SociologyLesson 2 of 4 in the course An Introduction to Sociology

The Formation of Sociology: Early Thinkers, Methods, and American Development

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

This lesson traces ideas about society from ancient philosophy through the Enlightenment and the changes of the early Industrial Revolution. It matters because sociology emerged from centuries of debate about social order, power, and how societies change.

People have long asked how individuals relate to society and what makes a society fair or stable. Ancient philosophers considered subjects that remain central to sociology, including social conflict, economics, social cohesion, and power. Plato and Aristotle are well-known Western examples, but Eastern thinkers also examined social questions.

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Social facts
Social forces and patterns that exist beyond individuals and shape their lives.
Verstehen
An approach that seeks to understand social life from the perspective of those who experience it.
Generalized other
The organized attitudes and expectations of a social group.
Institutional economics
An approach that examines how institutions shape economic activity.
Looking-glass self
The idea that people partly form their self-understanding by imagining how others see them.

Quiz questions

  1. Who first coined the term sociology in an unpublished 1780 manuscript?Answer: Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès
  2. According to Karl Marx, what drives historical change?Answer: Conflict between social classes over the means of production.
  3. Which book did Herbert Spencer publish in 1873 as the first book with “sociology” in its title?Answer: The Study of Sociology
  4. What did Émile Durkheim's comparison of suicide statistics help demonstrate?Answer: Social and religious forces can influence patterns of suicide.
  5. What is the central aim of public sociology?Answer: Bringing sociological analysis into public discussion of social issues.

Based on Introduction to Sociology 3e by Tonja R. Conerly, Kathleen Holmes, Asha Lal Tamang (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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