that humans live in and a series of social behavior that humans undergo. The three major ways you could view sociology, Structural Functionalism, Conflict theory, and Symbolic Interaction. Not everyone will have the same sociological perspective because the different perspectives are truly based on what you believe this world runs on.

Theories in sociology provide us with different perspectives with which to view our social world. A perspective is simply a way of looking at the world. A theory is a set of interrelated propositions or principles designed to answer a question or explain a particular phenomenon; it provides us with a perspective. Sociological theories help us to explain and predict the social world in which we live.

Sociology is a social science that enables people to understand the structure and dynamics of society. By using a scientific approach, and by critically analysing society using qualitative and quantitative methods, sociologists can find patterns and connections within human behaviour to provide explanations of how society affects people. Sociological views are based on theories that have been tested through unbiased research and attempt to take all values into account. Common sense theories are generally individualistic and naturalistic assumptions that are based on opinions than can vary depending on an individuals

Sociological theory is something that is tested and proven;it attempts to make sense of scientific data or empirical observations collected on human societies. Sociological theory relies on scientific method and is objective it does not presume to judge society.Theory is used for the interpretation of empirical research it is an ‘explanation of observed regularities and