Notes:
sociology: the scientific study of social relationships, institutions, and societies
social institutions, and structures in society provide the framework for governing the behavior of individuals in a community or society
society, a large group of people associated with a shared culture and social institutions
Sociological Perspective: the process of understanding and explaining how individuals and groups interact within society
Social Problems: societal conditions that harm segments of society
Sociological Imagination: the ability to see the details of our own lives in the context of larger social structures as opposed to merely personal choices or personal troubles
Social Change: the forces that change society’s organization and social structures
positivism: authentic and valid knowledge of the social world is found only through scientific and empirical pursuit.
social theories: Conflict, Functionalist, and Symbolic Interactionism.
sociological theory: a set of interrelated ideas that provide a systematic understanding of the social world.
macro sociology, a level of analysis focusing on social systems and populations on a large scale
micro sociology, a level of analysis focusing on individuals and small groups within the larger social system.
proletariat, the majority, who were the poor, property-less industrial working class
bourgeois, the small minority who were the wealthy class
conflict theory, a sociological perspective emphasizing the role of political and economic power and oppression as contributing to the existing social order
functionalist theory, a macro view of how the parts of society serve to maintain stability
manifest functions, intentional and formally sanctioned functions of social institutions and society
Latent functions, unintentional and informally sanctioned functions of social institutions and society
dysfunction, the undesirable disruptions of social patterns resulting in negative consequences within society
socialized self the self cannot develop apart from society
symbolic interaction, a micro view of how society is the product of interactions between people, which occur via symbols that have distinct meanings