Sociology class notes Essay Example
Sociology class notes Essay Example

Sociology class notes Essay Example

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  • Pages: 6 (1398 words)
  • Published: February 13, 2018
  • Type: Assignment
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Sociology is a social science that aims to describe, explain, and forecast human behavior, with particular emphasis on group conduct and the impact of social structures on individuals. The discipline emerged approximately two centuries ago and concentrates on humans in relation to other people instead of individual persons. Auguste Comte is recognized as the father of sociology, having introduced the term "sociology." Functionalism by Emilee Druthers and her four suicide types (egoistic, altruistic, fatalistic, and anomic) are significant contributions to sociology. Gender norms are also studied in this field. The Theory of Structural Functionalism challenges values and belief systems by proposing that any external pattern of social organization like family, peers, media, religion school exams laws marriage are all regarded as social structures possessing a way to influence society. This theory elaborates t

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hat society is an extensive social system with parts interconnectedly working for a purpose; if something exists within society's context it does so because it serves some part of it. Imbalances can occur due to glitches until rectification occurs whereupon the system returns back to equilibrium. To comprehend why something persists in society requires one considers its relationship with other parts of the social system otherwise it would not exist at all.The Conflict Theory was formulated based on the ideas of Karl Marx, who identified two social classes: the ruling class (argosies) and the working class (proletariat). The exploitation of the working class by the ruling class throughout history has always revolved around power and money. Marx believed that dominant ideas in any given era are those of its respective ruling class. Microbiology Macro focuses on large external social structures that impact people

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while macro conflicts and functionalism influence large groups. Symbolic interaction studies aim to understand small groups and their actions through analyzing symbolic and exchange interactions. Researchers examine external factors like access to education, economic conditions, and family strength in Canada as key drivers for outcomes. Augustus Comet is widely recognized as sociology's founding father and was responsible for coining the term "sociology." Emilee Druthers influenced functionalism's development, Karl Marx led to conflict theory development between bourgeoisie & proletariat, and Max Weber shaped Symbolic Interaction Theory's emergence.According to the Exchange Theory, relationships involve an ongoing exchange and those who consistently give more than they receive may become dissatisfied. Effective communication, compromise, avoiding selfishness and taking each other for granted are important in a relationship. Sociology focuses on Macro/Micro levels and differs from Psychology or Social Work which look at individuals and families respectively. The exchange theory and symbolic interaction theory can be useful in relationships or careers. Augustus Compete, Emilee Darkened, Karl Marx, Max Weber are notable figures in Sociology. McGill University established Canada's first Sociology department with under 50 teachers in 1925. Chapter one of Sociology covers topics such as defining the subject area, its history and development, founding fathers of Sociology, comparing it with other social sciences like Anthropology or Political Science for understanding social phenomena.The concept of the Sociological Imagination is important in Sociology and encompasses various aspects of human life, such as culture. Culture refers to the way of life that includes shared values, beliefs, morals, language, knowledge, art and technology. A subculture exists within the dominant culture and may be based on ethnicity or religion. It has its own distinctive set

of beliefs, customs and morals while also assimilating into the general culture. A counter culture differs from mainstream culture by having antagonistic values, morals and beliefs. Culture diffusion occurs when something from another culture is adapted because it works well in one's own culture. Norms are rules governing acceptable behavior in a given society; mores refer to serious violations that are often illegal or grossly disrespectful; folkways entail milder violations based more on tradition or etiquette; taboo refers to universally forbidden acts such as cannibalism or incest. Ethnocentrism arises when someone believes their own cultural practices are superior to others', leading to narrow-mindedness which contrasts with cultural relativism- an opposite belief system that allows for greater understanding between cultures.Xenophobia reflects fear of unknown cultures.Sanctions can either reward positive adherence to norms or punish negative violations thereof.Cultural lag, which typically takes around forty to fifty years for people to catch up to significant societal changes, can lead to culture shock. Additionally, the Sapphire whorl hypothesis suggests that language influences behavior and interpretations of reality. With regard to the question on hip hop, it is a subculture that emerged in the early 1980s and includes breakdancing, graffiti art, rap music, and distinctive clothing styles. Rap music involves rhymed poetry recitation in rhythm and has roots in oral African storytelling traditions. Clive Campbell first introduced rap music in 1973 by talking over music at bloc parties using two turntables and incorporating percussion breaks called "The breakable." During the late 1980s, African American rap groups brought attention to the pain and hopelessness found in American ghettos. However, West Coast's against-rap subgenre arose later that decade with lyrics portraying thug

life experiences of inner-city youth while replacing social and political commentary with misogynistic themes. Applying labeling theory shows how today's youth may have been negatively affected by such lyrical content.The Colonization Complex is an ongoing educational process that teaches individuals to adopt behaviors in line with their social group's values, norms, rules, culture, and society. The process begins in the first twelve years of a person's life and primary colonization occurs during the initial five years. During this period, children internalize the values, attitudes, morals, and expectations of their "significant others," including parents who significantly influence their child's self-esteem and self-concept. As adolescents grow older, they begin assimilating values and norms from peers as well as cultural aspects such as media and school. Cooley's Looking Glass Self theory posits that we evaluate ourselves based on how others react to us which functions like mirrors reflecting our self-evaluations; interpretation plays a crucial part although it may not always be accurate. Young people are especially vulnerable to these influences. George Herbert Mead developed the concept of the "self" consisting of two parts: spontaneous creative self as subject "I," and social self as object "ME" affected by adherence to societal standards. Generalized Others refer to people's understanding or awareness of expectations regarding how they should think or behave within a specific group or culture.Classical conditioning is a common tool in advertising. Rationalization may occur when individuals must abandon established behavior patterns due to new situations or roles. Replacing old habits with new ones is critical in this process. In Total Institutions, high walls, locked doors, and barbed wire physically isolate individuals from the outside world. They lose their

sense of individuality and professional identity while becoming part of a group defined by factors such as race or religion. Stereotypes perpetuated by mass media can lead to Male Dominance or Patriarchy across society's levels. The "Mean World Syndrome" suggests that frequent exposure to violence on TV makes people more fearful; heavy television viewers are more likely to perceive their neighborhood as unsafe and think violent crime is increasing. Propaganda and Desensitization could occur through repetitive exposure to media violence making people believe something even if it isn't true . Genetics might play a role in aggression-related characteristics such as testosterone levels being higher among males on average. While there appears no difference in IQ, females tend to excel at verbal ability because of various colonization factors like education according to research findings.Male individuals tend to have an advantage in visual-spatial abilities due to genetic differences, which may be attributed to the legacy of "Hunting and Gathering Societies." Additionally, females are more susceptible to sound intensity and body language cues as a result of genetic differences. Despite no genetic disparities between genders regarding nurture, research indicates that females exhibit less likelihood of child abandonment. Furthermore, empathy and compassion are present in all humans regardless of gender or colonization. However, brain organization differs between males and females with regard to brainstorming; nerve fibers called corpus callosum connect the left and right hemispheres of the brain, and male impairment tends to occur when one hemisphere is injured. This suggests that female brains distribute abilities more evenly between hemispheres. Other distinguishing features between males and females include aggression levels, visual impairment tendencies, early identification with gender roles, and

body language expressions.

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