Ch 2: Perspectives & Research in Sociology
About This Chapter
CLEP Social Sciences and History: Perspectives and Research in Sociology - Chapter Summary and Learning Objectives
The lessons in this chapter introduce you to the field of sociology and its importance. Our experienced instructors teach you about the theoretical perspectives that shape the field of sociology and present the various types of research design. The chapter features fun lessons and quick quizzes that help you easily retain the concepts presented here. When you've finished watching all the lessons in this chapter, you'll have an understanding of:
- Applications for sociology
- Structural-functional and social conflict approaches
- Approaches to research in sociology
- Experimental design
| Video | Objective |
|---|---|
| Sociology: Overview & Importance | Examine common themes in sociology and find out why it's important. |
| Sociology's Four Theoretical Perspectives: Structural-Functional, Social Conflict, Feminism & Symbolic Interactionism | List and assess these four perspectives on sociological theory. |
| Sociological Research: Approaches & Designs | Study the positivist, interpretative and critical approaches to research and examine different types of research design. |
| True Experimental Design | Identify the components of true experimental design, such as experimental and control groups, samples, populations and independent and dependent variables. |
1. Sociology: Overview & Importance
The study of sociology entails learning about the social and cultural behaviors of the masses, which can aid public policy efforts. Learn more about sociology through an overview, and identify its importance, its contributions to science, and its uses in the 21st century.
2. Sociology's Four Theoretical Perspectives: Structural-Functional, Social Conflict, Feminism & Symbolic Interactionism
Sociologists use theoretical frameworks to organize and understand the social phenomena studied in sociological research. Understand the importance of theory, and explore sociology's four theoretical perspectives, including structural-functional, social conflict, feminism, and symbolic interactionism.
3. Sociological Research: Approaches & Designs
Sociological research combines the study of sociology with the scientific method. Learn what makes social science unique, its various approaches and styles in studying human behavior, and the differences between quantitative and qualitative research.
4. True Experimental Design
Many fields of study rely on experiments--such as control groups, experimental groups, and random assignments--to conduct research and gain knowledge. Learn about true experimental design, understand the importance of samples and population in experiments, and identify the differences between independent and dependent variables.
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Other Chapters
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