a u d i oc r a s hc o u r s e tm
F o l l o wA l o n gM a n u a l
CLEP SOCIOLOGY
www.AudioLearn.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ............................................................................................... 1 Course Conventions and Content .................................................................................... 1 Quizzes ............................................................................................................................. 2 Follow Along PDF Manual ............................................................................................... 2 What is CLEP?.................................................................................................................. 3 Course Overview .............................................................................................................. 3 The Key Takeaways .......................................................................................................... 5 Chapter One – The Social Sciences .............................................................. 6 What are Social Sciences? ................................................................................................ 6 The Social Sciences .......................................................................................................... 7 Psychology .................................................................................................................. 10 Anthropology ............................................................................................................... 11 Political Science ........................................................................................................... 11 Criminology ................................................................................................................. 11 What is Sociology? ......................................................................................................... 12 Who is a Sociologist? .................................................................................................. 13 Careers in Sociology ................................................................................................... 13 Are You Cut Out to be a Sociologist? ......................................................................... 14 Chapter One Review ...................................................................................................... 15 Chapter One Quiz ........................................................................................................... 16 Answers to Chapter One Quiz .........................................................................................17
The Key Takeaways ........................................................................................................ 18 Chapter Two The College Level Examination Program .............................. 19 The CLEP Exam ............................................................................................................. 19 What is the exam? ...................................................................................................... 19 What Does it Mean for You? ...................................................................................... 20 Who is eligible to take the test? .................................................................................. 23 How to Register for CLEP Exam ................................................................................... 23 Exceptional Activities and Cases ................................................................................... 24 Day of the Exam ......................................................................................................... 24 After the Exam ............................................................................................................ 25 How the Exam is Scored............................................................................................. 26 Tips for Taking the Exam ........................................................................................... 26 Chapter Two Quiz .......................................................................................................... 29 Answers to Chapter Two Quiz ....................................................................................... 30 The Key Takeaways ........................................................................................................ 31 Chapter Three: The History of Sociology ................................................... 32 What is Sociology? ......................................................................................................... 32 Yesterdays’ Sociologists ................................................................................................. 33 Emmanuel Joseph Sieyes ........................................................................................... 33 Auguste Comte ........................................................................................................... 34 Emile Durkheim ......................................................................................................... 35 Karl Marx .................................................................................................................... 36 Herbert Spencer ......................................................................................................... 37 Jane Addams .............................................................................................................. 37
George Simmel ........................................................................................................... 38 George Herbert Mead ................................................................................................. 38 Max Weber.................................................................................................................. 38 Alexis de Tocqueville .................................................................................................. 39 W E B DuBois ............................................................................................................. 39 Talcott Parsons ........................................................................................................... 40 Robert K Merton......................................................................................................... 40 C Wright Mills ............................................................................................................ 40 Charles Horton Cooley ............................................................................................... 40 Patricia Hill Collins .................................................................................................... 41 Michel Foucault .......................................................................................................... 41 Anna Julia Haywood Cooper...................................................................................... 41 Robert Ezra Park ........................................................................................................ 41 Today’s Sociologists ....................................................................................................... 43 Peter Ludwig Berger ................................................................................................... 43 Immanuel Maurice Wallerstein ................................................................................. 43 Juliet Schor ................................................................................................................. 43 Joyce Ann Ladner ....................................................................................................... 43 Doctor James E Blackwell .......................................................................................... 44 Lisa Wade ................................................................................................................... 44 Jenny Chan ................................................................................................................. 44 C J Pascoe ................................................................................................................... 45 Aldon Morris .............................................................................................................. 45 Vincent Roscigno ........................................................................................................ 45
Rhys H Williams ......................................................................................................... 45 William Cockerman .................................................................................................... 45 Frank van Tubergen ................................................................................................... 46 Anna Amelina ............................................................................................................. 46 Walden Bello............................................................................................................... 46 Romina Gurashi ......................................................................................................... 46 Chapter Three: Quiz ....................................................................................................... 47 Answers to Chapter Three Quiz ..................................................................................... 48 The Key Takeaways ........................................................................................................ 49 Chapter Four: The Theorists ..................................................................... 50 Theoretical Traditions.................................................................................................... 50 Classical Theory .......................................................................................................... 51 Structural Functionalism ........................................................................................... 51 Symbolic Interactionism ............................................................................................ 52 Conflict Theory/ Dialectical Materialism .................................................................. 53 Utilitarianism ............................................................................................................. 54 Social Darwinism ........................................................................................................ 55 Basic Theory ................................................................................................................... 55 Objectivity and Subjectivity ....................................................................................... 55 Synchrony and Diachrony .......................................................................................... 56 Structure and Agency ................................................................................................. 56 Contemporary ................................................................................................................ 57 Anomie/Strain Theory ............................................................................................... 57 Dramaturgy ................................................................................................................ 58
Postmodernism .......................................................................................................... 58 Feminist Theory ......................................................................................................... 59 Social Learning Theory............................................................................................... 59 Social Exchange Theory ............................................................................................. 59 Other .............................................................................................................................. 59 Phenomenology .......................................................................................................... 59 Science and Technology ............................................................................................. 60 Social Movements and Change .................................................................................. 60 Criminology ................................................................................................................ 61 Social Construction of Reality .................................................................................... 61 Labeling Theory .......................................................................................................... 62 Chapter Four: Quiz ........................................................................................................ 64 Answers to Chapter Four Quiz ....................................................................................... 65 The Key Takeaways ........................................................................................................ 66 Chapter Five: The Methodologists ............................................................. 67 The Comparative Method .............................................................................................. 68 Historical Method....................................................................................................... 70 Observation Method ....................................................................................................71 Statistical Method....................................................................................................... 73 Types of Statistics........................................................................................................... 73 Deductive/Inductive Method ..................................................................................... 74 Sociometry .................................................................................................................. 75 Functional Analysis .................................................................................................... 75 Tools ........................................................................................................................... 76
Surveys ........................................................................................................................ 76 Case Study .................................................................................................................. 78 Questionnaires and Interviews .................................................................................. 78 Quantitative or Qualitative ......................................................................................... 79 Research and Ethics/Good Research ......................................................................... 81 National Preferences for Specific Methodologies ...................................................... 82 Review ............................................................................................................................ 83 Chapter Five: Quiz ......................................................................................................... 86 Answers to Chapter Five Quiz........................................................................................ 87 The Key Takeaways ........................................................................................................88 Chapter Six Institutions ............................................................................ 89 An Overview of Institutions ........................................................................................... 89 Properties of Institutions ............................................................................................... 91 Types of Institutions ...................................................................................................... 94 Review ............................................................................................................................ 95 Chapter Six: Quiz ........................................................................................................... 96 Answers to Chapter Three Quiz ..................................................................................... 97 The Key Takeaways ........................................................................................................ 98 Chapter Seven: Institutions – The Family ................................................. 99 The Family...................................................................................................................... 99 Characteristics.............................................................................................................. 100 General Characteristics ............................................................................................ 100 Purpose and Functions .................................................................................................101 Relationships ............................................................................................................ 102
Structures ................................................................................................................. 102 Systems ..................................................................................................................... 105 Demographics ........................................................................................................... 105 Social Dynamics and Social Class ................................................................................ 106 Alternative Families ................................................................................................. 106 Theories .................................................................................................................... 106 Structural Functionalism ......................................................................................... 106 Conflict Theory ............................................................................................................. 107 Symbolic Interactionism .......................................................................................... 108 Other Theoretical Frameworks .................................................................................... 109 Exchange Theory ...................................................................................................... 109 Systems Theory .........................................................................................................110 Family Lifeforce Development ..................................................................................110 Feminist Theory ........................................................................................................ 111 Current Emphases ........................................................................................................ 112 Prominent Studies ..................................................................................................... 112 Review ........................................................................................................................... 115 Chapter Seven: Quiz...................................................................................................... 116 Answers to Chapter Seven ............................................................................................ 117 The Key Takeaways ....................................................................................................... 118 Chapter Eight: The Institutions – Church/Religions................................. 119 Characteristics.............................................................................................................. 120 Social Structure ......................................................................................................... 121 Theories ........................................................................................................................ 122
Typologies ................................................................................................................ 123 Functionalism ........................................................................................................... 126 Conflict Theory ..........................................................................................................127 The Sacred Canopy ................................................................................................... 128 Future of the Sociology of Religion............................................................................... 131 Review .......................................................................................................................... 132 Chapter Eight: Quiz ..................................................................................................... 134 Answers to Chapter Eight Quiz .................................................................................... 135 They Key takeaways ..................................................................................................... 136 Chapter Nine: The Institutions – Government and Politics ...................... 137 Overview....................................................................................................................... 138 Basic Universal Structures Power and Authority ...................................................... 138 Power ........................................................................................................................ 139 Authority .................................................................................................................. 139 Anarchy ...................................................................................................................... 141 Nation State ............................................................................................................... 141 Types of Nation States ............................................................................................. 143 Theoretical Thought ................................................................................................. 146 Theories .................................................................................................................... 149 Critical Sociology.......................................................................................................... 150 Symbolic Interactionism .......................................................................................... 152 Italian Elitism .......................................................................................................... 154 Social Basis of Politics .............................................................................................. 154 Marxism ....................................................................................................................155
Review ...........................................................................................................................157 Chapter Nine: Quiz ...................................................................................................... 158 Answers to Chapter 9 Quiz .......................................................................................... 159 The Key Takeaways..................................................................................................... 160 Chapter Ten: The Institutions – Education ............................................... 161 History .......................................................................................................................... 162 Theories ........................................................................................................................ 163 Chapter Ten: Quiz ........................................................................................................ 168 Answers to Chapter Ten Quiz ...................................................................................... 169 The Key Takeaways ...................................................................................................... 170 Chapter Eleven: The Institutions – Military and Military-Industrial Complex ................................................................................................... 171 Overview........................................................................................................................ 171 History of United States Military Industrial Complex .................................................172 General Sociological Theories and Overviews ..............................................................173 The Basis of Service ..................................................................................................... 174 Social Representation .................................................................................................. 174 Combat.......................................................................................................................175 Family ........................................................................................................................175 Social Organization .......................................................................................................175 Social Welfare ...............................................................................................................175 War and Peace.............................................................................................................. 176 Review ........................................................................................................................... 177 Chapter Eleven: Quiz ................................................................................................... 178 Answers to Chapter Eleven Quiz ................................................................................. 179
The Key Takeaways ...................................................................................................... 180 Chapter Twelve The Institutions – Economics .......................................... 181 Dialectical Materialism and Karl Marx ....................................................................... 183 Institutional Positivism ............................................................................................ 185 Economic Systems and Integration ......................................................................... 185 The New Economic Sociology ...................................................................................... 186 Review .......................................................................................................................... 187 Chapter Twelve: Quiz .................................................................................................... 191 The Key Takeaways ...................................................................................................... 192 Chapter Thirteen: The Institutions – Mass Media ................................... 193 Environment surveillance. ........................................................................................... 198 Environment surveillance. ........................................................................................... 203 Chapter Thirteen: Quiz ................................................................................................ 205 Answers to Chapter Thirteen Quiz ..............................................................................206 The Key Takeaways ...................................................................................................... 207 Chapter Fourteen - Social Stratification: Race, Gender, and Class ........... 208 Underlying Principles of Social Stratification ...........................................................209 Mobility and Stratification ......................................................................................... 210 Theories ........................................................................................................................ 210 Types of Social Stratification ....................................................................................... 211 Class and Status ....................................................................................................... 212 Race .......................................................................................................................... 213 Gender ...................................................................................................................... 214 Transgender ............................................................................................................. 214
Intersectionality ....................................................................................................... 215 Trends ....................................................................................................................... 215 Review .......................................................................................................................... 218 Chapter Fourteen: Quiz ............................................................................................... 222 Answers to Chapter Fourteen Quiz.............................................................................. 223 The Key Takeaways ...................................................................................................... 224 Chapter Fifteen: Criminology, Deviance, Crime and Incarceration ......... 225 Social Control ............................................................................................................... 228 Theories ........................................................................................................................ 229 Structural strain theory ............................................................................................ 229 Structural Functionalism Theory ............................................................................. 230 Conflict Theory ......................................................................................................... 230 Critical Sociology ...................................................................................................... 230 Social Disorganization Theory ................................................................................. 231 Control Theory.......................................................................................................... 231 Labeling Theory ........................................................................................................ 231 Differential Association Theory ............................................................................... 232 Psychopaths and Sociopaths .................................................................................... 232 Review .......................................................................................................................... 233 Chapter Fifteen: Quiz ................................................................................................... 236 Answers to Chapter Fifteen Quiz ................................................................................. 237 The Key Takeaways ...................................................................................................... 238 Chapter Sixteen: Socialization, Social Movements, and Social Change .... 239 Environmentalism/Climate Change ............................................................................ 239
Socialization................................................................................................................. 239 Stages of Socialization..................................................................................................240 Parts of the Socialization Process ...............................................................................240 Sociological Theories of Socialization ........................................................................ 242 Agents of Socialization ................................................................................................ 243 Social Change and Movements .................................................................................... 244 Stages of Social Movements ......................................................................................... 245 Theories of Social Change and Movements ................................................................. 246 Causes of Social Change .............................................................................................. 247 Environmental Change and Climate Change ............................................................ 248 Review .......................................................................................................................... 249 Chapter Sixteen: Quiz .................................................................................................. 252 Answers to Chapter Sixteen Quiz ................................................................................ 253 The Key Takeaways..................................................................................................... 254 Chapter Seventeen: The Future of Sociology ........................................... 255 Specializations.............................................................................................................. 255 Urban Sociology....................................................................................................... 255 Community Sociology .............................................................................................. 256 Other Types of Sociology .......................................................................................... 256 What can I do with a Sociology degree? ......................................................................260 Review .......................................................................................................................... 262 Chapter Seventeen: Quiz.............................................................................................. 265 Answers to Chapter Seventeen Quiz ............................................................................ 266 The Key Takeaways ...................................................................................................... 267
Chapter Eighteen: Summary, Wrap Up, and Final Exam ......................... 269 Review .......................................................................................................................... 270 Practice Exam ..............................................................................................................288 Summary ...................................................................................................................... 289 Follow Along PDF Manual ....................................................................... 291
INTRODUCTION COURSE CONVENTIONS AND CONTENT Welcome to the Introduction to Sociology exam preparation audio course! I will guide you through the course material. You are listening to a preparation course for any introduction to sociology exam with a focus on the College Level Examination Program, or CLEP. The CLEP exam allows you to receive actual college credit for what you already know before starting college level course work. The amount of credit you receive depends on the institution you are applying to, the test you take, and on your results. Your purpose for listening to this audio course is probably to prepare for an intro to sociology exam. It is my job to help you prepare for it. The material in this course will cover the basic concepts you need to know to succeed when you take your exam. In this introductory lecture, I will discuss the course outline and conventions. I will discuss the way this audio course will progress, the quizzes you will have in each chapter, and your Follow Along PDF Manual. First, though, here is a word about how to get the most from this material. I would strongly suggest that you plan to listen to the audio lectures more than once. Listen at least twice and three times or more if you can. Depending on where you are listening, you can read parts of the lectures in the Follow Along PDF Manual. I'll tell you more about it in just a bit. If you are driving or exercising, the PDF manual will not, of course, be available to you. Just be aware that you should listen to the entire course at least once with the Follow Along PDF Manual close at hand. This audio course is divided up into nineteen chapters including this one. Many of these chapters are split up into smaller sections. Each time I start a new section or chapter, I will give you its name. Throughout the course, a short recap of the material I discussed and a ten question quiz will wind down every chapter. This will be followed by a list of the most important 1
things to remember and take away from each chapter. Not coincidentally, I'll refer to these important points as takeaways.
QUIZZES Each chapter except this one has a quiz associated with it. The quiz material can be found in your Follow Along PDF Manual. At the appropriate times, you can pause the audio, go to the manual, and take the quiz. When you resume the audio, I will give you the questions and correct answers. You can also find the correct answers in the Follow Along PDF Manual. Each quiz has an answer key. In every chapter, I will give you the page numbers where you can find both the quiz and correct answers. By the way, it is possible to take the quizzes directly from the lectures. When I read the questions and correct answers, simply pause the audio after you hear the questions and possible answer choices. Then think about your answer. This option may be a bit more challenging but do whatever works for you.
FOLLOW ALONG PDF MANUAL A Follow Along PDF Manual is included with every AudioLearn test preparation course. You can print it out if you wish or use it in its digital format. The manual contains summaries of all the important material I discuss in the lectures. It also contains links to supplemental resources. The quizzes and their answer keys as well as a final exam and answers are also in there. Another staple of AudioLearn courses is this mock final exam we include with every preparation course. Think of the exam as a dress rehearsal for the real thing. Throughout the chapters, I am likely to repeat some points more than once. These will be important points to remember as you prepare. There may be keywords or phrases that you will need to understand and remember. I will repeat those, and I will remind you of why I am doing so.
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WHAT IS CLEP? I want to take a moment to discuss the CLEP, or CLEP exam, since this is what you may be preparing for. The College Level Examination Program has been available for more than fifty years; it is trusted by almost three thousand universities and colleges. This program is designed to allow students to receive introductory level college credit for their pre entrance knowledge in any given field. I'll explain more about this in the chapter two lecture. Now, I will introduce what I'll cover in this audio course. There are seventeen chapters or lectures after this introduction. Chapter eighteen, the last chapter, is a review and the sample practice exam. Every chapter contains material that is important to your future study of sociology. Pay attention, take notes, and take your time as you work through each of the lectures and the PDF materials.
COURSE OVERVIEW In Chapter One, I will discuss what sociology is and how the social sciences came about. You will hear about who a sociologist is and what kind of careers are available in the discipline. In Chapter Two, I will return to CLEP and review what the exam is and what it offers you. I will cover how the exam is developed and what type of information it contains. You will also learn about the format of the test and how to register for it. I will discuss what to do on the day of the exam and what you can bring with you. Finally, I will talk about scoring the exam and what you do after you have taken it. The Chapter Three lecture will return us to the topic of sociology. I will provide you with an in depth history of the discipline. The lecture for Chapter Four will cover the theorists in sociology. Chapter Five will cover the methodologists. These are two sides of the same coin.
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In Chapter Six, I will begin the nitty gritty discussion of institutions a major part of sociology. I will cover the general concept of institutions in this chapter while the next eight chapters will each feature a specific institution. The Chapter Seven lecture will feature the idea of the family. The Chapter Eight lecture will present Church and Religion. The Chapter Nine lecture will focus on Government and Politics. The Chapter Ten lecture will focus on Education. The Chapter Eleven lecture will present the Military and Military Industrial Complex. The Chapter Twelve lecture will feature Economics. The Chapter Thirteen lecture will feature Mass Media. Starting with Chapter Fourteen, I'll present concepts other than institutions. In this chapter, I will talk about the concept of social stratification, race, gender, and class. In Chapter fifteen you will learn about deviance, crime, and incarceration. Chapter Sixteen’s lecture will cover socialization, social movements, and social change including environmentalism and climate change. Finally, Chapter Seventeen will feature the future of sociology while Chapter Eighteen will help you to prepare for multiple choice tests. Chapter Eighteen also consists of a wrap up and review of the previous seventeen lectures. You will also hear about taking your one hundred and twenty questions mock practice exam as well as scoring it. This is a lot of material. You can probably understand why I have said you'll need to listen to these lectures more than once. And remember, you need to spend some time with the audio and Follow Along PDF Manual together. OK, that's it for the introduction. I hope what we have to offer in this audio course excites you and motivates you to start right in. Because this was an introductory chapter, there will be no quiz. Normally, though, this is the point where you would take it. While there is no quiz, there are some important points I want you to remember.
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THE KEY TAKEAWAYS Here are your takeaways from this introductory material. These are important things to remember as we move forward. •
One This audio program will prepare you for any college credit exam but in particular for the College Level Examination Program test.
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Two CLEP, or CLEP, stands for College Level Examination Program. I will probably use the term CLEP most often.
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Three Every chapter will have a ten question quiz near the end.
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Four Every chapter will have ten items for you to take away and remember. These takeaways will be at the end of each chapter.
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Five You should listen to this entire course at least two to three times.
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Six Use the Follow Along PDF Manual for additional information and while listening to the lectures whenever possible.
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Seven The chapter quizzes and answer keys can be found in the PDF manual.
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Eight There are nineteen total lectures including this introduction. Longer lectures are split up into smaller sections.
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Nine There are one hundred and twenty questions on the final practice exam in Chapter Eighteen. Consider this exam as a dress rehearsal for the real thing.
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Ten Give yourself ninety to one hundred twenty minutes to take the practice exam. Time yourself.
So, this is the end of the introductory lecture. I will now move on to chapter one "An Introduction to the Social Sciences." Come right along or resume the audio when the time is better for you. Thanks for listening.
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CHAPTER ONE – THE SOCIAL SCIENCES Welcome to chapter one of this audio course on Introduction to Sociology! This course is designed to prepare you for any college credit intro to sociology exam especially the CLEP exam. Consequently, most of the material will be based on
CLEP, but I will present additional material for other exams as well. Again, I am your lecturer for the course. Sociology is asocial science. In this chapter, I will explain what a social science is. I will talk briefly about the other disciplines that share the social science label. What are these other disciplines and how are they related to sociology? There are many, so I will discuss just a handful of them. Finally in this chapter, you will learn just who a sociologist is and what they do. What type of education does it take to become a sociologist and what types of careers do they have? Now, please allow me to get started with chapter one.
WHAT ARE SOCIAL SCIENCES? Just what are the social sciences? How do they differ from the natural sciences such as physics, chemistry, geology, or astronomy? Are they really sciences? First off, I guess you should know the definition of science. We have provided this definition on page forty one of the Follow Along PDF Manual so you can refer to it whenever you want to.
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Science is defined in many different ways in various dictionaries and encyclopedias. In general, the word itself comes from the Latin Scientia which simply means knowledge. In Webster's dictionary, you will find several definitions of science. The first definition in Webster is "a state of knowing or knowledge." This is the simplest definition, but it does not suit our purposes here. The second definition in Webster speaks to "a systematized body of knowledge that can be studied." It is, however, Webster's third definition that we are most interested in here as it defines both the natural and the social sciences. This third definition is as follows: "Science is a system of knowledge covering general truths or the operation of general laws obtained and tested through the scientific method." What, then, is the scientific method? According to Wikipedia, it is "an empirical method of gaining knowledge through observation, experimentation, testing, and refinement." The scientific method involves creating a hypothesis and then conducting research and experiments to either prove or disprove the hypothesis. The term empirical is important. Empirical data is data obtained through observation and experience that can be proved or disproved. The work of the social sciences must be empirical to be considered actual science. So, with these definitions in mind, I will discuss the social sciences and the definition of sociology.
THE SOCIAL SCIENCES The term "social science" first appeared in the book called An Inquiry into the Principles of the Distribution of Wealth Most Conducive to Human Happiness. The
year was eighteen twenty four, and the writer was William Thompson. Even
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though this is the first evidence of the term in writing, Thompson is not considered its creator nor the ideas behind it. The social sciences grew out of a need to understand human behavior and activities in the same way we understand the natural world. This need for understanding grew out of the disciplines of philosophy and theology. It was the work of August Comte that presented the concept that ideas are founded on three different stages. In the first stage, ideas are theological and based on assumptions. In the second stage, these ideas are philosophical and rooted in critical thinking. Finally, in the third stage, the scientific stage ideas come from observation and experimentation. Out of this line of thinking grew the science of economics. The study of the economy and monetary systems was the first social science to really grow into prominence. Economics began to follow a mathematical or statistical model that would become a part of many of the social sciences. The study moved out of the descriptive stage and into the mathematical stage. By the end of the nineteenth century, many philosophers turned to mathematics and statistics to make claims about human behavior. Karl Marx was the first to state that his research methods were, indeed, statistical and scientific. This led to Marx, Max Weber, and Emile Durkheim being considered the developers of the social sciences. Today, the social sciences are any discipline, outside of the natural sciences and arts, that attempts to analyze human society. Previously, it was Isaac Newton who applied the mathematical model to physical science. Blaise Pascal used the same models to understand human behavior. This evolution created a lot of pressure in all fields to use the mathematical model for all disciplines. Out of these mathematical models grew statistics as the primary
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form of methodology in most social sciences. I will discuss methodology in more detail in a future chapter. By nineteen twenty four, there was a movement among social scientists to create a society that would promote cooperation among the social sciences. The goal was to develop among them an integrated theory of human organization and personality. These would become the guiding factors for sociology and psychology, respectively. This group of social scientists established the Pi Gamma Mu honor society, an interdisciplinary journal, and grants for lecturers. As the social sciences grew their methodologies, both quantitative and qualitative methods were used in the natural and social sciences. At the end of the nineteenth century, there were only five established social sciences. They were Law, Economy, Art, Health, and Education. Today, most of these are not considered social sciences. Nowadays, the most common social sciences include sociology, psychology, anthropology, political science, and criminology. There are many more, but these are the most prominent. The same desire for understanding and knowledge that led humans to study matter, the universe, and the earth led to the social sciences. That is, to study human institutions, human behavior, morality, economy, and human nature. Social sciences have also been referred to as "soft sciences" or "behavioral sciences." Before delving into sociology, itself, I will discuss the other prominent social sciences. As I mentioned previously, the most common social sciences today include: •
Sociology.
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Psychology.
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Anthropology.
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Political Science. And
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Criminology.
Economics is still a major field of study using statistical methodology; it is, however, often considered one of the humanities along with history and art. This list of social sciences is on page ten of your Follow Along PDF Manual. Refer back to it whenever you need to. Now, let's examine four of the most prominent social sciences starting with psychology. Psychology Anthropology Political Science Criminology
PSYCHOLOGY Psychology is the study of the human mind and individual human behavior. Psychology does not study groups or humans or human institutions. It studies both conscious and unconscious human events or activities. These facts, events, or activities are called phenomena. This term is used throughout the social sciences but primarily in psychology, sociology, and phenomenology. Psychology is an academic discipline seeking to understand the emergent properties of the human brain. Psychologists then study the phenomena linked to those emergent properties. Because psychology is a social science, it uses established methodologies and the scientific method.
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ANTHROPOLOGY Anthropology is the study of past human behavior and societies. Anthropology uses scientific methodology and observation to study human cultures, meanings, norms, and values. Sociology studies these same areas but usually from apresent or overall timeframe. Anthropology breaks down into subgroups like linguistics, or how language influences society. It includes the study of human biological development. It also includes the specific fields of cultural and social anthropology. POLITICAL SCIENCE Political Science is the study of political and governing bodies. This social science is engaged in the study of political events, history, activities, and behavior. The subfields include public policy, comparative politics, public administration, political economies, political theory and methodology, and international relations. CRIMINOLOGY Criminology is the study of deviant behavior, crime, and criminal incarceration. This interdisciplinary social science uses the research and methodology of many of the other social sciences and philosophy. It also relies on the knowledge of legal scholars and biologists. It was eighteen eighty five when Raffaele Garofalo coined the term Criminologia. The first American writings on Criminology from the sociology field came out in textbooks in nineteen twenty. The final, most prominent social science today is sociology.
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WHAT IS SOCIOLOGY? Sociology is the study of human behavior in groups. It is the study of norms, cultures, values, and meanings. These are observed and studied mostly through the institutions that humans build and live within. It is the patterns of interaction, relationships, and culture in everyday life that the sociologist is interested in. For your reference, these definitions of sociology are on page eleven in the Follow Along PDF manual. Sociology is only sociology when those patterns in social interaction are studied using the “scientific method." This means employing research methods that include critical analysis and empirical investigation. This research can run from the micro level analysis to the macro level analysis. There are two primary ways of “doing sociology," if you will. Some sociologists focus on the type of research and research methods I just mentioned. Others focus on developing and advancing the theories of these social processes. The researcher in sociology today uses both traditional quantitative methods and contemporary qualitative methods. These are two terms you need to remember quantitative and qualitative methods. They are the primary methods of research. •
Quantitative Methods use statistics, mathematics, and measurements.
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Qualitative Methods use observation, focus groups, interviews, and ethnology.
I will discuss both of these methodologies in chapter five the Methodologists. Additional forms of methodology today include philosophic, hermeneutic, and interpretive. Other methods might include social network analysis and agent based modeling.
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Today’s sociology focuses on so many aspects of society – too many to list. The more traditional ones include institutions, social stratification, socialization, and social change. Subjects especially tuned to today’s society might include race, class, and gender. They might also include the criminal justice system, incarceration, and environmentalism. I will cover many of these in future lectures and in chapter four on Theorists. WHO IS A SOCIOLOGIST? While it may seem simple to say that a sociologist is anyone who studies human social behavior, this would not be true. Sociologists do study human social interaction, behaviors, institutions, groups, and processes. However, to be an actual sociologist requires credentials. What type of credentials? At the very least, you need to have a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology. However, most of the academic and research community would not consider someone with a bachelor’s degree to be a sociologist. To become a sociologist would require a Master’s in Sociology at the very least. Most sociologists have a Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology. This
advanced training allows the sociologist to work in a wide variety of environments and institutions. CAREERS IN SOCIOLOGY The majority of sociologists build their careers in research or academia or both. They can be found on every university or college campus, in think tanks and research organizations, and working for the government. The sociologist might work in consulting firms or they might work for corporations, large and small.
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Sociologists can be found working in media groups, law firms, marketing, and public relations firms. I will discuss more specific career tracks in a later chapter. A sociologist might work with nonprofit organizations. It is often in the administration of nonprofit organizations that you can find the person with a Bachelor of Sociology. Many non sociologists take advantage of and use the results of sociological research to solve the challenges of their fields. This group of professionals might include politicians, social workers, and administrators. ARE YOU CUT OUT TO BE A SOCIOLOGIST? If you want to be a sociologist, you might want to consider some of the personality traits of those who go into this field. Sociologists are inquisitive, introspective, and intellectual. They are rational, methodical, and analytical thinkers. They need to be articulate, expressive, and surprisingly creative as well. This list of desirable character traits is on page ten of your Follow Along PDF Manual. The salary range for the majority of jobs in the sociology field is wide; it runs from forty six thousand dollars a year to one hundred and forty thousand dollars per year. The average salary is around eighty two thousand dollars per year.
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CHAPTER ONE REVIEW This completes the content of chapter one on The Social Sciences. I will now briefly review what you have learned and what you need to remember the most. In this chapter, I discussed the social sciences, what they are, and what makes them a science. You learned the definition of the scientific method and the steps involved in it Remember these terms and concepts. Science is a system of knowledge covering general truths or the operation of general laws obtained and tested through the scientific method. Empirical data is data obtained through observation and experience that can be proved or disproved. I then discussed a bit of history of the social sciences and which fields of study are considered social sciences. You learned about a handful of the most recognized social sciences today. Finally, I talked about what sociology is, who the sociologist is, and the types of credentials they need. I finished with a discussion of the careers available in sociology and what the average sociologist's salary is.
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CHAPTER ONE QUIZ It is time for the chapter one quiz. This quiz can be found on page eighty three of your Follow Along PDF Manual. The answer key is on page one hundred and fifty. When you are ready, pause the audio and take the quiz. When you are done, correct your answers against the answer key. If you'd like, simply resume the audio to correct the quiz with me. I will give you the questions and correct answers. So, whenever you are set, pause the audio and turn to the quiz. Good luck!
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To download the audio version of this course, please visit our website WWW.AudioLearn.com
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