Cld514 a session 1 intro to sociology
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Sociology is the systematic study of human societies and social relationships. Ideology refers to a set of beliefs about how society works or should work. A dominant ideology benefits the powerful and can distort reality. Culture directs actions and defines acceptable behaviors through socialization from family, peers, education and other agents. Norms provide guidelines for conduct enforced through rewards and punishments to maintain social control and order. Status defines social positions with attached prestige, honor and power. Hegemony describes how domination of one class over others occurs through political and ideological means.
Cld514 a session 1 intro to sociology
- 2. Sociology: • A systematic study of human societies • The analysis of the structure of social relationships as constituted by social interaction
- 3. Ideology • Refers to a set of beliefs covering everything from scientific knowledge, to religion, to every day beliefs about proper conduct irrespective of whether it is true or false. • Ideology can be defined as a tightly knit body of beliefs organized around a few central values.
- 4. Dominant Ideology • A set of beliefs about the social world and the way it works or should work • These beliefs tend to benefit the powerful and have the capacity to “distort reality”
- 5. Culture and Behaviour • Culture directs actions and defines attitudes • Culture defines accepted ways to behave
- 6. Socialisation • This is the process by which the individual learns the culture of their society • Primary Socialisation- FAMILY • Other socialisation agents –Peers, educational system, the media, gender, occupational group, social class and stratification.
- 7. Norms • These are guidelines which direct conduct in particular situations.e.g dress codes • Norms are enforced by “positive” (rewards) and “negative”(punishment) sanctions • Norms can be sanctioned informally • Formalised norms can be Laws enforced by official sanctions. These sanctions are mechanisms of social control and are used to maintain order.
- 8. Status • This is a social position e.g. Occupational, family and gender • Honour, prestige and power is bestowed on the individual by ones status • Statuses are culturally defined
- 9. Hegemony A term to describe how the domination of one class over others is achieved by a combination of political and ideological means. (Gramsci,1971)