Sociological Imagination - Essay Example

Discussion Sociological Imagination According to McIntyre the concept was developed in 1959 by sociologist C. Wright Mills which meant the “the vivid awareness of the relationship between experience and the general society.” The concept was meant to shed more light regarding the discipline of sociology and its relevance in real life. Sociological imagination is meant to provide sociological answers regarding the daily activities of people. The concept provides insight into the outcomes within the society that are based subjectively by our actions. Based on McIntyre (2014) the concept provide that certain activities or things people do leads to a particular outcome within the community. The activities people do are shaped by a variety of factors for example: the time period, the values they uphold, their social context for example the country, the current situation they are in and the influence of the people around them. The activities are further studied on how they all relate to each other to present a certain outcome. Sociological imagination can be viewed as a benchmark for understanding the interactions and influence of people’s actions upon each other and situations. An example of a social imagination is tea drinking. Tea drinking can be interpreted from different perspectives rather than the usual act. They include: tea having medicinal value can be taken for health purposes; it is taken ritually for example by the Chinese community and for social functions especially by the Europeans. Another example is school drop-out. Drop outs can be caused by lack of fees, health issues rather than just lack of interest (McIntyre, 2014). Quantitative and Qualitative Research In the article concerning the drinking behavior of college students, the dean of students wanted to know the amount of alcohol being consumed in the campus. The assistant dean went one to carry a quantitative research where he identified the total amount of alcohol consumed and analyzed it per student intake. The assistant dean first employed the use of questionnaires in order to quantify the amount of alcohol consumed per student. However, sensing bias from the students due to fear of consequences, he later employed an unobtrusive research. The assistant dean used a research design where on Saturday morning; he counted the number of beer cans and bottles in the garbage cans and recycle-bins. He got 7200 empty beer bottles yet the campus had a population of 600 students. He analyzed the findings and confidently concluded that each student drank approximately 12 bottles between Friday and Saturday morning. Its strength is that it provides accurate and relevant data. Its weakness is its time consuming and uses a wide amount of data for interpretation. Further, the questionnaires can be bissed (McIntyre, 2014). In the second article, the social scientists wanted to evaluate the variables that influenced workers productivity. The study was a qualitative research because the researchers used observation to determine the factors that influence their behavior, attitudes and performance output. The research design included the use of experimental and control rooms, where certain working conditions were placed and above all, the goal of the research was not mentioned to them. In the experimental room, working conditions such as rest breaks, meals, early quitting time were introduced but in the control room, the benefits were denied. However, in both rooms, productivity was increased. The scientists concluded that productivity increased exclusively due to the attention they received from the researchers that is, the Hawthorne effect. Goertz & Mahoney (2012) confirm that it enables the study of behavior in its natural environment. Moreover, it overcomes non-disclosure issues due to privacy. However, qualitative research findings can be misleading due to the Hawthorne effect. Secondly, it requires the use of small samples. Gender Attributes Traditionally cheerleading embodied the qualities linked with emphasized femininity. They include sexual attractiveness, enthusiasm and general supportiveness. Almost half of the twentieth century, cheerleading is an iconic feminine sport for the white, middle class and heterosexual American girls. Cheerleading has also been traditionally perceived as a feminine sport for smaller, weaker and slower participants. However, the sport was meant to promote aestheticized body display since female were more graceful and flexible as compared with masculine gender (Ehlers, 2006). Expectations diversity exists due to societal set up an upbringing. Expectations diversity is caused by societal agents like cultural norms, socialization, attitudes and gender roles. The agents reinforce both men and women expectations and behavior. Cultural norms expect male genders to act with aggression, strength and dominance. Women are expected to be caring, passive and subordinate. In Ehlers (2006) socialization also influences men and women expectations beginning from birth. Education, family, mass media and peer groups constitute socialization, which constantly shape their perception and expectations. Orthodox masculinity refers to the alignment of achieved men variables with the social dominance. Inclusive masculinity refer to stratification of men’s gender based on homohysteria and homophobia. Sociologists can refer inclusive femininity as women’s homohysteria: where they are prohibited from showing certain behaviors in public especially towards other women. Orthodox femininity is the traditional accepted feminine values all women are expected to uphold at all times. Inclusive femininity constitutes normal values women are expected to portray; towards men. Inclusive femininity portrays feminine values towards other women (Anderson & Palgrave Connect, 2014). Social Structure and Institution In Miller (2010) social structure refers to the stable roles that govern the relationships within social statuses. Social structure constitutes of the whole society or a particular group within in a society, which views the institutions more than just the assembly of people. Social status is the position one holds in the social structure. President Obama holds occupational status as the president of USA. Role is the expected behavior from a certain social status. A student is expected to behave, read, think and sit for examinations. Role strain can appear when the social status has a demanding role. A student can study, participate in football and have a part-time job. Master status constitutes perceiving different status and roles. A female engineer is perceived differently to a male engineer. A group defines the status of a person. Membership in golf clubs is perceived to be for wealthy people. Social institutions constellate roles, norms, statuses and values that respond to societal needs. Cultural diffusion is the adoption of certain solutions. For example Americans nowadays marry Chinese women. Leveling can be illustrated when Chinese students attend US schools. Sub-culture can be expressed as, the Muslims worship Allah in mosques while the Christians worship God in church. Counterculture is a subculture which threatens the parent culture. Muslims have the Jihad group that mostly participates in terrorist and suicide attacks. Idio-culture is subculture which has is an unspecific subculture that has different values and behaviors. In basketball clubs, the players like to chew gum unlike footballers (Miller, 2010). Social Phenomena According to Takadama, Revilla & Deffuant (2010) cultural diffusion and leveling provide a leading factor for culture change. Cultural diffusion leads to the adoption of different cultures in solving societal problems. For example, the intermarriages between Americans and Chinese bridge the traditional enemity. The diffusion has led to leveling which is the emission of the secondary culture traits. The Chinese children have adopted the Americans slung in communication. Master status is the perception of different status by individuals within the society. Master status is a situation in which people with different status, are valued differently so as to portray different behaviors and values. In the engineering industry, female engineers are perceived as hardcore. In terms of ethnicity, people occasionally refer: an African American musician or a Chinese comedian to influence perception (Takadama, Revilla & Deffuant, 2010). Social change has led to the realization of specialization. Through the increase of different cultures within the society, it has led to increase in roles and functions within the society. Takadama, Revilla & Deffuant (2010) continue that during the pre-colonial periods, the Americans lacked precise civilization and industrialization. Through the integration, it has led to the development of steam machines, phones, motor vehicles, clothing and also Christianity. Mass media has hugely influenced people’s behaviors, values and attitudes. The young people are the biggest victims of change caused by mass media. The young people frequently adopt the behaviors of media-concepts and local celebrities. The clothing fashion by music celebrities is consequently adopted by people to imitate their style. The social media has also influenced the interaction mode of people (Takadama, Revilla & Deffuant, 2010). Deviance Non-Sociological Theories Takadama, Revilla & Deffuant (2010) define deviance is the variation in behavior from the societies’ expectations. Deviance was initially linked to sin and demonic possession. In the mid 19th century, social observers differed that deviance was caused by biological failures. The explanation was coined by the Italian physician Cesare Lomboso; who illustrated that the criminals were evolutionary-throwbacks. Charles Goring British psychiatrist argued that the convicts and non-convicts explained no significant difference between the two. William Sheldon depicted three body shapes that influenced criminality. The ectomorphs were thin, tall and fragile. The endomorphs were fat and short while the mesomorphs were masculine and athletic. Through rigorous study of body structures from past criminals, he illustrated that the mesomorphs were the most frequent. Personality factors also influence deviance. People with strong conscience are normally good, while people with the ones with weak conscience are often bad. Violence is linked with people with aggressive personalities. Sociological Theories The theorists link deviance with social-norms outside a person. Emile Durkheim investigated suicide due to its high rate and concluded that it was caused by personal factors rather than the individual. He explained that collective conscience constituted goals, beliefs and values that shaped the running of a community. To him suicide constitute societal failure syndrome. He later discovered that suicide was due to structural strain within the society’s social system. He identified that suicide was caused by anomie and egoism. That is, egoism was due to lack of integration from people. Anomie was also linked to suicide due to lack of norms and laws. Robert Merton differed about Durkheim’s anomie and later wanted to rediscover about other modes of deviance. He focused on structural strain as a deviance cause. He later found out that anomie exist due changes in the modern societies norms that is, goals and means (Takadama, Revilla & Deffuant, 2010). American Dream According to Jennifer Hochschild, the American dream has been attached to almost everything from religion to people’s homes. From the video, the people believe in the American dream through the efforts they are making from their part. The people are busy trying to pursue their jobs and talents for the realization of their respective goals (Samuel, 2012). Based on the video, the American dream is a disillusioned fury far from reachable. The people are seen struggling to make ends meet, but it is like they are at the same position. It is evident through their facial expression which certainly does not explicit happiness. From Hochschild perception that anyone can realize success is questionable. Samuel (2012) evaluates that the perception is more of a theory than reality based on the shown circumstances. The individuals are seen enacting mush effort with little or no effort seen. In the perception of the American dream it has been quoted that anything and good things can happen. The African Americans seem to be stagnant as compared to their hypothesized success they were to accomplish in America. Another hypothesis from the video based on Hochschild tenets is that success is brought by merit and virtue. From the video, the individuals show virtue by hard-work which does not seem to yield much. The issue of merit is also questionable based on the individuals’ nature of their work. When denoting social class in Tammy Crabtree and son video, it shows pity due to their home environment. Matt has been doing all the house chores while his mother is way to fend for them. Contrary to the American dream, his late husband worked for an engineer for 27 years but still died poor. Tammy Crabtree’s lower-class can be expressed through her dirty attire and poor state of her kitchen. In Thomas Langhorne situation, the families are rich due to high standards and ethics they are brought up with. The Europeans parents acquire richness due to the social teachings they are instilled by their parents. In Fussel quotation, the illustration is false because the great achievers in the world came from poor backgrounds. A notable example is the influential Oprah Winfrey who was brought up in rural Mississippi to become one of the most influential female worldwide (Samuel, 2012). References McIntyre, L. J. (2014). The practical skeptic: Core concepts in sociology. Boston , McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Goertz, G., & Mahoney, J. (2012). A tale of two cultures: Qualitative and quantitative research in the social sciences. Princeton, N.J: Princeton University Press. lauss-Ehlers, C. S. (2006). Diversity training for classroom teaching: A manual for students and educators. New York, NY: Springer. Anderson, E., & Palgrave Connect (2014). 21st century jocks: Sporting men and contemporary heterosexuality. New York, Palgrave Macmillan. Miller, S. (2010). The moral foundations of social institutions: A philosophical study. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Takadama, K., Cioffi-Revilla, C., & Deffuant, G. (2010). Simulating Interacting Agents and Social Phenomena: The Second World Congress. Tokyo: Springer Japan. Samuel, L. R. (2012). The American dream: A cultural history. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press. Read More