Explain the difference between a “common sense” and a “sociological” view of human behaviour, giving relevant examples.
Sociology is a social science that enables people to understand the structure and dynamics of society. By using a scientific approach, and by critically analysing society using qualitative and quantitative methods, sociologists can find patterns and connections within human behaviour to provide explanations of how society affects people. Sociological views are based on theories that have been tested through unbiased research and attempt to take all values into account. Common sense theories are generally individualistic and naturalistic assumptions that are based on opinions than can vary depending on an individuals class or cultural background. During this essay I will aim to provide examples of the differences between the sociological viewpoint, and the common sense viewpoint of human behaviour, using theories of some renowned sociologists.
In 1959, American sociologist Charles Wright Mills wrote his influential book 'The Sociological Imagination'. In the book, Mills proposed that possibly the most assistive part of his sociological imagination theory was differentiating problems within society between 'personal troubles of the milieux' and 'public issues of social structure'. In his view, 'personal troubles' were individualistic and where 'an individual's character and with those limited areas of social life of which he is directly and personally aware'. By contrast, his thoughts on 'public issues' were that they were more general problems, out with the scope of an individual, and would affect more than just one person. He used the example of unemployment to explain his sociological viewpoint further. H...
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... thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him.” I think this quote fits in with this essay perfectly, as sociologically you can teach something that has been examined scientifically to someone who has no knowledge of the subject, but trying to explain the same thing to someone who has prior knowledge, or common-sense, is not always so simple.
MacDonald, M. 2011. Access Sociology: The Sociology Perspective handout
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/mar/25/voters-cuts-coalition-poll ICM Research interviewed a random sample of 1,014 adults aged 18+ by telephone on 23-24 March 2011. Interviews were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile of all adults.
Tolstoy, Leo. In The Kingdom of God Is Within You (1894),
The study of sociology enables us to understand the basis of human behaviour within different contexts, the interaction between different classes and social divisions, such as race, sex and age, and the factors that give rise to these different patterns of behaviour. Sociology is a study of human behaviour as constructed by the human race, as distinct from a study of those sciences which are dependent upon natural evolution. Although humans are basically similar, it helps us understand their behavioural attitudes towards any kind of situation, particularly where there are conflicts of interests such as those between the different classes, or communities of large cultural diversity. Sociologists believe that the way to adequately study and understand the behaviour and lives of individuals is to study the social contexts within which they live. It studies social patterns and trends and the phenomena that causes social change, how individuals adapt to that change and how that influences collective behaviour in groups: families, youth clubs and work places, as well as large-scale global problems such as poverty, helping to bringing forth solutions as a result. Sociology is not a precise science, and is dependent on outside influ...
C. Wright Mills coined his idea, The Sociological Imagination, in 1959. The Sociological Imagination is a viewpoint from which our worldview is unknowingly filtered through a perspective gained from our daily encounters and situations. Each social interaction impacts other interactions, which, in turn, affects the society as a whole. We judge other situations using our “sociological lenses” and sometimes misinterpret the big picture. The big picture is that all individual factors, whether it be personal troubles, historical conflicts, or natural causes, contribute to the larger society (Mills,
Sociology cannot be clearly explained as there are many different theories and theorists; so far none of them have been defined as a correct answer. Although with all this information of theories and theorists sociology is relatively explained as agreed philosophies that delivers a reason for human society. Sociological theories are like most other theories, they are selective, and there is no quantity of theory to explain everything or define the infinite amount of information that exist or comprehend the methods of observing reality. Sociological theories vary and can be linked to each other according to various criteria. The two main perspectives of sociology are the micro sociological approach and the macro sociological approach. The micro sociological approach is based more on the persons being capable of their own independent thoughts feelings and behaviour; therefor society is built through their interactions amongst each other and the significances they attach to them. This approach is defined using Social Action Theory and Symbolic Interactionism. The Macro Sociological approach is on a much bigger scale and consists of a person being born into a current society which will then shape their behaviour. It centres on the organisations, values and the culture of that particular society and how it impacts an individual and their role in life. This approach is made clearer using Functionalism, Feminist and Conflict Theories.
This is the foundation of the Sociological Imagination Concept. According to C. Wright Mills, sociological imagination is developed when we can place personal problems in a social situation or environment such that they are no longer viewed solely as individual or personal problems, but instead as social problems. That is problems that are shared by enough peop...
Thinking with a sociological imagination means being aware of the relationship between an individual’s own experience and the wider society. The sociological imagination is not a theory, but rather a way of thinking that focuses on the outlook on society. It is a way of connecting individual problems to the larger issues impacting our entire world. According to C. Wright Mills “Neither the life of an individual nor the history of a society can be understood without understanding both” (Mills, 1959). After the recent passing of my Uncle, I have become more aware of the social forces that shaped his life. I will be discussing my Uncles life by using a sociological perspective to see the impact that social class, social status, and social inequality had on his overall quality of life.
Sociological imagination (perspective) is a term coined by C. Wright Mills, which enables us to grasp the connection between history and biography. The term means understanding human behavior by placing it within its broader social context (Henslin 1:2–3). Society molds our personal experiences, and society is directly affected by the historical period in which we live. It encourages us to examine subjects with a broader view, which is a more holistic approach to better understanding the events happening in our lives. Doing this might uncover underlying causes and possible solutions for circumstances that might seem inexplicable or trivial with using a basic approach. We are a part of society, and day-to-day personal experiences are related
The Sociological Imagination speaks to the understanding of our own actions being a part of a larger historical and social picture. It encourages us to see what influences we have and what influences society has over our own individual lives, whether our decisions are determined by sociological factors and forces or are entirely in our own control. The sociological imagination enables us to see the relationship between history and biography. It helps us to understand the relationship between personal troubles and public issues, and as well as this, it addresses the three profound questions that C. Wright Mills asked. The three videos given, offer a range of successful and unsuccessful insight and explanations about the sociological
After reviewing the article titles given for this first assignment, I believe they indicate that Sociology, generally speaking, is not only a study of diversity or commonality in traits among people; it is also a science about factors in a person’s life and how these factors culminate responses. Interestingly enough, its topics of concern seem to be directly determined by current and common events of the world. Through the invention and expansion of new ideas, popular trends and fashions through time, Sociology adapts to responsibly to service the very subjects of interest it studies; for, even the slightest change of a person’s daily experience can have an insurmountable impact on attitude, personal growth, family dynamics and basic group behavior.
Sociological theories are sets of ideas that have been combined and tested to clarify and expand our understanding of people, society, and their behaviors. Often these theories are limited by our awareness (or lack thereof) of the relationship between our personal perspective and the experience of society as a whole. With the advanced use of data collected through sociological theory, our future as a society is as limitless as our imagination, rather than our sociological imagination. This concept is quite evident in the work of theorists such as Herbert Spencer and Jane Addams, both of whom have made lasting contributions to the field of sociology.
For decades there have been many questions that sociologists generally ask themselves when examining a social phenomenon. One well known sociologists is C. Wright Mills. Mills came up with the concept of sociological imagination. It is used to describe the ability of individuals to think away from routines that they are used to in everyday life and look at them from an entirely new perspective. Using this concept, mills applied it to asking and answering imaginative thoughts of sociological questions. Mills came up with three questions that many thinkers have consistently asked in their investigations of humanity and society. The three questions are what is the structure of this particular society as a whole? , where does this society stand
A wide range of people all over the world inaccurately come to the conclusion that sociology is merely, ‘the study of the obvious’ and the application of common sense, this statement could not be further from the truth. Common sense derives from statements such as, ‘opposites attract’, however the Sociological sense takes this belief and carries out numerous tests to discover whether it is fact, or fiction.
Mills(1959), also wrote about public issues of social structure, referring to matters that go beyond the individual and look at society as a whole. How society is organised and how society works. This goes far beyond ‘the troubles of milieu, as it doesn’t look at the person and there individual experiences in society but looks at the wider social structure e.g social institutions… education, religion, family, law and how they have developed and interact with each other examples of the differenc...
Theories in sociology sometime provide us with the different perspectives with which to view our social...
According to C. Wright Mills, what occurs in any one individual's life is interrelated with society as a whole. The sociological imagination gives us the ability to understand the correlation of one's biography, history, and traditions along with the knowledge of the social and historical impact and/or influence society may have on that person or group of people. Mills' notion compels us to investigate into an individual's biography and lifestyles, and place their findings within the surrounding circumstances in which events occur in order to perceive the whole picture of the society in which the individual lives.
Sociology is a study of society social life, social change, and social causes and consequences of human behaviour and allows us to gain an understanding of the structure and dynamics of today’s society, looking at the interlinking links patterns of human behaviour. Sociology looks at the in which social structure and institutions affect our everyday life. Sociological imagination was founded by C. Wright mills in the 1950`s it is an overall understanding of that some of the things that happen in society may lead to a particular outcome. Mills said it is “the vivid awareness of the relationship between experience and wider society.” sociological imagination can also be defined as the ability to look at how sociological situations can unfold due to how everyone is different. The way we behave is shaped by the situation that we find ourselves in, the values and norms that we have and the way that other members of society act around us. It is also a way of thinking about how things in society have led to a particular outcome, and understanding of what led to that specific outcome. Sociological imagination is an ability to look at things socially and how they interact and influence each other gaining an understanding of different cultures and class systems.