1.1 Explain the sociological perspective.

1.2 Describe the benefits of studying sociology.

1.3 Summarize the social world model.

Key Points:

• Humans are, at our very core, social animals—more akin to pack or herd animals than to individualistic cats.
• Sociology is based on scientific findings, making it more predictable and reliable than opinions or commonsense beliefs in a particular culture.
• A core idea in sociology is the sociological imagination. It requires that we see how our individual lives and per­sonal troubles are shaped by historical and structural events outside our everyday lives. It also prods us to see how we can influence our society.
• Sociology is a social science and, therefore, uses the tools of the sciences to establish credible evidence to understand our social world. As a science, sociology is scientific and objective rather than value laden.
• Sociology has pragmatic applications, including those that are essential for the job market.
• Sociology focuses on social units or groups, on social structures such as institutions, on social processes that give a social unit its dynamic character, and on their environments.
• The social world model is the organizing theme of this book. Using the sociological imagination, we can under­stand our social world best by clarifying the intercon­nections between micro, meso, and macro levels of the social world. Each chapter of this book will examine soci­ety at these three levels of analysis.

Summary:

How can sociology help you see new aspects of your life and change society? Throughout this book you will find ideas and examples that will help answer this question. You will learn how to view the social world through a sociological lens and use the sociological imagination. Understanding how the social world works from the micro through the meso to the macro level helps us interact more effectively in it. Using the sociological imagination enables us to see how individual troubles can be rooted in social issues, and best addressed with an understanding of the meso or macro level. This knowledge enables us to be better family members, workers, citizens, and members of the global community.

We live in a complex social world with many layers of inter­action. If we really want to understand our own lives, we need to comprehend the levels of analysis that affect our lives and the connections between those levels. To do so wisely, we need both objective lenses for viewing this com­plex social world and accurate, valid information (facts) about the society. As the science of society, sociology can provide both tested empirical data and a broad, analytical perspective, as you will learn in the next chapter.