Sociology

Sociology seeks to uncover the social factors that affect behavior. It shows us that we are heavily influenced by the social pressures of the groups to which we belong. Sociologists work to obtain data to test assumptions about social life that may seem to be common sense, but turn out to be something quite different.

The benefits of using the sociological perspective are many. They include:

providing strategies that help us to think critically and gain a new understanding of a familiar world
helping to reveal how our lives are both enhanced and constrained by the social world around us
giving us an objective view of the role that we play in the world
empowering us to see our personal actions in a larger context
helping us to see how some individuals and groups are disadvantaged through no fault of their own
increasing our appreciation for the challenges we face living in a world characterized by inequality, struggles for power, and social change

By the time sociology became established in American and European universities during the mid-twentieth century, generations of sociologists had combined the historical, philosophical, and statistical roots of sociology's early days to engender an approach to research that paralleled those of the natural sciences. Sociology's answers to questions had to be rooted in logical and systematically collected observations about presumed or "hypothesized" realities.

What distinguishes sociology from other social sciences? The "object" of sociological thinking and research is society. Sociologists study how societies or groups become organized and how they change over time.

Three theoretical perspectives (or paradigms) that characterize sociology are:

Symbolic interactionism is a micro-level perspective that focuses on the meanings that individuals attach to symbols such as objects, words, or ideas. Symbolic interactionists are interested in how the meanings of symbols arise and change over time.
Functionalism is a macro-level perspective that views society as one interrelated unit. Each component of society has its own function or role. When the components work harmoniously, society functions smoothly, but when one or more components fail, there can be serious consequences at the individual, family, community, or societal level.
Conflict theory is a macro-level perspective that holds the belief that social groups are inherently in conflict with one another. This occurs at the individual level (teenager vs. parents) or on a broader scale (labor vs. management, or male vs. female). Conflict is always rooted in the struggle to gain power.

To illustrate the complexity of real-life social issues, read the story of Marilyn Abbott, a 44-year-old nurse who is also a daughter, wife, and mother.

How would you apply the social science perspectives discussed in this module to better understand the challenges faced by Marilyn Abbott?
As a social scientist, how would your understanding of Marilyn Abbott’s "world" differ from that of a health care professional or a businessperson, for example?