Introduction to Sociology

UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

SSF 1163: INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
ASSIGNMENT 1 (SEMESTER 1 2022/2023)
MARKS 25%

LECTURER’S NAME DR. JUNA LIAU

PREPARED BY 1. DIANE BULAN NGAU (83668)
2. THURGADEVI A/P ELAVARASAN (85922)

Learning unit 1 : Conceptualizing society

• Social context
Someone's response to something depends on their immediate social or physical environment.
Social background can influence how someone thinks about something. (OECD, 2007)
For example, a person trying a new food in an unwelcome or hostile environment may think the
food tastes bad and will not like it in the future. But if they are in a fun and relaxing environment
the first time they try, they may think the food tastes good and enjoy it in the end

• Social structure
Social structure, in sociology, the unique and stable institutional arrangements of human beings
in a society to interact and live together. (Nico Wilterdink, 2022)
Example : statuses, roles, social networks, groups and organizations, social institutions, and
society.

• Society
A large group of interacting people in a defined territory, sharing a common culture. ( Kenton
Bell, 2013)
Example : agrarian society

• Sociological imagination
The ability to think systematically about how much of what we experience as personal issues are
truly social issues that are widely shared with others who were born in similar times and social
positions as us. (Crossman,2019)
For an example, color discrimination is not only common in Malaysia but also in India where
fair skin is seen as superior

• Sociology
Sociology is a systematic approach to thinking about, studying, and understanding society,
human social behavior, and social groups. (Farley, 2003)
Example :having a cup of tea with our peer members.

Learning Unit 2 : Theoretical Perspectives - Functionalism and Conflict theory

• Conflict theory
Theoretical framework in which society is viewed as being composed on groups competing for
scarce resource. ( Chapellow,2019)
Example : employer not giving workers overtime

• Functionalism
A theory that views society as a complex but orderly and stable system with interconnected
structure and functions or social patterns that operate to meet the needs of individuals in a
society. (Levin Janet, 2021)
Example : Education - transmits knowledge to the next generation, teaching good citizenship,
and preparation for future work.

• Human societies
A human society is a group of people who share a common lifestyle and organization. Human
societies can be classified in many different ways, depending on who is doing the categorizing.
(Juli Yelnick, 2021)

For example, members of the group survive by hunting animals and gathering plants to eat, then
anthropologists classify their group as a hunter-gatherer society.

• Sociological theories

A sociological theory seeks to explain social phenomena. Theories can be used to create a
testable proposition, called a hypothesis, about society (Allan 2006).

Example : Structural Functionalism
• Theory

A general statement about how some parts of the world fit together and how they work and
explanation of how two or more facts related to one another ( O’Niel,2012)

Example : Conflict theory

Learning Unit 3: Theoretical Perspective

• Equilbrum

Equilibrium has the Latin word libra, which means "weight" or "balance," as a root. As a
constellation, astrological sign, and representation of the zodiac, Libra is sometimes shown as a
set of balance scales, frequently held by the blindfolded goddess of justice, which stands for
justice, fairness, and equality. Biology, chemistry, physics, and economics all have different
definitions of equilibrium, yet they all refer to the harmony of opposing forces.

• Exploitation

Exploitation is the act of using someone or a group of people for one's own selfish gain in order
to profit from them or get some other advantage. The term "exploitation" can also refer to the
practise of using something for financial gain, as in We should make sure that their exploitation
maximizes profit given that we have these resources.

• Inequality

The levels of inequality vary widely between nations, and inequality is connected with a variety
of significant factors. The degree of progress seems to have a non-monotonic impact on
inequality. Ethnic heterogeneity also appears to contribute to inequality; it has an effect on it
both directly (since people of different ancestries have varying skill levels) and indirectly
(through political channels), as people appear less eager to give money to others who belong to
other racial or ethnic groups.

• Macro-sociological

Macro-sociology is the study of the outside influences on human societies on a wide scale. It
focuses on the larger societies, communities, and organizations that individuals live in. It
involves the widespread social processes that people engage in, like political systems,
educational systems, and religious systems.

• Power

According to German sociologist Max Weber (1922), power is the ability to exercise one's will
over others.

Example : When we are driving a car and see a police car in our rear-view mirror. At that
particular moment, the driver of that car has enormous power over us.

Learning Unit 4: Methods in Sociological Research

• Human behaviour

Human behaviour per se can be expecte to be adaptive (i.e., reproduction- maximizing) and
hence a science of human behaviour can be based on analyses of the reproductive consdequences
of human. Darwin’s theory of natural selection sheds light on human behaviour only insofar as it
sheds lights on the adoptations that constitute the machinery of behaviour.

• Hypothesis

Hypothesis is a statement of how variables are expected to be related to one another, often
according to the predections from a theory. Its evaluates a method for teaching hypothesis
formation to sixth-grade children. Results showed that hypothesize correlates with intelligence,
sex, reading ability, and grade point average.

• Research method

Based on questions to be answered, their access to potential subjects, the resource available, their
training, & ethical considerations. Three common research approaches, qualitative, quantitative,
and mixed methods, along with the various research designs commonly used when conducting
research within the framework of each approach.

• Research model

In research, model is a pictorial or graphic representation of key concepts. For example, selecting
a topic, defining the problem, reviewing the literature, formulating a hypothesis, choosing a
research, collecting data, analyzing the results and sharing results

• Sociological

Sociological means that ways to deal with social questions or problems, especially it is a focus
on culture and environment factors rather than on psychological or personal characteristics. A
sociological also approach to art.

Learning Unit 5 & 6 : Identities, Meanings and Differences

• Concrete operational

This stages will start when we reached 7 years old and will end until 12 years old. This is the
most important stage in the cognitive development of children (Piaget, 1947). This stage is
characterized by logical operations according to Piaget.

Example: conversation, reversibility, or classification, allowing logical reasoning.
• Culture

Culture generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such
activities significance and importance. It is also defined as all the ways of life including arts,
beliefs and institutions of a population that are passed down from generation to generation.

Example : codes of manners, dress, language, religion, rituals, art, norms of behavior, law and
morality, and systems of belief.

• Formal Operational

This stage will starts at age of 12 until we reached adult. In this stage, we can make a reason
abstractly and thinks hypothetically. This stage is characterized by the ability to
formulatehypothesis and systematically test them to arrive at an answer to a problem.

• Human Life Cycle

Human life cycle is the stages of human lifes. It can be described by five stages which is infant,
child, juvenile, adolescent, and adult. Even the self- concept begins in childhood, it is a process
of lifelong and is an ongoing process.

• Preoperantional

This stage start at age of 2 until 6 years old. In this stages, they has ability to pretend and also
egocentric. They learn things using symbols such as words and images to represent objects. The
toddler are start to talk in this stage and build up experiences of world around them because
when they move towards the next stages, they can use logical thought and imagine things.

• Role

A position containing a set of socially defined attributes and expectations that determine
appropriate behaviour for an individual or group based on their status in relation to other people
or groups. . (Kenton Bell, 2013)

Example : An individual in the role of ‘parent’ is expected to care for their children and protect
them from harm.

• Self-concept

Self-concept is often defined as the image we have of our bodies, capabilities, impressions
and etc. (Bailey, 2003)

Example : Material self, Interpersonal self, Interpersonal self

• Sensorimotor
This is the first stage of a child’s life, according to Jean Piaget’s theory of child development.
This stage begins at birth and last until the age of 2. In this stage, we learns through senses and
object manipulation. Develops object permanence or separation anxiety.

• Social interaction

According to Erving social interaction is the process by which we act and react to those
around us. Having a quick conversation with a friend seems relatively trivial.

Example : exchange, competition, cooperation, conflict

• Socialization

Socialization is the process by which we learn to be members of society, both by internalizing
social norms and values, and by learning to fulfill our social roles. (Nick Lisa Cole, 2019)

Example: workers, friends, citizens

Leaning Unit 7 : Health, Illness and Disability

• Disability

Any restriction or lack (resulting from an impairment) of ability to perform an activity in the
manner or within the range considered normal for a human being (Eliot Freidson,1965).

Example : psychological, physiological, or body structure

• Health
Health is a state of complete well‐being such as disease free, and recognizes that a healthy body
depends upon a healthy environment and a stable mind. ( Suvashree Behera, 2021)

Example : physical, mental, and emotional health
• Illness

Illness is a subjective term referring to an individual’s experience of mental and physical
sensations or states, and may not necessarily indicate the presence of disease. ( J Amzat, 2019)

Example : Allergies
• Sick Role

Parsons (1951) described the ‘sick role’ as the rights and responsibilities of people who are sick.

Example : flu or food poisoning
• Social class

A social category based on people’s economics position in society, usually measured in terms of
income or wealth and exhibited in lifestyle ( Miller & Wood, 2006)

Example : In Indian culture, there are a certain hierarchy of caste which determine their class in
the Indian society ranging form poor to rich family

References
• Chapellow.J<.,(May 19, 2019). Conflict Theory. Retrieved from

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/conflict-theory.asp

• Crossman A., (October 25. 2019). Definition of the Sociological Imagination and
overviewof the book. Retrieved from http:/https://www.thoughtco.com/sociological-
imagiation-%20

• Gonzalez.K., (2019).Homogamy: Definition &Theory. Retrived from
https://study.com/academy/lesson/homogamy-definition-theory-quiz.htm%201

• Levin, Janet, "Functionalism", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2021
Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL =
<https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2021/entries/functionalism/>.

• Durkheim, Émile. [1893] 2013. The Division of Labour in Society, 2nd ed. edited by S.
Lukes. London: Macmillan.

• Macionis, John J. 2017. Society: The Basics. 14th ed. Boston: Pearson.
https://sociologydictionary.org/society/

• Omer, S., & Jabeen, S. (2016). Exploring Karl Marx Conflict Theory in Education: Are
Pakistani Private Schools Maintaining Status Quo?. Bulletin of Education and
Research, 38(2), 195-202. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1210318

• Glaeser, E. L. (2005). Inequality.
https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w11511/w11511.pdf

• Quinn, A. E., & George, K. D. (1975). Teaching Hypothesis Formation. Science
Education, 59(3), 289-296. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ126590

• Symons, D. (1992). Study of Human Behavior. The adapted mind: Evolutionary
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• Williams, C. (2007). Research methods. Journal of Business & Economics Research
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• Bogin, B., & Smith, B. H. (1996). Evolution of the human life cycle. American Journal of
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6300(1996)8:6%3C703::AID-AJHB2%3E3.0.CO;2-U