Introduction to Sociology: Understanding Human Behavior and Culture
Introduction to Sociology
Sociology is a branch of social science that uses systematic methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop and refine a body of knowledge about human social life, behavior, associations, social groups, societies, and institutions, as well as the relationships among them. It tries to understand how the world works by situating social events in their context. The objective is to gain knowledge about ourselves, the society we live in, and other societies as time goes by and in different places. Sociology focuses on the modern world and the significant changes that have happened over the last two centuries. It was first developed in Europe as a consequence of the French Revolution (1789), the Industrial Revolution and Capitalism (circa 1800), the appearance of Socialism, the rural exodus, and the change in the supremacy of religion, which led to scientific development. The main purposes of sociology are:
- To know
- To explain
- To predict
- To act
Microsociology focuses on human behavior, while Macrosociology focuses on social systems on a global scale and long-term change processes.
The Term “Sociology”
Auguste Comte coined the term “sociology” in 1838. He aimed to improve society and direct human activity through the law of three stages:
- Theological stage: Religious view
- Metaphysical stage: Natural view
- Scientific/positive stage: Pinnacle of social development
Early Sociological Approaches
Auguste Comte’s early sociological approach was based on Positivism, which is based on sociological naturalism and aims to predict human behavior. However, the natural world differs from the social world because the latter has Culture.
Herbert Spencer wrote the first book called “Sociology” in the mid-19th century. Emile Durkheim established the first European department of sociology in 1895. Key figures in sociology include Auguste Comte, Herbert Spencer, Karl Marx, Max Weber, and George Simmel.
Culture and Society
What is Culture?
Culture is the way of life of a group of people, including the behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols they accept, generally without thinking about them, and that are passed along by communication and imitation from one generation to the next. The word “culture” originally meant “cultivation.” In the 18th century, it was used to refer to a process of cultivation or improvement. In the 19th century, it referred to the refinement of society, and in the 20th century, it became an important concept for anthropologists to describe human-related phenomena that cannot be considered genetically inherited.
Sociobiology
Sociobiology applies biological principles to explain social activities. It is the systematic study of how biology affects human social behavior. People’s lives are shaped by both biological characteristics (genetics) and social determinants (which differentiate us from animals). Sociobiology accounts for approximately 20% of human behavior, while sociology accounts for 80%.
Theory of Cultural Determinism
- Optimistic version: The ability of human beings to do or be whatever they want. “People are what they learn.”
- Pessimistic version: “People are what they are conditioned to be.” Human beings are passive creatures and do whatever their culture tells them to do (behaviorism: causes of human behavior are beyond human control).
Cultural Relativism
Different cultural groups think, feel, and act differently. There are no scientific standards for considering one group as superior or inferior to another. Cultural relativism evaluates a culture on its own terms.
Cultural Ethnocentrism
Cultural ethnocentrism is the belief that one’s own culture is superior to other cultures. It is a form of reductionism that reduces other ways of living to distorted versions of one’s own.
Culture Shock
Culture shock is the disorientation caused by immersion in an unfamiliar environment, which can lead us to question our basic assumptions.
What is Socialization?
Socialization is the process by which individuals acquire the knowledge, language, social skills, and values to adjust to the rules and roles required for integration into a group or community. It is a combination of self-imposed rules, externally-imposed rules, and the expectations of others. We begin learning from others, and most people continue their social learning throughout life (with the exception of those with mental and physical disabilities).
- Natural socialization: Infants and youngsters play and discover the social world, based on pleasurable and exciting experiences.
- Planned socialization: This is a human phenomenon that occurs when others use punishment, harsh criticism, or anger to try to teach us a lesson.