Knowledge of sociological concepts

Understanding Sociological Concepts

Sociology is the study of human social relationships and institutions. It seeks to understand how society, groups, and institutions affect individuals and vice versa.
A crucial element of sociology is the concept of social structure – these are the recurring patterns of behaviour in a society that help shape people’s lives and the society at large.
A society is a group of people who share a common geographic territory and culture and who interact within this defined area.

Key Sociological Concepts

The sociological imagination is a term coined by C. Wright Mills. It refers to the ability to comprehend the link between our personal experiences and the broader social and historical context.
Social construction emphasises that our understanding of the world is socially constructed, meaning it is shaped through interaction with others.
Social change refers to alterations in the social order of a society, which could be due to factors like technological advancements, cultural shifts, or political movements.

Concepts of Power and Stratification

Power in sociology is the ability of an individual or group to achieve their own goals or objectives, often over the resistance of others.
Social Stratification refers to a system in which society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy. In such a system, unequal rewards and opportunities are distributed to individuals based on their social class, race, or other factors.
The term social mobility refers to the ability and likelihood of individuals or families to move up or down the social and economic ladder within a society.

Understanding Socialisation

Socialisation is the process where individuals learn the values, norms, and behaviours appropriate to their social position.
Primary socialisation generally occurs in a nuclear family where individuals first learn to become functional members of a society.
Secondary socialisation refers to the learning that occurs outside the family, or when individuals start to participate in wider society - schools, peer groups, and mass media play a big role in this phase.

Models of Society

Consensus model (Functionalism) sees society as an ordered system of interdependent parts (or institutions) which maintain the stability and survival of the overall society.
Conflict model (Marxism) views society as a platform of social inequality that generates conflict and social change.
Interactionist model (Symbolic Interactionism) puts forward that society is constantly created and recreated as individuals engage with one another in social interaction.