- Sociology
- Studying Society and Social Life
- Social Groups and Social Control
- Social Inequality
- Social Institutions
- Social Dynamics and Social Change
- Digital Stories
Welcome to Sociology
The Study of Society.
Sociology focuses on identifying, explaining, and interpreting patterns and processes of human social relations. This introductory course is designed not just to teach you some of the major findings of sociology, but to help you master fundamental sociological skills, including the ability to think with a "sociological imagination" as well as integrate "technological fluency" with "informational literacy" utilizing basic computer-based data analysis—skills which have broad applicability in a range of educational and work settings.
Our goal in this class is for you to gain a different perspective of a diverse world often taken for granted and to gain new insight into the ways that society shapes people and the way people shape their society. Our objectives are directed at building competence as a critical thinker and change agent so that you will better able to raise relevant questions about the direction in which society is moving, interpret social trends, and examine significant social problems.
It is my hope that this hands-on experience of "doing" sociology will both enliven your interest in sociological analysis and help you develop practical skills that you can use in other contexts as well. We can best understand the process of social interaction when we understand the person in place and in time. Our syllabus sets the place, time and process of this course for you the person.
Welcome to my world, your world, our world.
Dr. Michael Thompson
Josh Frerichs
Stephanie Jenkinson
Edwardo Romero
Society and Social Life
Sociology is the systematic study of human society and social interaction. Sociology helps us gain a better understanding of our social world and ourselves. Our society is changing everyday. The way that we use to do things in the 90 compared to today has changed dramatically. Sociology promotes understanding and tolerance by enabling each of us to look beyond intuition. According to Sociologist C. Wright Mills the sociological imagination helps our relationship between individual experiences and the larger society. Durkheim argued that societies are built on social facts. Durkheim believed that social fact must be explained by other social facts-by reference to the social structure rather than to individual attributes. Marx stressed that there is a continuous clash between conflicting ideas and forces. Although Weber disagreed with Maxs idea Weber acknowledge that economic interests are important in shaping human action. On the other hand sociologists primarily focused on society as a whole, but Simmel say it a web-patterned interactions among people. He also ananyalized how social interactions very on there size. Functionalists perspective are based on the assumption that society is a stable, orderly system. Postmodern perspective theories are based on the assumption that the rapid social change that occurs as societies move from modern to postmodern. There are many methods to finding how society has changed. You can do a survey. An interview which is data that is collected. The best way to do research for it is the qualitative research. The qualitative research is the study of numbers that are used to analyze underlying meanings and patterns of social relationships.
1. Select and define the research problem.
2. Review previous research.
3. Formulate the hypothesis.
4. Develop the research design.
5. Collect and analyze the data.
6. Draw conclusions and report the findings.
Today sociologists study social life in its natural way. They are seeing how it changes over the years.
SOURCES
- Sociology in our times the essentials- 8th edition by Diana Kendall
Social Isolation
Chelsie Calliham
When you hear the terms child maltreatment and child abuse what do you think of? Most people think that these terms are cases that include severe physical or sexual abuse. However, the most frequent form of child maltreatment is neglect. According to the text, child neglect occurs when children’s basic needs- including emotional warmth and security, adequate shelter, food, health care, education, clothing, and protection- are not met. Isolation can affect a child’s life in a huge way. Children who are raised in isolation are uncivilized people and can barely walk or talk. Sociologist who needed research over isolation would never put children in danger by placing them into isolated circumstances. However, there are many cases when parents or caregivers failed to meet the needs for their children. An example of this would the case of Genie.
When Genie was found in 1970 when she was thirteen years old. Since the age of twenty months, she had been locked in a bedroom by herself strapped down to a child’s potty chair or put into a sleeping bag. She was fed baby food and hit with a wooden paddle whenever she tried to make any kind of noise by her abusive father, which was her only contact she had known her whole life. Her father separated Genie away from her mother because he believed she was mentally retarded. Her father, Clark Wiley, talked to her in growls or barks so she had never heard any sounds of human speech. She also did not have any source, like television or radio in her room, to learn speech from. In 1970, Genie’s mother, Irene, escaped from the home with Genie. The mother and her daughter showed up at welfare services trying to get financial aid. Workers noticed the different child who tried to spit or claw at people and walked with an abnormal “bunny walk” holding her hands out in front of her. Genie then entered a children’s hospital at the age of fourteen. However, she was about the size of an eight year old and had the motor skills of a baby, only using few words or phrases such as “stop it” and “no more.” When she entered the hospital she was unsocialized. She had never been trained to use a toilet for the bathroom, could not stand correctly, and salivated continuously. Only being fed baby food, she could not even chew solid food.
Genie was treated with extensive therapy in an attempt to save her and become a socialized individual and help develop language abilities. Despite all of the efforts, Genie made little progress and had limited success. By the 1990’s Genie was put into a board-and-care home for adults who were mentally disabled.
The main reason that the text discusses Genie and other cases of child maltreatment in the first module is because it is a part of the socialization process. These cases help us learn how important and better understand the role of socialization is in a person’s life. Isolation plays a huge part in socialization because it shows how neglect can damage people physically, emotionally and mentally and change the overall well-being of that person.
Resources:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=4804490&
Sociology in Our Times: The Essentials, Eighth Edition. Diana Kendall. © 2012, 2010, Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
The Perception of Body Image
By Emilea Finley
What attributes do you see when you pass someone? What do you see when you look into the mirror? Physical appearances have become a way of life in western societies. Whether one is watching television, listening to music, browsing the internet, or simply flipping through the latest magazine, it is no wonder why one cannot help but first judge someone by their appearances instead their true personality. Everybody has heard the saying, "Don't judge a book by it's cover," but in the end, it has become human nature to do just that. Through media and commercial advertising, women and men are constantly being reminded of what the 'perfect' body and what it should look like. This, in turn, causes emotional distress, paranoia, anxiety, and eating disorders. Through acknowledgement and understanding the world around them, one can learn to deal with these overwhelming objectifications and teach others to see past the ideal body and clothes.
For example, when watching television, one can quickly grasp that women should have a thin, petite body with big breasts while staying home and taking care of the children, while men are reminded that they should be muscular, strong, and tall and learn how to take control and "bring home the bacon." These objectifications and unrealistic goals can especially take an emotion toll on adolescents. According to the National Institute on Media and the Family, by the age of thirteen, 53 percent of girls become dissatisfied with their own physical appearance, and by the time they are seventeen, this number has increased to 78 percent. Even during commercial breaks, it is nearly impossible not to think of one's own appearance through weight loss advertisements, hair and make-up commercials, and marketing campaigns of the latest styles to make one look slimmer, sexier, and more attractive. The media and industries have studied the western societies' everyday lifestyles and have influenced the world to boost ratings and promote their own success within their company. It has now come to the individual to look past these daily influences in order to be happy with oneself.
In reality though, not everyone will have the confidence to just be who they are, and in turn, will succumb to their own insecuritIes and therefore, try to physically change one's appearance through dieting and cosmetic surgery. The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders states that nearly "24 million people of all ages and genders suffer from an eating disorder such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder" in the U.S. alone. Furthermore, there have been over "9 million surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures performed in the U.S. in 2011" reported the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. These drastic measures have continually grown in numbers throughout not only the United States, but through out the world. As described by Indiana State's Head Cross Country and Track and Field Coach and registered nurse Denelle Readinger, eating disorders is a chronic illness that can only be cured by the victims themselves making the illness sometimes irreversible. This is why it is important to come to terms with western society and to simply learn how to live a healthy lifestyle.
In the end, one must be conscience of how easy it is to slip into the world of slim fast and the latest vanity products. Not all dieting and trends can be bad, but it can become harmful when it becomes a way of life. One should strive for a healthy lifestyle and provide a positive role model toward others by not comparing oneself to one another or being judgmental. Everyone is beautiful no matter their shape, size, or appearance.
Sources
http://depts.washington.edu/thmedia/view.cgi?section=bodyimage&page=fastfacts
http://www.anad.org/get-information/about-eating-disorders/eating-disorders-statistics/
http://www.surgery.org/sites/default/files/2011-quickfacts.pdf
Food: More than Just a Meal
By Emilea Finley
Food has always played a major role in human history. It has the power to bring friends, family, and and even foes closer together. Food is a source of power, culture, and religious significance. It is constantly being altered to become tastier and more efficient, but when it comes to some foods, most prefer it in it's natural state. American cuisine comes in all shapes and sizes due to the cultural diversity in our country. When looking back on the history of food and it's significance it has played in our daily lives in America, one can learn that your daily meals are more than just another trip to the grocery store.
When it comes to the social class system, food can be seen as a way to distinguish one another from each class. In America, foods and drinks such as wine, lobster, and caviar separate the rich and the poor. These foods are much more expensive and harder to come by unlike common foods such as potatoes, bread, butter, and some canned foods that almost anyone can access and afford. Even the way that one sits down to eat his meal can give one the perception of high class living. Most fine dining involves important etiquette rules and proper attire. Food has and always will play an active role in our social hierarchy.
Furthermore, the convenience of new technology toward preserving and chemically altering food has made our meals in America come at almost the snap of the finger. But when it comes to truly coming together as a group, most prefer to prepare the meal from scrap. Homemade meals can give one the sense of belonging and comfort. From the time one is born, the meals and food one eats can have a physiological effect toward how they perceive life.
For example, almost everyone has that favorite meal that their mother, father, or similar family member has made for them throughout their childhood. It is a food that has more than just flavor, but a memory of all it's own. In Greece, for example, many would grow up on moussaka, a traditional greek dish similar to an eggplant-based casserole. These moussaka dishes have so many variations, but in the end, it is tradition to pass on the family recipe. In most instances, the dish itself is probably just as good and tasty as the countless recipes one has already tried, but due to the physiological effect that the childhood moussaka recipe one has grown up on, it will almost always just taste better than anyone else's.
All in all, most foods have come a long way to what we consider every day convenience foods, and they will continually be changed and altered for what may seem to be the better. American cuisine and everyday lifestyles can be different than other parts of the world, but in the end, food will always find it's way to the core of our phycological needs and can never be denied of it's important roles it has played through out world history.
Sources
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/historyonline/food.cfm
http://www.enotes.com/sociology-reference/sociology-178164
http://1historyofgreekfood.wordpress.com/tag/moussaka/
Divorce
By: Jacy Moss
What is divorce? Divorce is usually a painful process for all concerned. It may take time for adults to re gain psychological equilibrium, whether or not children ever recover a stable perspective continues to be debated. In the US divorce rates have been rising since the beginning of the 20th century. The technical definition of divorce is the action or an instance of legally dissolving a marriage. About half the marriages in the United States end in divorce. Couples divorce for many reasons. Usually divorce happens when couples feel they can no longer live together due to excessive fighting, or because the love they had when they married has changed. Divorce can also be because one spouse falls in love with someone else, and sometimes it is due serious problems like abuse, or drinking. Sometimes nothing bad happens, but parents just decide to live apart. It might sound simple but it is not easy for a husband and wife to decide to end their marriage. They often spend a long amount of time trying to solve problems, but sometimes they just can’t fix the problems.
Divorce laws can vary considerably around the world but in most countries the sanction of a court or other authority is required. The legal process for divorce may also involve issues of alimony, child custody, child support, distribution of property and division of debt.
There are many types of divorce, such as:
Absolute Divorce
Absolute divorce is the legal end of a marriage and it ends all legal bonds between two people in regards to being a couple.
Limited Divorce
A limited divorce is almost similar to separation. Courts generally use limited divorces for people who wish to end their marriage but do not have grounds for an absolute divorce, or couples that need to arrange their finances but cannot settle their grievances on their own. In limited divorce spouses must live seperate and cannot have sexual relations between themselves or with others. Limited divorces also give partners time to settle alimony, child support, child custody, health insurance, and division of property questions before their separation is finalized.
Uncontested Divorce
An uncontested divorce is when both parties in an ending relationship reach a mutual decision about the disposition of property, finances, children, and other often contentious issues. Uncontested divorces may seem to be the simple way to get what couples want, they often cause people to waive rights they did not know they had, such as support from pensions, real estate, or other sources of income. Legal advice is critical during even these apparently simple proceedings.
No Fault Divorce
A no-fault divorce is a legal procedure in which neither partner seeks to place blame on the other, and that irreconcilable differences prevent the couple from continuing as married spouses. No-fault divorces spare couples who wish to amicably split up to avoid protracted and difficult custody and property separation battles.
What about the children?
Parents that are getting a divorce are usually very concerned about how it will affect their children. Will their decision affect the happiness and overall health of their child? Divorce increases the risk of children having to suffer from psychological and behavioral problems. The first two years after a divorce are the most important for the children. Children that are going through a divorce and the process after the divorce are painful. They feel emotional conflict. Even if they do not express their feelings, it is important to understand that they are struggling with the divorce. It often depends on how a parent explains divorce to their children as to how they will judge divorce. If it is in a negative way the children are going to feel like they are in the middle of the situation. It is best for the parents to explain why they are separating in a neutral way. The impact of divorce on children is huge. Parents are fighting each other and trying to get the most out of the divorce. They should think about what is best for the children. Not make it a tug-of- war until the child breaks.
Infants
In the first few years of a child’s life, their brains are still developing. Children are learning to form relationships and trust the people that take care of them. It is obvious that if the parent’s divorce during the first few years of a child’s life they are not going to remember it. But they might notice the way they act and if they are acting differently. Older infants will notice that one parent is no longer living in the home. They may cry for that parent. Infants may show their feelings through some changes in the way that they act. They may become more irritable or fussy or cry more often. It may be hard for the parents to give the child what she needs because they are too upset at the time.
Toddlers
Toddlers might be able to comprehend some of the words that people use when they talk about divorce. But it is difficult for toddlers to really understand and get the term divorce. Preparing children for divorce when they are so young is very difficult, because they won’t understand things for the future. They do not understand what is happening at the moment. They know that one parent is not living at home. Toddlers might show they are unhappy or upset about these changes by crying often or becoming cranky and fussy. Or they can become aggressive with one of the parents. They may also have trouble sleeping because they do not feel as safe. Children do not feel guilt until around 3 ½ or 4 years, so toddlers probably will not blame themselves for their parents’ separation. During a divorce everyone may be a bit confused. The toddler might notice this confusion. He might also notice that his parents pay less attention, or that schedules have been changed. They might also try to cling or cry when parents drop them off at school or daycare. Children who were comfortable and easy-going with you may now become cranky, anxious, and quiet. On the other hand, some children may also start staying close to adults rather than playing out in the yard with other kids. Their moods may change, swinging between fear and anger, or they may become shy and timid. These are signs that the child is feeling upset or confused.
Early Elementary children
Children from the age 4 to 10 will know that one parent no longer lives at home. Elementary school children begin to understand that divorce means that their parents will no longer be married and live together. They may understand that their parents no longer love each other like they use to. Children in this age group may blame themselves for the divorce or feel guilty. A child could think that the reason their parents are separating is because of them, maybe they misbehaved. Which could cause them to think it was their fault. Children of this age have a better understanding than younger children of how their lives will be different because of the parents’ divorce. They may worry about the changes in their daily lives. They may be sad because of the absence of one parent. Sometimes they may be angry with the parent who left. At other times, they may be angry with the parent who stayed. Preschoolers may be aggressive and angry toward one or both parents. Preschoolers and early elementary children also like to pretend. They might make up stories about how mom and dad are going to get back together. They might also be in complete denial, and not even think that the divorce is really happening. Some children understand but they do not want to believe it, so some hate the word divorce and cringe when it is said.
Not everything about is divorce is negative! There are some positives that can come out of a divorce. If two people truly don’t love each other anymore and fight all the time that is never good for children to see or hear. When children hear fighting and yelling all the time they don’t learn a good strong relationship. Sometimes they may even build a wall around them and seem very aloof because they are scared to get hurt or get in a situation that their parents were in. It is just best for the couple to go their separate ways and be civil with each other, than living an unhappy life together. Many couples realize that love and marriage wasn’t the right decision and decide to go on with life their separate ways. Counseling should be used first to help work out their problems and many couples realize that they were just going though a rough time but, no one can truly make anyone stay in love! They should never be judged or put down for their decision no one knows how their life was together.
Divorce
By: Alyse Dumler
As a young woman who doesn’t know what it is like to have married parents, I know about all the challenges and hard times a divorce can bring. Being that in 2011, the divorce rate in America was nearly 50%, this means that there are some obvious causes to this skyrocketing statistic (“Divorce Rate 2011”). There are many reasons people in the United States get divorced: marriage at an early age, tough economic times, and lastly, the existence of children in the marriage (Sociology in Our Times).
When people get married at an early age, the couple may hardly know one another. Many times, young couples will get married right away because they feel as though it will help their financial situation and make their lives easier in return. However, when people marry at a young age, many problems such as violence and emotional trauma occur. When people wait longer to get married, they become better acquainted with their significant other and learn how to work out any potential issues that will arise in the future, as well as agree on how to raise children, etc.
Getting married young isn’t the only cause for divorce in the U.S. Tough economic times are beating down on many Americans. Not only do people have to worry about their relationships, they also have to worry about how they’re going to make their next paycheck(s) and make sure they can provide for their families. This stress can severely damage a marriage and result with a divorce.
The third leading cause for divorce in the United States is having children. Many people are grateful to be able to conceive and bear children; children are one of life’s greatest gifts. However, today, many married couples are becoming overwhelmed with the existence of children. Although the couple may plan to have their children, it doesn’t always mean the stress won’t overtake the couple. Plenty of couples don’t understand the challenge of having and raising a child, especially more than one child. Also, many couples are pulled apart after they have children because their ideas about how to raise a child differ. The effects that a divorce can have on children are devastating. Countless children blame themselves for the separation of their parents, and they carry this burden with them for many years. Also, many children feel as though they have to take sides during the divorce and pick their favorite parent; this can also be very traumatizing for a child of any age.
Divorce in the United States is rising to an all time high of nearly 50%. Although there are innumerable causes that lead to a divorce, the three main reasons are couples getting married too young, trying economic times, and the unbelievable stress of having children in the marriage. All in all, America must find a way to make its marriages last not only a couple of years, but for a lifetime.
Sources
http://divorcerate2011.com/divorce-updates
Sociology in Our Times: The Essentials by Diana Kendall
Contagion Theory
By Bryan Scheideman
Gustave Lebon published The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind in 1895. He looked at crowd behavior in a general sense and attempted to explain why all crowd events occur, rather than focusing on the unique details of one particular episode. He focused on the factors that occur within any crowd that make it possible for normal people to engage in abnormal or even barbaric behavior. LeBon was trying to figure out how seemingly ordinary people could take part in tremendous violence and then revert to their normal selves within hours or even minutes. He concluded that it must be cause by the transmission of mental infection, a “contagion.”
The Contagion Theory of collective behavior is based upon the idea that moods and thoughts become contagious within certain types of crowds. Once infected with these thoughts, behavior becomes irrational or illogical and people do things that they normally would not do. Any individual in the crowd who already has the idea becomes the carrier. Under the right circumstances, other members of the crowd become infected. This process of contagion is not instantaneous and it can only occur under certain circumstances. First, a crowd of people must focus attention on the same event, person or object. Crowd members begin to influence each other as soon as this common focus occurs. As excitement grows, individuals lose their self-consciousness, enter into something like a frenzy state, and cease to think before they act. Once crowd members have reached this condition, any idea or behavior offered by any member of the group is almost certain to receive support from all other members of the group. In this way, the entire crowd is reduced to the level of what LeBon called “its lowest members.” (“Social Contagion Theory“).
LeBon focused almost entirely on groups of people collected together in the same place at the same time. He concluded that there were three components to becoming part of a psychological crowd. First, individuals feel invincible and anonymous. Normal people would repress certain behaviors out of fear or self-consciousness that anonymity allows without worrying about personal consequences.
The second component is the contagion. Thoughts and actions become contagious to the point where individuals are willing to sacrifice personal interest for collective interest. This could lead to a group willing to charge into a line of armed police. This occurs because the welfare of the crowd as a whole becomes more important than that of the individual.
The last component LeBon mentions is that the group enters into suggestibility. When this happens, people are not conscious of the own behavior, their attention focused on the same object or event. Any member who disagrees with the impulses can not resist because they feel outnumbered. LeBon argues that crowds are almost always destructive, but on occasion there are a few that engage in heroic behavior they would otherwise be afraid to try. (“Social Contagion Theory“).
Contagion Theory focuses on the factors that allow individuals to engage in behavior in groups that they would never perform when alone. LeBon was only the tip of the iceberg in the attempts to establish roots for what became the first sociological theory of collective behavior. Most theories share the same basic premise, that people can be made temporarily insane, irrational, or illogical within a crowd, and that they will return to normal as soon as they leave the situation.
References:
"Social Contagion Theory." global-college.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Jul 2012. http://www.global-college.com/rayeve/courses/movements/locherch2.pdf.
Kendall, Diana. Sociology in our Times. 8th. Belmont CA: 2012, 2010 Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2012. Print.
Karrie Meredith group 4
Sociology is defined as the study of human social behavior, especially the study of the origins, organization, institutions, and development of human society (Kendall, 2012). So why is it that some people over look how important the human, animal interaction is, also how it is a part of social behavior and social life. The type of pet a person has can tell a lot about a person’s character, and social statues.
A part of social life and behavior is to communicate with other people. It has been proven though several surveys that pets have been used to start a conversation. As Clinton R. Sanders points out in is paper. 83 percent of those questioned in a Swedish study (Adell-Bath, et al 1979) agreed with the statement, "my dog gives me the opportunity of talking with other people." Similarly, 37 percent of the respondents in Cain's (1983) study of pets in the family said that their companion animals had aided them in making friends or had increased their social contacts (Sanders1990).
By having the dog there it can make starting a conversation easier because the person has something that they can start talking about and they do not have to try to come up with a good introduction topic. After a person has asked a few a questions about the pet it seems that continuing the conversation is easier to do. Not only at subject to talk about but the pet can tell others a little bit about them. This information comes to them by the breed of dog that is owned. For example if a person has a Blue Heeler, or Border Collie they are usually called as being a farmer or a rancher as opposed to a person who has a Doberman or Rottweiler who are seen as being unsure and need the protection of these dogs. “He presents pet choice as shaped by the owner's personality characteristics, pets as surrogate family members” (Sanders 1990). So not only do people get pets to match their own personalities but the breed can also show what qualities a person wants to have for themselves. Or they are trying to have the pet to compensate for a child moving out or to have in place of a child that they could not have.
Pets can also tell a person about another’s social status. “Ownership of certain animals such as pedigreed dogs, cats, and horses continues to symbolize social privilege since they are relatively expensive to acquire and maintain” (Sanders1990). Also by having certain animals it allows people the chance to form social groups that are focused on or around a specific breed or species of animal. “Within these sub cultural contexts, owners can achieve status and prestige. In this way, enthusiastic involvement surrounding and cooperative work with companion animals expands owners' social encounters and enhances their positive self-definitions (see Veevers 1985:15-19)”(Sanders1990).
Animals make social life and interactions go more smoothly also they give others a look into what a person could be like just based off of their pet. For example some people could choose a pet that is shy, quiet, and content with themselves or one that is aggressive, forward, pushy and rude. Not only are animal’s great ways to get to now people but they will be loyal and faithful friend for life.
Sources:
**Clinton R. Sanders (1990) ,"The Animal 'Other': Self Definition, Social Identity and Companion Animals", in Advances in Consumer Research Volume 17, eds. Marvin E. Goldberg, Gerald Gorn, and Richard W. Pollay, Advances in Consumer Research Volume 17 : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 662-668
Kendall, D. (2012). Sociology in your Times. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Karrie Meredith group 4
Group Conformity
Ashli Jones
Group 4
Social groups
“A social group is a collection of two or more people who interact frequently with one another, share a sense of belonging, and have a feeling of interdependence (Sociology In Our Times, 140).” We need groups and organizations, just as we need culture and socialization. There are many different types of groups and sociologists have categorized them; aggregate, category, ingroup, outgroup, reference group, small group, dyad, and triad.
Aggregate group is a collection of people who happen to being the same place at the same time but share little else in common. An example would be, a group of people waiting to cross the street. People in aggregates share a common purpose, but normally wouldn’t interact with one another, but maybe a brief conversation.
Category group is a number of people who may never have met one another but share a similar characteristic (such as education level, age, race, gender). Men and women make up categories as do Americans and Native Americans, and victims of sexual or racial harassment.
Ingroup is a group to which a person belongs and with which the person feels a sense of identity. An outgroup is a group to which a person does not belong and toward which the person may feel a sense of competitiveness or hostility. The difference between these two are simple, distinguishing between our ingroup, and our outgroups helps us establish our individual identity and self-worth.
Reference group is a group that strongly influences a person’s behavior and social attitudes, regardless of whether that individual is an actual member. Reference groups help explain why our behavior and attitudes sometimes differ from those of our membership groups.
The size of the group is one of the most important features. A small group is collectively small enough for all members to be acquainted with one another and to interact simultaneously. These interactions tend to be more personal and intense. A dyad is a group that is composed of two members. A Triad is a group that is composed of three members. Defining the smaller individualized groups shows socialism.
Social groups can be categorized in so many different ways. They can be defined from any in the paragraphs above or even in social networking. An example out be Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, dating sights, Skyping and many more. Technology has brought the world even closer together with communication through these sights.
Another way to see social groups is think of high school.
Sources
Kendall, Diana Elizabeth. Sociology in Our times. 8th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thompson Learning, 2003. Print.
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/Social-Groups.topicArticleId-26957,articleId-26868.html
Chelsie Calliham
If everyone was agreeing on a certain subject except you because you knew the answer was wrong, would you stick with your right answer or go with the rest of the group? Although we would like to think we would keep our individuality, the pressure in the situation may be overwhelming and make us choose to conform. The text says, conformity is the process of maintaining or changing behavior to comply with the norms established by society, subculture, or other group. One study that proved a majority of people will conform is Asch’s experiment. In smaller groups, the pressure to conform is higher because everyone simply feels the need to fit in.
In 1955- 1956, Solomon Asch preformed a series of experiments to see if individuals would contradict their own judgment to fit in with the rest of the group with the wrong answer. One of his experiments included seven undergraduate men that were told they were recruited for visual perception research. All of the men were assigned to chairs, but six of them knew what the experiment was really for. The man in the sixth chair did not know that he was ultimately the person who was being studied. The experimenter would hold up a card. On the left side, there was one line. On the right, there were three lines of different sizes that were numbered. The participants were supposed to choose the correct size for the line on the left side that matched one of the sizes on the right side. Although, how the lines were presented on the cards varies from each source.
The task was repeated several times with the same people. The men who were in on the experiment would unanimously answer the wrong line on some occasions. It was clear that their answer was not correct, but the five men and one man after him had answered the same. 75 percent of people agreed with the other participants who had the wrong answer at least once, and the other 25 percent were not affected by hearing the wrong answer. However 30 percent of participants gave the wrong answer at least 50 percent of the time so they could agree with their peers. Conformity showed to be less in a subsequent experiment where the subjects were told to write down the answer instead of verbally say their answer out loud. After the experiment was concluded, the subject would admit that they had known the right answer but did not want to go against the rest of the group. They were afraid that they would be ridiculed.
There are several different factors that could affect this kind of experiment. Contextual factors could be group size and/or social support. Conformity increases with a group that is up to about five people. Different individual factors that could affect this kind of experiment are status and/or gender. The higher the status that a person has the less likely they are to conform because they feel like they may know more or are above the other individuals. Women are also more likely than men to conform with the group in face- to- face events. If you were the subject, would you have been a leader and stuck to your gut or been a follower who was easily swayed into the wrong answer?
SOURCES:
http://www.analytictech.com/mb109/slides/asch.pdf
http://www.simplypsychology.org/asch-conformity.html
Sociology in Our Times: The Essentials, Eighth Edition. Diana Kendall. © 2012, 2010, Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Internal and External Social Control
By Bryan Scheideman
Social control is defined as the enforcement of conformity by society upon its members, either by law or by social pressure. This influence are usually implemented by many groups such as family, trade union, church, state, school, neighborhood, clubs, religious groups etc. Sociologists identify two basic types of social control, internal and external.
Internal control is the internalization of norms and values by a process known as socialization. Socialization is defined as the process by which an individual, born with behavioral potentialities of enormously wide range, is led to develop behavior which is confined to the narrower range of what is acceptable for them by the group standards. Individuals conform to moral standards not just because they know what they are, but also because they have internalized these standards. They experience discomfort, often in the form of guilt when they violate these norms. As this occurs, individuals begin to pass judgment on their own actions. The moral code becomes an internal means of control, in that it operates on the individual even in the absence of reactions by other ("Deviant Behavior and Social Control").
External control is the use of external sanctions, which can be either positive (rewards) or negative (punishment). Sanctions take many forms, varying widely from group to group and from society to society. For example, and American audience might clap and whistle enthusiastically to show its appreciation for an excellent artistic or athletic performance, but the same whistling in Europe would be a display of strong disapproval. There is a crucial difference between positive and negative sanctions. When a positive sanction is applied, it is a sign that social control is successful. On the other hand, when a negative sanction is applied, it is due to the failure of social control ("Deviant Behavior and Social Control"). These sanctions come from either informal or formal sanctions.
Informal sanctions of control are actions of members within a group that arise spontaneously with little or no formal direction. It is exercised by a society without explicitly stating these rules and is expressed through customs, norms, and mores.
Examples of positive informal sanctions are smiles, pats on the back, handshakes, congratulations, and hugs. Examples of negative informal sanctions are frowns, damaging gossip, and avoidance.
Informal sanctions are often not sufficient in a large society in which an individual can choose to ignore the sanctions of an individual group. Thus, there is a need for formal control to supplement informal control. Formal sanctions of control are applied in public rituals, and are usually under the direct or indirect control of authorities (Janowitz 82). Examples of positive formal sanctions are public affairs, rituals, or ceremonies that express social approval of a person’s behavior. Negative formal sanctions on the other hand, are actions that express institutionalized disapproval of a person’s behavior, which include expulsion, dismissal, fines and imprisonment ("Deviant Behavior and Social Control").
References:
“Sociological Theory and Social Control.” Morris Janowitz American Journal of Sociology Vol. 81, No. 1 (Jul., 1975), pp. 82-108 Published by: The University of Chicago Press Article Stable <http://www.jstor.org/stable/2777055>
“Crime as Social Control Donald Black.” American Sociological Review Vol. 48, No. 1 (Feb., 1983), pp. 34-45 Published by: American Sociological Association Article Stable <http://www.jstor.org/stable/2095143>
"Deviant Behavior and Social Control." tripod.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Jul 2012. <http://fasnafan.tripod.com/deviantbehaviour.pdf>.
Social Groups
Ethan Walter Josh Middleton Alex Harris Rocque Russell Aaron McClellan
There are many types of social groups. Some are great for society and some are a hazard. Social groups are what make up the society we live in. We see social groups every. We are all part of social groups. Cities are filled with them. Social groups create a situation for each of us that make us feel comfortable.
A social group is any type of group that requires you to interact and socialize with the other members of the group. “In the social sciences a social group has been defined as two or more humans who interact with one another, share similar characteristics and collectively have a sense of unity.” People join these groups for many different reasons. “A social group exhibits some degree of social cohesion and is more than a simple collection or aggregate of individuals, such as people waiting at a bus stop, or people waiting in a line. Characteristics shared by members of a group may include interests, values, representations, ethnic or social background, and kinship ties.” There are many different types of groups. Primary groups are small and share personal and long lasting relationships. Secondary groups are larger and share more formal relationships. Social groups in schools can help you fit in with peers and feel popular. Groups of friends are social groups that enjoy the same activities and have the same wants and needs. For that reason, they socialize with each other forming a bond. Government groups such as party members socialize to find out what the people want. These are all types of great groups that help our society.
There are also bad social groups such as gangs. “A gang is a group of recurrently associating individuals with identifiable leadership and internal organization, identifying with or claiming control over territory in a community, and engaging either individually or collectively in violent or other forms of illegal behavior.” These groups are known for violence. Violent groups put stress on the rest of society by taking the law into their own hands. Gang members usually have to prove themselves before joining. Many have to be beat up by the current members or have to shoot someone to get in. “In the United States, the history of gangs began on the East Coast in 1783 following the American Revolution.”
One of the most famous gangs in the U.S. is the Crips. “The Crips are one of the largest and most violent associations of street gangs in the United States, with an estimated 30,000 to 35,000 members.” The gang began as the joining of two small gangs but has expanded largely over the recent years. They are known to be in a bitter rivalry with the Bloods. When they began expanding, they became increasingly violent. They started selling drugs within the cities. “Members typically consist of young African American men, with some members being white, Hispanic and Asian. Famous former gang members or those suspected to associate with the Crips include Snoop Dogg, Eazy-E and Ice-T. Ice-T began his rapping career for Crip audiences, and is addressed by his Crip friends and acquaintances as Tray or Tracy.”
As you can see, social groups can have a great effect on society. They can also have a bad effect. Social groups make up the different societies and how they are perceived. A social group can make a big difference with the right tools. It just might not always be the best one.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_group
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crips
Social control is the force that encourages the individual to behave in an approved manner, as this is culturally defined. Stated another way, it is the force that inhibits the individual from following his immediate inclination when he realizes that to do so would lead to unfavorable responses from members of society.
When you drive a car you generally behave in an approved manner. You obey traffic signals, stopping at red lights even when you are in a hurry. You pull aside and stop to give an ambulance the right of way. This illustrates the phenomenon of social control. You act under inner control. No external or physical force prevents you from violating the law. You know what is expected of you. You realize what might happen if you fail to come up to expectation—you might cause an accident, or a traffic officer might appear and give you a ticket. You give an ambulance the right of way because you have an idea of the consequences of not doing so. In this sense social control is an internalized control.
Since social control must be internalized in order to function effectively, it has the meaning usually associated with "self-control." However, usually it is a self-control based upon recognition of the social consequences of certain behavior. Punishing a child is not a manifestation of social control. Social control is exemplified in the child who refrains from behaving a certain way because she/he knows that otherwise she/he may be punished.
True, social control will not always be sufficiently influential to prevent individuals form following their inclinations. Despite possible consequences, we may sometimes picnic on grounds posted against trespassing. In such cases our desire to do so will have outweighed fear of the consequences. But most of us follow required and preferred standards of behavior most of the time, even if we are frustrated by doing so, because we realize it would ultimately cost more than it is worth to follow certain inclinations. We accept social control because we are afraid we might be subjected to social disapproval, economic reprisal, or physical punishment if we do not. Social control thus becomes an effective force in maintaining conformity among individuals of every human group, whether a family, a gang of thieves, monks in a monastery, or a squad of soldiers surrounded by a hostile force.
Although there is a strong negative force such as fear or apprehension in regulating behavior, social control has a positive aspect as well. One reason we fear ridicule, contempt, censure, punishment, or lose of face is that we have learned to place great positive value on social approval, security, and physical well-being. The negative force of fear derives from and accompanies the positive force, the desire for social approval and well-being. Moreover, we conform to custom, our society's code of behavior, because we have learned to believe in it and to accept it a right.
Image cite www.despair.com
Info Cite http://anthro.palomar.edu/control/con_1.htm
Rocque Russell Ethan Walter Josh Middleton Alex Harris Aaron McClellan
Social Inequality
by
Scott Vinduska
Within social stratification, the hierarchical arrangement of large social groups based on their control over basic resources, patterns of structural inequality arise in the social groups of the stratification. In the United States the stratification is open and flexible and allows for social mobility, the movement up or down in the social hierarchy. Although very little mobility is actually achieved in our society, the possibility can give hope that hard work and determination can lead a person to reaching the American Dream and a prosperous life. Despite this possible mobility, the gap between the rich and poor continues to widen on a global level. According to the website www.globalresearch.ca, since 1980, the richest Americans have seen their incomes quadruple while the bottom 90% have decreased.
Max Weber introduced three dimensions of class structure used to compare and contrast various societies rather than a specific social category. These dimensions include wealth, prestige, and power. All societies are organized in a manner that distributes goods and income throughout the society. This distribution is always unequal. The power, or the ability of people or groups to achieve their goals despite opposition from others, that members or groups in a society have over the general population can shape society according to their own interests. By shaping society to benefit themselves the gap between the rich and poor continues to widen. Those that hold the power generally possess the most wealth as well. The prestige that comes with the class of individuals that hold the wealth and power socialize together, independent of other social classes. This also has an affect on social mobility. An average, hard-working person has little or no chance of marrying into a class above the class they currently hold. The wealth, power, and prestige continues to stay within the upper class and very few can actually achieve the status that these individuals hold.
Just as wealth, prestige, and power can affect the social inequality of a society, so can education and the access a person has to it. One of the biggest problems in public education is the unequal funding of schools. This unequal funding exists because most of the funds for a public school come from local property taxes. Major businesses have been relocating or gone out of business. When this happens, the upper income families have the ability to move into newer suburban neighborhoods and attend newer schools. Not every person has the same options when it comes to education. Education can directly correlate to the chance a person has at achieving the American Dream. A person with a high income has the means to continue education at their own discretion. Persons with low income have to spend their money to acquire the basic necessities to sustain life and have no resources to pay for more education. This makes it nearly, if not absolutely, impossible to achieve.
Another reminder of societal stratification is the overall health of individuals within a society. A person with higher income is more likely to be healthy than someone who is poor. As a person's income increases so does the access to medical care, both preventative care and treatment of conditions that arise. For the poor, health insurance is not attainable with the limited resources available to them. Those with higher incomes are also less likely to develop mental health issues such as stress and depression. The availability of healthcare has a direct effect on the life expectancy of individuals. Individuals that are able to afford healthcare have a longer life expectancy than those who cannot.
The social inequality in the social stratification of the United States is evident. If this problem is ignored, many social scientists believe the trend of widening the range of social inequality and income will continue. More people are going to work but making less money. Sources of upward mobility will continue to shrink. Poverty will continue to rise.
Sources
http://www.nber.org
http://www.globalresearch.ca
Harriet Martineau
By: Alyse Dumler
Making August Comte’s, the “founder of sociology”, works available for a variety of different students in the 19th century was Harriet Martineau’s biggest mark on sociology. Being a woman, Martineau was not recognized during the time for her great work, little did people know that she was making a huge difference in the field of sociology.
Martineau was born in Norwich, England where she attended school until college. Her parents did not allow her to go to a university, although she thought this was very unfair. To spite her parents, she began writing for a local newspaper with an alias. Soon after this, her family figured out that she was the author of the wonderful articles they were reading, and they told her that she should begin a career in writing. So she did. She moved to London to begin work for almost nothing as the editor of the journal. After people realized her real talent, she started making a lot of money selling her books. After she had enough money, she traveled to the United States where she wrote a book entitled “Society in America” (Spartacus Educational). She was able to write this book by comparing American society to other societies. This is so important because during that time, women weren’t considered equal to men, and no one believed that a woman could write such an extraordinary book about such an in-depth topic, let alone be smart enough to figure out something of that level of intelligence. Equality for women was another of Martineau’s beliefs. She was convinced that society around the world would flow much better if women were considered equal to men. She thought this because if people cooperate better, then enlightenment would occur.
As part of her mark on sociology, Martineau translated many works of August Comte. Comte is considered the “founder of sociology”. According to Wikipedia “Comte recommended her volumes to his students instead of his own” (Wikipedia). After completing such a feat, many considered her “the first woman of sociology” because no other woman was interested in the idea of sociology, and if they were, they didn’t have the phenomenal grasp on the topic as Martineau did.
Harriet Martineau is one of the most influential figures in the field of sociology. Not only because of her passion and ability to write such great articles and books, but because she had a deep understanding of sociology and its parts. She believed that by continuing to understand and write about societies, it would lead to equality between men and women and establish cooperation between the two. This is also why she was coined the “first woman of sociology.”
Sources
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/Wmartineau.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_Martineau
Sociology in our Times: The Essentials by Diane Kendall
Social Inequality
By: Andrea Dizmang, Lexie Wanker, Emily Chestnut and Andy Wood
Social inequality is a steadily growing problem that has been around since the beginning of time. It is inevitable, constant and fast-growing. There are many sociological perspectives as to why social inequality is put into place. Functionalist, Conflict and Symbolic-Interactionalist perspectives are all pertinent to the differences in society.
A common thesis by Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore is the Davis-Moore Thesis, which states that inequality is not only inevitable, but is necessary for the smooth functioning of society (Sociology in Our Times, 237). There are five summarizations of the functionalist theory:
1. All societies have important tasks that must be accomplished and certain positions that must be filled.
2. Some positions are more important for the survival of society than others
3. The most important positions must be filled by the most qualified people.
4. The positions that are most important for society and that require scarce talent, extensive training, or both must be the most highly rewarded.
5. The most highly rewarded positions should be those that are functionally unique and on which other positions rely for expertise, direction or financing.
To further explain this theory, take a physician and a sanitation-worker. A physician has to undergo much schooling to achieve their status, they are important for the survival of society and they aren’t that easily replaced. They also need a motivator for all the medical schooling and bills that come along with the territory. To keep these esteemed people working, society rewards them with great paychecks. Great paychecks also equal great responsibility. A sanitation worker is necessary to keep the streets clean and the environment healthy, but unlike physicians they are easily replaced. Therefore, the government can afford to pay low wages to these kinds of positions. This type of reasoning results in meritocracy, a hierarchy in which positions are rewarded based on people’s ability and credentials.
Apart from the rewards and credentials that are earned in the functionalist perspectives, the conflict perspectives tell a much different tale.** Conflictist’s say that people with a strong social pull, like people in a political or economical position get to set their own standards and also set the standards for other jobs, too. They decide and set the rewards, resources, privileges and opportunities to benefit themselves. Also, conflict theories state that there is no motivating force for higher status jobs. The people with a very rewarding job make it that way to suit them and make the minority jobs bend to what the powerful groups want.
Not only do the powerful institutions in society support social inequality but laws and social norms help to further push the boundaries of the inequalities farther out in the conflict theory. Segregation and discrimination are very prominent examples of this. For a long time this kind of behavior was accepted as a normal concept in society and was also upheld by law. Even though these practices have long since been prohibited, they still exist across the nation and continue to further push the inequality gap.
Social norms and gaps aside, the symbolic-interactionalist perspective looks at social inequality from a smaller, pin-pointed angle. A few studies have been done from this perspective, but one thing that has been gained from this is deference. Deference is a term that refers to how employees and employers relate to one-another. It also incorporates appreciation. For example, an employee is appreciative that they were hired by an employer at a particular job. In return, the employer is mostly grateful for the employee and what they do so that the employer can keep his or her job.
Power in this perspective is negotiable and renegotiable according to The Interactionalist View on Wordpress.com. Also, the employer sets many things in the work relationship. He/she will set a tone of the relationship; laid-back, impersonal, strict, formal, friendly, etc… But, the employer also will set the tone to keep the inequality in check, to demonstrate to the employee that they are less than the employer. Daily interactions prove this theory; such as a boss telling a grocery clerk to take the trash out. The inequalities are set in each job throughout history and society and they also vary from job to job.
Social inequalities can be seen throughout the daily lives of everyone. As a functionalist, it is viewed in a more positive light, as kind of a mandatory purpose that keeps the survival of humans on an even keel. In the conflict perspective, it is seen as an evil, the driving force of powerful people and its intended purpose is to keep powerful people up and keep not so powerful people in their place; this benefits the wealthy and prestigious to get what they want. And the symbolic interactionalists view on social inequalities is to watch and critique the daily interactions of people to see what keeps the inequalities in motion. No matter the theory, the unevenness of the human race is evident and apparent. It will persist on and deepen, always showing the superiorities and inferiorities of the population.
Sources:
Sociology in Our Times: The Essentials, Eighth Edition. Diana Kendall. © 2012, 2010, Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Social Institutions
by
Scott Vinduska
A social institution is defined as a set of organized beliefs and rules that establishes how a society will attempt to meet its basic needs. These institutions are important because they give a society structure and order. This includes the norms, values, and role expectations of the members of a society. These expectations give members of a society an idea of what is considered acceptable behavior and what is not. In this way, institutions can serve as regulatory agencies of a society. In many instances, institutions intersect one another.
Family is perhaps the most important institution in place today and can be found in all societies. Although it can vary on the family a person is born into, most individuals, from birth, are guided by family. A family is a social group that lives together, shares resources (which forms an economic unit), cares for children, and are significantly bonded to the social group. A family starts with the unification of a man and a woman, usually through marriage. Marriage of a man to a woman is the expectation society has set as the standard. Because marriage contains a sexual component, offspring are usually added to the family unit. The precedent is that the man and woman care for their young. The man, woman, or both have jobs for the purpose of income to support the family economically. As a child ages, he or she will notice this and begin to recognize it as social normalcy. Through this same process the child continues to learn the culture, values, and social norms of a family and for a society as a whole.
Education is also important to the success or failure of a society. A society could not be sustained without it. Education is defined as the systematic transmission of knowledge, skills, and cultural values within a formally organized structure. Manifest functions are openly stated and intended goals. Change and innovation is an important manifest function of education. With new technology and a rapidly changing world, the information and knowledge needed changes as well. Information and knowledge that was taught 50 years ago may no longer be relevant. And, in turn, knowledge and culture imparted on students 50 years ago may no longer be the social norm or even disapproved as fact. An example of a latent, or hidden and unstated, function of education is keep the young generation out of the job market. This helps in keeping unemployment at reasonable levels.
Religion as an institution plays a large part in all societies. The function of religion in a society is to integrate new members into the society and to bring solidarity to its members. Religion can also be used to explain something that is inexplicable, such as why people die. The social control that accompanies religion also plays a large role in the stability of societies. Religious beliefs and the possible retribution by a deity that could accompany bad choices helps keep, at least in part, a population from spiraling toward a state of anarchy.
Family, education, and religion are the three most important institutions of a society. These institutions
shape the society and the world in which we live and impart the culture, knowledge, and values that allow societies to be sustained.
Sources:
www.sociologyguide.com
www.un.org
Sadie Jarrett
Social Institutions
Two very powerful yet influential institutions would be Education and Religion. Both of these tell the values, beliefs and knowledge needed in the social reproduction of each individual. The Institution of Education is responsible for the systematic teaching of knowledge, skills and cultural values within the Organized Structure. All societies acquire that individuals know knowledge and skills on survival. Education is the institution that is to teach you valuable life skills. Yet sometimes a downfall to education would be how little they promote the higher-level skills. Which we are seeing a lot more now days with the drop out and deficiency levels.
Religion is the social institution that is composed of a united system of beliefs and values. Religion definitely has a lot of sacred beliefs. In other words, those things that are different from the idea of being holy! Religion as a social institution is something that is viewed very powerful deeply felt and influential force. Even though unity be seen very powerful, now-days it is not something we can teach our kids in public schools without major up roar. Although these are two very powerful and big institutions within the social movement they are both very separate from each other.
Sociology in Our Times: The Essentials, Eighth Edition. Diana Kendall. © 2012, 2010, Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
http://collateraldamagemagazine.com/2011/10/01/evaluating-our-social-institutions-religion-and-education
Jaeger Thompson
Family and Education
There are many different types of social institutions and they all play a pivotal role in today’s society. These institutions help us to develop bonds and make new friends throughout the course of our lives. These friendships may not be around forever, such as the friendships made on this campus or even the ones made in this classroom. The important thing to remember is that these institutions help us get through these times easier and maybe make some memories as well.
The most important social institution to me is family. People interpret family in many different ways. It all depends on various opinions. In my opinion family is not just blood, marriage, or adoption as the book suggests. I think it goes a little deeper than that. For example, I’ve known my best friend since the fourth grade and I consider him to be my brother. We have each other’s backs and we pick on each other like normal siblings. Family to me is not just the last name you were born with or whose blood you share, I think family is those close bonds that you never need to ask for help, they’ll just be there.
Now I’ve learned from some people that think it’s easier just to isolate themselves from everyone so that when their loved ones pass away they won’t have to deal with the heartache. I think this is a shame because without interaction in a person’s life they will more often than not be very bitter. The reason it hurts so much to let someone in is the thought of losing them. Although even if you lose them, you’ll always have those memories and feelings to cherish for the rest of that person’s life.
There are families all over the world that are the opposite of what I think a family should be. These families could include abusive relationships, parents fighting all the time, etc. Although as weird as this might sound, I don’t think these are the worst kinds of families. The worst kinds are those that ignore each other and are apathetic. Apathy is worse than showing anger or fighting because at least with anger they are acknowledging your existence, even if they treat each other badly. So I think that these broken homes could possibly be fixed if they were willing to put in the effort. Another is some families, as sad as it is to think, just need to go their separate ways. It’s the only way each individual can move on and be happy.
Family leads into the next subject for their kids and what most people do with their lives, Education. Education plays a vital role in today’s society. In today’s society if one doesn’t have a degree it makes it especially difficult to find a nice employment. Kids every day and everywhere go to school whether it is college, high school or even grade school. This is all for the soul purpose of bettering ourselves and getting a nice spot in the work force one day.
In the classroom, students learn not just the subject matter that they’re being taught but also lifelong valuable lessons such as: discipline, punctuality, and responsibility to name a few. These are all just small teachings leading to help the kids later on in their lives. I hear a lot of students complaining about teachers, principals, or school in general. While I too hated school, it’s a necessary part of our society and it’s the teacher’s job to show you how to use your knowledge learned to the best of a student’s ability.
In conclusion, to me these are some of the most important social institutions that are currently being used in today’s society. Maybe there’ll be more or even different institutions later on down the road but until then these are just a few of the key social institutions.
Sources
Sociology in Our Times: The Essentials, Eighth Edition. Diana Kendall. © 2012, 2010, Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
http://www.edu.pe.ca/southernkings/familydefinition.htm
Jaeger Thompson
Politics and Medicine
While family and education are very important social institutions, there are a few others that affect more than just one person, country, or multiple countries. These institutions might mean more to some people than others. An example would be that while family and education are some of the vital institutions to me, they might not be the same for everyone else. Some people think that friends and fitting in with the “right” crowd is all that matters in our social society. Everyone just has different views and opinions, having the ability to form our own are what makes us human.
One of the institutions that affect us all in a pretty large way is politics. Politics is ever changing, there are new parties, campaign ideas, etc. that are being thought up. Politics is a very difficult subject and raises much debate between many people. People argue over politics for a number of reasons could be different ideas, or it could be a personal reason why someone has a problem with a certain party or individual of that particular party. Either way not many people like to engage in the subject of the political world.
It doesn’t matter if a person wants to talk about politics or not, because in today’s age, most of us are going to be dragged into it. What role a person plays in politics is strictly up to that individual. They could simply follow enough of a campaign to make an informed decision on who they want to vote for, or they can try to ignore them. Many people complain about who’s in The White House presently. Yet some of those very people that complained didn’t vote. I think that’s just not a good idea. Have you ever heard your teacher tell you “every vote counts?” I have heard this several times throughout school.
Many of the people that complain do however have the right to. Part of politics is the right to voice an opinion and not be judged for having done so. They also may have voted for the other candidate and he lost. This is also a big part of the political process. The only thing to do is wait till the next election and vote again, who knows maybe the guy voted in does a good job? Either way the political process gives the citizens a choice in how this country is run and makes them feel like their opinion matters, and in politics it’s the people’s opinion that matters most.
Medicine and hospitals are also some very big social institutions. They provide healthcare and make sure that people have the help they need when or if they need it. Medicine is ever advancing and making strides toward the future. This will help tremendously in the present and long down the road. Advances in medicine are an example of how our social institutions and life in general is changing and improving. Social institutions like hospitals grow along with the other advancements. As long as we “keep moving forward” our friends and family could get closer and their lives could improve drastically. Instead of losing our loved ones so soon, with such advances we could improve life span and hopefully their quality of life as well.
In conclusion, medicine, hospitals and the government are all big social institutions that need to keep growing if we are to keep growing as a nation and hopefully one day we can expand that growth to the planet.
Sources
Sociology in Our Times: The Essentials, Eighth Edition. Diana Kendall. © 2012, 2010, Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Wikipedia. Politics.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/politics
Sadie Jarrett
Social Dynamic & Social Change
Social change as defined by Sociologist is the altercation, modification, or transformation of public policy, culture or institutions over a period of time. With that being said Social change normally comes from collective behavior and social movements, both of these being key essentials. Collective Behavior happens when a large group of people voluntarily violate dominate-groups values. Collective behavior is a result from some common influence or stimulus causing a response from a large group of people.
Three major factors would be (1) structural factors, such as class, race, or poverty. (2) timing. (3) a breakdown of social control or a feeling of not being normal. When taking a closer look at collective behaviors there are many different distinctions that regard to it. Such as, crowd, a large amount of people in a close vicinity; mass, a large amount of people with the same idea just not close together. Each of these distinctions breakdown even farther. Now, social movements are based on goals or the amount of change the group seeks to produce. There is many different types of movements for example; reform, revolutionary, religious and resistance. For each movement there are theories that go along with them.
Sociology in Our Times: The Essentials, Eighth Edition. Diana Kendall. © 2012, 2010, Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
http://web.mit.edu/gtmarx/www/cbchap1.html
The Difference Between Social Dynamics and Social Change
Zach Hoss, Madison Wallgren, Bill Stewart, Leonard Dix, and Jenna Jarnagin
Social Dynamics can refer to the behavior of groups that result from the interactions of individual group members as well to the study of the relationship between individual interactions and group level behaviors while social change refers to an alteration in the social order of a society.
A prime example of a social dynamic is an individual changing political parties such as Democrats to Republicans or Republicans to Democrats while social changes shape our values, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors. For instance things such as agricultural advancements and industrialization can trigger social change. Industrialization causes people to work outside of the home or community, which can lead to changes in labor. Work can become centered around mechanization resulting in an information overload.
Within an industrialized society characteristics include smaller percentage of workforce employed in agriculture, increased division of labor, specialization of occupations, an increase in education of workforce, increase of businesses, stronger link between government and economy, technological change, geographical mobility, and population changes.
resources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_change
www.sociologyguide.com/social-change/index.php
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