Lesson 2 - Theories and Theorists

This ATM is a very rational product of society. It brings economic logic to the act of banking. With more rationality brings less human activity.

Many theorists important to sociology came from Europe. They contributed greatly to the sociological theories we use today.

This self checkout is a dehumanizing feature that makes getting out of the grocery store less painful. It also contributes to the disenchantment of society brought about by many bureaucracies.
















Marx believed that throughout history conflict had to happen to start any type of social change. Also that conflict was at the base of every society.

This photo of a graduating class relates to the postmodern theory. With each graduating class, more educated adults will be added to society bringing more options fore change and also add a diverse thought process to how things should be done. They will all bring contrasting views to what has already be done before as well.

Lesson 1 - What Is Sociology?

This is society going about an average day of living. This is the world that we have structured and have chosen to live in.  Society would not exist without us living in it and actively participating on a day to day basis.

These are literal glass ceilings in Washington D.C. There is a museum below them.

The environment we live in greatly shapes who we are. People that have grown up in Oak Park their whole lives are less likely to face great hardships that people living in an inner city community would have to face.

An example of culture shock was going to England. There are many radical differences in the structure of society there. A simple example is getting used to looking right for oncoming traffic as opposed to left.

This photo of my family together in a museum represents how humans cannot be understood apart from society. Society forms how we act and who we associate with.

Lesson 7 - Deviance and Conformity

 This Batman character being deviant in society's eyes.  As a society we judge him because he is breaking the norm.  Our judgements are what make his behavior deviant.

My grandfather had a physical stigma. He was treated differently because of his physical state of being.

 These students are conforming to society by all going to school and being seated in desks. We all conform more than we deviate, it is just harder to point out.

This is a gypsy/street performer that deviated from the normal path of society. Society does not always treat him respectfully, therefore, his actions are deviant.

Planking was a fad that was a harmless way to deviate from the majority of society. While planking, we have all received strange looks and some rude remarks. These reactions from people let us know that planking is a form of deviance.

Lesson 4 - Culture

 This hamburger represents the material American culture.  It is a food that is associated with the culture of America.

This is a sign in our society that has the specific meaning to stop at the line ahead.

My mom is making a gesture with her hands.  Putting up two fingers in our culture now means peace. She is also making this gesture in front of a John Lennon picture.  He is also a symbol of spreading peace.

The surfing lifestyle is a subculture.  They have distinct values and norms.

 While everyone else is simply walking, my sister is jumping into the air. She is breaking the norm of the current situation.

Mcdonalds has spread world wide. It is an example of cultural diffusion. It is a material company from American culture that has been shared globally. 

Lesson 10 - Sex and Gender

Vanessa was born a girl but was not born knowing how to be feminine. She is taught through our family, school, her peers, and the media. Society says that girls play with barbies so my sister is learning to be feminine through role playing with her barbies.

These two bathroom categories are socially constructed. There is no need for separate restrooms but, our society tells us there is.  The constructionist sociologists see gender as a social construction and is created through our interactions with other members of both genders in our culture. 

 My grandmother is playing a nurturing, home maker role by raising her own kids and preparing meals for everyone as well.  Functionalists believe that there are social roles more suitable for men and some more suitable for women. My grandmother is playing and expressive role by always being there for emotional support and is very nurturing.

My Mother and Father are two different sexes and are biologically female and male.

My sister is playing dress up which is a behavioral trait that our society considers normal for the members of the feminine gender.

Lesson 5 - Socialization, The Self and Social Interaction

George Herbert Mead believed the self is created through social interaction. These girls are all friends and will individually grow from being with each other.  They will grasp an image of themselves through the reactions they receive from their peers.

 Mother and child representing nature vs. nurture. The debate on wether genetics is responsible for a persons character or rather it is being raised by parents that shapes who we are.

My sister is portraying the looking glass self based off Charles Cooley's belief that one's sense of self depends on seeing one's self reflected in interactions with others.

 My younger sister is playing the role of a student by doing her homework and studying to receive good grades. In being a student, studying is a behavior expected from her status.

Family is the most important agent of socialization. From family we learn values and how to be a functioning part of society when we grow up.

Lesson 12 - Pop Culture

This photo from the Emmys shows the peoples mass appreciation for television shows.  The people shown are easily recognized by the general
American public. The viewers participate in collective activity because the all watch and appreciate the shows being awarded.

 This display of shoes in the mall is playing to its vast demographic of customers.  This wall of shoes is only a small portion of all the options a customer has to choose from.  The store realizes that every customer has a different tastes or preference for their own personal style.

The mall is a main place where consumerism exists.  Shoppers go there to see things they do not need but get the idea that they do. Also customers have the urge to stay with this seasons latest fashion trends.  They want to stay with the most popular belief of what everyone is wearing.

These mannequins set a standard of how one should look and dress. They put and expectation of how someone who shops at this store should dress like.  They are socially constructing how they want their customers to dress.

The Lakers are a big part of popular culture especially here in Los Angeles. They fit the description of what popular is. They are well liked, well recognized, have vast commercial media, and they relate to the people.

Lesson 11 - Life At Home

 This is my family. We are a nuclear family living in the same household and are bound by legal, biological, and emotional ties.

 This is my extended family. This is a larger group of family consisting of four generations. We all gather in one household for major holidays one being thanksgiving.

 My parents practice monogamy. They have been married for 20 years and are in a relationship with only each other.

 My grandmother is doing the instrumental task of cooking a meal for the entire family.  This is a practical task necessary to maintain family life, as well as having the rest of the family contribute to help do chores around the house.

For birthdays in my family's house, my parents have made us pancakes on the morning of our birthday. They make a stack consisting of as many pancakes as age we are turning.  This is an expressive task that contributes to the emotional work necessary to support our family members.

Lesson 6 - Life In Groups

This is a group, a collection of people who share attributes, identify with one another and interact with each other. 

This group of marathon runners represents Aggregate.  They are all sharing the same physical location but know nothing about each other. They are only in contact because they are running the same race.

 This is my primary group. I am closely associated with them and we all belong together.

 My sisters soccer team is a secondary group.  They are together for a reason and for a specific activity.  They interact only to accomplish the task of playing together as a team.

My youngest sister and her two friends are a triad. They will continue to exist even if one is no longer in the picture.  They are more stable at the cost of intimacy.

These best friends are a dyad. They will have a closer bond withe each other than the triad does but is also more unstable because if one person leaves the group, it no longer exists.