Degas, Portrait de M. Duranty

Summary - Response & Discussion Topics

Unit 2: What is Sociology: The Search for Social Patterns

Summary - Response Papers:

You will complete four (4) brief summary-response papers during the semester – due dates are listed on the course calendar. Your paper should be roughly 750 -1,000 words –three to three-and-a-half typed pagess (12 point font). You are required to choose TWO assignments from s among the questions given in units 1, 2, 3, 4, OR 5 (only 1 from each unit).

These writing assignments are to be submitted through Canvas. Click on "Assignments" located in the left hand panel on the course page. Next, click on the appropriate Unit - i.e., if you are choosing to submit a paper from this unit - click on unit 2 under Assignments. After clicking on Unit 2 you will see a Turnitin Assignment Inbox where you will submit/upload your paper.

Discussion Topics

Taking part in class discussions, though not mandatory, will let you earn "bonus points" that can add up to a full letter grade to your final grade for the course.

To contribute, click on "Discussions" located in the left hand panel on Canvas. Next, choose a discussion topic for this unit, click on it, read the prompt, and click on "Reply." Be sure that you add your name. For more sinformation on how to submit your comments and/or engage in the online class discussion, go to the "Frequently Asked Questions" page.

 

 

 

Summary - Response Options for Unit 2

You may choose one of these options as one of your four required summary-response papers:


This summary - response paper is designed to get you to think about social patterns and how the experiences people have based upon their social backgrounds affect how they see the world.

Go to Beyond Red vs. Blue: The 2011 Pew Research Political Typologyand complete the "Typology Quiz" located in the column on the far right of the web page. When finished, click on "Calculate My Results" at the bottom of the page. Based on your answers you will be placed in a particular "political ideology" category and you will be taken to a page that will list the percentage of people who fall into your category, summarize "what they believe" and "who they are" in terms of social background characteristics (age, race, etc), and compare their views with those of the rest of the country on key issues.Provide answers to the following three questions:

1. Describe the typology group you have been placed in. What are the "defining values" of those placed in this group? Their social background characteristics? Their lifestyle and media use? Are your test results consistent with your self-identification? If not, how do you account for the differences?

2. Next, explore the differences between the views of members of the various typology groups by clicking the heading “Compare the Typology Groups On Issues” also located in the right column. Look carefully at the sections on “demographics,” “Views of US & Economy,” "Politics & Election,” "Religion & Society," and “Domestic Policy.” What patterns do you see? What three findings surprised you? Why were you surprised?

3. Last - and this is the most important part of your response - consider how each of the following "social factors" - parents, peers, social class, sex, age, race, education, geographical area - have affected your ideological position. Be certain to address each of these factors.

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Discussion Topics
These are posted in the "Discussions" Section in Canvas

 1. As stressed in the lecture, sociology seeks to uncover social patterns, explain how and why they developed and their consequences for future action and behavior. Deborah Tannen, examining how both men and women "talk," believes that fundamental differences exist - that there are distinct "genderlects." This was also illustrated in the Friends video where Ross and Rachel's first kiss is described quite differently by each. Do you agree or disagree with Tannen's argument? Can you think of other differences (i.e., do women gossip more than men?). Please provide examples that support your position.

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2. Nearly all sociologists believe that by adhering to the strict rules of the scientific method they are able to provide clear, objective, and “factual” data about the social world in all its facets. Do you agree that social scientists have more expertise when it comes to describing, analyzing and interpreting the world we live in than do politicians, who are typically trained in business and law and that, moreover, the expertise that social scientists possess give them a special obligation to comment on the problems of their times? Also, as shown in the video on wealth inequality, peoples' perception of social reality often departs in significant ways from the actual state of affairs. Do you think that the common man or woman's understanding of the world - which is typically based on their personal and idiosyncratic experiences as well as unsystematic exposure to information - is of equal value to that attained by social scientists and should their opinions count as much?

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3. In a cosmic sense, each day – each twenty-four hour period that corresponds to the earth rotating on its axis – is precisely the same as any other day. But each “day” has a different socially constructed “feel” to it that imposes a rhythmic beat on the vast array of our social activities, including work, love, and play. Why do you think suicide rates are highest on Mondays, yet lowest on weekends? Why do dates on Wednesday night “count” less than those on Saturday nights? What are the different meanings that you attach to the days of the week and how do the days of the week impose a rhythmic beat on the vast array of our social activities, including work, love, and play?

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4. We typically account for why someone acts as a "snob" or engages in "gossip" by using psychological explanations and/or personality defects. Yet each of these is a distinctively "social act" and is greatly affected by all sorts of social factors. Do you think that age, sex, social class, race, or geographical location affect the likelihood that someone would engage in such behavior? Using concrete examples drawn from your personal life, discuss how they might contribute to this behavior.