Ch 2: Key Sociology Theorists

1. Charles Horton Cooley: Looking Glass Self and the Effect of Primary Groups

Charles Horton Cooley's theory of interactionist perspective describes that people get to know themselves through the looking glass self. Discover Cooley's career and how it affected his study of social behaviors, specifically those affected by the view of self and primary groups.

2. Herbert Spencer: Theory & Social Darwinism

Darwin's Theory of Evolution inspired Herbert Spencer's perception of society and, as a result, influenced the theory of Social Darwinism. Discover the key elements of Spencer's theory, his coined phrase, survival of the fittest, and his influence on structural-functionalist theory.

3. Gerhard Lenski's Theories of Sociocultural Evolution, Social Stratification & Technology

Gerhard Lenski was a macrosociologist who considered technology critical for a society's survival and argued that how much societies advance depends on their levels of information and technology. Explore Lenski's theories of sociocultural evolution, social stratification, and technology, and learn about the types and levels of societies in Lenski's theories.

4. Karl Marx: Theory of Class Consciousness and False Consciousness

Karl Marx was a renowned German scholar whose studies and theories in sociology have become classic. Learn about Marx, explore his research on social groups and inequality, and review his theories of class consciousness and false consciousness. Understand the concepts of the collective whole as well as 'I' and 'Me.'

5. Karl Marx on Religion: How Religion Affects Social Inequality

Karl Marx views religion as an instrument of social control to perpetuate social inequality. Discover why Marx views religion as a false truth and how it creates an illusion he called opiate for the masses. Learn also the relationship between religion and social control and how it affects society.

6. Karl Marx's Theories: Class Differentiation and Revolution, Socialism & Capitalism

German scholar Karl Marx offered many classic theories to explain different aspects of society. Learn about Marx, including his socialist positions, and explore his theories on topics such as social class, alienation, class differentiation, and revolution, socialism, and capitalism.

7. Bureaucracy: Max Weber's Theory of Impersonal Management

Max Weber's Theory of Impersonal Management introduced rigid, bureaucratic management as a new and less familial way of running an organization in the 19th century. Learn how bureaucracy developed and take a closer look at how bureaucratic organizations share common characteristics.

8. Emile Durkheim: Society, Integration Level & Suicide Study

Emile Durkheim was a French sociologist who studied suicide. Learn about Durkheim's research on suicide, including how he categorized people, his findings on suicide rates, and the social context of suicide, including the roles of society and integration levels. Understand the predictive powers of Durkheim's theory.

9. Emile Durkheim's Theories: Functionalism, Anomie and Division of Labor

According to the theory of Emile Durkheim, a sociologist, society functions based on the division of labor and the equilibrium of social hierarchies. Learn about the theories of Durkheim on the social concepts of functionalism, anomie, and division of labor.

10. W.E.B. Du Bois: Theories, Accomplishments & Double Consciousness

Double consciousness is a term coined by W.E.B. Du Bois. It describes the condition by which African Americans live after the Civil War: still constrained and discriminated. Explore and get to know Du Bois' background, the start of his fight for equal rights, and his participation in the NAACP.

11. Harriet Martineau: Theories and Contributions to Sociology

Harriet Martineau was the first renowned female sociologist. Learn about Martineau and explore her theories and contributions to the field of sociology. Examine her writing career and review some of her more prominent works.

12. C. Wright Mills: Sociological Imagination and the Power Elite

Sociologist C. Wright Mills conducted seminal research on social power. Learn about Mills and his classic work, ''The Power Elite,'' and develop a better understanding of Mills' theories of the power structure in the United States, power, how personal troubles are linked to public issues, and the meaning of sociological imagination.

13. Robert K. Merton: Theories and Functionalism

Robert K. Merton was a functionalist sociologist who helped develop the functional perspective of society. Learn about Merton and explore his theories, including functionalism. Understand manifest and latent functions, as well as dysfunctions in society.

14. Erving Goffman's Theories: Impression Management, Dramaturgy & Symbolic Interaction

Erving Goffman was a Canadian-American sociologist who analyzed everyday human interactions to develop theories of human behavior and society. Learn about Goffman's theories, including impression management, dramaturgy, and symbolic interaction. Understand the importance of symbols and the presentation of self in Goffman's theories.