Why do we need to use special terms and concepts in sociology?
Every discipline must have its own terminology which makes it easy to understand the subject. For the subject like sociology is it is very important to have its own terminology because it is a social science and has many familiar terms in the theories and principles propounded by various sociologists, which can be easily confused rather wrongly interpreted if understood with the common sense knowledge.
So, in order to understand the subject properly we must interpret the terms used with respect to the definitions given in the subject and not with our common sense knowledge.
As a member of society you must be interacting with and in different groups. How do you see these groups from a sociological perspective?
We interact with many people on daily basis. Some are of our group and some are from different group. When we are interacting in our own group the words like "we" and "us" are used and every problem, situation, emotion are actually felt.
When we are interacting with people outside our group it becomes quite formal and it is related with some specific goal or purpose.
For example - If I am talking with the students of my class who belong to my group, it will be a very friendly, very informal talk and we can easily understand emotions as well as the feelings behind everything said. Whereas when we are talking to the students of some other class it will be quite a formal talk and will include only the general subjects which are of common interest or it will be regarding sharing some information or asking for some help.
What have you observed about the stratification system existing in your society? How are individual lives affected by stratification?
Social structure means the pattern of regular and repetitive interaction between the individuals or groups. Stratification may be defined as the structural inequalities between different groups of people. Our Indian society is stratified on the basis of caste, class, gender, etc.
1. Caste - In caste stratification system, the status of an individual depends upon his birth and not on his achievements. He shares the position that his cast has in the society. He is ranked high or low according to his caste.
2. Class - Class means the economic class. The class stratification system is based upon the division of income and wealth among the society. The people belonging to high income group are ranked above the people from low income group even if the person from low income group has some special feature.
3. Status and Role - Status means the social position having its own rights and duties whereas role is a behavioural aspect of status. In modern society an individual occupies multiple statuses called status set in Sociology. The status can be obtained by birth or can be an achieved status. Such as the status of a doctor will be more than a shopkeeper.
What is social control? Do you think the modes of social control in different spheres of society are different? Discuss.
Social control refers to the various means used by a society to control its unruly or undisciplined members.
Social control can be exercised by any of the two methods -
• Using force to regulate the behaviour of individual and groups and
• Enforcing values and patterns for maintaining order in the society
Social control is very necessary and important to maintain stability in the society. Social control can also be exercised in form of reward and punishment, it means rewarding for doing good and punishing for offence.
The mode of social control is different in different spheres of society because every group has its own norms and values and they are different in structure and functions.
Identify the different roles and status that you play and are located in. Do you think roles and status change? Discuss when and how they change.
As an individual I have many roles and status like for my teachers I am a student, for parents I am a daughter, if I go for shopping I am a customer, for my classmates I am monitor of the class, for my sister I am her elder sister. So these are the various statuses that I am into and every status has a different role to play.
• For my teachers I am a student and I need to obey there orders, to give my best in studies and to follow all the disciplines of the school
• For my parents I am a daughter and I need to respect them, to look after them, to take care of them and I can also ask them for something and sometimes I can demand to be pampered.
• For my younger sister I am an elder sister and I need to set my behaviour in such a manner that I could be a role model for her and she could understand how to behave from me and at the same time I need to be your friend so that she could share all her problems and feelings with me.
• For my classmates I am there friend as well as the class monitor and being the class monitor I have to make them follow the school discipline, the class decorum and have to act as a link between the teachers and my classmate.