EXAMING SOCIAL EXAMING SOCIAL LIFELIFE

Social sciencesSocial sciences are disciplines that are disciplines that study human social behavior or study human social behavior or institutions and functions of human institutions and functions of human society.society.

Social interactionSocial interaction - how people - how people relate to another and influence each relate to another and influence each other’s behaviorother’s behavior

Social phenomenaSocial phenomena – observable facts – observable facts or events that involve human society or events that involve human society

The Sociological The Sociological PerspectivePerspective

Studying sociology can help you Studying sociology can help you gain new perspectives on, or views gain new perspectives on, or views of, yourself and the world around of, yourself and the world around you.you.

Sociological perspective helps you Sociological perspective helps you see that all people are social beings. see that all people are social beings. It can also broaden your view of the It can also broaden your view of the social world.social world.

The Sociological The Sociological PerspectivePerspective

Sociological perspective can help Sociological perspective can help you find an acceptable balance you find an acceptable balance between your personal desires and between your personal desires and the demands of your social the demands of your social environment. environment.

The Sociological The Sociological PerspectivePerspective

Finally, the sociological perspective Finally, the sociological perspective can help you view your own life within can help you view your own life within a larger social and historical context. a larger social and historical context. It provides insight into how your It provides insight into how your social environment shapes you and social environment shapes you and how you, in turn, can shape your how you, in turn, can shape your social environment.social environment. The ability to see the connection The ability to see the connection between the larger world and your between the larger world and your personal life is what personal life is what C. Wright MillC. Wright Mill called called sociological imaginationsociological imagination..

Sociology’s Place Sociology’s Place in the Social in the Social

SciencesSciencesOther social sciences: anthropology, Other social sciences: anthropology, psychology, economics, political psychology, economics, political science, & social history.science, & social history.

Sociology’s Place Sociology’s Place in the Social in the Social

SciencesSciencesAnthropologyAnthropology – comparative study of – comparative study of past cultures and present simple, or past cultures and present simple, or less advanced, societies. Sociology is less advanced, societies. Sociology is more focused on group behavior of more focused on group behavior of more complex societies.more complex societies.

PsychologyPsychology deals with the behavior deals with the behavior and thinking of organisms. Focuses on and thinking of organisms. Focuses on individual behavior.individual behavior.

Sociology’s Place Sociology’s Place in the Social in the Social

SciencesSciencesSocial PsychologySocial Psychology – study of how the – study of how the social environment affects an social environment affects an individual’s behavior and personality.individual’s behavior and personality.

EconomicsEconomics is the study of the choices is the study of the choices people make in an effort to satisfy people make in an effort to satisfy their needs and wants.their needs and wants.

Sociology’s Place Sociology’s Place in the Social in the Social

SciencesSciences

Political SciencePolitical Science examines the examines the organization and operation of organization and operation of governmentsgovernments

HistoryHistory is the study of past events. is the study of past events. Sociologist are also interested in the Sociologist are also interested in the past.past.

Comparing Comparing Sociology and Sociology and other Social other Social

SciencesSciencesSIMILAR:SIMILAR: Sociology examines the Sociology examines the relations between society and culture, relations between society and culture, the individual economics, politics, and the individual economics, politics, and past events which are all the focus of past events which are all the focus of one or more of the social sciences.one or more of the social sciences.

DIFFER:DIFFER: Sociologist are mainly Sociologist are mainly interested in social interaction and interested in social interaction and tend to focus on the group rather than tend to focus on the group rather than the individualthe individual