_____ is (are) the primary focus of microsociologists.
Some of the common themes of the conflict perspective include: 1  Change, one of the basic, inherent features of society, occurs on account of either an inequality or a scarcity of resources. 2  Conflict is the result of human desire to obtain goods, power, or prestige, any of which may be in short supply but in big demand. Rather than being interested in institutions such as the economy, government, or social class, microsociologists are concerned with the personal relationships and interchanges among individuals and among small groups of people. Key themes of interaction studies: Society is dynamic, or constantly evolving. 1  Change occurs because of the interaction of individuals, as opposed to larger bodies or institutions found in society, e.g., the government. 2  Persistent evolution, as opposed to steadfast patterns, winds up being the true hallmark of society. Even though each perspective or model has its own unique focus, each perspective attributes meaning to what goes on in the world around us. According to Wikipedia, the sociological perspective is a particular way of approaching a phenomenon common in sociology. Understanding the Sociological Perspective A. Unifying Properties of Sociology While society is a system of beliefs and actions carried out by human beings, sociology is something that transcends these boundaries by connecting common themes and highlighting areas warranting change. Cooperation cannot be assumed. 1  Rather, the idea of society as an integrated system based upon a consensus of ideas is a fictional idea. 2  Instead, a conflict-driven society is run by the powerful ones who exert control over the rest of the population and set the tone for how things are to be done. Conflict theories. Conflict theories are perspectives in sociology and social psychology that emphasize the social, political, or material inequality of a social group, that critique the broad socio-political system, or that otherwise detract from structural functionalism and ideological conservatism. B. Varying Forms of Sociological Perspectives. It is important to point out there is a range of sociological perspectives, and no one perspective is best in all circumstances. In order to arrive at a specific perspective, it will be necessary to first define the focus and goals of the study. This means that if you are exploring the intricacies of bureaucratic structures, you may want to employ a perspective centered upon social order; whereas, if you are learning about social inequality, you may want to use the conflict perspective. View Full Document. Tonnies called this new type of society Gesellschaft (Guh-ZELL-shoft), or “impersonal association.” In Sum:  Whether the terms are Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft or mechanical solidarity and organic solidarity, they indicate that as societies change, so do people’s orientations to life. Microsociologists, in contrast, examine narrower slices of social life. Their primary focus is face-to-face interaction— what people do when they are in one another’s presence. Symbolic Interaction: Symbolic interactionists are especially interested in the symbols people use. Sign up to view the full version. Tonnies called this new type of society Gesellschaft (Guh-ZELL-shoft), or “impersonal association.” In Sum:  Whether the terms are Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft or mechanical solidarity and organic solidarity, they indicate that as societies change, so do people’s orientations to life.
Face-to-face interaction is the primary focus of microsociologists.