Introduction to College Sociology

1. P R E PA R E D B Y :
H E R A L D O , R A C H E L
L E E , H A N N A H E L A I N E
HUMAN SOCIETY

2.  Humans generally do not live alone,
isolated from each other. Instead,
individuals tend to live in communities with
other people related by ethnicity, nationality,
religion, or some other cultural element.
A human society is a group of people who
share a common lifestyle and organization.
 The human society has been viewed as a
unique and complex society. Because of its
dynamic features, it is capable of
developing and improving its structures.
 One of the basic components of society is
people.

3. MEANING OF SOCIETY
• Composed of a large number of people who form
relatively organized, self-sufficient, enduring body.
• Society is composed of interacting individuals and
interacting groups sharing a common culture.
• Society is a systematic network of social relations and it
is the venue where the dynamics of cooperation and
conflict occurs.

4. SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES AND
PERSPECTIVES OF SOCIETY

5. 1. THE STRUCTURAL-FUNCTIONAL
PERSPECTIVE
• Also known as the “Concensus Theory”
• This perspective addresses the question of social
organization and how it is maintained.
• The structural-functional perspective stresses the idea
that relations among the individuals, groups, and
societies, follow well-defined patterns of social
organization.
• Functionalism views social organizations as a system
composed of interrelated parts.
• This perspective emphasizes on – stability, harmony and
evolution.

6. STRUCTURAL-FUNCTIONAL
METHOD

7. 2. THE CONFLICT THEORY
• This theory addresses the point of stress and conflict in
society and the way they contribute to social change.
• Society’s legal system as a political instrument rather
than resolution of conflict and preservation order.
• Conflict theorists are concerned with identifying the
conditions that lead to discontent and conflict, they
believe that social change can only be attained through
conflict.

8. The Conflict Model

9. 3. THE SYMBOLIC-INTERACTION
PERSPECTIVE
• This theory addresses the subjective meanings of
human acts and the processes through which people
come to develop and communicate shared meanings.
• Symbolic-Interaction directs attention to analysis of the
interaction of persons in face-to-face communication.

10. INDIVIDUAL
Analysis of the
interaction by
other persons
INTERACTION INDIVIDUAL
The Symbolic-Interaction
Model

11. STRUCTURAL-
FUNCTIONAL
PERSPECTIVE
CONFLICT
PERSPECTIVE
SYMBOLIC-
INTERACTION
PERSPECTIVE
NATURE OF
SOCIETY
Interrelated social
structure that fit
together to form an
integrated whole.
Competing interest
group with each group
seeking to secure its
own.
Interacting individuals,
social networks and
groups.
BASIS OF
INTERACTION
Consensus and
shared values
Constraint, power and
conflict
Shared meaning
regarding symbols.
FOCUS ON
INQUIRY
Social order and
maintenance
Social change and
conflict
Development of self
and adaptation of
individual to society.
LEVEL OF
ANALYSIS
Social structure Social structure Interpersonal
interaction
CONCEPT SUMMARY

12. SOCIOLOGY

13. SOCIOLOGY
• Sociology is taken from the Latin word “SOCIUS”
meaning companion or associate and the Greek word
“LOGOS” meaning study, combining the two words will
mean the study of associates or companions.
• Study of society, groups and social behavior.
• Scientific study of human society.

14. WHY STUDY SOCIETY?
1. To understand the world we live in and the intricate
realities of group interactions and social processes.
2. To explain and understand human behavior in a
society.
3. To determine the existence of groups, their functions,
nature and characteristics.
4. To understand “how” and “why” human beings act the
way they do.

15. THE EMERGENCE OF SOCIOLOGY
• The emergence of Industrial Revolution
paved the way for the development of
Sociology.

16. 1. AUGUSTE COMTE (1798-1857)
- Founder of Sociology
- A French mathematician and
philosopher who proposed a separate new science
of society. This science was known as “Social
Physics” or what it is now as Sociology.
SOCIOLOGY
a. Social
Static
b. Social
Dynamics

17. • The society is an expression of God’s will.
a. Theological
Stage
• People were less likely to see society as the
work of supernatural forces and placed
more emphasis on the forces of nature.
b. Metaphysical
Stage
• Final stage of understanding.
c. Scientific
Stage
3 STAGES IN UNDERSTANDING
SOCIETY

18. 2. HERBERT SPENCER (1820-1903)
- A British philosopher-scientist
who advanced the thesis that evolution
accounts for the development of social and
natural life.
- He stressed that society is similar
to a living organism with parts working
together to survive.

19. 3. KARL MARX (1818-1883)
- A philosopher, economist
and a social activist.
- He regarded private property
and capitalism as the root causes of
poverty.
a. Economic Determinism –
Economic relationships provide the
foundation of which all other social
and political arrangements are built.
b. The Dialect – it advocates that
conflict is the only factor that can
bring change to a society.

20. 4. EMILE DURKHEIM (1858-1919)
- A French intellectual who
viewed society as a total entity, as
something more than the sum of its
parts.
“When society over regulates and
there is less freedom, fatalistic
suicide occurs. When there is too
much freedom and less
regulation, we have anomic
suicide.”

21. 5. MAX WEBER (1864-1920)
- A German economist, historian
and philosopher.
- He believes that to understand
the behavior of the individual, we have to
understand the meaning of the individual
attributes to that behavior.

22. THE EARLY SOCIETY

23. A. HUNTING AND GATHERING
SOCIETIES
• From the inception of human social life until the
discovery of the techniques of planting sometime
between ten and twelve thousand years ago, humans
survived primarily by hunting wild animals and gathering
wild vegetation.
• The hunting and gathering society that uses simple
technology to hunt animals and gather vegetation for
survival.
“HEADMAN” – political leader
“SHAMAN” – spiritual leader

24. B. HORTICULTURAL, FISHING AND
PASTORAL SOCIETIES
• The horticultural society developed a society that uses
hand tools to raise crops.
• The beginning of this society has their first records in the
Middle East.
• About the pastoral societies, the main activity of them
was the domestication of animals. Today, there are a mix
among these two societies. Horticulture and pastorals
can be found throughout South America, Africa, and
Asia.

25. The domestication of plants and animals transformed
societies in various ways:
1. Producing more food allowed societies to become larger.
2. The domestication of plants and animals enabled societies
to generate a material surplus – more resources than
necessary to sustain day-to-day living.
3. Advances in housing technology and home industries such
as weaving, pottery, and leather making.
4. Efficiency and effectiveness of tools and weapons have
markedly improved.
5. The technological capacity to produce a surplus of food also
results in pronounced social inequality. With more resources
to fight for, conflicts became prevalent and slavery has
grown widespread.

26. C. AGRARIAN SOCIETIES
• Agricultural societies come as an extension of the
horticultural societies. Their coming marks a major
improvement in the lives of the people during that time.
• This era was then regarded as the “dawn of civilization”.

27. The major features of this society are:
1. The animal-drown plow produced food far more efficiently
than the hand tools used in horticultural society.
2. The greater surplus of food produced by agriculture
enabled a large proportion of the population to engage in
various special activities.
3. Money emerged as a mean of exchange replacing barter
as a system for trade among people engaged in
specialized activities.
4. Communication and transportation facilities are greatly
improved.
5. The expansion of trade sparked the growth of cities as
economic and political centers.
6. Agrarian societies produce dramatic social inequality.
7. The social power of the elite greatly expands and
exercises absolute control over large empires.

28. D. INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY
• A society that uses sophisticated machinery powered by
advanced fuels to produce material goods.
• The muscle power of humans and animals is no longer
the basis of production.
• Tools and machinery become more complex and efficient
owing to the incorporation of metal alloys such as steel.

29. Industrialism has generated societies of
unparalleled size and prosperity. The effects are:
1. It has brought about a greater concentration of
population in the urban areas.
2. Rising of standard living of the people due to
inventions.
3. Occupational specialization becomes more
pronounced than ever.
4. The family loses much of its traditional significance as
the center of social life.
5. Advanced health-related technology increased the life
expectancy of the people leading to population
growth.

30. TYPE OF
SOCIETY
TECHNOLOGY ECONOMY SETTLEMENTS SOCIAL ORG.
A. Hunting and
Gathering
Society
Very simple-fire
arrows, baskets
Bare subsistence-
no surplus
Nomadic 25-40
people
All resting within
family
B.
Horticultural
and Pastoral
Society
Digging sticks,
occasionally blade
tools
Simple crop
cultivation, some
surplus and
exchange
Semi-permanent
some cities,
occasionally
kingdoms
Family centered;
Religious system
begins to develop
moderate
specialization;
Increased social
inequality
C. Agrarian
Society
Irrigation,
fertilization,
metallurgy, animal-
drawn plow
Largely agricultural
but much surplus;
Increase market
exchange and
substantial trade
Permanent –
urbanization
becoming important;
empires covering
continent
Family loses
significance as
distinctive religious,
political, and
economic system
emerged. Increased
social inequality.
D. Industrial
Society
Advance sources of
energy; Mechanized
production
Industrial – few
engaged in
agriculture or direct
production; Much
surplus; Fully
developed market
economy
Permanent – urban
living predominating.
Cities now contain
most of the
population
Complex set of
interdependent
institutions.