Applying Sociological Thinking and Theory
Sociology is the study of human social behavior, particularly, in the areas of uncovering origins, development, institutions, and the organization of human society. Sociology may also be defined as an evaluation of a societal segment or social institution, where it is viewed as a self-contained unit, or where the unit is considered as part of the society as a whole. The study uses empirical investigation and critical evaluation, towards administering research, which is to be applied to social policy and welfare, as well as refining the comprehension of social processes (Halsey 34; Urry 23).
The sociological imagination was coined by sociologist Wright Mills in 1959, describing the insights drawn from the study of sociology, towards illuminating the nature of the discipline and its relevance in every-day life. A personal example of this case was a documentary that was presented to us during a military science class, where the class learned a lot about war. The success of the experience was verified after the class took a test on war experiences, and the mean score of the class was 75%, which is way beyond the performance of 90% of the students (Mills 5). From the case explained above, it is evident that sociological knowledge differs from every-day life.
The theories that are used in showing the value of sociological knowledge include conflict theory, as the new knowledge-base is linked to old understanding and functionalism, which establishes the functional association between the different sets of knowledge (Mills 5).
Cultural Expressions of Central Values by Everyday Objects and Practices
The central values expressed through different practices and objects, for instance, computers, surfing the internet, and eating at centers like the McDonalds among other practices and objects, include the communicating of changing societal values and interests. For instance, the practice of eating at McDonald’s communicates the interests of eating out, implying that cooking is not a preferred practice, or rather, that it is viewed as a course not worth taking, thus avoidable through eating at the McDonalds.
The values expressed include that of a shift from valuing cooking at home, to valuing the activities that can be accomplished during the time to be spent cooking a home-made meal. This reflects areas of political, social, and philosophical concerns, for instance, the survival values developed in the fast-changing society, where time is a valuable commodity (Tomkins 34).
21st Century Socialization
The purposes of socialization include the transmission of customs, values, and beliefs from one generation to the other. This plays the role of controlling the society, through the establishment of values and norms of control. Socialization acts as a model of learning, imparting good values like sharing self-discipline and cooperation. Socialization also offers bases from instruction giving and stimulation (Clausen 5).
The main agents of socialization these days include cultural constructions, for example, the languages used in schools, work, mass media, and peer groups, especially among young adults. The lessons learned from the sources include frugality, dishonesty, and a lot related to the area of love, for instance, kissing. The socialization of children and adolescents today and that of the same groups in the past are characteristically different, as the family is not a major socialization agent (Macionis 109).
Virtual Interactions and Symbolic Interactionist concepts
Symbolic interactionism refers to the model of communication, adjustment, and interpretation between communicators. With the increasing level of virtual interactions, the generation and construction of language, meaning and thought, will continue to grow similarly across the globe, where borrowing from cultures will take place, thus resulting in characteristic differences within-host communication centers.
The effects include that there is an erosion of the value and depth of the meaning expressed through words. For instance, phrases like ‘I love you’ are used more often, to mean a range of emotions, as opposed to the more serious usage, when it was confined to given societies. Meaning construction symbols will increasingly evolve, for instance, the permeation of symbols with different cultural origins, and the interpretation of symbols will also change progressively.
As a result, the understanding of these key symbolic integrationist concepts, role-taking, self-reflection, the looking-glass self, interaction, and front-stage and back-stage, will vary from the mainstream one, which will soon get incorporated into the real society. An example here is the formulation of shortened messaging, where a communicator may write ‘I’l C U,’ and the message is through, as well as the use of an array of associated symbols that take the message across (Herman-Kinney & Reynolds 120).
Deviant Behavior Explained by Sociological Theory
The worst deviant act I committed was fighting after my team lost in a baseball game. I can explain the action based on the labeling theory, as my team mates were a bunch of individuals that would not take abuse, and would make an abused team member act against the abuse. The group had also labeled me a strong member, and so after I was abused by an opposing team member, I could not take it but demonstrate that I was still a strong member.
After the fight, I had to stay out of the game the next season, although I stayed close to the team, who still labeled me the defender, which kept the fighting spirit still going. The chain of fighting at contests broke after I left the school for college in Kansas. As a result, I associate the deviance to the labeling placed by the group, and not the wish to fight as an individual (Goode 127; Blumstein & Cohen 233-261). This rationality can best be explained using rational choice theory, which interprets that the choice to engage in violent behavior in itself is punishable.
Works Cited
Blumstein, Alfred, & Jacob Cohen. “Sentencing of convicted offenders: An analysis of the public’s view.” Law and Society Review 14.1 (1980): 233−261. Print.
Clausen, John. Socialization and Society. Boston: Little Brown and Company, 1968. Print.
Goode, Erich. Deviant Behavior. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, 2004. Print.
Halsey, Albert. “A history of sociology in Britain.” Science, Literature, and Society 3.1 (2004): 34-37. Print.
Herman-Kinney, Nancy, & Larry Reynolds. Handbook of Symbolic Interactionism. New York: AltaMira, 2003. Print.
Macionis, Gerber, & John Linda. Sociology. Ontario: Pearson, 2010. Print.
Mills, Wright. The Sociological Imagination. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1959. Print.
Tomkins, Silvan. Affect, imagery, consciousness. New York: Springer books, 1962. Print.
Urry, John. Sociology beyond societies: mobilities for the twenty-first century. London: Routledge, 2000. Print.