Avant-Garde Sociology: An Introduction to Sociology

Copyright © 2013 By Thomas D. Sharts.

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Rev. date: 04/30/2014

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Contents

Introduction What is Sociology?

Chapter 1 The Five Areas of Being Human

Chapter 2 Sociological Tools of Analysis: The Seven Primary Areas of Social Reality and Additional Theoretical Tools of Analysis

Chapter 3 Early Founding Fathers of Sociological Thought

Chapter 4 Conducting a Sociological Study: Research Design Processes Associated with Completing a Sociological Inquiry

Chapter 5 Culture

Chapter 6 Socialization

Chapter 7 Social Structural Reality

Chapter 8 Social Status and Prestige

Chapter 9 Social Economic Class Categories and Behavioral Attributes

(US Society)

Chapter 10 Political Reality and Methods of Power

Chapter 11 Deviance

Chapter 12 Social Change

Chapter 13 The Sociological Study of Love Relationships, Marriage and Family Relations

Chapter 14 The Sociological Study of Social Problems

Chapter 15 Social Psychology

Chapter 16 Important Sociological Questions

Chapter 17 Other Important Sociological Terms

Bibliography

Introduction

What is Sociology?

Sociology is the scientific study of social reality. It is an academic discipline whose theoretical tools of analysis can be applied to understand any social

topic of consideration; specifically, understanding any question or research

inquiry related to human behavior in social structural relationships.

What are the Seven Areas that Define Social Reality?

The seven primary areas of social reality are: historical reality, social struc-

tural reality, cultural reality, economic reality, political reality, institutional reality and environmental reality. As this book unfolds, the seven primary areas of social reality and their respective operational variables will be examined more precisely. In truth, all seven primary areas of social reality are at work simultaneously as independent or dependent variables—influencing individual and/or any type of social structural behavioral relationships. The seven primary areas of social reality can also be an assessment tool in helping us understand why certain social problems exist in micro or macro social structural relationships and populations, help explain human behavior in marriages and families, or assist as an assessment tool when examining the origins of mental illness, deviant behaviors, etc.

Why is Sociology a Relevant Academic Discipline to Study and Understand?

The following are some reasons why sociology is an important academic discipline to understand and apply to real life happenings:

1. Sociology helps us to accurately identify and understand social reality in relation to any questions we develop regarding any social

topic of consideration; specifically: 1) origins (why any social ex-

perience exists) or 2) correlation strength (independent variable power) or consequence (dependent variable result).

2. Sociology aids in our understanding of the complexity of all social structural relationships that we participate in or are surrounded by.

3. Sociology helps us identify accurate tools of analysis for unders-

tanding the origins of human behavior in social structural rela-

tionships.

4. Sociology assists in our understanding of the complexity of how social reality is defined and understood in reference to affecting or being effected in correlation to the other four areas of being human: spiritual being, physiological being, psychological being and vocational being.

5. Sociology supports the development and storage of relevant scien-

tific data for making accurate social policy decisions in order to alleviate social problems at the local, state, national and global levels.

6. Sociology helps move the world toward global civility by demons-

trating the value of historical experiences and events, and teaching people how to utilize factual information about social life in order to assist with making wise lifestyle choices.

Why the Need for this Book?

The history of sociology as an academic discipline has primarily focused on studying macro social structures and/or social changes associated with large social structures or societies. Unfortunately, because of the complex variables associated with macro social structures such as: large groups,

organizations, institutions, nations, etc., it’s really next to impossible to

truly design a scientific study that is able to effectively control all of the

sociological and other life-being variables that might account for explaining

a change in another identified behavioral variable(s) or social structure under

investigation. Likewise, because of the factual truth of variable complexity,

replicating sociological studies is very difficult to achieve. In truth, in many

cases, when sociologists study macro social structures, the best findings are

not precise answers to those questions searching to demonstrate powerful correlations amongst identified sociological variables for study; but rather,

the new data generated from asking novel questions associated with results

from the study.

Nonetheless, I believe what the historical and contemporary study of sociology truly lacks is applying the relevance of this academic discipline to micro social structures in order to demonstrate how sociological know-

ledge can more precisely be utilized to understand how people behave in dyadic, triadic or small group relationships. Moreover, sociology as an academic discipline has a greater potential to achieve worthy significance in the therapeutic and counseling communities by demonstrating its

interdependent corollary significance with the four other areas of being human: spiritual being, physiological being, psychological being and voca-

tional being. Another key purpose of this book is to further explain how widely irrelevant sociology is considered today amidst therapeutic communities throughout the USA (as a requisite assessment tool for generating data in reference for understanding the origins of mild and severe mental illnesses). For example, persons with graduate sociology degrees cannot even apply to sit for examination to become a licensed counselor or therapist in any state in the union. Consequently, this allows for the unilateral psychological approach for assessing and understanding mental illness—thereby monopolizing critical analysis, assessment and

treatment for assisting those with mental disabilities/illnesses, and ultimately circumvents the realization of healing for such persons. Unfor-

tunately, such an ignorant approach toward treating mental illness is

egregious and erroneous and costs taxpayers, mentally disabled/ill clientele, and

caretakers millions of dollars annually due to faulty assessment models that

give birth to multitudinous failed treatments plans.

Lastly, sociology as an academic discipline might also be utilized to study

other significant social relationships such as workplace relations, student-

teacher relations, marriage and family relations, physician-patient rela-

tions, business relations, etc.

Chapter 1

The Five Areas of Being Human

The following areas of being comprise the human condition and all work together simultaneously as independent variables and/or dependent variables to influence and explain human behavior.

1. Spiritual Being

An individual’s behavior is influenced by unseen life forces that affect thinking, choices, emotions, attitudes, perceptions and physiological functions. Individuals have a soul existence (a formless energy that exists; life without a body). Also, a person’s spiritual being relates to behavioral choices of good versus evil, and one’s thoughts, strategic thinking or power choices may be influenced by a holy or evil spirit. In addition, a person’s emotions, attitudes, perceptions and thoughts are affected by prayer and faith and passionate emotions such as fear, guilt, anger, etc. may profoundly influence one’s spiritual condition. One’s spiritual being may be understood as both an independent and dependent variable in order to explain behavior in reference to the other four areas of being human.

2. Physiological Being

An individual’s behavior is influenced by certain physiological realities

such as: fetal origins, energy, nutrition, respiration, certain health conditions

such as acute or chronic diseases, aging, disabilities (birth or acquired)

physical appearance, body shape or addictions, terminal illness, etc.

A person’s physical condition will affect his/her spiritual being, social

relationships, psychological being (particularly emotions, memory, and

perceptions), and vocational being (e.g. can a person even realize a

certain vocational calling because of his/her physical condition). In

addition, an individual’s physical capacities are limited by time and

space. One’s physical being can be both understood as an independent

or dependent variable in explaining behavior in reference to the other four other areas of being human.

3. Sociological Being

An individual’s behavior is affected by seven primary areas of social reality that define the entirety of social reality. They are as follows:

1. Historical Reality

Historical experiences are the supporting basis for any social stabilization or social change processes that occur in any of the other six primary areas of social reality. All persons, groups, organizations, institutions, subdivisions, neighborhoods, towns, cities, states, or nations, etc. have a historical narrative that affects their behavior in reference to:

A. Whether they develop, maintain or terminate certain social structural relationships.

B. The beliefs and values they hold. The laws they create, uphold, or disobey.

C. How they respond to power or implement power in social relation-

ships.

D. Whether they become actualized in a vocational calling.

E. How they participate in economic activity and their work-related role in such activity.

F. What social environment or physical geographic location they reside within or choose to reside within.

2. Social Structural Reality

A. Social structures are static or dynamic. If dynamic, they are constantly evolving or are being terminated. Some social structural relations we initiate, others we maintain, and some we terminate. Social structures are concerned with the quality of the relationship (i.e. positive or negative, intimate or distant, cordial or friendship, violent, etc.). Social structures are also concerned with whom does one associate with? e.g., specific individuals, groups, organizations, institutions, races, ethnicities, cultures, etc. Some role expectations we hold or perceive may determine the spatial rules of social structural relations. Social structures are also comprised of people who hold particular social and/or economic roles at specific times during social interfaces. Such status roles are changeable phenomena.

B. Social structures may be small in size (micro) or very large (macro).

C. Social structures are also concerned with physical proximity issues—for instance, what is the physical distance of the social structural relationship and what are the rules of space that determine whether a specific physical social structure exists or does not exist? Also, what are the social rules that define and apply manners/etiquette of behaving in specific social structural relationships?

D. All social structures comprise individuals who are of a specific physi-

cal appearance, socioeconomic class, age, ethnicity, race, gender, educatio-

nal attainment, or hold various social status roles. Some social classes such as: socioeconomic status, age, educational attainment and social status roles are changeable phenomena.

E. Social structural relationships also comprise or are effected by: social structural variables, historical reality, economic reality, cultural reality, political reality, social institutional reality, and environmental reality.

F. Structure Functionalist theorists are interested in how organizations, and/or social institutions interact with one another in a static and/or dynamic manner.

Types of Social Structures:

1. Dyad.

2. Triad.

3. Small Group.

4. Large Group.

5. Organization.

6. Institution.

7. Business District, Voting District.

8. Subdivision, Neighborhood, Village, Town, Hamlet, County, City.

9. Commonwealth, Territory, State, Nation.

10. Cyber-Spatial.

Examples of Social Structures/Behavioral Affect Options

A. Dyad—An individual affects another individual’s behaviors or vice versa.

1. Symbolic Interactionist’s are theorists interested in this dyadic form of micro-social interaction.

B. Triad—Three individuals affect each other’s behavior.

C. Group—A social structure of four or more persons all interacting simultaneously with no particular leader affect each other.

D. An individual affects a group’s behavior or vice versa.

Symbolic Interactionist’s and Conflict theorists are theorists in-

terested in this form of micro-social interaction.

E. A group affects another group’s behavior or vice/versa.

Symbolic Interactionist’s and Structure Functionalist’s are theorists

interested in this form of micro or macro social interaction.

F. An organization affects individuals, groups, other organizations, or social institutions or vice versa.

Structure Functionalist’s and Conflict theorists are theorists in-

terested in this form of micro/macro.

G. An individual affects social institutions or vice versa.

Symbolic Interactionist’s and Structure Functionalist theorists

would be interested in this form of micro/macro social interaction.

Other Examples of Micro/Macro Social Structural Behavioral Affect Options

H. An individual affects society/culture’s behavior or vice versa.

I. An individual affects nations or vice versa.

J. An organization affects other organizations, institutions, nations, or vice versa etc.

K. A nation affects another nation or nations or vice versa.

L. A small group affects its own members.

M. A large group affects its own members.

Note: An individual and all types of social structures might be effected as a dependent variable(s) as well.

3. Cultural Reality

Those beliefs; values; laws; norms; role expectations; languages; symbols; archival and scientific methods; imagery; means of exchange; divisions of labor; tool use; methods of power; political philosophies; mass media technological tools; humor use; all art genres; social structural rules related to manners and etiquette; gender role meanings and expectations; architecture; styles; traditions; rituals; holidays; customs; fashions; cuisine; sports; statuses-held; prestige applications or denials toward statuses-held; mores; folkways; folklores; laws and taboos of: an individual, dyad, group, organization, institution, society, nation, etc.

Historical and contemporary ways of thinking and behaving and philosophy,

ideology and political power—profoundly affect cultural reality or are effected

by cultural reality. Mass media affects fashion trends.

The beliefs, values, laws and norms of a particular culture are utilized to maintain or change a micro or macro social economic system.

A culture serves as a valid/credible historical frame of reference point for the substantiation of specific beliefs, values, laws, role expectations, tools of technology, (and other components of culture) that are integral in the maintenance and survival of specific social, economic and political systems.

A culture is the life-blood of any social structural relationship. It is an instructional roadmap whose operational components give meaning and cohesion for the maintenance of all created permanent social structures: micro or macro, mainstream, sub-cultural or counter cultural.

4. Economic Reality

Determines the division of labor, role expectations, and social class distinc-

tions in individuals, dyads, small groups, large groups, organizations, institutions, businesses and larger social structures. Also, economic acti-

vity supports life sustenance and it is supported and maintained by philo-

sophical/cultural belief/value systems. Cultural belief/value systems may determine, maintain, or work to change economic systems. Economic sys-

tems might be micro or macro social systems. Some types of economic sys-

tems are: hunting/gathering, agricultural, industrial, post-industrial, market economy, and/or communist/socialist economies. Some issues of concern regarding economic systems are: production processes and outcomes, economies of scales, distribution of products or services, technological innovations, research and design of products/services, and distribution.

An economic need presupposes a division of labor. A division of labor pre-determines: types of social structures and roles, social and economic equity/class/status, and the potential for upward or downward movement in these hierarchal areas. Also, political power is utilized to maintain or change micro/macro social/economic systems in a dyad, group, organi-

zation, institution, (business) or nation.

5. Political Reality

Primarily concerned with the realization of What’s at Stake in Rela-

tionships? Stake issues relate to development, achievement, maintenance or

change issues. Specific philosophies, ideologies, beliefs, and values precede

and motivate power initiatives that affect social/economic and other organizational

and/or institutional social structures as a result of socializing, maintaining or changing them.

There are various methods of power utilized in micro/macro social struc-

tural relationships for the purpose of implementing, maintaining or chang-

ing specific philosophies, ideologies, beliefs, values, and/or physical needs

or desires in a specific social structural relationship. Political reality primarily

concerns itself with realizing what’s at stake in relationships.

6. Social Institutional Reality

Social institutions are usually macro bureaucratic social/economic struc-

tures that have a specific complex division of labor (bent on conformity) for the purpose of meeting social, economic or other political objectives. Macro/Micro social institutions sustain social structural entities and so-

cieties. Some social institutions are micro social structures such as: families. Also, the term institution sometimes refers to social structural entities

or known experiences that have a long enduring presence or value in a culture—like marriage—this is sometimes referred to as an institution. Other social structures such as: a corporation or a particular cultural practice might be referred to as an institution because of longevity or socializing influence upon cultural beliefs, values, lifestyles, etc. However, in some instances, specific institutions that provide social stability (such as banks) are primarily driven to make profits not secure community cohesion.

Social institutions are social structures whose primary purposes are