'The Sociological Perspective\r'

'Know the assumptions of structural-functional, conflict, and symbolic moveion theories. Review the contri just nowions of Augusta Comet, Herbert Spencer, Karl Marx, 6. Mile Drummers, slime Weber, Harriet Martinets, Jane Addams, and W. E. B. Dubos. Review the development of sociology in the join States. 8. Review the process of the three types of investigate discussed in the textbook. 9. Outline the steps in the scientific method of research. 10. Differentiate in the midst of the following concepts: variable, independent and dependent variables, and cook variables. 11. 12. 13. pardon the importance of operational De Discuss what a sample is in survey research. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of controlled experiments, survey research, and fictional charactericipant observation. Do you any wonder why great deal in the Midwest drive pick-ups and the people in China want a pedal? Do you ever think well-nigh why people were glued to their televisions when the human being Trade Center Towers were destroyed by terrorists? Do you ever watch people at a b entirelygame or at a shopping centerfield? Have you ever wondered why these people be possess as they do? Do you ask yourself why you make almost of the decisions that you do?If you see influences from family, friends, co-workers, and the kind of economic system hat we live in, then you be practicing sociology. Sociology is concerned with the groups, large and sm each, that we are a part of and how they influence our demeanour. Sociology is one part of the favorable lights. The social sciences are a related group of disciplines that chew over round aspect of human behavior. The differences are in the focuses. As examples, psychology focuses on much(prenominal) areas as the personality, the brain, and how we learn. Hi drool and semipolitical science study past events, government grammatical constructions, and modern affairs to control our behavior.Economics includes areas such as sup ply and emend, government policies, and occupational trends. Anthropology focuses on cultures and how they determine certain behaviors. Sociology plunder be explained by the updated version of an old story titled: The Elephant Story. It goes as follows: It is said that in the recent past five politic men and women, all blindfolded, were led to an elephant. severally was asked to explain what they â€Å"saw”. The first, a psychologist, savor the top of the head, said, â€Å"This is the tho thing that counts. alone olfactory property and thinking takes place intimate here.To understand this beast, we need study only this. The second, an anthropologist, tenderly touching the trunk and the tusks, said, â€Å"This is real primitive. I feel very well-heeled here. focalize on these. ” The third, a political scientist, tactility the gigantic ears, said, â€Å"This is the power center. What goes in here controls the entire beast. Concentrate your studies here. â⠂¬Â The fourth, an economist, feeling the babble, said, this is what counts. What goes in here is distributed throughout the body. Concentrate your studies on this. Then came the sociologist (OF course! , who, feeling the entire body, said, You cant understand the beast by concentrating only one part. Each is but part of the whole. The head, the trunk and tusks, the ears, the mouth †all are important. And so are the separate of the beast that you havent even mentioned. We must carry false our blindfolds so we can see the big picture. We have to see the larger picture. We have to see how everything works together to make water the entire animal. Pausing for emphasis, the sociologist added, â€Å"And we also need to understand how this creature interacts with similar creatures, HOW does their life in groups influence their behaviors? I wish I could conclude this fable by aspect that the psychologist, the anthropologist, the political scientist, and the economist, dazzled upon viewing the cognizance of the sociologist, amidst gasps of wonderment threw away their blindfolds, and joining together, began to audition the larger picture. But, alas, and alack! Upon hearing this sage advice, distributively stubbornly bound their blindfolds even tighter to stick out all the more(prenominal) on the oneness part. And if you listened very, very carefully you could even hear them saying, â€Å"Dont touch the tusks. ” ‘take your hand off the ears. â€Å"Stay away room the mouth †thats my area. ” Sociology, however, includes all of these areas of study and is probably the broadest of all of the social sciences. The main difference is that sociology focuses on the effects of groups on our actions and decisions. Sociology views behavior as resulting from all of the various influences that these disciplines specifically study. for sure living in an industrial/ scientific society affects our motivations and our occupational choices. Wo rld struggle II affected how we view women in the labor force today. Telecommunications have influenced our real work patterns.These are a some examples that demonstrate the effects of our society on behavior. Sociology is defined as the systematic study of human social interaction. This means how we interact with persons in any group setting. most of us follow patterns in our behaviors (think round your morning routines, are they usually the similar? ) and this allows sociologists to learn something about our behavior. Sociologists try to make and to explain behavior. They are people watchers †expression for patterns of behavior which allows sociologists to predict trends in behavior to help determine better social policies.However, sociologists realize that people change which requires that our predictions be tenuous. Never the less, sociologists want to develop a body Of reliable knowledge that can be applied to make our lives more understandable. Sociologists explain behavior through the concepts of anatomical structure and roles. Structure is much like a framework or script that guides our behavior. Roles, on the other hand, fit into a structure and deal with how we should perform. In a basketball game, rules serve to give the game structure. Everyone who plays knows or should know the rules of the game. This allows everyone to now how to behave and what to expect.\r\n'