Interpretive Sociology

According to our textbook,sociology is the systematic study of human society. Although each individual is different society defintely has an affect on each and every part of our lives. A sociologist 's job is to look for specific patterns in specific groups of people. This process is called sociological investigation. One way that sociologists are able to obtain and validate information is through science. Science is a logical system that bases knowledge on direct, systematic observation. It also places strong emphasis on evidence, our ability to prove or disprove information with our senses. Early sociologists such as, Auguste Comte and Emile Durkheim, took science and applied it to society. Scientific evidence can also be used to challenge …show more content…
For this reason, new types of sociology have surfaced. One of these new methods is interpretive sociology, the study of society that focuses on the meanings people attach to their social world. Max Weber, the founder of this idea, argued that the focus of sociology should be interpretation. Interpretive sociology does not discredit science however, it redirects the focus from evidence to understanding. Weber believed that they key to this concept is verstehen, the german word for understanding. Verstegen suggests that rather than just observing what people do try to also understand why they do it. Thoughts and feelings of the subject tend to be a main focus of interperative sociology. The second concept to emerge is critical sociology, is the study of society that focuses on the need for social change. According to Marx, the purpose of this type of sociology is to not only research society and the social world but, to change it, specifically in the direction of social justice and democracy. The ultimate goal of critical sociology is to make judgements about society and how we can improve it to move it further in the direction of social …show more content…
Propably one of the most influencial elements on today 's society in the United States is the media. As new technology has developed, our society has become increasingly more obsessed with it. For example, what we see on televisions, what we see on the radio, and what we here on the radio can strongly influence what we eat, what we wear, and even our own personal opinions or beliefs. Another element that can strongly affect society is the economy. A drastic change in the economic status of a society will affect those at the very type of the socioeconomic ladder and trickle all the way down to those on the very bottom. Relationships, can also influence our society. In a society, people are going to have to interact. Interactions between members of society can be positive, negative, or neutral. These interactions are what is going to shape an individuals opinions, personality, and behaviors. Similarly, culture can have a very strong influence on society. Culture is the symbols, values, and rules of behavior that a society will adopt and create together. Just about anything can have an impact on society, which is why it is individualized to location and population and is constantly