UCSP
Lesson 3 UC-IS-SHS
SOCIOLOGY AND THE STUDY OF SOCIETY
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Through the module, the students are able to:
a. know the rationale for studying sociology;
b. identify the subjects of inquiry and goals of sociology;
c. describe society as a complex whole;
d. raise questions toward holistic appreciation of societies;
e. explain sociological perspectives on society; and
f. apply the ideals of the sociological perspectives.
Society – It is a product of human processes intended to meet basic needs for survival
- Every Society is organized in such a way that there are rules of conduct, customs, traditions, folkways
and mores and expectations that ensure appropriate behaviour among members (Palispis. 2007)
- Thus, society is an important product of human interaction and interconnectedness. It symbolizes the
group within which human beings can live a total common life
- Studying society provides us an idea on its importance an equal, just and humane society.
➢ Studying Sociology
SOCIOLOGY - is the study of social behaviour or society, including its origins, development,
organization, networks, and institutions.
- It is a social science that uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to
develop a body of knowledge about social order, disorder, and change.
a.ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT
- Sociological inquiry stated as soon as man developed some means of communication.
- Meanwhile, the conscious adoption of the scientific approach began in the early part of the 18th
century and the first quarter of 19th century when social philosophers began to be interested in the
natural development of the sciences that would eventually lead to the development of society.
- During that time, Henri de Saint-Simon wrote his ideas on the science of society which he
discussed with Auguste Comte, his student and secretary.
- Meanwhile, Sociology was introduced in the Philippines by Fr. Valentin Marin in 1896 when he
initiated a course on criminology at the University of Santo Thomas.
- In 1939, Serafin Macaraig, the first Filipino to receive a doctorate degree in Sociology published his
Introduction to Sociology which became the first text at the University of the Philippines.
b. PROPONENTS
PROPONENTS PERSPECTIVE ON SOCIETY
1. Auguste Comte ▪ Society as a social organism possessing a harmony of structure
(Father of and function
Sociology) ▪ Coined the word Sociology
▪ He advocated the idea of positivism or the use of empirical
investigations to understand phenomena.
2. Emile Durkheim ▪ Society as a reality in its own right. Collective consciousness is of
key importance to society, which society cannot survive without.
▪ studied the social factors that underline suicide and found that the
level of social integration, the degree to which people are tied to
their social group, was a key social factor in suicide.
3. Karl Marx ▪ believed that class conflict—the struggle between the proletariat
and the bourgeoisie—was the key to human history.
▪ founder of the conflict perspective
3. Herbert Spencer ▪ viewed societies as evolutionary, coined the term the survival of
the fittest, and became known for social Darwinism.
4. Max Weber ▪ defined religion as a central force in social change; for example,
Protestantism encourages greater economic development and
was the central factor in the rise of capitalism in some countries.
5. Talcott Parsons ▪ Society is a total complex of human relationships in so far as
they grow out of the action in terms of means-end relationship
6. George Herbert ▪ Society is an exchange of gestures that involves the use of
Mead symbols.
UCSP
Lesson 3 UC-IS-SHS
c. SUB-DISCIPLINES OF SOCIOLOGY
1. Social Organization – studies that involve social structures such as institutions, social groups, social
stratification, social mobility, and ethnic groups.
2. Social Psychology – study of the impact of group life to a person’s nature and personality
3. Social Change and Disorganization – inquires on the shift in social and cultural interactions and the
interruption of its process through delinquency, deviance, and conflicts.
4. Human Ecology – pursues studies that relate human behavior to existing social institutions (subjects
belong to are treated in the context of an ecological /environmental element that defines human
behavior)
5. Population or Demography – inquires on the interrelationship between population characteristics and
dynamics with that of a political, economic, and social system.
6. Applied Sociology – uses sociological research and methods to solve contemporary problems
d. KEY CONCEPTS
• Social Organization – refers to the interrelationship of parts of society. As a society is an organization
in itself, it is structurally divided into layers of contexts and positions that help perpetuate its existence.
Status – positions created within a society (e.g. student, son, parent)
▪ Role – prescribes a set of accepted behaviors that define the individual’s responses and
inclinations
▪ Group – a basic unit of an organization. It involves at least two individuals who are in constant
interaction based on their statuses and roles.
▪ Institutions – are established when roles, statuses, and groups are perpetuated within the
context of society. Institutions are building blocks of a society, as it is through this that norms
are produced from the consistent exchanges of individuals and groups.
• Social Structure and Agency – This is the foundation of every society from which emanates the
possible roles, statues, institutions, and organizations.
✓ Social Structure – is the determining factor by which every other part of a society gains its
context.
✓ Agency – the realized capacity of people to act upon their world and not only to know about or
give personal or intersubjective significance to it.
• The Sociological Imagination
- It is a particular way of looking at the world around us through sociological lenses.
- It is a way of looking at our experiences in light of what is going on in the social world around us.
- This helps us to appreciate the social and non-biological forces that affect, influence and shape our
lives as individuals, groups, and communities (Giddens, 1982).
- Sociological imagination helps us look beyond individual psychology to the many and varied facets
of social and cultural forces, and "the recurring patterns in peoples' attitudes and actions, and how
these patterns vary across time, cultures and social groups." (Henslin and Nelson, 1995)
➢ The Significance of Learning Sociology
1. Generally, learning sociology provides us with what sociologists call the sociological imagination.
2. Learning sociology helps us understand how social forces influence our goals, attitudes, behavior,
and personality.
3. In general, sociology increases our self-knowledge.
e. THREE SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES
1. STRUCTURAL FUCTIONALIST PERSPECTIVE sees society as a complex system whose parts work
together to promote solidarity and stability
2. SOCIAL CONFLICT THEORY follows the precept that society is in a state of perpetual conflict due to
competition BY CLASSES for limited resources
3. SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONIST PERSPECTIVE refers to symbols that help us give meaning to the
experiences in our life
STRUCTURAL SOCIALCONFLICT SYMBOLIC
FUNCTIONALISM INTERACTIONISM
Focus -Interdependent parts of the -Conflicting interests between -Interaction between
society groups or class individuals as seen by their
Institutions, Roles, Norms, -How are these conflicting ways of communicating their
Values, Customs, Traditions interests shown? own definition of what a
e.g. Stratification System” symbol is.
which presents inequality in
wealth, power and prestige
What is -Society is composed of -Society is composed of -Society was formed when
Society? interdependent parts which different groups or class with each person communicates
function properly. conflicting interests who always his own definition of what a
struggle against each other. symbol is to another person
Assumption ✓ The interdependent ✓ There is scarcity of ✓ We live in a world full of
parts must function resources symbols
UCSP
Lesson 3 UC-IS-SHS
properly for the society ✓ Because there is conflict, ✓ We have our own
to be in order there would always be definition, idea or
✓ The interdependent struggle thus forming a perception of what a
parts are unified winner from the loser; the particular symbol means
✓ If each interdependent advantaged from the to us
part function properly, disadvantaged ✓ The society is a stage
there is “Equilibrium” ✓ The “3 Human Needs” where we humans are the
or balance in the society (Wealth, Power, Prestige) actors. We share our
are always in limited supply, definition of what a symbol
➢ Manifest Function - so that if one group gains, means by interacting
actions that are the other group lossess through “Gestures”
intended to help some ✓ “Meanings” emerge
part of the system from social interaction
➢ Latent Function - ✓ Because we are
unintended continually interacting,
consequences that help shared meanings are
social systems adjust actually changing
➢ Latent Dysfunction -
unintended
consequences that
undermine a system’s
equilibrium
Analysis Level -Macrosociology -Macrosociology -Microsociology
(Society/Individual) (Society/Individual) (Individual/Society)
▪ Structure ▪ Structure ▪ Agency/process
Advantages ▪ An understanding of the ▪ Uncovers the importance of • An understanding of human
interdependent parts and conflict in leading to social being as active actors in
each must be unified change social life
Disadvantages ▪ It does not see the ▪ It always sees conflict and not • Too much emphasis on the
possibility of conflict the possibility of any unity or human being
consensus
PROPONENTS August Comte, Emile Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels Charles Horton Cooley
Durkheim and Herbert (1864-1929) Charles Horton
Spencer and later American Cooley (1864-1929) and
sociologists like Talcott George Herbert Mead (1863-
Parsons and Robert K 1931)
Merton.
REFERENCES:
• Aguilar, M., et al. (2016) Society, Culture and Politics. Quezon City: The Phoenix Publishing House Inc.
• Alejandria-Gonzalez, M. (2019) Understanding Culture, Society and Politics Module. Second Edition.
Makati City: DIWA LEARNING SYSTEMS INC.
• Lanuza, Gerry M. (2016) Understanding culture, society, and politics. First edition. Manila : Rex Book
Store
• Madrid, R., Santarita, J. (2016) Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics. Quezon City: Vibal Group,
Inc.
• Schaefer, R. (2001). Sociology (7th Edition). New York: McGraw Hill.
