Critical Thinking Sociology

The first unit on our textbook Interactions by Ann Moseley and Jeanette Harris talks about the self-concept. It is hard to find a definition for the self-concept because it is certain beliefs about ethnicity, religion, and personalities combined. This unit has a number of readings by various authors where it shows struggles with the self. Self-identity, ethnic backgrounds, and self-esteem are the major aspects of those readings. After reading their writings I found that I could relate to their experiences. The three readings that got my attention were “Zero” By Paul Logan, “I’m Just Me” by Lylah Alphonse, and “The Jacket” by Gary Soto.

One of the major points in chapter one is Sociological Imagination which is a connection between a person’s person life and social factors that play a role in affecting someone’s life. For example a young man was just released from prison, he searches for a job. Due to his criminal record employers will not hire him. As a last resort he turns back on his old ways of illegal activity. The personal issue here is that the young man cannot find a job but the social factor is there is not many job out there for felons. I believe Social Imagination is meant to open our minds to think in a wider aspect of why some of our problems occur. Another major point in chapter one is called Critical Thinking. Critical Thinking is the processes of being able to agree with a statement by looking at what facts and evidence can back it up. Wade and Tavis created a simple six plan rule to help us think in a more critical way. It consists of six steps. The first one being able to ask tough questions that other might be afraid to ask tough questions others might be afraid to. Step number to be to be able to think clearly and consider all the evidence to explain your argument. Next is to be opened minded and think of how someone else’s agreement or disagreement might also be correct. After that we should always look at the big picture analyzing a problem and lastly be able to admit when you’re wrong.

After having read the first three chapters of “You May Ask Yourself: An Introduction to Thinking Like A Sociologist,” I easily discovered that I have been a budding sociologist since I began forming my own thoughts. A sociologist questions everything and tries to relate the unknown, and I do that on a daily basis. Three specific ways in which I have noticed myself thinking like a sociologist have involved the Conflict Theory, the Reflection Theory, and the idea of “positivism.”

In life, there are many times where an individual may feel alone. Personally, this past week can attest to that notion. Moving into a college dorm, saying goodbye to my loved ones, and taking on a new chapter in my life, have all been accompanied by a new set of emotions that I have never felt before: homesickness, freedom, peer-pressure. However, looking around everyone seems happy, and it feels as if I am trapped in a space that no one else appears to be in. But, internally they may be battling the same struggles that I am. That is what can be drawn from “The Wisdom of Sociology: Sam Richards at TedxLacador,” the idea that behind the facade, our personal struggles are all connected.

There are six elements David Brooks argues to be the “New research leading to a new understanding of the self”. Those include mindsight, equipoise, Metis, sympathy, blending, and limerence.

Hey Faye! Let me say, that I checked your office hours and you have bloody awful ones (no offense!). There is no way (unless by magic) I'll ever get to see you which makes me sad. :c

Sociology and sociological thinking are a vital part of society, and through examining both society and individuals, sociology is able to make changes to areas such as policies, and attitudes that may have usually negatively affected them, and instead gained a positive result through the careful research, and applied knowledge.

Explain the difference between a “common sense” and a “sociological” view of human behaviour, giving relevant examples.

Sociological theory creates ways to understand the social world by having different theories to explain understand social life. It aids to make sense of this social world. It draws together a wide range of perspectives to help provide the fullest picture. (Macionis & Plummer p.36) It shows that one theory can explain something that another cannot. My aim is to answer this question with reference to both functionalism and conflict theory. This will be done by comparing and contrasting both theories in relation to their perspectives on both suicide and gender discrimination as social issues relevant to this day and age. Functionalism and conflict perspectives are both macro theories. This means that they focus on the big picture, for

I interpreted the quote "..things are not what they seem" as we can not surmise opinions based off of what we see. Things are never what they really look like. A person can look poor by the way they dress, though is not into fashion and we'd never know because the way they present themselves. Sociology goes beyond how we choose our friends, and how we label people. Sociology can help us overcome "common nonsense" assumptions by diving beyond what we think is "Commonsense" just because we are familiar with certain ideas and we expect others to be familiar with what we already know. It's imperative in our society to understand, nothing in this world is labeled as "common sense". Since we come from different backgrounds of life, making inferences

     Two things can happen when we are required to base our definition of “self” on others.  One can take others’ ways of living and thinking, process them, and formulate his or her own definition, independent of anyone else.  Or, one can use the relationships he or she has with other people on which to base their own definition of self, thus making him or her dependent on those other people.  As young people, we learn and take in all we can through the world, our experiences, and relationships with other people.  From there, we grow and establish our own identities, our own “selves”, in response to those interactions with others.  This definition is continually growing and progressing as we evolve as people, interacting with different people in different environments and

Morris in 1934. His theory of the self maintains that the conception a person holds of themselves in their mind emerges from social interaction with others. This is, in effect, a theory and argument against biological determinism because it holds that the self is not at the start there at birth nor necessarily at the beginning of a social interaction, but is constructed and re-constructed in the process of social experience and activity. This means individuals expand their self concept through interactions with other people. Self concept gives a vital motive towards people behaviour. For example, people will not repeat their mistakes once it pointed out by other people. Not only that, the meanings also regulate our behaviour and actions so that people do not act hastily and recklessly. This also make us different and seem disciplined in the current world that people can get popular for doing something stupid and inappropriate in social media platforms like Instagram and

Defined as “the entire person of an individual” (Merriam-Webster, 2017), it is interesting to consider the different ways ‘the self’ has been interpreted through different societies. In Foucault’s Societies of Discipline (S.O.D), a previous economy of power, it would have been simple to define the self – discipline “’makes’ individuals” (Foucault, 1977, p.170) and in doing so this intrinsic sense of the self. However does this hold true in our current social scenario? Deleuze states that the

I certify that this literature review is my own work and contains no material which has been accepted for the award of any degree or diploma in any institute, college or university. Moreover, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by another person, except where due reference is made in the text of the dissertation.

Within taking the course of Sociology I believe that the relationship that I have had with society has definitely strengthened and improved. As time goes on, knowledge grows and that is completely how I feel since taking this course and learning all these new concepts. How I perceive a lot of situations in life has definitely changed, from how I handled or viewed something before vs now is a total 360 degree change. Each and every chapter I am enlightened with new thoughts and views in and around the society I live in today. The concepts within the units we have learned in class that has made me have a better understanding with myself and society include, blah blah, blah, and blah blah. There are many more lessons that I have been taught about, but to condense them all down I believe these three topics have impacted me the most. There is also a key concept within the past few chapters that I hope will stick through me for years to come as well.