Basic Concepts in Sociology Part - 1
Contents
- Introduction
- Key Sociological Concepts
- Social Group
- Status and Role
- Social Institution
Introduction
In this article, we will introduce you to the basic concepts of sociology. These concepts include that of society itself. The social group is discussed because it is fundamental to society. We then discuss status and role, which are crucial concepts. This article also introduces the notions of social institution and sociological method.
Key Sociological Concepts
Let us first see what is meant by concepts. A concept is a word or phrase extracted from real experience and having more or less the same meaning for those who know it. A concept represents a class of phenomena. Thus, car is a term for a vehicle of a certain type. Once we know the term car, we don't always need to see it physically to know what someone means by it. Similarly, a house or a table lamp are also concepts.
Concepts are needed in any science, as this is how accuracy is achieved. Each scientific discipline is constantly developing a sophisticated set of concepts, which will always have the same meaning to those familiar with that discipline. Sociology also has a large number of concepts, which are equally understood by all sociologists. Here we will introduce you to some important sociological concepts. It should be noted that many of these concepts are expressed in commonly used words or terms. We must be careful with their sociological use, because in sociology these same terms are used in a particular sense:
The Concept of Society
Society is seen by sociologists as a chain of social relations. A relationship is social, while it is determined by mutual awareness, i.e. the behavior of one individual influences the behavior of another. For example, when a teacher enters the classroom, students stop making noise and stand up out of respect for their teacher. This behavior indicates the social relationship between the teacher and the scholar. Thus, social relations exist only when individuals behave towards each other in a way that is determined by mutual recognition. Therefore, society is called a relational concept. In other words, society is not a substantive concept. It does not refer to a concrete reality, but to social relationships, which are institutionalized when people interact in a consolidated and familiar way.
Types of Society
The dominant types of social relations form the basis for the division of human society into different types. Most sociologists contrast the industrial society in which they live with all other types. Some sociologists, such as Spencer and Durkheim, have categorized societies based on size or size and other characteristics, such as size. B. the extent and degree of division of labour, political organization and social stratification, etc. Some scholars, such as Karl Marx, distinguish them on the basis of their economic institutions. It is therefore clear that there are many ways of classifying societies. Without getting into complex arguments at this stage of your introduction to sociology, it is necessary to realize that there is no ideal classification and no "pure" example of different types of societies.
Generally speaking, taking into account the broader interests of sociology, we can divide societies into two types, namely; simple and complicated. All primitive or tribal social organizations belong to simple societies. Industrial societies with overlapping sets of social relations are called complex societies.
Social Group
The concept of group is central to sociology. While in normal discourse we consider any set of two or more individuals as a group, the individuals who form a group must be sociologically aware of a common connection, of sharing a common understanding, common interests and goals, as well as accepting certain rights. and obligations. In this sense, a family or a class can be called a group. A society or community can also be referred to as a group.
Primary Groups
First invented by sociologist Charles Horton Cooley (1864-1929), a primary group is relatively small (although not all small groups are primary). Its members usually have personal contacts and therefore close, cooperative relationships and strong loyalty. Relations between members are ends in themselves. There is a basic human need for personal, intimate and cooperative interaction with others. That is to say, the members derive pleasure and enjoyment solely from connecting with each other. They don't have any other specific goals or objectives in mind. The main group ends when one or more members leave it; they cannot be replaced by others. The best example of a primary group is the family or the group of friends or "peers", as sociologists call it.
Secondary Groups
Secondary groups are the opposite of primary groups in several ways. These are generally large groups, but not always. Secondary group members have relatively limited, formal, and impersonal relationships with each other. Unlike primary groups, secondary groups are specific or specialized interest groups. In general, a well-defined division of labor characterizes these groups. Members can be swapped and replaced, so a secondary group can survive whether its original members are still its members or not. A cricket team, a music club, an army or a factory, etc. are examples of secondary groups. It is possible that within secondary groups, some members become close and form primary relationships and form a peer group. Several sociological studies have shown that the presence of primary groups in armies, factories, and other secondary groups contributes to high morale and more efficient functioning.
Status and Role
The variety of social relations in any society is obviously innumerable. Parenthood, marriage, friendships, neighborhoods… illustrate the wide range of social relationships that sociologists study and from which they seek to understand society. Any social relationship is designed for analysis and understanding in terms of two components, namely status and role. Status, also called social position by some authors, is the "socially defined place or place" an individual occupies in a system or society of interaction.
Thus, in each interaction, none of the participants is stateless. Indeed, no person can interact with another if their status, as well as that of the person or persons in a given situation, is not clear. Thus, family interaction does not pose a problem because everyone is well aware of their status and that of the others. This knowledge allows for a smooth process and predictable interaction. But when we meet a stranger, the first thing we want to know is their status. Until this is known, we do not know how to behave: towards him or her. So it is the state and the knowledge of the state that allows the interaction of the model.
Types of Status
Sociologists distinguish between "attributed" and "acquired" status. Positions in which one is born or effortlessly acquired are called ascribed status. Typically, relationship statuses fall into this category. Acquired states, on the other hand, are based on and determined by what people do or achieve through their own efforts. Usually people's occupational functions fall into this category. Only in some cases is it possible to have both granted and acquired aspects in the same status, for example a hereditary priest in an Indian village may be rejected if he does not learn the scriptures required.
Multiple Statuses
It should also be understood that each individual occupies multiple states. Even a small child is a son, a nephew, a brother, a cousin, and so on. As we get older, we can get even more positions of status. Public figures and other prominent men, women simultaneously occupy different statuses. However, there is an important status under which the individual is ultimately identified and evaluated. In modern societies, one's occupation indicates one's most important status.
The Concept of Role
We now turn to the concept of role. Role is the behavioral aspect of status; there can be no states without a corresponding role attached to them. The role is therefore the dynamic aspect of the status and consists of rights and duties connected to it. Thus, a person who holds the status of a father simultaneously has certain rights over his children, as well as certain responsibilities towards them. Status and roles are therefore two sides of the same coin. Role refers both to the actual behavior of an individual of a certain status and to a set of expectations about behavior shared by those involved in certain social relationships. Thus, in teacher-student relationships, the teacher has an expectation of how the student who interacts with him will or should behave. Students, in turn, have their own expectations. If one of them does not perform according to the other's expectations, their relationships will suffer negatively. As individuals generally meet role expectations, society acquires uniformity of behavior.
Social institution
Social institution can be defined as "a general behavior oriented towards a firmly held goal". Due to this pattern of behavior established in a society, it becomes possible to understand and predict the behavior of people. The study of social institutions therefore involves groups, roles, norms, beliefs and practices in a particular area of social life.
Social institutions form the framework in which people of different societies and cultures live. It provides the very structure of society. People are born into a family, which is an institution. They are nurtured and socialized in this institution, which is governed by the values, norms and customs of that society. How the family and its members make a living depends on the economic institutions of their society. How they maintain law and order depends on the political institutions of that society. How information and skills are passed on from one generation to the next depends on the educational institution of that society. Finally, how people explain their existence in society, where they came from before birth and where they will go after death, ie. H "religious experience" is determined by religious institutions. . Thus, all the social institutions of a given society are interconnected. The family as an institution is the pivot around which all other social institutions revolve, for it provides the individual members of society. Like Perry and Peny (1973: p. 300) state: “It is important to remember that institutions are only abstract concepts of organized habits and standardized procedures. We cannot see institutions, what we can see are families, schools, banks, etc. » Culture is an essential aspect of all societies. You will learn more about it in the next part of this post.
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