Sociological Perspectives and Theories Essay

Three ways the sociological perspective can help one succeed in college and the work force has to begin with what the work force and college life is actually looking for. College is a place where students socialize and become part of the community, the work force is where people socialize and become part of a larger idea to make a profit. Without the complete desire to become apart of the world, then the whole experience is limited for an individual. The sociological perspective is an outlook on the world so that one can see beyond the individual and one’s focuses, and focus upon seeing the way the world functions and how people interact with one another. (Ballantine et al, 2016) There are eight ways the sociological perspective can help an

Sociologists employ three major theoretical perspectives in sociology today. They are the structural-functionalist perspective, the conflict perspective, and the symbolic interactionism. The structural-functionalist perspective is done at a macro level and its focus is on the relationships between the parts of society. The Conflict perspective is done at a macro level and its main focus is on how the wealthy controls the poor and weak.

This essay will compare and contrast and contrast two leading sociological theories: Marxism and Functionalism. Marxists predominantly believe that within society inequality and prejudice are rife, whereas Functionalists live under the impression that society operates in a state of social equilibrium wherein class and social status are necessities which we allow to transpire. This essay will explore the different viewpoints each theories take on subjects such as religion, community, family and education.

Four principal scholars explored the symbolic interaction theory, George Herbert Mead, Charles Horton Cooley, William Isaac Thomas, and Herbert Blumer (Smith & Hamon, 2012). George Herbert Mead proposed that through interaction with others, we learn about ourselves—this is done through three stages; play stage, game stage, and generalized other (Smith & Hamon, 2012). He identifies the movement between “I” and “me.” “I” being the spontaneous, immediate reactions to a situation, “me” being the roles learned from prior experiences (Smith & Hamon, 2012). Charles Horton Cooley had the idea of the “looking-glass self”—which explains individuals consider how they appear to others in order to create their own concept of themselves (Smith & Hamon, 2012). The third scholar, William Isaac Thomas, was known for the definition of the situation, which led to the idea that understanding perspective of the people involved in the situation was necessary to understand human behavior in general (Smith & Hamon, 2012). The Thomas Theorem stated

In this assignment I will be explaining some of the different sociological perspectives in today’s society. The sociological perspectives which I will be explaining will be Functionalism, Marxism, Feminism, and interactionism, Collectivism, Postmodernism and The New Right.

C. Wright Mills defined sociological perspective as the ability to “think yourself away from the familiar routines of everyday life” and “the vivid awareness of the relationship between experience and the wider society.”

Sociology is a part of everyday life. People experience sociological changes when they get married, get a new job, or get discriminated against. All of these things can alter a person’s perspective on a group of people or even the world. Since the beginning of this class, I have personally endured several sociological changes in my life. I recently started a new job. I’m meeting new and wonderful people and I no longer dread having to go to work. I have also begun setting plans for my wedding to the one girl who I know will make everyday better than the one before. But, perhaps the one instance that has affected me the most and the deepest was when my parents got a divorce.

The sociological perspective was defined by Peter Berger as seeing the general in particular. What this means is that by using the sociological perspective, sociologists can observe trends by looking at how individuals within groups act. Sociologists use the sociological perspective to observe how society impacts individuals, whereas psychologists observe individuals and how their own experiences influence their lives and choices. Someone using a political perspective would think about how the political world can influence individuals, and someone with a religious perspective would think about how the presence or lack of religion would affect an individual.

At first I took this sociology course because I needed to cover my social science requirement for my associate degree. During the first week of school, I started reading the sociology book by Schaefer, and I became interested in the theories that sociologist came up with. When I started reading the modern development theorists, Charles Horton Cooley, it was so fascinating because he focused on social interaction. Cooley came up with the concept called “looking glass self”, and I will explain it and show my view about it in this essay.

The sociological imagination is the “quality of mind” (Mills, 1959: 4) that enables individuals to look outside their private sphere of consciousness and identify the structures and institutions in society that influence or cause their personal experiences. In this way, by looking at the bigger picture, they can understand their place in society and explain their circumstance in terms of societal influence.

The World has produced a great deal of thinkers. Socialologists have a keen understanding and insight into human nature and the world around them. They have developed many theories on the human thoughts and actions. Herbert Blumer was a profound sociologist who had a deep impact on social theory. He was an interactionist who coined the term “symbolic interactionism” and formulated the most prominent version of the theory. An interactionsist focuses on the aspects so social life instead of the social system. They view humans as active

In sociology there are three main sociological perspectives, these perspectives offer sociologists theoretical paradigms for explains how society influences people and how people influence society. The three main perspectives are symbolic interactionist perspective, the functionalist perspective, and the conflict perspective. All three of these perspectives look at things differently with in society. I define myself as a structural functionalist. Structural functionalism is the theory that attempts to explain why society functions the way it does, it mostly focuses on social institutions and the relationship between them.

The “Sociological Imagination” was introduced by C. Wright Mills in 1959. C. Wright Mills explains in the article “The Promise” the concept of the sociological imagination. The Sociological Imagination is the way of thinking focused on seeing the impact of social forces or social contact in our individual lives. The intent of the sociological imagination is to see the bigger picture within which individuals live their lives; to recognize personal troubles and public issues as two aspects of a single process. It also challenges the individualistic reasoning, for example, the talent, skill, hard work, and motivation. “The Sociological Imagination enables its possessors to understand the larger historical scene in terms of its meaning for the inner life and the external career of a variety of individuals” (The Promise, Page 3). It’s a way for a person to look at their life as a result of their interaction with society. It can explain why a life is lived, the way it is lived, and all events, decisions, successes, and failures that have occurred. I believe as part of the sociological imagination social locators are a major part of it. Social locators are categories that you belong to that you have no control over. Some of these social locators can be for example, gender, race, social class, age, ability, religion, sexual orientation, and geographic location. Social locators in a certain sense creates our reality. Our social location determines our access to power, privilege, or our lack of power and privilege. Each group membership confers a certain set of social roles, rules, and power, which heavily influence our identity and how we see the world.

In society, there are symbols and label established for men and women; these were developed early on when human life first existed. Today they are hold against male and female and still continue to involve in how an individual should appropriately display these views. Sociologist believe our actions are based off our place in society, this helped sociologist create three theoretical perspectives. With their theoretical perspectives intact, they could examine how labels and symbols influence an individual’s perception towards others. Based off my experiences with my best friend a symbolic interaction is applied. Deep inside my friend- whom I will refer to as Emma was not happy, she was not able to show her true colors. I knew Emma for as long as I can remember and I was presented with a side that she had not been able to express. I never suspected her holding such a private matter from someone who I assumed she trusted. As she speaks hesitating words, I am relieved she was able to confide and feel comfortable with me. The labeling theory emphases what method labels partake with gender roles in social and behavior norms created by society and the media.

Many historians and sociologists have identified a transformation in the economic processes of the world and society in recent times. There has been an extensive increase in developments in technology and the economy as a whole in the twentieth century. Globalization has been recognized as a new age in which the world has developed into what Giddens identifies to be a “single social system” (Anthony Giddens: 1993 ‘Sociology’ pg 528), due to the rise of interdependence of various countries on one another, therefore affecting practically everyone within society.