4.0.0 Intro to Sociology
Have you ever wondered why we behave the way we do in groups, or why certain ideas become deeply ingrained in our society? What truly motivates people to seek social status and respect, and why do issues like inequality persist? This course offers a fascinating journey into these very questions, providing a systematic study of human society, culture, and relationships on a group level. It's a field that helps you critically examine the world around you and your place within it.
This course will challenge your perceptions by exploring how culture is created, passed down through generations, and shapes individuals and their ideas, from the foods we eat to our core beliefs. You'll delve into the intricacies of cultural elements like symbols, language, values, and norms—including the subtle differences between folkways and mores—and explore how these shape our daily lives. You'll also learn about cultural subsets such as subcultures, high culture, popular culture, and even countercultures, along with the growing emphasis on multiculturalism.
Beyond culture, we'll uncover how socialization—the lifelong process of learning social expectations and how to interact with others—molds what we consider "human nature". Through thought-provoking case studies of social isolation, you’ll witness firsthand the profound impact of human contact on development. The course also examines the powerful agents of socialization, including family, schools, peers, and mass media, revealing how they instill our values, norms, and beliefs from childhood onward.
You’ll gain insights into the dynamics of social groups, from intimate primary groups like family and close friends to more impersonal secondary groups at work or school. Discover how group size, from a dyad to a triad and beyond, dramatically influences relationships and responsibility. We'll also explore concepts like social conformity (normative and informational) and obedience, understanding why individuals often change their behavior to fit in or follow authority, even against their own morals. You’ll analyze phenomena such as groupthink, where the desire for harmony can lead to faulty decisions, and social loafing, where individual effort wanes in a group setting.
The course also tackles significant societal issues, from gender roles and sexism in their various forms—old-fashioned, modern, hostile, benevolent, and ambivalent—to the intricate concepts of race and ethnicity, distinguishing between social majority and minority groups. You'll examine how the family, as a social institution, operates with different residency patterns and lineage systems across cultures. We’ll also explore the powerful role of religion in social change, drawing on Max Weber's ideas about Protestantism and capitalism, and the concept of liberation theology.
Finally, you’ll understand how sociology applies to real-world challenges, such as public policy, social change, and personal growth. By studying topics like the functions of schools, self-fulfilling prophecies, and tracking systems, you’ll see how societal structures impact individual opportunities. The course also delves into collective behavior, including crowds, mobs, riots, and mass phenomena like hysteria, rumors, and fads, and the dynamics of social movements seeking to transform society.
This course won't just teach you facts; it will give you the tools to think critically about the messages you receive from society and to see opportunities for change in your community and beyond. You’ll develop a sociological imagination, connecting your personal experiences to broader social issues, and appreciating the diverse world we live in. If you're ready to explore the fascinating complexities of human interaction and society, this course is for you!
This course will challenge your perceptions by exploring how culture is created, passed down through generations, and shapes individuals and their ideas, from the foods we eat to our core beliefs. You'll delve into the intricacies of cultural elements like symbols, language, values, and norms—including the subtle differences between folkways and mores—and explore how these shape our daily lives. You'll also learn about cultural subsets such as subcultures, high culture, popular culture, and even countercultures, along with the growing emphasis on multiculturalism.
Beyond culture, we'll uncover how socialization—the lifelong process of learning social expectations and how to interact with others—molds what we consider "human nature". Through thought-provoking case studies of social isolation, you’ll witness firsthand the profound impact of human contact on development. The course also examines the powerful agents of socialization, including family, schools, peers, and mass media, revealing how they instill our values, norms, and beliefs from childhood onward.
You’ll gain insights into the dynamics of social groups, from intimate primary groups like family and close friends to more impersonal secondary groups at work or school. Discover how group size, from a dyad to a triad and beyond, dramatically influences relationships and responsibility. We'll also explore concepts like social conformity (normative and informational) and obedience, understanding why individuals often change their behavior to fit in or follow authority, even against their own morals. You’ll analyze phenomena such as groupthink, where the desire for harmony can lead to faulty decisions, and social loafing, where individual effort wanes in a group setting.
The course also tackles significant societal issues, from gender roles and sexism in their various forms—old-fashioned, modern, hostile, benevolent, and ambivalent—to the intricate concepts of race and ethnicity, distinguishing between social majority and minority groups. You'll examine how the family, as a social institution, operates with different residency patterns and lineage systems across cultures. We’ll also explore the powerful role of religion in social change, drawing on Max Weber's ideas about Protestantism and capitalism, and the concept of liberation theology.
Finally, you’ll understand how sociology applies to real-world challenges, such as public policy, social change, and personal growth. By studying topics like the functions of schools, self-fulfilling prophecies, and tracking systems, you’ll see how societal structures impact individual opportunities. The course also delves into collective behavior, including crowds, mobs, riots, and mass phenomena like hysteria, rumors, and fads, and the dynamics of social movements seeking to transform society.
This course won't just teach you facts; it will give you the tools to think critically about the messages you receive from society and to see opportunities for change in your community and beyond. You’ll develop a sociological imagination, connecting your personal experiences to broader social issues, and appreciating the diverse world we live in. If you're ready to explore the fascinating complexities of human interaction and society, this course is for you!
4.1.1 Section 1 Objectives
By the end of this topic, students should be able to:
4.1.2 Section 1 Content
4.2.1 Section 2 Objectives
By the end of this topic, students should be able to:
4.2.2 Section 2 Content
4.3.1 Section 3 Objectives
By the end of this topic, students should be able to:
4.3.2 Section 3 Content
4.4.1 Section 4 Objectives
By the end of this topic, students should be able to:
4.4.2 Section 4 Content
4.5.1 Section 5 Objectives
By the end of this topic, students should be able to:
4.5.2 Section 5 Content
4.6.1 Section 6 Objectives
By the end of this topic, students should be able to:
4.6.2 Section 6 Content
By the end of this topic, students should be able to:
- explain how human society, culture, social status, etc. affect human relationships
- recognize the real world application of Sociology in the areas of public policy, economics, social change and personal growth
- discuss the theory of Social Darwinism
- understand how social class determines relationships between different people
- define the role that religion has historically played in class inequality and control
- explain the theory of interpersonal management and its effect on organizations
- describe the how the concept of power elite hinders the likelihood of social change
4.1.2 Section 1 Content
- Introduction to Sociology
- Applications of Sociology
- Theory of Class Consciousness
- Religion and Social Inequalities
- Theory of interpersonal Management
- Social Power and Social Change
4.2.1 Section 2 Objectives
By the end of this topic, students should be able to:
- list and define elements that contribute to establish a culture
- identify different subset and subcultures in a society
- discuss key concepts of multiculturalism and counterculteraism
- recognize contributing factors in socialization and social isolation
- explain how family, school, peers and mass media affect socialization
- define methods people use to present themselves and manage impression
4.2.2 Section 2 Content
- Elements That Define Culture
- Cultural Subsets
- Perceptions of Culture
- Socialization and Social Isolation
- Agents of Socialization
- Presentation of Self
4.3.1 Section 3 Objectives
By the end of this topic, students should be able to:
- define social groups and differentiate between several different types
- discuss purposes of primary, secondary, and reference groups
- recognize differences between conformity and obedience
- describe elements of normative and informational conformity
- explain the concept of groupthink and lists its negative effects
- list advantages and disadvantages of working alone
- list advantages and disadvantages of working within a group
4.3.2 Section 3 Content
- Types of Social Groups
- Social Conformity
- Groupthink and Social Facilitation
- Social Group Dynamics
4.4.1 Section 4 Objectives
By the end of this topic, students should be able to:
- discuss the influence of culture on gender roles
- illustrate the effects of culture bias on gender roles in society throughout history
- apply an understanding sexism in its various forms
- contrast the social concepts of patriarchy versus matriarchy
- define the differences between race and ethnicity
- outline the distinctions between social majorities versus minorities
- discuss the challenges of aging as identified by sociologists
4.4.2 Section 4 Content
- Gender Views Around the Globe
- Types of Sexism
- Patriarchy and Matriarchy
- Race and Ethnicity
- Social Majorities and Minorities
- Challenges of Aging Society
4.5.1 Section 5 Objectives
By the end of this topic, students should be able to:
- list the elements that help define family and kinship, as a social institution
- explain the role of locality and lineage have on families and culture
- describe how religion has historically been an agent for social change
- explain how the concepts of religiosity, secularization, and civil religion have manifested themselves in different cultures
- interpret the role schooling has played in shaping different cultures
- explain the various functions schools serve in society
- illustrate multiple sides of key controversies surrounding public education
4.5.2 Section 5 Content
- Family and Kinship
- Religion and Social Change
- Cultural Differences in Schooling Theory
- Functions of School
- School Controversies
4.6.1 Section 6 Objectives
By the end of this topic, students should be able to:
- explain different theories to explain the phenomena of crowd behavior
- compare/contrast contagion theory, convergent theory, and emergent norm theory
- compare/contrast mass hysteria and moral panic and its effects on crowd behavior
- discuss different forms of collective behavior
- define the characteristics of different types of crowds
- define what social movements are and discuss why they develop
- list and explain the four stages of social movements
4.6.2 Section 6 Content
- Introduction to Crowd Behavior
- Phenomena of Crowd Behaviors
- Types of Collective Behaviors
- Types of Mass Behavior
- Theories and Motives of Social Movement
- Types of Social Movements