Introduction to Sociology

What is Sociology?
The study of human social life
Looks at the development and structure of human society
and how it works
Studies social life, social change, and the social causes and
consequences of human behavior
Social Change
Society does not remain unchanged over time the study of
sociology functions because of significant changes in society
What are some changes throughout history that would be of
great importance to sociologists?
What do Sociologists Study?
The structure of groups, organizations, and societies, and how
people interact within these contexts.
We all play certain roles in our society Social Scientists refer to
this as status
Status is the term used to describe our position within an
institution
Values Society carries with it a system of values. A particular
set of values are assigned to each role. These are rules set out for
a particular role that are considered standard behaviour (eg. We
are all expected to follow these)

What are Specific Topics in Society that Sociologists would Study?

Since human behavior is shaped by social factors, the subject matter of
sociology ranges from:
the intimate family to the hostile mob
from organized crime to religious cults
from the divisions of race, gender and social class to the shared
beliefs of a common culture
from the sociology of work to the sociology of sports
street crime and delinquency
corporate downsizing
how people express emotions
welfare or education reform
how families differ and flourish
problems of peace and war
and many, many more topics
Examining Social Dynamics (the way society works)
Areas studied in examining social dynamics include: culture, values,
socialization, cooperation, conflict, power, exchange, inequality,
deviance, social control, violence, order and social change.
Sociology examines the ways in which the forms of social structure
-- groups, organizations, communities, social categories (such as
class, sex, age, or race), and various social institutions (such as
kinship, economic, political, or religious) affect human attitudes,
actions, and opportunities.
Because sociology addresses the most challenging issues of our time, it
is a rapidly expanding field whose potential is increasingly tapped by
those who craft policies and create programs. Sociologists understand

social inequality, patterns of behavior, forces for social change and

resistance, and how social systems work.
Why is it important to study Sociology?
Sociology enables us to understand the structure and dynamics of
society, and their connections to patterns of human behavior and
individual life changes.
Sociology provides many distinctive perspectives on the world,
generating new ideas and critiquing the old.
The field also offers a range of research techniques that can be
applied to virtually any aspect of social life.
Sociologists understand social inequality, patterns of behavior, forces
for social change and resistance, and how social systems work.
The discipline also explores how both individuals and groups create,
maintain, and change social organizations in various ways.
Sociology asks about the sources and consequences of change in
social arrangements and institutions, and about the satisfactions and
difficulties of planning, accomplishing, and adapting to such change.

Introduction to Sociology Student Notes

What is Sociology?
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Social Change

Society does not remain unchanged over time the study of sociology functions because of significant
changes in society
What are some changes throughout history that would be of great importance to sociologists?

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What do Sociologists Study?
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Topics Studied by Sociologists?
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Examining Social Dynamics (the way society works)

Areas studied in examining social dynamics include: culture, values, socialization, cooperation, conflict,
power, exchange, inequality, deviance, social control, violence, order and social change.
Sociology examines the ways in which the forms of social structure -- groups, organizations,
communities, social categories (such as class, sex, age, or race), and various social institutions (such as
kinship, economic, political, or religious) affect human attitudes, actions, and opportunities.

Why is it Important to Study Sociology?

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