Module 4:

Sociology and Study of Society

The Sociological Perspective
Another branch of social sciences is the discipline of Sociology. Categorically, sociology is the
"scientific study of society, including patterns of social relationships, social interaction, and culture".
Scientific
refers to the methodological and theoretical rigor that sociology applies in this study of society and
human behavior.
The term sociology was coined by Auguste Compte in 1830 to refer to a scientific inquiry that covers
human social activities.
In 1959, C. Wright Mills coined the phrase "sociological imagination", to refer to the ability of sociologist
to understand society systematically. This involves detaching oneself from the common understanding
of the society and creates alternative approach that would situate a behavior or an event within a great
social framework.
Sociological Concept
Just like anthropology, sociology also has disipline-based concepts that did in the understanding of
human behavior and groups. The basic concept that sociology interprets is that of society.
Society
ns subscribe to the rules of their cultures. It is an organization that caters to a human's need for
belongings in a group.
SOCIAL INTERACTION
This is a compilation of ways and means by which humans interact with each other within the
confines of a society. Hence, the prevailing culture within a society dictates the forms of interaction
used by individuals with one another.
1. Space is not an issue. 5. The meaning we ascribe to the actions
2. There can multiple simultaeous. of others.
3. A dialog can have an active end and are informed by the values and norms that
inactive ends are
4. Subject positionality is present in any upheld in our society.
interaction.
SOCIAL ORGANIZATION
refers to the interrelationship of parts of society. It is structurally divided into layers of contexts
and positions that help perpetuate its existence. The positions created within a society constitute the
category of status. This may include being a student, a son, and a parent.
Each status prescribes a set of accepted behaviors that define the individual's responses and
inclinations. The set is called roles. The role of the government official is to ensure that the people's
need are addressed through government projects and policies. In some instances in our coutry,
government officials were evicted from their positions as theu failed to perform the roles expected of
them.
A group is a basic unit of an organization. It involves at least two individuals who are in constant
interaction based on their statuses and roles.
Institutions are established when roles, statuses, and groups are perpetuated within the context of the
society. Institutions are the building blocks of a society, as it is through these that norms are produced
from the consistent exchanges of the individuals and groups.
SOCIAL STRUCTURE AND AGENCY
This is the foundation of every society from which emanates the possible roles, statuses, institutions,
and organizations. It can be said that social structure is the determining factor by which every other part
of the society gains its context.
 The common analogy used to describe social structures and elements of society is that of the building.
The building in itself can be considered as the society. The pillars of foundation of the buildig is equated
to the social structure. Remember that these parts provided the general framework of the building-
these determine its height, width, and shape. What provides the building with its design and body are
the institutions, statuses, groups, and roles.
The concept of culture can be equated to the concept social structure as it funtions, groups, and
individual behavior within a society.
SUBDISCIPLINES OF SOCIOLOGY
Within the field of sociology are specific inquiries on human behavior in groups.
Studies that involve social structures such as institutions, social groups, social stratification, social
mobility, and ethnic groups fall within the scope of social organization.
The study of impact of group life to a person's nature and personality is the focus of social psychology.
Social Change and Disorganization is the branch of sociology that inquires on the shift in social and
cultural interactions and the interruption of its process through deliquency, deviance, and conflicts.
Human Ecology pursues studies that relate human behavior or existing social institutions.
This is the different from social psychology and social organization in that the social institutions in which
human subjects belong to are treated in the context of an ecological/ environmental elements and
dynamics with that of a political, economic, and social system.
Population or Demography inquires on the interrelationship between population characteristics and
dynamics with that of a political, economics, and social system.
Applied Sociology uses sociological research and methods to solve contemporary problems. It often uses
an interdisciplinary approach to better address social problems.
METHODS IN SOCIOLOGY
Two primary methodological perspective in sociology
Positivist Anti- positivist
Positivist Orientation
Perceives society as a quantifiable subject from which objective conclusions can be made. It uses
methods employed by the natural sciences to understand social phenomenon.
An example of a work that uses positivism is that of Durkheim (1951) on suicide, within he identified
four types of suicide that are triggered by the type of society that one is living in.
Altrusive (strong ties) Anomic (no rules)
Egoistic (weak ties) Fatalistic (many rules)
According to Durkheim (1951), individuals who fall into the extremes of their society are bound to
commit suicide.
For example, a person who lives in a societt that promotes strong ties among its member is prone to
commit altruistic suicide as an act of preserving it.
On the opposite end, being part of societies that do not foster strong ties among its members can
trigger and individual to commit egoistic suicide within the individual feels isolated, having no sense of a
community.
The third type of suicide is anomic, which results from living in a society with no rules. This context
propels an individual to commit suicide as he/she experiences moral and existential crisis based on the
unavailability of guiding principles through which life can be lived.
Finally, there is fatalistic suicide, which is experienced in societies that have many rules. Individuals fail
to comply with the rules of their society experience shame and disappointment which brings them to
these fatal decisions.
Durkheim argues that suicide can be prevented, as it is not a matter of personal choice but is actually a
product reality which can be altered to counter its effect.
Anti- positivist orientation
promotes a subjective approach within social phenomena are understood through individual
experiences. It requires qualitative methods in gathering data such as interviews, participant-
observation, and other tools of ethnography.
The work on suicide by Pearson and Lui (2011) presents the suicide of a village woman in China named
Ling. Using ethnographic process, Pearson and Lui concluded that the typical Western orientation
toward suicide, which focuses on depression and other mental health- related factors are not in the
same operation among rural Chinese women as their suicide act is triggered by social and economic
structural conditions.
Unlike the work of Durkheim that has a potetial for general application in understanding suicide
phenomena across geographic regions, the work of Pearson and Lui remains to be applicable to the case
of Ling's society. This situates anti- positivist works within the microlevel of analysis.
Bullying
is one key factors motivating young people to commit suicide. Use the positivist or the anti- positivist,
approach and practice your sociological skills to help educate students who are struggling with this
problem.
VALUE OF SOCIOLOGY FOR THE 21st CENTURY
Sociology was established at a time when society was changing drastically due to technological and
political development.
Sociology finds its value today in providing us with a conceptual tool in understanding the plight of
humans as they adapt their varying environments and social conditions.
One of the pressing sociological issues in the Philippines is the case of unemployed youth who are in the
process of waithood. These youth are called tambay.
Clarence Batan, a sociologist studying the youth, concluded a sociological study of tambay in
marginalized town of Talim in the province of Rizal.
Using methods such as ethnography and interviews, he found out that most of the youth have
employment aspirations; due to their marginalization. However, they are disenfranchised from the labor
system that requires as set of employee attributes. Some remain to be a tambay for as long as 5 years.
He argued that such experiences perpetuate a web of crises that promote integrational poverty and
marginalization.