Theoretical Approaches To Sociology

To commence, we first began our journey into sociological enlightenment by analyzing the most basic way in which a sociologist evaluates a social problem, with the use of the sociological imagination. By utilizing our sociological imagination, we can associate our personal problems with the broader problems of society. By learning this method of evaluation, we can open our mind to differing views on problems. This allows us to attempt to solve social dilemmas in a nonbiased fashion. I particularly appreciated this unit as non-bias is something I strive for in everyday life. Likewise, I attempt to learn both sides of any argument to ensure that I can make the best decision that I can, and I believe that the sociological imagination encompasses those very same values.

Sociologists develop theories to explain and analyze society at different levels and from different perspectives. Sociologists study everything from the micro level of analysis of small social patterns to the “big picture” which is the macro level of analysis of large social patterns.

After reviewing the article titles given for this first assignment, I believe they indicate that Sociology, generally speaking, is not only a study of diversity or commonality in traits among people; it is also a science about factors in a person’s life and how these factors culminate responses. Interestingly enough, its topics of concern seem to be directly determined by current and common events of the world. Through the invention and expansion of new ideas, popular trends and fashions through time, Sociology adapts to responsibly to service the very subjects of interest it studies; for, even the slightest change of a person’s daily experience can have an insurmountable impact on attitude, personal growth, family

After a careful study and a deeper research on an introduction to sociology, I have come to understand that no problem can be solved well enough if one does not have the sociological perspective which is defined as a way of looking at the world through a sociological lens. In fact, there is the need of the lens that will help one to view situations and have the eye to emerge through different views to solve that problem. This mirror has become a doorway that will help one to have a beginner’s mind to approach problems.

Growing up, almost every parent will tell you, “you can be anything you set your mind to!” or “the possibilities are endless”. But from an early childhood my parents were creating an opportunity structure for my life. Through my 20 years, how I was taught, the places I went to, the people I interacted with and the implications of society and societal norms followed me. As with many other families, my parents focused on setting me up for the best possible future. But little did they know, they were contributing to a society where some people are allotted more privileges and opportunities than others. I will attempt to deconstruct this complex social construction by looking at gender, social class, family influences, race, and socialization; which will be discussed in greater detail further along. When analyzing sociological concepts like gender, social class, and race sociologists use a “sociological lens”. Using a sociological lens will allow me to take the experiences I had and look at them on a broader cultural level. Ultimately sociologists use sociological lenses to better understand how personal experiences not only impact 1 person but how they can be applied in a broader context, allowing individuals to relate to others in society who may have had similar experiences.

Routinization is the way people go about doing something. It’s a method to organize chaos and when practiced it accomplishes the goal quickly and effectively. There are different methods used, but ultimately routinization produces the desired result.

After taking a Sociology class this semester, I learned a lot of about the different topics and concepts in this course and how they are related to our society, which has changed my perspective as well as how I view and see the meaning of my surroundings. I would also think about what would be going on inside a specific person's mind and how he or she was feeling. After learning about different concepts in Sociology and watching the videos presented in class, it became easier to just stop and think about a person, wonder who that person was, and be curious about that person's life story. We pass by people all the time every day, but we never really know what is going on with them and don't really think about it or care since it is so

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.

For this final reflection for Intro to Sociology, I will cover several topics that I learned throughout the course of this class. I will cover topics that I can relate to as well as those that I can’t. Part of the reason this class is so important for students to take is so that we can take the outlook of others and allow it to possibly change the views that we have on certain topics. Topics such as culture, race and ethnicity, gender stratification, and education are a part of our daily life, but we get in such a rut of living day to day life without taking in the opinion and outlook of others that we don’t know what we truly feel because we are only one sided. By learning these different ideas and beliefs, we may not feel the way

Growing up, my life was somewhat sheltered compared to the lives of other people my age. I was raised by both my mom and dad in a Christian household, in which I was taught morals based upon our faith. As a result of this upbringing, my parents and I made the decision to enroll me in a private Christian school in sixth grade. In this setting I was protected from the influences of the outside world. All of the language, violence, and temptations were around me, which I began to recognize as I entered my freshman year of high school. Even the walls of the highly respected establishment could not keep the real world out.

Sociology is the research and analysis of the human society; meaning sociologist examine why we behave the way we behave, what affects our behavior, and if ordinary things are more complex than they seem. When developing a sociological perspective it makes the “familiar strange” (Conley, 3). When someone is trying to think as a sociologist it is encouraged to question aspects in your life that you thought were normal, which conveniently can make you feel unsure about what lifestyle you are comfortable living in.  A sociological perspective is gained when you learn to think through a “sociological lense” that challenges your mind to new levels of thought (Godwin, Lecture). When in rhythm with your sociological mind you reflect on new personal

Sociology, according to Giddens & Sutton (2010) is still vibrant, has a wider range and is exciting academic enterprise in the 21st century. Sociology today is different from that of 1950s and 1980s, this is because it is currently more diverse both theoretical and in terms of its subject matter. It has for instance incorporated more areas of social life using specialized fields of inquiry (Giddens & Sutton, 2010). Browne (2005) argues that sociology in simpler terms is planned and organized study of human groups and social life in modern societies, more so concerned with social institution. Contribution of sociologist in understanding human behavior is remarkable. The aim of this paper is to explain how sociologist views the relationship between the key social variables of race, gender, class and health.

Throughout the course of this semester, I have learned there are many different terms and theories about society that I feel like I can relate to and have a much better understanding about the concept of sociology. For the last paper of this class I would like to talk about the last three sociological concepts that I feel have helped me improve my understanding of the relationship between society and myself. The three concepts that I will talk about are: fictive kin, agenda setting theory, and lastly, bystander effect or diffusion of responsibility.

At the beginning of the semester, I knew very little about sociology or even what it was about. I just knew I needed to take the class for my degree plan to transfer to a four-year university and that I would be doing a lot of reading about different terms and theories of society. However, this first month of class has helped me improve my understanding of what sociology is about and shown me how my personal society has impacted the way I view society. Not only did I learn about the relationships between society and myself, but I have also learned different concepts that have helped me gain a better understanding of how society works. There are three specific sociological concepts that has helped me improve my understanding of the relation

As I reflect on sociology 100, I realized that this is truly a course that opens up one 's mind. I admire the fact that this course really going to teach me a lot. I was really scared to take this class because honestly I had no idea what Sociology is? I never took this class but my professor made it easy and he made very clear that how we can keep an A in the class and what he expects from us. The first week of the class was just about the syllabus and what chapter we gonna cover throughout the semester. In total we studied nine chapter. They all helped me a lot to understand the true meaning of sociology and why it is useful. The first chapter was The Social Imagination, The second chapter was Studying the Social World, The third chapter was Social Interaction, The fourth chapter was Social Structure, The Fifth chapter was Culture, Media and Communication, The sixth chapter was Power and Politics, The seventh chapter was Social Stratification, Inequality and Poverty, The eight chapter was Race and Ethnicity and last but not least was Gender and Sexuality. I will just discuss the what I found most interesting, why they are important. First of all What is sociology? Really? I never asked this question to myself until the first day of class. Sociology is the study of "social behavior or society, including its origins, development, organization, networks and institutions." It allows you to go to different paths, it affects how we talk, it helps us to understand what 's going