Sociology

Sociology Study Guide

Chapter 2: The Sociological Perspective Objectives 1. To review the definition of sociology. 2. To understand the history of the field of sociology and the influence that exerts on today’s sociological studies. 3. To identify the earliest sociologists and uncover what they contributed to the field. 4. To discover how sociological research is conducted. 5. To understand the various sociological theories. As the previous chapter stated, sociology is a relatively new field of scientific inquiry. Even though, it isa relative youngster in the academic line-up, there is still a plethora of information to be studied to gain a full understanding of the scope of the field. For instance, what is the origin of sociology? How did it come to be recognized as a legitimate field of study? Who were the founding figures? How have those beginnings evolved into the current set of theories that are used in studying group behaviors and society? These questions and many more will be answered in this chapter. As Chapter 1 stated, sociology is a systematic approach to thinking about, studying, and understanding society, human social behavior, and social groups. Three things must be gleaned to begin to fully understand the science of sociology: • The history of the field • The historical and modern theories used • The methods used to research it 2.1 The History and Development of Sociology Sociology has roots back into the 18 th century European Enlightenment era, but it did not fully emerge until the social upheaval of the mid-19 th century Industrial Revolution. The development of industry quickly changed the accepted social landscape. What was happening in society? Who could explain the changes and shifts? Another key piece of kindling that started the sociological fire was the continued exposure of Europeans to the vastly different cultures of the Americas, Asia, and Africa. Why were these people’s customs so different? Founding Sociologists Many key thinkers emerged during the Industrial Revolution who each shed light on this new area of thought by probing in new directions, enlightening previous theories, correcting flaws, clarifying termsand conditions. Here are a few notable names:

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