THE SOCIOLOGICAL

POINT OF
VIEW EXAMINING
SOCIAL LIFE
Chapter 1, Section 1
Pages: 2-8
 Life In Society
• Sociologists study areas that affect all of us:
• Marriage
• Technology
• Crime
• Mental Health/ Suicide
• Adolescents/ Teen Dating
 Life In Society
• We all view our culture in different ways and that gives our
society great diversity.
• At the same time, most of us share many of the same
characteristics and ideas. This diversity and similarity is the
main interest to sociologists.
 Examining Social Life
• Sociology is the systematic
study of human society.
• It is the social science that
studies human society and
social behavior.
• Social Sciences are the
disciplines that study
human social behavior in a
scientific manner.
 Examining Social Life
• Social Interaction: • Social Phenomena:
How people relate to one observable facts or events
another and influence each that involve human society.
other’s behavior -Sociologists use these facts
- Sociologists focus on the and events to study human
group rather than the behavior.
individual.
 Sociological Perspective
• Sociology helps you gain a new view of yourself and the
world around you.
• In order to do this you need to have sociological
perspective: that is you must look beyond commonly held
beliefs to the hidden meanings behind human actions.
• Through this you will learn to see the world through the
eyes of others.
 Sociological Perspective
• This perspective will help
you see all people as social
beings.
• It shows that your
behaviors are influenced
by social factors and that
you have learned your
behavior from others.
• It will also help you find a
balance between your
personal desires and the
demands of your
environment. You can’t
always do what you want,
but you also can’t always
do what others want you to
do. In order to grow as an
individual you must find
this balance.
 Sociological Imagination
• Last, the sociological perspective helps you view your own
life with a larger society and historical context.
• The Ability to see the connection between the larger world
and your personal life is what is known as the sociological
imagination. These phrases was coined by C. Wright Mills.
 Social Sciences
• Anthropology: The
comparative study of the
past and present cultures.
• Anthropology focuses on
past cultures and simple or
less advanced societies.
• This area is the most
similar to sociology in its
subject matter.
• Sociology focuses on more
advanced and complex
societies.
 Social Sciences
• Psychology: deals with the • It differs from sociology
behavior and thinking of because it focuses on the
organisms. individual instead of the
• Areas of interest include group.
personality, perception, • It also draws on the tools
motivation, and learning. of the natural sciences.
 Social Sciences
• Combining psychology and • Social Psychology is a
sociology gives you social growing major at many
psychology. schools and offers careers
• This is the study of how in both areas.
the social environment
affects an individual’s
behavior and personality.
 Social Sciences
• Economics: is the study of • Economics and sociology
the choices people make in share interests such as the
an effort to satisfy their effect of economic factors
needs and their wants. on various groups.
• Examines the effects of • What examples can you
government polices on think of?
economic growth and
stability.
 Social Sciences
• Political Science: the • These interests include
examination of the • Voting Patterns
organization and operation • Concentration of political
of governments. power
• Sociology and political • Formation of politically
science share many based groups
interests.
 Social Sciences
• History: is the study of • What past and current
paste vents. events could be studied by
• Sociologists study past sociologists?
events in an effort to • The great Depression and
explain current social today’s economy.
behaviors and attitudes.
THANK YOU!