Sociology

Sociology Study Guide

©2018 Achieve Test Prep Political Science: Political science is the study of political power, political processes, and governmental systems. This field of study is based in two areas: politics and government, and it explores the relationshipbetween them. Political sociology is a developing branch of study that is influencing political scientists. Considering political behavior, political sociology is the study of social interaction involved in the process of government. Sociologists are more interested in the relationships between political and social institutions. All of the social sciences, therefore, influence one another and scientists in each category can glean helpful information from other fields of study to help their own specialty. 1.3 Chapter Previews The remainder of Chapter 1 contains a comprehensive listing of important figures, theories, and terms. The terms are organized alphabetically, according to the chapter in which they appear. This list can be utilized before, during, and after an in-depth study of the material in thisbook: • Before: An overview of terms and definitions will develop a familiarity with the concepts. Page 6 of 172 behaviors. Altered behaviors lead to altered results. The other social sciences greatly impact the study of sociology and vice versa. Anthropology: Anthropology is the study of human evolution and culture that focuses on small-scale, primitive societies. In contrast, Sociology focuses more exclusively on groups in modern industrial societies. The various branches of anthropology include: archaeology (study of material remains from past cultures), linguistics (study of human speech), physical anthropology (using fossils to trace human evolution), cultural anthropology (study of pre-modern ways of life), history (study of causes and meanings of past events), and human ecology (study of relationships between organisms and their environment). Sociologists use anthropological reports, called ethnography , to compare past societieswith modern societies. Economics: Economics is the study of production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Economists attempt to explain and predict human behavior as it relates to economic forces and has developed quite sophisticated mathematical analyses to do so. Sociologists realize that economic and material concerns influence society’s behavior. Psychology: Psychology is the study of mental processes and perception in individuals. In contrast, sociology focuses on groups of individuals. The two fields do share one particular sub-field of study: social psy h l , the study ofhow personality and behavior are influenced by social elements.