Lesson 1: Sociology is a science: perspectives and main characteristics

*Social science: Distinguish between sociology, psychology and economy

1.Sociology:
Social forces (external) -> shaped behavior
Ex: culture (value, belief, norm, symbol)
2.Psychology
Personal forces (internal) (perception, conception, characteristics...) -> personal
behavior
3.Economy: Economic aspects
Ex: demand, supply

*Similarities and differences between social science and natural science:

Social science Natural science
-> social behaviour -> natural phenomena

Similarities Science:
-Systematic
-Logically/reasonably
-Objective

Differences -Relative -Absolute

-Qualitative and quantitative -Quantitative 
Phenomena (divorces, suicides, unemployment, personal problems) could be
explained by psychology or sociology.

*4 important roles of sociology:

1.Develop law, polices shaping people’s lives in a particular society

2.Recommend solutions to a particular problems, to change policies/apply some

programs

Ineffective laws -> solution, changes.

Ex: in Vietnam -> prostitution (want to stop supply, stop the demand)

3.Diagnosis of group problem

Ex: population: boys>girls -> estimate/diagnosis in the future

4.Assist personal growth and awareness

If we understand sociology clearly -> do right things -> proper attitude -> not do bad
things anymore.

Micro sociology Macro sociology

Social factors -> shaped behavior Relationship between subparts of social
structure
  Edu
 Economy
 Policies
 Family
 Religion
Ex: 1986 Doi Moi: centrally planned
economy -> free market economy

Lesson 2: Sociological research

 Common sense: right/wrong

 Scientific evidence: the truth

*Procedures of doing research:

1.Pre-field (chuẩn bị, tiền thực địa) -> research proposal
Afther the proposal is approved
2.Field work (thực địa): collect data, info by observation, lab
3.Post-field: analyzing the data, reporting (depend on the degree, purpose)

*Research tool:
Quantitative research Qualitative research

Answer the question: how many, who Answer the question: why, how

Collecting data via observation by direct Interpretation method, interpret needs,

observing, measuring people’s actions. goals, and motions of people’s actions.

Objective Subjective

External factors Internal factors

Statistic, survey, questionnaire In-depth interview, observation.

Inductive logical thought Deductive logical thought

(Quy nạp) (Diễn dịch)

Detail / Specific observation -> general General -> detail -> general (decrese)
theory (increase)
 Quantitative
 Qualitative

*Survey:
1.Population: who -> focus of the research

2.Sample: how many (choosen/selected)

3.Random sample: pick up randomly/bốc thăm -> equal chance of being selected

*Findings of sociological study:

1.Validity (What we call when measuring exactly what one intends to measure)

2.Realiability ~ consistency

3.Objectivity

*Questionnaire:

 Open-ended -> free to ans

 Closed-ended: fix responses

Lesson 3: Culture

-Culture is relative -> adapt/adjust

-Relative: wrong in the past <> right the present

-Culture is the ways of thinking, acting and the material objects that form people’ lives.
Culture is what we think, how we act and what we own. Culture is the link to the past
and guide to future.

* 2 types of culture:

1.Material: what we own

2.Non-material: what we think, act

*4 elements of culture:

Symbols -People who share a culture -> recognize ->

-> set of symbols: languages
(7000 globally) -> instant
messaging (G9: good night)
understand the meaning.
-New symbols are created all the time (kí hiệu
trên đg cao tốc)
-Different meaning within and between countries
-In the past: asking for info -> Modern
society: using symbols (the more modern the
society the more symbols it has)
=> have to

Values  Guidelines
 Beautiful things we should do.

=> should do

Believes  Religion
 Common sense: believe it wright/wrong

Norms  Formal: law (have to)

 Informal: costume (phong tục tập quán) ->
must
-> “Luật vua thua lệ làng”

Level of control: have to > must (if not do -> embarrassing) > should

*Compare multiculturalism and globalization:

Multiculturalism Globalization

Multiculturalism seeks the inclusion of the views Globalization is worldwide

and contributions of diverse members of society integration of government
while maintaining respect for their differences and policies, cultures, social
withholding the demand for their assimilation into movements, and financial
the dominant culture. markets through trades and the
exchange of ideas.

 Recognizes the cultural diversity of the Examples:

U.S.   Food: KFC, McDonald’s,
 Promotes the equality of all cultural Starbucks
traditions  Factories: industrial zone,
 Eurocentrism: Dominance of European chain stores
cultural patterns  Entertainment: Hollywood
 Afrocentrism: Dominance of African movies, Kpop
 cultural patterns  Dominated languages
(English)
Examples:
 Indian-American professor.

*Consequences of culture relative/difference:

1. Culture shock:

Limited knowledge, inability to make sense the unfamiliar way of life

2. Ethnocentrism (worst)

_ A biased “cultural yardstick”.

_ Judging another culture by the standards of one’s culture.
-disrespect and not follow the others' culture
-our culture is the best -> not accept the others
Ex: người Kinh xem thường 53 dân tộc thiểu sốcòn lại

3. Cultural relativism (best)

_ More accurate understanding

_ The practice of judging a culture by its own standards
-Accept others’ cultures but may not follow
Ex: người Ấn Độ ăn bằng tay -> người VN k bắt chước ăn như v

Lesson 4: Socialization

 Socialization is the process people transfer values, norms and culture of a group or
society into their personal identities.
 Do not rely mainly on peoplw’s reaction t adjust your behavior -> undersatnd why
they reat link that (neagtive reation from people will make changes to us, not positive
reaction)

If we do not learn, have interaction -> we can’t become a normal person.

 “Đi một ngày đàng, học một sàng khôn”
 “Người 73 học người 74”

Con Người
Nature/in-borne Leaning/nurture
“cha mẹ sinh con trời sinh tính”
Absolute Relative
 Everyone is the same Learning can change behavir
Ex: eating when hungry

*The main characteristics of socialization:

1.Life-long learning: stop learning when we die
2.Mutual learning:
Elderly learn from youngster
Urban learn from rural…
3.Learning from action is more effective than from speaking
Be a good example before teaching someone.

*The main agents of socialization?

 Family ⇒ The first and longest (most important)
 School
 Peer group
 Tv and mass media

*8 stages of socialization:
1.Infancy (0-18 months)
Love, trust, securities -> the world is a safe place

2. Early childhood (2-3 years)

Confidence, independence
Do not destroy their hope, not talk bad things -> let them do things themselves

3. Late childhood (up to 5 years old)

-Initiative (sáng kiến), direction, purpose
-Making friends outside the family and developing a sense of initiative, purpose and
direction.
Feel guilty if you do not meet your parents'  expectations.

4. School age (6-13)

Competion (not too strong)
New skills
Proud/fear

5.Adolescence
Identity versus role confusion
Tưởng mình là ng trưởng thành but not yet
Transition from childhood to adult world.
Intimacy (than mật) with peers.
Challenge of gaining identity.

6.Young adulthood
Intimacy versus isolation.
Pursue a career and family. To form and maintain intimate relationships with others
(love, friendship). If not the feeling of isolation.

7.Adulthood into middle age: (phát vãng: do not want to do anything)

Generativity versus stagnation.
Renewed efforts  to contribute to the community, contributing to the lives of others
(family, work…).
Failing at this they become self-centered.

8. Old age:
Integrity versus despair.
A person looks back (Tự vấn) and evaluates his/her whole life and feels proud or
unimportant. For those self-absorbed, old age brings a sense of despair over missed
opportunities.

 ID: vô thức, bản năng (tham lam)

 Ego: thoả hiệp (identity: nhân cách) -> psychology
 Super ego: kiểm soát (external) -> The self (Cái tôi) -> sociology

*Development of self: (George Mead)

 “I” -> uncrediatble, subjective, internal.Ex: trời khuya , vềsớm vì sợ bản thân nguy
hiểm
 “Me” -> creditable, external, objective.Ex: trời khuya, vềsớm vì sợ bame la

* 4 stages of development of the Looking- glass self of Cooley:

 Behave based on our experiences
 Other people reaction
 Interprete other people reactor, our conception built
 Change behavior to match the interpretation

*What do most sociologists take the position of socialization? Nature or

Nurture:
Biological sciences – The role of nature
Elements of society have a naturalistic root, beyond people’ controls.

Social sciences – The role of nurture

Most of who and what we are  is learned and we can control it.

Nature or nurture
It is both, but from a sociological perspective, nurture matters more.

Lesson 5: Social interaction

* (Hold ) Status (position) at a given time, place

 Formal: workplace, university
 Informal: Family

Different status -> different behavior

Ex:

 Lecturer -> teaching for income

 Student -> pay fee to get certificate

*Social structure: different position in society having 5 components:

1.Culture

2. Social groups

3. (hold) Status

4. (Play) role

5.Social institutions

*2 types of statuses:

1.Ascribed (gán/qui cho): (tradition/close society: hard to move up/down)

 “Con vua thì lại làm vua” -> without effort

 Affected by society

Ex: daughter/son in a family

2.Achieved (modern/open society)

Base on effort/ability

Ex: student

*Status set: all statuses a person holds at a given time

The more developed the countries -> more/increasing needs -> more statuses

*Master status: special importance for social identity, shaping a person’s life
 Want society to recognize you (job, prestige) -> relating social background, edu,
income
 In business card
 Could be negative/positive (disable people, women status)

*(Play) role:

Behavior expected of someone who holds a particular status

Role conflict Role strain (căng thẳng)

-Be able to perform but too many statuses -Limited ability to perform many roles in
-> not perform all well a single status

-Happen in modern society -> holding too Ex: there are many 3rd students feel hard
much statuses to pass IELTS 6.0 band

-Consequences: -Consequence: low productivity

 Stress -Not qualified person -> not giving them

 Suicide too much work

Work pressure

-Qualified person -> work balance

*Role exit: Involves disengaging from social roles

Many reasons to exit a role:

 No ability to continue or move up to higher status

 Involves examination of new roles that lead to a turning point

Lesson 6: Group, organization

*Crowd vs Group

Similaries: having more than 2 peole, having interaction

Differences Classification

Crowd  No membership (just common sense) 1.Casual:

 May be unclear purpose
 Loosely organized
 Temporary
 Little interaction
 Equal relationship
 Ex: curious to an accident

2.Conventional
(deliberate plan)

Form a circle around the

man in the platform

Ex:

 Food demo
 Angry crowd
surrounding the judge
in football game
 Small meeting crowd
before strike

3.Expressive:

Event -> EMOTIONAL

event -> provoke action

4.Acting:

Not just talk + ACTION

Group  Rules, requirement -> membership 1.Primary (vì tình)

 Very clear purpose
Ex: family, friend
 Temporary/permanent
 Not equal relationship -> hierarchy ->  Small in number/size
status, role matter  Ends in themselves
 If u violate -> sanction (chếtài) (say goodbye to your
friend)
 Personal orientation
 Long-term
 Breadth: broad

2.Secondary (vì lý)

Ex: co-workers, political

organizations

 Large in number/size
 Means to an end
(formal procedure)
  Goal orientation
 Variable, short-term
 Breath: narrow

*Group leadership:

2 roles:

1. Expressive: people (primary)

2.Instrumental: task (secondary)

4 styles:

1. Autocratic (phi dân chủ): lãnh đạo độc đoán -> leader makes decision, members just
follow

2.Democratic: member involvement, leader makes decision for members’ benefit

3.Bureucratic (quan liêu) = autocratic + democratic

-Democratic: choose to become -> traning -> test -> certificate

-Autocratic: follow the rules

4.Laissez-faire (tự chủ) -> least effective

 Leader does not care the process, just care the result
 Mainly let the members function evrything on its own
 Members are expected to make their own decisions

Ex: in developed countries -> work from home, covid pandemic, may hàng gia công

*Crowd (localized activities) vs mass (dispersed activities)

Both are group of people rallied around a common concern,

But people in a MASS are not is close proximity wit each other.

*Mob vs riot

Mob Riot
 Small no of people  Large no of people
 Spontaneously formed  Last longer

Ex: losing football fans Ex: politics

*Group size and relationship:

More people -> more relationship -> narrow breadth

*Organization: is a large secondary group, which is organized to achieve goals

efficiently; date back thousands of years.

Types of organizations:
1.Utilitarian: Material rewards for members

2.Normative:
 Voluntary organizations 
 Ties to personal morality

3.Coercive:
 Punishment or treatment 
 Total institutions

Người ở organization có cảm nhận khác nhau:

 tù nhân -> coercive
 ng làm việc trong tù -> utilitarian 
*Which are the characteristics of bureaucratic organization?
Bureaucratic organization: An organizational model rationally designed to perform
tasks efficiently

Max Weber’s six elements to promote organizational efficiency:

 Specialization of duties
 Hierarchy of offices
 Rules and regulations
 Technical competence
 Impersonality
 Formal, written communications

Lesson 7: Social control, deviance (sự lầm đg, lạc lối)

*Deviance: Recognized violation of cultural norms

*Crime: Violation of a society's formally enacted criminal law

1.Crime against the person

Ex: If sb wants to kill you, you have to attack them to protect yourself

2. Crime against property

Ex: trộm đột nhập vào nhà

3. Victimless crimes (no obvious victims)

No one has direct consequences

Ex: tax evasion, corruption

*Social control: Encouragement of conformity to norms

1/Formal:

 Produce conformity through some promise/threat of institutionalized

reward/punishment

 Based on laws, codes, policies, procedures, contracts, etc.

 Written down. Formalized into codified statements.

 Enforced by specific institutions and authorized agents

 2/Informal:

• Based on social identity and group pressure

• Requires the person's self-identity is heavily invested in group membership

• Group membership = emotionally important

• Really, really wants to be a member of that group

• Losing group approval or membership would be heavy blow to self-identity, self-

esteem, self-worth, etc.

• Reputation and presentation of self depend on good standing in the group

Ex: family, friends, neighborhood, work group (Ridicule: lời nhạo báng,
Degradation/criticism, Gossip. Slander: phỉ báng, Banishment: trục xuất, Exclusion: loại
trừ)

*Why do people violate?

1.Limited knowledge

-> Build awareness -> more programs

2.Ineffective sanction

-> law enforcement

Ex: không đội nón bảo hiểm -> tiền phạt cao hơn

3.Invalid/not suitable anymore punishment

-> Fix/change new law

Ex: bắt 3 ngày rồi thả gái mại dâm

*Explanations for deviance:

1.Biological context (genetic, environmental factors)

 Especially abuse early in life: predictors of adult crime/violence

 “Gần mực thì đen, gần đèn thì sáng”

2.Personality factors (objective)

 Unsuccessful socialization (Erikson 8 stages)
 Mental sickness but they do not know

 Gambling in the street (đánh bạc, chọi gà) -> against law
 Casino -> accepted
 Violate or not depend on social lable (places)

*Structure-Functional theories:

Durkheim -> positive effect from deviance

1. Affirm cultural values and norms-> make people realize good value, norm

There can be no good without evil and no justice without crime

2. Moral boundaries (teach right from wrong)

Ex: hôi bia, gian lận là sai -> sửa, chỉnh đốn

3. Bring people toghether -> united people

People typically react to serious deviance with shared outrage.( sự phẫn nộ)

4. Encourage social change

Ex: invalid rule -> new rule