CH-1-4 A Sociological Compass – Sociology My Compass for a New World : Book Guide

This Document Contains Chapters 1 to 4 Chapter 1 – A Sociological Compass 1. LEARNING OUTCOMES (WITH BLOOM’S TAXONOMY) After completing this chapter, students should be able to: • Define the discipline of sociology. • Identify the patterns of social relations that surround, permeate and influence the individual. • Explain the ways in which sociological research is motivated simultaneously by the desire to improve people’s lives and to test the validity of ideas by way of the scientific method. • Discuss the primary schools of thought within the field of sociology. • Describe why sociology was a product of the scientific, democratic, and industrial revolutions. • Explain the critical challenges societies face today. 2. WHY IS THIS CHAPTER IMPORTANT TO SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS? This chapter presents an important opportunity for students to gain their first glimpse into what is unique and powerful about the sociological perspective: namely, the ability to peel back the surface of everyday social phenomena or common-sense assumptions and reveal the patterned social relations that are at work. At the same time, this chapter is a crucial introduction to the interrelationship between concrete observations and the theoretical frameworks that sociologists use to guide and inform those observations. This chapter is also important because it sketches out the historical context within which sociology emerged, and stresses that sociologists have never approached their field of study dispassionately, but instead with a determined interest in improving the social world. In the midst of an era characterized by rapid and complex social changes as well as an uncertain future, sociology can also play an important role in helping students to orient themselves between “biography and history” (p. 11), and to develop a nuanced understanding of the challenges facing societies worldwide. 3. WHY SHOULD STUDENTS CARE? Understanding the connections and interconnections between individual experiences and actions, in conjunction with the social structural and historical forces is a central objective of sociological study. It is also what makes sociology a potentially exciting subject for students. Furthermore, cultivating a “sociological imagination” will enable students to have a better comprehension of their own lives, their society, and the events that are happening in societies around the world. Armed with this understanding, students will have the ability to make better-informed life choices. Sociology also presents students with the challenge and the opportunity of discovering the world of divergent thinking. Within an “instruction paradigm of education” (Barr and Tagg, 1995), students have been conditioned to believe that learning is focused on knowledge acquisition and that all problems have a “right answer.” It is important that they develop their ability to think critically and creatively, utilizing both deductive and inductive reasoning, while going beyond linear and convergent thinking to divergent and lateral thinking. The development and promotion of these cognitive skills and abilities can be readily addressed in a sociology course. Furthermore, these critical thinking skills are “marketable” and in demand by employers, since they more accurately reflect the types of performances required in the real world. 4. WHAT ARE COMMON STUDENT MISCONCEPTIONS & STUMBLING BLOCKS? Students are typical of most people in having a de facto voluntaristic and individualistic perspective on life. The tendency is to believe that one’s life is strictly an outcome of personal choices and decisions and, as a result, they may struggle with seeing how embedded they are in a social and cultural context. (pp. 8–12). Students may lack an appreciation of the degree to which our taken-for-granted sense of social reality is not “natural,” but instead the outcome of diverse and complex historical events, including the Scientific Revolution, the Democratic Revolution, and the Industrial Revolution. The challenge is to convey the historical context in a manner that reveals how apparently linear and separate events are interconnected and are part of a cohesive whole. Ideally, students will come to see “how history made science” AND “how science made history”—and that life is not linear, it is organic (pp. 12–14). A sociological imagination requires an ability to think divergently and creatively, and this skill may be underdeveloped in students, likely due to previous educational experiences (Robinson, 2010). The adoption of a sociological perspective and development of the sociological imagination needs to be demonstrated, utilized, and practised on a continuous/ongoing basis (pp. 10–12). 5. WHAT CAN I DO IN CLASS? At the start of class: “Optical Illusions”: (e.g., “musician/girl’s face” and others: http://www.optillusions.com) Ask students, “What is this a picture of?” As students reply, depending on which one they readily see, it becomes apparent that “one” reality (the picture) has embedded within it “two” pictures (realities)—the musician AND a girl’s face. Moreover, what you see is predicated on where you focus when viewing the reality. Likewise, the theoretical traditions—the main focus on “values” for functionalists, “class inequality” for conflict theorists, “meaning” for symbolic interactionists, and “patriarchy” for feminist theory. Each group is trying to understand and explain societal problems with one focus, but reality cannot be confined to, totally explained by, or understood with one “point of view.” “Rocks and Fire”: Bring to class a piece of rock, and a board or old book to drop it on from waist height. Ask if a student can loan you his or her cigarette lighter. Then, ask students to imagine what their understanding of natural phenomena would be if they lived in the medieval era, before the Scientific Revolution. Drop the rock to the floor and ask, “Why does it fall down?” Solicit responses. Tell them that, within a pre-scientific consciousness, one’s understanding would be that rocks are of the earth, and choose to return to it if released from one’s grasp. Then, flick the cigarette lighter and ask, “Why does the flame go up?” The medieval explanation of flame was that, as flames are of the same essence as the stars and heavenly bodies, they express that by going up. The point of both demonstrations is that, fanciful as these understandings were, they were perfectly acceptable in their historical context, and that any explanation of phenomena relies on a conceptual framework. This demonstration also ties in neatly with the Great Chain of Being (p. 14), which depicts an animated nature and one in which tradition is the answer to questions about hierarchical relationships. The historical context is explained clearly by Berman (1981): see http://physics.sfsu.edu/~wcaudy/340readings/BermanReenchantmentoftheWorld1.pdf. Mini quiz: (on the assigned chapter/reading for this class session) Begin with five multiple-choice questions for students to answer. In addition to getting the class to settle down and focus, it highlights your expectation that the readings are to be done “before class.” This also gives the students a familiarity with what types of questions they may see on their exam(s). Throughout the class: “Chunk” the lecture into 10- to 15-minute presentations of information: (Davis, 1993; Sousa, 2006; Svinicki & McKeachie, 2011) At the end of each segment, stop and focus on actively involving students. Think/Pair/Share: Stop the lecture at a convenient point and display an abbreviated list of your last 3–5 main points. Ask students to pair up and choose a main point from the list to discuss and summarize. After 3 minutes, solicit results from volunteers. [Understand] Interrogate the text graphs/figures: Pose questions and ask students to discuss, interpret, and/or make predictions: Figure 1.1 (page 6): Map of Suicide Rates—Why the difference in rates between Russia, North America, and Mexico/majority of South America? What social, political, economic, and/or cultural factors could have impacted these figures? [Apply/Analyze] Figure 1.2 (page 6): Durkheim’s Theory of Suicide—How much social solidarity should be encouraged (should we aim at creating) in a society, if we want to minimize suicide rates? (The lowest being found at the middle—it is a balance between not enough and too much.) How might we accomplish this? (Or have we already accomplished this in Canada?) [Apply/Analyze/ Evaluate/Create] Figure 1.3 (page 7): Suicide Rates by Age and Sex, Canada, 2011—How can we understand and explain these suicide rates? (i.e., males tend to use more lethal methods, which leads to more “completed” suicides versus female suicide “attempts”/the different life stages and the degree of integration into society.) [Understand/Apply] Class discussion and/or a writing assignment: News Events: Remote reserve plagued by epidemic of youth suicides. Jon Thompson, QMI Agency First posted: Saturday, September 17, 2011 02:00 AM EDT “PIKANGIKUM FIRST NATION—A desperate call for help rang out this summer after five youths took their own lives on this northwestern Ontario reserve. Unfortunately, it came too late for one young man, whose death on Friday was confirmed as Pikangikum First Nation’s sixth suicide within a span of two months....” (Available at http://www.torontosun.com/2011/09/16/remote-reserve-plagued-by-epidemic-of-youth-suicides.) Important to Note: In the years from 2006–2008, 16 children and youth between the ages of 10–19 killed themselves by hanging in the Pikangikum First Nation. In light of Durkheim’s findings, what are some of the possible reasons behind the extraordinarily high suicide rate amongst Aboriginal youth? [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate/Create] Small group discussion: Divide the class into 4 groups of equal size (maximum 6–8 students per group), and assign one of the four sociological paradigms to each group. Then, have the class vote on a specific sociological phenomenon from a short list you give them. Each group will analyze the phenomenon from its chosen perspective and present its results. A good resource for this exercise is a table on which students can fill in their ideas, as well as those from other groups. [Apply/Analyze] Three-minute essay: Ask students to choose between the Scientific Revolution, the Democratic Revolution, or the Industrial Revolution. Then, ask each to write one paragraph explaining how his or her choice contributed to the development of sociology. When the time is up, solicit student responses to be read out and discussed. [Remember/Understand] Class discussion and/or a reflection paper writing assignment: Levels of analysis: 1. Biography [Individual/Agency] 2. Milieu [Home/Community/Sense of Belonging] 3. History [Society] Utilizing the graphic entitled “3 Levels of analysis” (see Instructor’s Manual p. 1-10), work through a “real life example” (i.e., yours) to demonstrate to students how the choices and chances experienced in an individual’s life are deeply embedded within a society. [Remember/Understand/Apply] Documentary: The Story of Science: Power, Proof and Passion (2010 BBC documentary, Episode 1—What Is Out There?) “Explores how the evolution of scientific understanding is intimately interwoven with society’s historical path... This is the story of how history made science and how science made history, and how the ideas which emerged made the modern world.” View and discuss the “interconnectedness” of history, science, and the individuals (“players”) and the social forces and events. Playlist of 6–10 minute segments; available at http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/story-of-science/ (Note: not currently available on YouTube.). (Could reduce the length of time with a review of the segments and showing just the material that addresses the key players and events—Tyco/Kepler/Galileo/Roman Catholic Church.) [Remember/Understand/Apply/Analyze] Video lecture: Nicholas Christakis: The Sociological Science Behind Social Networks and Social Influence (2012: 56 minutes). This is an excellent introduction to the sociological perspective, which works well as a whole, but which is also divided into segments that could be interspersed with lecture or seminar content. Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wadBvDPeE4E [Remember/Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] 6. HOW WILL I KNOW THAT MY STUDENTS HAVE LEARNED THE LOs? End the class with a mini quiz: Focus on multiple-choice questions that address the Learning Objectives of the chapter. Review and discuss the “correct” answers for each question. (“Clicker” technology and turning point slides are very effective tools for this exercise.) Think/Pair/Share: Ask students to pair up and read the short essay, “I commit sociology and I don’t intend to stop” (available at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/i-commit-sociology-and-i-dont-intend-to-stop/article11667231/). Each pair then explores the connections they see between the article and the three stated goals of Chapter 1 (pp. 4–5). Ask students (in pairs/small groups) to create and submit a question (with answer): This question should be one that they would like to be included on an upcoming exam: Some of these questions could be developed into a multiple-choice format and used at the start of the next class as a review of the material from this session. It allows students to engage with the exam creation, and if used as part of the next session’s opening questions, it enables them to self-assess their learning and engagement in the previous session. Set up an online survey tool account: (i.e., www.toofast.ca) and ask/instruct students to answer one or two questions, such as: What did I learn today that precipitated an “aha” moment? What did I not understand in today’s class? (This provides you with feedback on the teaching in addition to the student learning. The difficulties with understanding could then be addressed in the next class). MindTap: Refer your students to http://www.nelson.com/student to access the MindTap for Sociology: Your Compass for a New World. MindTap is a personalized program of digital products and services that engages students with interactivity while offering students and instructors choice in content, platforms, devices, and learning tools. This resource includes quiz questions, videos, and articles that are accompanied by thought-provoking questions that challenge students to think critically about current issues and events. Ask students to utilize this learning tool, and bring to the next class any questions (difficulties) they may have in regards to information from this chapter. 7. HOW CAN I ASSESS MY OWN “PERFORMANCE”? A critical reflection on my own practice: insights and understandings: A. Did I get the attention of my students at the beginning of class? a. What did I do? Did it work? How? If not, why not? b. Did I get the right kind of attention, or the wrong kind? B. Did I allot enough time for student dialogue/participation/engagement in the learning process? a. If not, why not? b. Is there any material that can (or should) be minimized or removed in order to allow for student input and participation? c. Are there ways of transferring some of the content online to open up more time in class for participation and engagement? C. How could I incorporate more student input and participation? (e.g., clicker questions, think/pair/share, one-minute summaries) D. Were my students engaged and/or focused? If so: a. What tells me that they were? b. What concepts were we covering? c. What precisely were they engaged with and/or focused on? (i.e., video clip, documentary, debate, small group discussion, whole class discussion) d. Were there unexpected moments of engagement, i.e., in group discussion, that I recognized and incorporated? If not: a. When did I lose them? b. Why did they disengage/lose focus? E. Did I integrate formative assessment of student learning throughout the “lecture”? a. What did I do? b. Did these assessments suggest to me that they understood the key concepts? If not, was I prepared to alter my plan in response? F. Did I request feedback from the students on their learning experience in this class? i.e.: a. Submission of an “aha” moment they had b. Informal summary (point form) addressing two or three concepts covered c. Five (ten) minutes for “debriefing” at the end (of class or topic)—“What” are your questions? (not “Are there any questions?”) d. Refer students to an online survey (e.g., Blackboard learning system, toofast.ca). G. Some things to consider for the next class (modifications to consider when teaching this chapter again): a. What worked really well, and why? b. What could/should/might I do differently next time to improve student engagement and learning? H. What did I learn about this topic? What insights did I gather from my students? Were any of those insights surprising to me? I. What did I learn about my teaching, and what can I do to modify my teaching as a result? 8. WHAT OTHER RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE? [Supplementary Resources] Adams, Michael. 2013, May 2. “I commit sociology, and I don’t intend to stop.” The Globe and Mail. Available at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/i-commit-sociology-and-i-dont-intend-to-stop/article11667231/ Banathy, Bela H. 2000. Guided Evolution of Society: A Systems View. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers. Barr, Robert B., and John Tagg. 1995. “From Teaching to Learning—A New Paradigm for Undergraduate Education.” Change, November/December 1995, pp. 13–25. Berger, Peter L. 1963. Invitation to Sociology: A Humanistic Perspective. New York: Anchor. Berger, Peter L., and Thomas Luckmann. 1966. The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge. New York: Anchor. Berman, Morris. 1981. The Reenchantment of the World. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. Brym, Robert J. 2011. Sociology as a Life or Death Issue. Toronto: Nelson Education Ltd. Changing Paradigms—Sir Ken Robinson RSA Edge Lecture (55 min.). Available at http://www.thersa.org/events/video/archive/sir-ken-robinson. Davis, B.G. 1993. Tools for Teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Freire, Paulo. 2000. Pedagogy of the Oppressed: 30th Anniversary Edition. London: The Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd. Mills, C. Wright. 1959. The Sociological Imagination. London: Oxford University Press. Chapter 1, The Promise, available at http://socialsciences.nsula.edu/assets/Site-Files/The-Promise.pdf. Robinson, Ken. 2009. The Element. New York: Penguin Group. Robinson, Ken. 2010. “Sir Ken Robinson—Bring on the Learning Revolution.” TEDTalk, available at http://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_bring_on_the_revolution.html. RSA 21st Century Enlightenment. Available at http://www.thersa.org/. RSA Animate—Changing Education Paradigms (12 min.). Available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U. Saul, John Ralston. 2005. The Unconscious Civilization. Toronto: House of Anansi Press Inc. Sousa, David A. 2006. How the Brain Learns, Third Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Stockdale, Steve. Basic Differences between a Pre-Scientific Orientation and a Scientific Orientation. Available at http://www.generalsemantics.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/articles/other/basic-differences-between-a-pre-scientific-orientation-by-wendell-johnson.pdf Svinicki, Marilla, and Wilbert J. McKeachie. 2011. McKeachie’s Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers, Thirteenth Edition. California: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. 9. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER WITH SUGGESTED ANSWERS 1. What role do values play in each of the main sociological theories, and how can values have a place within the science of sociology? Answer: Answers to the first part of the question will vary according to which sociological theory is under examination. However, the overall point is that values play an important role in fundamental assumptions that underpin hypotheses about society, decisions about the formulation of theories, and choices about the subjects of sociological research. As well, the fact that all sociological theories bring with them a tendency toward prescription means that there is an unresolvable tension between values and scientific objectivity. Values in Sociological Theories: In functionalism, values are crucial as they promote social cohesion and stability. Conflict theory views values as reflective of power dynamics, often serving the interests of dominant groups. Symbolic interactionism sees values as products of social interactions and meanings, shaping individuals' behaviors and perceptions. 2. What does Durkheim mean by “social solidarity”? How does he apply the term to the study of suicide? Answer: Social solidarity means the integration into a group of people, and the functional interdependence of a group of people, all within the larger social sphere. The group members share beliefs and values in their interactions. In his study of suicide, Durkheim argued that suicide rates reflect the degree of social integration (levels of social solidarity) the members have in their society. 3. Comparing Canada 100 years ago with Canada today, how and why do you think the level of social solidarity has changed? What accounts for the change? What are some consequences of the change? Has the level of social solidarity changed more for some groups than for others? If so, why, and with what consequences? Answer: Answers will vary and may include comparisons from age groups, gender, social environment, religious groups, and so on. For example: Suicide is more frequent in today’s adolescents because of their low integration into society (negative interaction with parents, low income and/or employment opportunities, less association with religion, etc.). Social Solidarity in Canada: Over the past century, social solidarity in Canada has shifted from a more homogenous, community-focused society to a diverse, individualistic one. This change is driven by increased immigration, globalization, and social movements. Consequences include greater diversity but also challenges in maintaining a cohesive national identity, with varying impacts across different cultural and socio-economic groups. 4. Do you think Canadians have more or less freedom and equality of opportunity now than they did 100 years ago? Do you think we will have more or less freedom and equality of opportunity in 100 years than we do today? Justify your argument. Answer: Freedom and Equality in Canada: Canadians today likely experience more freedom and equality of opportunity than 100 years ago due to progressive social policies and greater inclusivity. However, future changes will depend on how Canada addresses emerging challenges like technological advancements and socio-economic inequalities. Trends suggest increasing emphasis on equity and rights may continue. Appendix A Suggested Answers to Develop Your Sociological Imagination Chapter 1: A Sociological Compass Thinking Sociologically about Baby Prince George of Cambridge In July 2013, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (William and Kate) became parents. Hundreds gathered in the streets around the birth hospital and Kensington Palace to wait for the announcement of Prince George’s birth from within the Lindo Wing, a private and exclusive section of St. Mary’s hospital in London. This included the press from around the world, who waited for weeks outside of the hospital around the Duchess of Cambridge’s expected due date. Little was known about this baby in advance, including its gender, but one item was foremost in people’s minds: this was a future heir to the throne of England. In advance of the baby’s arrival, legislation was enacted allowing any baby of the Cambridge’s—male or female—to take his or her place in line to the throne. In the end, George Alexander Louis—a little boy—was born. Prince George’s birth was expected to inject millions into the British economy through everything from souvenirs to tourism. Sales of champagne were expected to skyrocket as people celebrated the birth with their friends and family. Prince George’s birth dominated headlines, including in Canada, part of the British Commonwealth. How might a sociologist make sense of the overwhelming attention of the media and regular citizens given to a little baby? It might seem bewildering why these people would take so much time and energy to focus on a baby who is quite removed from their daily lives. Application Questions 1. In 300 words or less, discuss how any two of functionalist, conflict, symbolic interaction, or feminist theorists would make sense of the attention given to Prince George’s birth. Answer: A functionalist would focus on the kind of social cohesion produced by the birth of Prince George allows British and Commonwealth citizens. People may feel connected to their country and to each other through the shared experience of a significant event like this in the royal family. Our shared values are reinforced as we collectively celebrate the birth of Prince George. A conflict theorist might emphasize how the birth of Prince George will do little to equal the playing field between individuals with wealth, like the royal family and other aristocrats, and everyday Britons who do not enjoy the same degree of privilege. Prince George will have access to the best private schools and world travel, two significant social advantages that other children will never have. A symbolic interactionist would aim to understand the kinds of meanings individuals attach to the birth of Prince George. A symbolic interactionist might focus on how the birth of Prince George produces national pride, a sense of belonging to a community, or a shared experience among mothers about the experience of childbirth. A feminist theorist might also be interested in focusing on the motherhood of the Duchess of Cambridge, and even Prince William as a father, a royal heir, and a military figure. A feminist might also be interested in exploring the legislation that enabled the Cambridge’s baby to be heir to the throne, regardless of gender, and people’s reactions to that legislation. They might argue that this legislation contributes to gender equity in the British monarchy. 2. Ask a friend or family member about their opinion on the birth of Prince George. Did they consume much of the media coverage of Prince George’s birth? How did they react to the news of Prince George’s birth, and why? Apply your understanding of the sociological theories to make sense of your friend’s or family member’s answers, using one of the major sociological perspectives. Answer: Answers will vary, but they may follow the answers provided in Q1. In both cases, students should demonstrate their ability to apply the sociological perspectives. Ask a friend or family member if they followed the media coverage of Prince George's birth and how they felt about it. They might have seen it as a significant event or merely a media spectacle. Using the symbolic interactionist perspective, their reactions can be understood as shaped by the media’s framing and personal interpretations of royal symbolism and national identity. Evaluate Sociology in the Media Chapter 1: A Sociological Compass Identifying Social Structures Social structure is a term that is often used by sociologists. Social structures are stable patterns of social relations. These stable patterns of social relations affect our thoughts and feelings, influence our actions, and help shape who we are. At a macro level, societies are viewed as structured on a number of factors—age, gender, race, and social class, to name a few. Macrostructures are overarching patterns of social relations that lie above and beyond patterns of intimate social relations (microstructures) and patterns of social relations in organizations (mesostructures). While sociologists are quick to admit that an individual’s action at the micro level relies on a measure of personal choice, sociologists also hold that large portions of these choices are structured by and can be attributed to larger social structures. The text explores how social structures underlie taken-for-granted clothing styles. In this example, we will look at how social structures shape the use of tobacco. We often think of health as a very personal matter, something related to our genetics and our lifestyle choices. This example demonstrates the value in considering how macrostructures pattern some of the choices—like smoking—related to our health. Go to http://www.smoke-free.ca/factsheets/pdf/cchs/Canada-2007-2008-equity.pdf. You will find a variety of fact sheets related to the use of tobacco and ceasing smoking. ‘Prevalence’ refers to the percentage of people smoking within that particular group, while ‘proportion’ refers to the number of smokers in that group out of all smokers. Application Questions 1. Identify five factors that are sociological and appear to be connected to the prevalence of smoking among Canadians. Using one of these sociological factors, explain how it might be considered a social structure influencing tobacco use. Answer: Examples might include: employment status, employment industry, sense of community belonging, gender, age, education, and marital status. Using the example of marital status, marital status is a kind of microstructure, related to our intimate social relations. Depending on the smoking behaviour of others in our intimate social relations, we might be more or less likely to smoke. 2. Look at the rates of successful quitting (“quit rate”) on page 3 of the PDF document. Can you identify any relationship between the quit rate and the degree to which individuals feel connected to their community? Answer: Individuals who identify a stronger sense of belonging to their community have a higher quit ratio, meaning they are more likely to successfully quit smoking. This suggests a very sociological conclusion: our immersion in a community can influence our health outcomes. 3. What kinds of conclusions can you draw about the relationship between immigrant status (whether a person was born in or out of Canada) and tobacco use? Answer: Those born outside of Canada have higher quit ratios and lower prevalence of smoking. 4. Given the conclusion you made in question 3, what kind of social policy recommendation would you make if you were a sociologist speaking to a gathering of physicians? Answer: These smoking rates and quit ratios suggest that physicians could focus their efforts on encouraging Canadians born outside of Canada to maintain their lower rates of smoking and eventually quit, believing that these Canadians born outside of Canada are very likely to be successful in their efforts to quit smoking. These findings also suggest that physicians might also consider focusing slightly more attention to those born within Canada, who are more likely to smoke and less likely to quit successfully. Chapter 2 – How Sociologists Do Research 1. LEARNING OUTCOMES (WITH BLOOM’S TAXONOMY) After completing this chapter, students should be able to: • Identify different levels of experience and their significance to sociological research. • Recognize common forms of unscientific thinking. • Understand the relationships between viewpoint and sociological understanding. • Recall the major steps involved in the conduct of qualitative and quantitative research. • Explain the ethical norms that govern sociological research. • Compare the methods of qualitative and quantitative research. 2. WHY IS THIS CHAPTER IMPORTANT TO SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS? Students are enmeshed in a social reality that is both increasingly interconnected and extraordinarily complex in terms of the amount of information that people are presented with on an ongoing basis, and which must be parsed carefully to distinguish truth from “truthiness.” Hence, student attempts to more completely and accurately understand the social world can best be supported by learning the methodologies by which objective knowledge of the social world is created by sociologists. By the same token, the legitimacy of sociology as an academic discipline requires that findings and conclusions be substantiated with and by research that has been scientifically collected and analyzed in order to be awarded “truth value.” 3. WHY SHOULD STUDENTS CARE? At first glance, the topic of sociological research might seem dry or inaccessible to students, but there are two reasons why it can be exciting as well as quite important for them. First, many students are products of a culture where the emphasis is placed on “individual experience” as the de facto source of one’s knowledge and understanding. As sociologists know, a strictly individual frame of reference is both an incomplete and misleading picture of the social world. The topic of research is an important opportunity to show how a sociological perspective can directly enrich their understanding of their lived experience beyond the scope of individualism, in a manner that is congruent with Mills notion of the sociological imagination, as introduced in Chapter 1 (pp. 10–12). Second, in our increasingly “information-dense” society, students are constantly challenged to accept a broad variety of truth claims in the media that originate in research of one kind or another. A systematic introduction to sociological research is an ideal forum in which to assist students in expanding their literacy about objectivity in the context of scientific versus unscientific knowledge claims. 4. WHAT ARE COMMON STUDENT MISCONCEPTIONS & STUMBLING BLOCKS? Students may believe that the scientific method is a dry, highly complicated process that is the exclusive preserve of highly qualified researchers. They need to be encouraged, through concrete examples and hands-on activities (see suggested activities outlined in the “Throughout the class” section), that basic sociological research using the scientific method is well within their grasp. Students may also harbour the belief that the scientific method is a step-by-step, linear process and that researchers follow the research cycle sequentially. This view may result in the belief that there is little (or no) room for creative thinking and implies that findings are “conclusions” (end of story; no need for any further thinking or research). See the online interactive graphic referred to below in “Class Exercise” (pp. 42–43 of the text also discusses this issue). Although most students will grasp the distinction between knowledge based on “objective/scientific” thinking versus “subjective/non-scientific” thinking, some sensitivity is required, for instance, in the case of students with strongly held religious views. The TEDTalk (Michael Shermer on strange beliefs) discussed below, addresses non-scientific thinking in a humorous and non-threatening way (pp. 39-41 of the textbook discusses unscientific versus scientific thinking). All students will need reminding that the borderline between scientific and non-scientific knowledge can shift, as knowledge acquisition (and the truth value awarded) is an ongoing process. The activity “Science as process” highlights how knowledge categorized as “non-scientific” thinking can become valid knowledge based on science. Many students struggle with understanding the applicability and relevance of research to everyday living. To grasp and understand the abstract concepts of theory, dependent and independent variables, spurious association, operationalization, and so on, students may require concrete demonstrations and applications in the classroom (pp. 46–55 of the text). Likewise, they may feel intimidated by the prospect of analyzing data that is found in tables and graphs, while taking at face value statistics that are reported in the media. Students may need time devoted to learning and practicing the skill of critical interrogation (see p. 51, “Reading Tables”). 5. WHAT CAN I DO IN CLASS? At the start of class: Reality and perception: Show students the one-minute video “Awareness Test” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahg6qcgoay4), which shows viewers to count the number of passes completed by one of two basketball teams. Few students will notice the ‘moonwalking bear’ who passes from one side of the frame to the other until they see the video the second time. Ask students what the video tells them about sociological research. The point here, which reinforces the opening anecdote of Chapter 2, is that reality isn’t just “out there,” but is instead a result of choices people make about what to perceive, and how to make sense of patterns. Examples from Gestalt psychology about visual perception will also engage students (http://www.users.totalise.co.uk/~kbroom/Lectures/gestalt.htm). Science as process: “Chicken soup helps get rid of a cold” (p. 37 of text). Ask the students if they believe this (by a show of hands/clicker question). Some students may volunteer that it is “knowledge based on tradition.” Discuss Dr. Stephen Rennard’s findings that chicken soup could in fact reduce inflammation in vitro (http://www.pbs.org/saf/1210/features/know2.htm). Rennard’s chicken soup study, formally titled “Chicken Soup Inhibits Neutrophil Chemotaxis In Vitro,” was published in the scientific journal Chest, in 2000, volume 118, pp. 1150–1157. Highlight the fact that science is also instrumental for validating what may be currently regarded as “invalid knowledge.” Mini quiz: (on the assigned chapter/reading for this class session) Begin with five multiple-choice questions for the students to answer. These questions can be selected and utilized as a “framework” for what you will be covering in the session. Begin with an urban myth: Ask students by a show of hands how many have heard of “the face on Mars,” then show them the iconic image, which became for many people “proof” of alien intelligence. Briefly discuss the scale of the efforts made by NASA to investigate and ultimately debunk the myth (http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2001/ast24may_1/). This is a powerful bridge to a discussion about non-scientific versus scientific knowledge. (The link contains background on the issue as well as several versions of the image.) Throughout the class: Class exercise (instructor led): Ask for volunteers to suggest research questions; have the class vote on one, and then collectively work through and discuss in terms of the research cycle. University of Berkeley has an online “interactive” graphic (entitled “The Real Process of Science”) that demonstrates the non-linearity of the research process—how “science circles back on itself so that useful ideas are built upon and used to learn even more about the natural world.” Available at http://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/howscienceworks_02. [Understand/Apply] Think/Pair/Share or Small group discussion: “Is Nearsightedness in Children Linked to Night Light Exposure During Sleep Before Age Two?” The original research study says yes (published in the May 13, 1999 issue of Nature). Two subsequent studies (published in the March 9, 2000 issue of Nature) show no association. Science NetLinks has created a student worksheet that concisely summarizes the studies and includes questions for students to answer (discuss). This is an excellent exercise that demonstrates spurious association, the value of peer review, and the ongoing investigative nature of science. (Printable worksheet available at: http://sciencenetlinks .com/student-teacher-sheets/nearsightedness-children/.) [Understand/Apply] Think/Pair/Share: Ask students to think of an instance when they participated in a survey where the results would suffer from “reactivity” (pp. 56–58) and share/discuss with a class member. [Understand/Apply/Analyze] Small group/Class discussion: Split the class into small groups and give each group a list of research questions (i.e., “Are rich people healthier?”) Either designate each group to a question, or let them choose. Provide each group with a tip sheet on research design, and ask them to discuss how they would go about investigating their question. (Some guidelines for a tip sheet can be found at https://www.boundless.com/sociology/textbooks/boundless-sociology-textbook/sociological-research-2/the-research-process-26/determining-the-research-design-168-7446/) You might want to give each group flip chart paper and markers with which to map out their research design. Then have each group present its research design to the class, ensuring that there is sufficient time for discussion as the class moves through each research question. [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] Think/Pair/Share or Small group/Class discussion: Ask students to think of and list/volunteer examples for the 10 types of “unscientific thinking” beyond the ones given in the textbook on pp. 37–38 (knowledge based on tradition, authority, casual observation). This gives students the opportunity to interrogate and critique the prevalence of unscientific thinking in their own life experiences, provides them with a list that has a more personal referent, and encourages them to think beyond and outside of the textbook. [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] Documentary: The Stanford Prison Experiment (20 min.) Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_LKzEqlPto. There is also a written summary and analysis of the experiment at http://www.prisonexp.org/legnews.htm. Ask students to make note of/ consider the research question, the research design, the ethical implications, and the generalizability of the findings. Broader application to contemporary situations can be found in Philip Zimbardo’s TED talk on Abu Ghraib in the context of the Stanford Prison Experiment and Stanley Milgram’s work (2008: 23 min.) at http://www.ted.com/talks/philip_zimbardo_on_the_psychology_of_evil?language=en [Understand/Apply] TEDTalk: Michael Shermer on strange beliefs (2006; 14 min.) Available at http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/michael_shermer_on_believing_strange_things.html. “Michael Shermer shows how we convince ourselves to believe—and overlook the facts.” Students respond well to this humorous talk (subtitle enabled) that addresses a number of concepts and ideas from this chapter in a very “non-threatening” way. [Remember/Understand] 6. HOW WILL I KNOW THAT MY STUDENTS HAVE LEARNED THE LOs? End the class with a mini quiz: Focus on multiple-choice questions that address the Learning Objectives of the chapter. Review and discuss the “correct” answers for each question. (The use of “clicker” technology and turning point slides is very effective for this exercise.) Ask the students to write and submit: A short paragraph describing “the most important thing I learned today” AND explain “why” they consider it to be important (e.g., connection to real life experience). Writing Assignment: Students are to do the following: 1. Choose an everyday sociological phenomenon that they have observed. 2. Formulate a sociological research question based on that phenomenon. 3. Describe two alternative methods for conducting their research. 4. Select one of the two methods outlined, and present a brief justification as to why that method would/should be used. (Note: Students may need assistance formulating and/or examples of “sociological research questions.”) Research and writing assignment: Does playing violent video games translate to violence in real life? (e.g., high-school shooters/bullying, etc.) Given that popular video games are increasingly more “violent,” ubiquitous, and interactive, ask students to explore and examine research articles on this issue and report their findings. Group project: Students are to collaborate on this assignment—selecting a sociological research question and designing a research study that they will present to the other class members. MindTap: Refer your students to http://www.nelson.com/student to access the MindTap for Sociology: Your Compass for a New World. MindTap is a personalized program of digital products and services that engages students with interactivity while offering students and instructors choice in content, platforms, devices, and learning tools. This resource includes quiz questions, videos, and articles that are accompanied by thought-provoking questions that challenge students to think critically about current issues and events. Ask students to utilize this learning tool, and bring to the next class any questions (difficulties) they may have in regards to information from this chapter. 7. HOW CAN I ASSESS MY OWN “PERFORMANCE”? A critical reflection on my own practice: insights and understandings: A. Did I get the attention of my students at the beginning of class? a. What did I do? Did it work? How? If not, why not? b. Did I get the right kind of attention, or the wrong kind? B. Did I allot enough time for student dialogue/participation/engagement in the learning process? a. If not, why not? b. Is there any material that can (or should) be minimized or removed in order to allow for student input and participation? c. Are there ways of transferring some of the content online to open up more time in class for participation and engagement? C. How could I incorporate more student input and participation? (e.g., clicker questions, think/pair/share, one-minute summaries) D. Were my students engaged and/or focused? If so: a. What tells me that they were? b. What concepts were we covering? c. What precisely were they engaged with and/or focused on? (i.e., video clip, documentary, debate, small group discussion, whole class discussion) d. Were there unexpected moments of engagement, i.e., in group discussion, that I recognized and incorporated? If not: a. When did I lose them? b. Why did they disengage/lose focus? E. Did I integrate formative assessment of student learning throughout the “lecture”? a. What did I do? b. Did these assessments suggest to me that they understood the key concepts? If not, was I prepared to alter my plan in response? F. Did I request feedback from the students on their learning experience in this class? i.e.: a. Submission of an “aha” moment they had b. Informal summary (point form) addressing two or three concepts covered c. Five (ten) minutes for “debriefing” at the end (of class or topic)—“What” are your questions? (not “Are there any questions?”) d. Refer students to an online survey (e.g., Blackboard learning system, toofast.ca). G. Some things to consider for the next class (modifications to consider when teaching this chapter again): a. What worked really well, and why? b. What could/should/might I do differently next time to improve student engagement and learning? H. What did I learn about this topic? What insights did I gather from my students? Were any of those insights surprising to me? I. What did I learn about my teaching, and what can I do to modify my teaching as a result? 8. WHAT OTHER RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE? [Supplementary Resources] American Statistical Association. Available at http://www.amstat.org/. Brock, Deborah, Rebecca Raby, and Mark P. Thomas (eds). 2012. POWER and Everyday Practices. Toronto: Nelson Education Ltd. (See Chapter 8, “Science as Culture,” by Aryn Martin.) Creative Research Systems. Available at http://www.surveysystem.com/sdesign.htm. Designing a Study in Sociology or Human Behavior. Available at http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/Soc_howto_observe_survey.shtml Determining the Research Design. Available at https://www.boundless.com/sociology/textbooks/boundless-sociology-textbook/sociological-research-2/the-research-process-26/determining-the-research-design-168-7446/Doing Research in Sociology (University of Waterloo). Available at http://129.97.58.10/discipline/sociology/research.html. Free Resources for Program Evaluation and Social Research Methods. Available at http://gsociology.icaap.org/methods/. Statistics Canada. Available at http://www.statscan.gc.ca. Tavares, Tonya. 2008. “Analysis of Students’ Misconceptions of Research Methods in Relations to Thinking Style.” University of Rhode Island. Available at http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/srhonorsprog/102/. Thompson, Linda. 1992. “Feminist Methodology for Family Studies.” Journal of Marriage and the Family, Vol. 54, pp. 3–18. Understanding Science. Website developed by the University of California. Available at http://undsci.berkeley.edu. Watts, Duncan J. 2011. Everything is Obvious: Once You Know the Answer. New York: Crown Business. 9. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER WITH SUGGESTED ANSWERS 1. What is the connection between objectivity and subjectivity in sociological research? Answer: Researchers require objectivity in their study of subjects and issues of interest in order to present scientific findings unbiased by personal values and opinions. Subjectivity is necessary because it envelops the creative insight and personal values of the researcher that guides (determines) the subject of inquiry. 2. What criteria do sociologists apply to select one method of data collection over another? Answer: Sociologists must consider the need for reliability, validity, generalizability, and causality for the research findings all within time and monetary constraints. The criteria are a function of the issue under examination. Each method has advantages and disadvantages; therefore, sociologists must ask themselves, “What would provide the best information?” A literature review on past and current research on the subject should shed some light on the decision. 3. What are the methodological differences between various methods of data collection? Answer: Table 2.4 (p. 61 of the text) provides a summary. Different data collection methods vary in approach and detail. Surveys use structured questionnaires for broad, quantifiable insights. Interviews provide in-depth, qualitative data through personal interaction. Observations gather data from direct, real-time experiences, while experiments test hypotheses through controlled variables. Each method balances depth, breadth, and context differently. Chapter 2: How Sociologists Do Research Application Questions 1. Recognizing Quantitative Relationships The positivist methods tradition tests a hypothesis by isolating variables and examining their relationships on a sample of respondents. The following exercise allows you to apply your understanding of how data tables are constructed and interpreted. A Gallup poll of a representative sample of adults in the United States reports the following findings about attitudes toward gay marriage: • Among respondents who personally know a gay person, 51 percent favour legalization of gay marriage; 49 percent believe gay marriages should not be legalized. • Among respondents who personally do not know a gay person, 27 percent favour legalization of gay marriage; 73 percent believe gay marriages should not be legalized. Steps: 1. What is the dependent variable in this study? What is the independent variable? 2. Create a contingency table with two columns and two rows. Place the independent and dependent variables, along with their appropriate values, on the table. Add the poll data to the table. 3. Analyze the table and draw a conclusion about whether it supports or refutes the following hypothesis: People who personally know gay persons are more likely to favour legalizing gay marriage than those who do not know gay persons. 4. Write up a short report that presents your data and justifies your conclusion. Answer: Here is a contingency table of the evidence, with Kind of Contact with Gay Persons as the independent variable and Attitudes Toward the Legalization of Gay Marriage as the dependent variable: CONTACT WITH GAY PERSONS ATTITUDES TO LEGALIZATION Personally Know a Gay Person Do Not Personally Know a Gay Person Favour 51% 27% Disfavour 49% 73% The evidence shows an average difference of 24 percent, which is substantial. The data support the hypothesis, since personally knowing a gay person makes a substantial difference to favouring legalization. 2. Ethical Research Researchers are often exceptionally devoted to their work. New scientific understanding of some topic can make a world of difference. For these reasons, researchers can be nudged to believe that desirable research ends justify questionable means. They don’t. One safeguard the research community uses to resist questionable means is research ethics approval. Between 1932 and 1972, the United States federal government conducted an infamous research study called the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment. The goal was to learn what effects resulted from untreated syphilis. The means involved a sample of black men in Alabama who had syphilis. These men were not told they had syphilis but, instead, were informed they had “bad blood.” The government generously offered them free treatments for their “bad blood” condition. Here is an example of the recruitment letter used to schedule appointments. The recruits, of course, received no treatment for their “bad blood.” Instead, a series of tests were conducted that documented the course of their deterioration due to syphilis. 1. Write a brief report addressing the following question: How does this research design measure up against the four principles of research ethics discussed in the text? Answer: Students’ responses will elaborate on the application of the four principles of ethical research to this study. The four principles of research ethics include voluntary participation, harm minimization, privacy, and authenticity. This study fails on all accounts. Subjects did not participate through informed consent, which means that they had no understanding of the risks of participation. Nor did they volunteer to participate in the actual research. Their rights to privacy were probably violated. Their participation was certainly not anonymous, and there is no sense that their personal information would be kept confidential. The entire study was based on deception and qualifies as a fully inauthentic piece of research. To evaluate a research design against the four principles of research ethics—respect for persons, beneficence, justice, and integrity—one should assess how well it protects participants' autonomy, minimizes harm while maximizing benefits, ensures fair treatment, and maintains honesty in reporting. The design must include informed consent, risk assessment, equitable selection of participants, and transparent methodology to align with these ethical principles. Chapter 2: How Sociologists Do Research Informed Consent and Social Media Research Informed consent is a key ethical standard in sociological and other social science research. One sometimes controversial exception to this standard occurs for observational research that occurs in public settings (Isugiura, 2013). The argument for this exception is that behaviour occurring “naturally” in public spaces should not have its context disturbed by the informed consent requirement. Moreover, by definition, participations know that public conduct is observable. Facebook has over a billion users who regularly share information about themselves online. Online behaviour is public, in the sense that it is readily observable to others. The reports of thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and actions online is a very rich source of data. Research based on these “big data” sources is a billion-dollar, rapid-growing industry. Facebook employs a team of talented researchers that are exploring creative ways to gain insights from the information provided on Facebook. Read the report in the following link to gain a sense of this Facebook project: http://www.technologyreview.com/featuredstory/428150/what-facebook-knows/ The use of Facebook for research purposes expanded with a publication of a study in 2014 (Kramer, et al., 2014). In this research, the emotional content of News Feeds of almost 700 000 users were manipulated. In summary, “users who saw fewer of their friends’ posts expressing negative emotions went on to express more positive and fewer negative emotions in their own posts, while users who saw fewer posts expressing positive emotions went on to express more negative and fewer positive emotions in their posts” (Chiong, 2014). The publication of this emotional manipulation study generated much controversy over the issue of informed consent. Although participants were not asked for permission to participate, the research was justified by arguing that agreeing to Facebook’s general terms and conditions constituted consent. Sources: Chiong, Winston. 2014. “Informed consent in social media research,” GeriPal. July 3. http://www.geripal.org/2014/07/informed-consent-in-social-media.html Accessed October 20, 2014. Isugiura. 2013. “When is public space private? Informed consent and online research,” Sociology Lens. http://thesocietypages.org/sociologylens/2013/10/10/when-is-a-public-space-private-informed-consent-and-online-research/ Accessed October 20, 2011. Kramer, A.D.I., J.E. Guillory, and J.T. Hancock. 2014. “Experimental evidence of massive-scale emotional contagion through social networks,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States, 111(24): 8788–8790. http://www.pnas.org/content/111/24/8788.full Accessed November 20, 2014. Application Questions 1. Illustrate how Facebook is employing users’ data to understand and influence social conduct. Answer: Example 1: A box was added to users’ Timeline pages where they could report if they were registered as organ donors. Positive responses triggered a notification to their friends. This norm-creation generated a 2300 percent increase (!) in organ donation enrolment. Example 2: In a parallel way, Facebook users can signal whether they voted in an election and nudge their friends to participate in the election. 2. Explain how the issue of informed consent applies to the Facebook emotional manipulation study. Answer: Informed consent requires that voluntary participation be based on a full understanding of the risks of participation. In this study, participants were not explicitly asked if they were willing to participate, so it is questionable that their participation was voluntary. The notion that agreeing to Facebook’s general terms and conditions constituted consent is more legalistic than reasonable. After all, what proportion of users has actually read and understands Facebook’s general terms and conditions statement? In addition, unlike earlier Facebook research that gave opportunities for conduct like organ donation subscription and voting, this research actually changed people’s emotional states. Some groups were made to feel worse and, in this sense, actual harm was done without consent. Chapter 3 – Culture 1. LEARNING OUTCOMES (WITH BLOOM’S TAXONOMY) After completing this chapter, students should be able to: • Understand the definition of culture as a shared set of symbols and its role in generating meaning and solving problems. • Understand the distinction between biological and cultural explanations for collective behaviour. • Distinguish between functionalist, symbolic interactionist, and conflict theory approaches to culture. • Understand the idea that culture both enables human freedom and functions as a mechanism of social control. 2. WHY IS THIS CHAPTER IMPORTANT TO SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS? The everyday life of students, as social beings, is an ongoing process of adapting to and integrating with their surrounding environments through the medium of culture. Culture is also central to the issues and problems that sociologists investigate. Consequently, culture is not only a foundational topic for sociology students; it is also a rich opportunity for students to understand the links between their own lives and the wider social world, including the cultural biases and tendencies of themselves as well as others. Sociological analysis requires attention to, and understanding of, the cultural processes through which social action occurs. As Canadians, living in an increasingly diverse country that has adopted a multicultural policy, we have a unique opportunity to analyze social processes with an understanding of a plurality of cultural contexts. 3. WHY SHOULD STUDENTS CARE? Students have experienced (are experiencing) a number of encounters and interactions with people from diverse cultural heritages as a result of multiculturalism and globalization. Moreover, these encounters will only increase in number as they enter the work world. Students require an understanding of their own culture and biases in order to successfully understand, interpret, and navigate these encounters. Students may be unaware that some of the “socially acceptable behaviours” they have been taught (from birth) are culturally specific and determined rather than common sense. Acquisition of this critical awareness will hopefully translate into a deeper understanding of their social identity and a broader understanding and acceptance of “others.” 4. WHAT ARE COMMON STUDENT MISCONCEPTIONS & STUMBLING BLOCKS? Although most students are intensely aware of culture in their roles as consumers and active participants, they may not understand the consequences of their own embeddedness in a culture (“What does a fish know about the water in which it swims all its life?” [Einstein]). As a result, taken-for-granted assumptions must be identified, interrogated, and used as learning opportunities. Additionally, students may reflexively rely on stereotypes when experiencing or discussing the cultures of other people. It is common to make assumptions and generalities about that which is unfamiliar; but since these are often not based on facts (but rather on popular opinions, attitudes, and media representations), they most often do not correspond with reality. Students may have difficulty seeing the links between the abstract nature of the concept of culture and their own lived experience. They may see culture as something that “someone else” experiences, or alternatively as a force imposed from without. Students require an awareness of the fact that culture is intrinsic to their lived reality, and is the emergent result of the continuing negotiations surrounding norms, values, meanings and proprieties. Understanding one’s culture and that of others is an ongoing (not a discrete) process (p. 68 in the text). 5. WHAT CAN I DO IN CLASS? At the start of class: Culture, ethnocentrism and maps: Bring an inflatable globe and toss it around the room, asking students to report on the relative sizes of selected countries and/or continents. Two good comparisons are Greenland versus Sudan, or Greenland versus South America. After establishing some comparisons, show the Mercator projection and ask students to enumerate the differences they now see in the land masses already compared. Part of the explanation will involve the mechanics of map projections, but it also introduces the issue of ethnocentrism in culture. (See http://www.ucis.pitt.edu/ncta/pdfiles/MappingEthnocentrismexcerpt.pdf for a discussion of both aspects, or http://flourish.org/upsidedownmap/ for an upside-down map of the world.) OR The Nacirema: (Note: This activity requires that students have read in advance the article “Body Ritual among the Nacirema” by Horace Miner, 1956 (available at https://www.msu.edu/~jdowell/miner.html.) At the start of class, distribute copies of the Miner article for students to use as a reference. Ask students to write for three minutes on their first reaction to the article, and then pair up with a partner and compare responses. After a few minutes, solicit responses. Then, reveal the identity of the Nacirema: start with the fact that Nacirema is simply American spelled backward, and focus on some of the key descriptions and terms, including the given location of the “tribe” in the second paragraph. (See http://www.westminster.edu/staff/brennie /wpgroup4/brotn.html for “translation” of some of the terms.) An effective conclusion to this exercise is to have students write a three-minute paragraph describing a typical practice of the ‘Naidanac’ people, take turns reading out the results, and have students guess what is being described. OR Personal space: Divide the class into working groups of 4–7 students, and give each group a measuring tape. Each group is asked to set up an impromptu experiment that involves one student standing stationary while another approaches slowly. The question to be answered through measurement is “how close is too close?” The exercise leads into a discussion of cultural norms as a set of rules that are invisible and yet highly consistent. Throughout the class: Think/pair/share: Ask students to write down the “rites of passage” that they have personally experienced and discuss with a classmate. Are there differences between the two lists? Why, or why not? [Remember/Understand/Apply/Analyze] Think/pair/share: Ask students to read the definition of “cultural capital” on p. 91. Think/pair/share: Ask students to reflect on the portrayal of fathers in a current TV show such as Modern Family, and whether it ties in with the textbook analysis of erosion of authority (p. 84). Share with a classmate. [Understand/Apply] Class discussion/Small group discussion: “The Two Faces of Culture.” Offer students a brief summary of the argument in the text about culture as freedom versus constraint (pp. 74–91). In looking at aspects of their life experience (e.g., group behaviour, pop culture, fashion), do students agree or disagree with the idea of culture as constraining or shaping? Use small groups of 4–7, and then discuss as a class. [Apply/Analyze] Class discussion/Small group discussion: “Defining culture.” Have students volunteer a definition of culture, record their “evolving” definition and substantiate with connections to text material and life experiences. Utilization of the graphics found in Fons Trompenaars presentation (specifically slides 15, 16, 18: “A Model of Culture,” available at http://cms.eventassist.nl/websites/AllenOvery_ExpandingCircles/docs/Presentatie%20Fons%20Trompenaars.pdf) will help students to concretize the abstract. [Remember/Understand/Apply] Consumerism in our culture—When does it start? (pp. 88–90 of text) The documentary “Consuming Kids: The Commercialization of Childhood” (2008; 67 minutes) opens with “The consumer embryo begins to develop during the first year of existence...” and argues that our culture of commodification and consumption is reshaping childhood. Available from Media Education Foundation for purchase; see their website at http://www.mediaed.org/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=134#film-praise. Note also the link to a study guide that includes discussion questions. See also “Neuromarketing: Programming the Brain to Buy” (2012; 56 minutes). Available from Films on Demand for instructors with access. This documentary has excellent segments on marketing to children. Discuss. [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] 6. HOW WILL I KNOW THAT MY STUDENTS HAVE LEARNED THE LOs? Experiential learning of social norms: This assignment demonstrates to students how (taken-for-granted) social norms permeate our lives. See Breaking a Social Norm Assignment, http://www.nyu.edu/classes/persell/aIntroNSF/LessonPlans/Lesson%20PlanBreakingSocialNorm.htm. (Note: While the assignment focuses on the social norms of dress/attire, it could be easily modified to address the plethora of other social norms that we encounter daily—i.e., behaviour on city transit, manners while eating, and so on. An alternative to the written assignment is to gently challenge students to break a social norm. For instance, how would they feel about greeting strangers on a city bus?) Research/writing assignment: Ask students to agree or disagree with the argument presented in the text that Canada is a postmodern culture with distinctive differences from the United States (pp. 85–87). What do they feel it means to be a Canadian? Writing response paper: Ask the students to read Box 3.2 (p. 78) on the proposed Québec Charter of Values, research media updates on the issue, and take a stand on whether Québec has a solid rationale for seeking to ban some religious symbols in public spaces. What does the controversy say about culture in Québec? MindTap: Refer your students to http://www.nelson.com/student to access the MindTap for Sociology: Your Compass for a New World. MindTap is a personalized program of digital products and services that engages students with interactivity while offering students and instructors choice in content, platforms, devices, and learning tools. This resource includes quiz questions, videos, and articles that are accompanied by thought-provoking questions that challenge students to think critically about current issues and events. Ask students to utilize this learning tool, and bring to the next class any questions (difficulties) they may have in regards to information from this chapter. 7. HOW CAN I ASSESS MY OWN “PERFORMANCE”? A critical reflection on my own practice: insights and understandings: A. Did I get the attention of my students at the beginning of class? a. What did I do? Did it work? How? If not, why not? b. Did I get the right kind of attention, or the wrong kind? B. Did I allot enough time for student dialogue/participation/engagement in the learning process? a. If not, why not? b. Is there any material that can (or should) be minimized or removed in order to allow for student input and participation? c. Are there ways of transferring some of the content online to open up more time in class for participation and engagement? C. How could I incorporate more student input and participation? (e.g., clicker questions, think/pair/share, one-minute summaries) D. Were my students engaged and/or focused? If so: a. What tells me that they were? b. What concepts were we covering? c. What precisely were they engaged with and/or focused on? (i.e., video clip, documentary, debate, small group discussion, whole class discussion) d. Were there unexpected moments of engagement, i.e., in group discussion, that I recognized and incorporated? If not: a. When did I lose them? b. Why did they disengage/lose focus? E. Did I integrate formative assessment of student learning throughout the “lecture”? a. What did I do? b. Did these assessments suggest to me that they understood the key concepts? If not, was I prepared to alter my plan in response? F. Did I request feedback from the students on their learning experience in this class? i.e.: a. Submission of an “aha” moment they had b. Informal summary (point form) addressing two or three concepts covered c. Five (ten) minutes for “debriefing” at the end (of class or topic)—“What” are your questions? (not “Are there any questions?”) d. Refer students to an online survey (e.g., Blackboard learning system, toofast.ca). G. Some things to consider for the next class (modifications to consider when teaching this chapter again): a. What worked really well, and why? b. What could/should/might I do differently next time to improve student engagement and learning? H. What did I learn about this topic? What insights did I gather from my students? Were any of those insights surprising to me? I. What did I learn about my teaching, and what can I do to modify my teaching as a result? 8. WHAT OTHER RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE? [Supplementary Resources] Berger, Peter L., and Thomas Luckmann. 1967. The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge. Harmondsworth, U.K.: Penguin Books. Brym, Robert J. 2011. Sociology as a Life or Death Issue. Toronto: Nelson Education Ltd. CARLA: Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition, University of Minnesota. What Is Culture? Available at http://www.carla.umn.edu/culture/definitions.html. Hall, Stuart (Ed.). 1997. Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices. London: The Open University/Sage Publications. Hammond, Ross A., and Robert Axelrod. 2006. “The Evolution of Ethnocentrism.” Journal of Conflict Resolution Vol. 50, no. 6 (Dec. 2006), pp. 926–936. Hebdige, Dick. 1979. Subculture: The Meaning of Style. London: Routledge. Trompenaars, Fons. March 27, 2009. Riding the Waves of Culture: Reducing Lines, Expanding Circles. (Slide Presentation available at http://cms.eventassist.nl/websites/AllenOvery_ExpandingCircles/docs/Presentatie%20Fons%20Trompenaars.pdf.) Trompenaars, Fons, and Charles Hampden-Turner. 1998. Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Diversity in Global Business. New York: McGraw-Hill. Wilkins, Amy C. 2008. Wannabes, Goths, and Christians: The Boundaries of Sex, Style, and Status. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 9. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER WITH SUGGESTED ANSWERS 1. We consume culture but we also create it. What elements of culture have you played a role in creating? Under what conditions were you prompted to do so? Was your cultural contribution strictly personal or was it shared with others? Why? Answer: Personal opinion answers may vary. Best answers will involve examples from each element of culture: beliefs, norms and values, material/non-material culture (see Table 3.1, The Building Blocks of Culture, p. 70 of text). Example of belief: A slang word created and shared by you and your friends/age group that expresses a particular shared belief about the world around you. Conditions could be the environment and the origins of how the word was created, and the cultural contribution could be both personal and/or shared, depending on how the student explains it. Example of norm and values: Do not make eye contact with people in an elevator/face forward in an elevator. It is “social etiquette” adopted by the general public and is a form of “public cooperation” when a passenger on an elevator. Example of material/non-material culture: The desire for name brand clothing or the idea of beauty. Social media promotes ideals, which the public adopts (buys into), which in turn is produced by companies (clothing/beauty products/diet aids, etc.), and then bought and consumed by individuals. Poll students about their response to the observation that much clothing serves as free advertising for major brands due to the prevalence of brand logos on clothing. Is this a plus, a minus, or both? Creating Culture: I’ve contributed to culture through engaging in and sharing ideas on technology and language use, often in online communities. These contributions were prompted by curiosity and the need for communication. They are shared publicly, as digital interactions are collective by nature, reflecting a blend of personal and communal creation. I contribute to culture by generating creative ideas and providing information that users incorporate into their projects. My contributions are shared with others, as they inform and inspire collective cultural expressions rather than being personal creations. 2. Are you a member of a subculture that seems odd, inexplicable, or irrational to others? Explain how the subculture you identify with makes sense to its members. Answer: Answers will vary. Examples of subcultural groups could include goth, punk, hip hop and rave cultures, skaters, boarders, bikers, Star Trek fans (trekkers or trekkies), and so on. Subculture Identification: I identify with online gaming communities, which may seem odd to some due to their immersive nature. For members, these subcultures make sense as they provide social connection, shared experiences, and a sense of achievement, all grounded in common interests and values. It engage with diverse cultural and intellectual communities through interactions. These communities find coherence in shared values, interests, and practices that might seem unconventional to outsiders. 3. Do you think the freedoms afforded by postmodern culture outweigh the constraints it places on us? Why, or why not? Answer: Personal opinion and answers will vary. Answers should address the eclectic mix of elements from different times and places, erosion of authority, and decline of consensus around core values. Postmodern Freedoms vs. Constraints: The freedoms in postmodern culture, like increased access to information and diverse perspectives, offer significant benefits. However, they also come with constraints such as information overload and fragmented identities. Whether freedoms outweigh constraints depends on individual perspectives and how effectively one navigates these complexities. Postmodern culture's freedoms allow for diverse expression and innovation, but its constraints, such as relativism and fragmented identity, can create uncertainty. The balance between freedom and constraint often depends on individual perspectives and values. Chapter 3: Culture Thinking Sociologically about Culture—Walking Billboards Before billboards, “sandwich boards” were a common advertising tool. A sandwich board is created by draping front and back advertising boards over a person, who then walks up and down the street. Sandwich boards are still around today and serve as walking billboards. The omnipresent T-shirt is another form of walking billboard. T-shirts began as a form of underwear, but now serve as canvasses for symbolic expression. The prominent images and text on T-shirts allow wearers to tell the world something they consider important. T-shirts are a form of material culture. As Chapter 3 reminds you, material culture is the concrete expression of the beliefs, norms, and values of non-material culture. Examine the T-shirts that you own and record all their symbolic content. Do not restrict yourself to simply recording the images and text they contain. Also include colours, fabric type, design features, and manufacturer’s labels. Application Questions 1. Look at the images and text on your T-shirts. Classify this content in terms of whether it expresses beliefs, norms, or values. Examine the frequency of these different types of expression on your T-shirt collection. What does this analysis tell you about yourself and the image you are projecting? Answer: Classify the content on your T-shirts as expressing beliefs (e.g., political slogans), norms (e.g., casual dress codes), or values (e.g., environmental messages). Analyzing the frequency of these expressions can reveal personal priorities and how you wish to be perceived, reflecting your identity and values through your clothing choices. 2. Interpret the meaning of the symbolic content of the three T-shirts that you wear most commonly. Is the manifest content (i.e., colours, images, and text) consistent or at odds with the latent content (i.e., design features, fabric type, designer label)? How does this alignment affect the message that your T-shirts are advertising? Answer: Answers will vary depending on the content of each student’s T-shirt collection. The basic idea, however, is to get students to reflect on the following points: • Aspects of material objects become meaningful through cultural interpretation. Commonly, cultural interpretations are expressed as beliefs, norms, or values. Consciously or unconsciously, the clothing we select tells others something about ourselves. • Advertised messages are more potent when their components are aligned (consistent). For example, an expensive, high quality, designer T-shirt that promotes social equality sends a dissonant message. Examine the symbolic content of your three most worn T-shirts, noting how the manifest content (colors, images, text) aligns with or contrasts with the latent content (design features, fabric type, designer label). Consistent alignment strengthens the message, making it clear and cohesive, while discrepancies might create mixed signals about the intended image or values being projected. Chapter 3: Culture Sapir-Whorf and Happiness The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis emphasizes the place and importance of language in shaping our experience. Language plays a key role in the social construction of reality. The text refers to a classic illustration—the large number of words for “snow” that exist in the language of the Inuit. Snow is a critical feature in Inuit people’s environment and they conceptualize it accordingly. The same principle applies to those of us who live in environments outside the Arctic. The following link is to a cartoon illustrating this point: http://www.cartoonistgroup.com/store/add.php?iid=36793 Bluetooth telephone connectivity was more common in Europe before it became prevalent in North America. The first time I encountered the technology that allows “hands-free” conversation was at the airport in Frankfurt. I had recovered my bags after a long trans-Atlantic flight and shortly afterward encountered a guy walking toward me talking aloud (I thought to himself). I immediately took this as a sign of a deviant actor of whom I should be wary. Sam Harris is a controversial public intellectual. In part of his new book, Waking Up, he discusses the character of internal dialogue that most people continuously conduct with themselves. In the following link, he mentions this point during his conversation with CBC host Mary Hynes. http://www.cbc.ca/tapestry/episode/2014/10/31/tame-your-mind-no-religion-required/ Application Questions Listen to the podcast conversation and think about how Sapir-Whorf helps us understand how self-talk contributes to our level of happiness. 1. How does the cartoon use the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, and how does it illustrate ethnocentricity? Answer: Classic examples of Sapir-Whorf tend to emphasize distant cultures, leaving the impression that this principle is more applicable to others than to ourselves. The cartoon pokes fun at standard ethnocentric examples by reversing the viewpoint. Stereotyped Inuit are musing about the excessive attention southerners (again stereotypically) give to their lawns. 2. What cultural reason explains why I labelled the airport actor as “deviant”? Answer: Cultural understanding provides meaning to our experience. At the time, my “North American culture” had provided me no understanding of “Bluetooth” technology. Hands-free telephone conversation was, in my understanding, impossible. So I relied on the cultural stereotypes that I did have to interpret my experience. The specific stereotype in mind was that only people who are “mad” walk around in public talking to themselves. In the airport, I encountered a person conducting himself that was, and used the cultural label I had in mind. 3. How does Sapir-Whorf apply to the Sam Harris characterization of typical internal dialogues? Answer: Harris’ point is that if our typical internal dialogues were publicly broadcast, others would label us as “mad.” Much of our internal conversations are filled with negative sentiment, including recycling regret about past events, and fear and anxiety about future ones. Such conversation, à la Sapir-Whorf, helps shape our present experience and, in doing so, contributes to our unhappiness (which Harris calls “suffering”). Chapter 4 – Socialization 1. LEARNING OUTCOMES (WITH BLOOM’S TAXONOMY) After completing this chapter, students should be able to: • Appreciate the importance of social interaction as a catalyst for the development of human potential, including the ability to see oneself as different from others. • Evaluate the historical context of stages in the life course. • Contrast the declining influence of the family over the last century with that of the increasing influence of other agents of socialization (i.e., peer groups, mass media, schools). • Compare the current-day plasticity of self-identity with the more stable and fixed sense of self-identity of several decades ago. 2. WHY IS THIS CHAPTER IMPORTANT TO SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS? Since it is socialization that transforms humans from an intelligent species of ape into complex and creative social beings, a nuanced understanding of socialization is critical for sociology students. Self-identity is the lens through which people understand how they are situated within the social world, and even though the socialization process begins with and is rooted in early childhood experiences, it continues through the entire life trajectory. The single most important thing for a sociology student to learn about socialization is the dynamic interplay between social influences such as family or the Internet, and his or her own agency. This is especially pertinent in an era characterized by rapid social change and a sense of increasing plasticity of self-identity. 3. WHY SHOULD STUDENTS CARE? The development of one’s self-identity is an ongoing and fluid endeavour. Moreover, self-identities are changing faster, more often, and more completely than they did in decades past. Understanding this process may lead to greater critical awareness, self-acceptance, and respect for “others.” One problematic aspect of socialization that has deep-seated and far-reaching impacts on both female and male students is that of gender. A critical awareness of gender socialization will hopefully enable students to question their taken-for-granted assumptions regarding masculine/feminine behaviours, choices, and societal expectations. 4. WHAT ARE COMMON STUDENT MISCONCEPTIONS & STUMBLING BLOCKS? Students may have fundamental difficulty being able to look at their own self-identity as the result of complex social processes rather than as a ‘natural’ outgrowth of their individuality (pp. 96–98 of the text). In other words, students tend to take an individualist perspective when considering their own “self-identity” (i.e., I am who I am because of the choices “I’ve” made). Similarly, students are likely to resist seeing socialization as anything but a benign process that brings out everyone’s potential. Concepts such as the hidden curriculum (p. 105) that link socialization to social inequality may be difficult for them to grasp. Students may have difficulty examining the lives of people very different from themselves without judging them rather than appreciating the profound effect that socialization has on forming who people are and their subsequent choices of action (pp. 98–99). Students may assume that their gender identity (and by default, everyone else’s) is ‘natural’ – in other words, a result of biology. This assumption then leads to an underestimation of the impact that social forces have on the construction of a gender identity (pp. 109–110). Students may be sceptical of the idea that socialization differs dramatically by historical context and culture instead of representing a universal process (pp. 100–103). The theories of Freud, Cooley, and Mead may prove challenging to grasp for some students, since they are often unfamiliar with (unconscious of) the “stages of development” they personally experienced on the path to attaining their current level of cognitive complexity. It is beneficial to incorporate numerous examples; ask students to volunteer personal experiences that connect to the propositions made by the theorists (pp. 96–98). 5. WHAT CAN I DO IN CLASS? At the start of class: Start with a question: What makes us what we are? Is it our genes, or our upbringing, or ‘human nature’? Ask students for their ideas. Then discuss one or both of two types of cases: a) isolated/feral children, i.e., Victor (the “savage of Aveyron” mentioned on p. 96 of the text), Genie (“secret of the wild child,” addressed below), or http://palabras.clovis.edu/index.php/2013/04/19/isolated-children/ b) identical twins, i.e., the iconic case of Oskar and Jack Yufe (see http://www.intropsych.com/ch11_personality/bouchards_twin_research.html for background) Start with an absurd “experiment”: Announce to students at the beginning of class that since new research indicates differences in average IQ according to eye colour, seminar groups will be reorganized to separate the brighter blue-eyed students from the brown-eyed students who will need extra help. Solicit their response, and then ask if students have heard of former teacher Jane Elliott’s “Blue Eyes Brown Eyes” exercise (http://www.janeelliott.com). Link it to the Thomas theorem and the connection to the self-fulfilling prophecy (p. 106). Throughout the class: Think/Pair/Share: Ask students to list the basic skills that a five-year-old has generally mastered prior to starting school (secondary socialization), and compare their list with a classmate. OR Brainstorm as a class. Then view: “Secret of the Wild Child” (Emmy Award–winning documentary; 60 min. PBS Airdate: March 4, 1997. Available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEnkY2iaKis—Part 1 of 6 segments. Follow through the sequence if you would like to use the whole documentary in class). Compare student lists (class list) to “Genie’s skills” and discuss the importance of family environment and socialization to human potentiality. (Note: Additional resources—Transcript of the documentary is available at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/2112gchild.html.) [Remember/Apply/Analyze] Think/Pair/Share: Ask students to imagine they’re with a group of friends and to record what a typical interaction would consist of (i.e., language used/topics discussed/type of behaviour); then to imagine they’re interacting with their parents, as a student in the classroom, as an employee in the workplace. Share and compare with a fellow student. Discuss the similarities and differences in the interactions. [Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] Think/Pair/Share: “Boomers and bust.” View this 2013 video on the demographic shift catalyzed by the aging of the Baby Boom generation (7:47; available at http://www.thewhig.com/2013/06/14/boomers-and-bust). Review pp. 101–103 on generations, and discuss the challenges ahead for Canadian society as a whole. [Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] One-minute summary: Ask students to choose one of the theories of childhood socialization (Freud, Cooley, or Mead), and write a clear and concise summary after the lecture segment that addresses it. [Remember/Understand] Small group discussion: (Ensure that the groups are a “mix” of male and female students). Discuss the “gender role” socialization that you have experienced in your family, at school, and via the media. Compare and contrast that experienced by the females in the group with that experienced by the males in the group. Are they different? If so, how and why? If not, why not? [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] Small group/Class discussion: “Gender socialization and toys.” Bring a box of small, mixed toys to class, and ask for four volunteers – two male and two female. Ask them to see how quickly they can sort the box into toys for boys and toys for girls; time them, just for fun. Then ask the group how they were able to decide so quickly between the two categories. What are the characteristics of toys for each gender? Enumerate them, and have the class as a whole help out. Discuss, then bridge into gender socialization (pp. 109–110). [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] Small group/Class discussion: Self-fulfilling Prophesies—Ask students to create a list of five self-fulfilling prophecy examples. They may tend to focus on those they have personally experienced, so encourage them to consider those evident in our society. Discuss how “social prejudices” against “groups” of people can be understood within the context of self-fulfilling prophesies (p. 106). (Note: This exercise can be preceded by a showing of “Learning Behavior [sic] with Captions” [Robert Rosenthal interview introduced by Philip Zimbardo; 5 min.], available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRTCG54nLss.) [Understand/Apply] Think/Pair/Share: “The hidden curriculum consists of those things pupils learn through the experience of attending school rather than the stated educational objectives of such institutions.” (Michael Haralambos; see also p. 105 of the text). Ask students to make a list of the “unintended lessons” they are learning, or have learned, and share with a classmate. [Understand/Apply] Think/Pair/Share: Ask students if they have ever been the “victim” of a self-fulfilling prophecy (p. 106) or conversely if they have ever benefited from one. Share and discuss their answer with a fellow student. [Understand/Apply/Analyze] Class debate: Women “are born” emotional versus women “are socialized” to be emotional. Connect the arguments to the Thomas theorem: “situations we define as real become real in their consequences” (p. 106). [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] Documentary: Jesus Camp (2006 Documentary; 1 hr. 20 min.) Nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 79th Academy Awards. (Available at http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/jesus-camp/#disqus_thread.) A look inside a charismatic Christian summer camp focused on socializing and teaching children to be “soldiers in the army of God.” Discussion could focus either on peer groups (pp. 106–107) or resocialization (pp. 110–111). If time is an issue, view the first 25 minutes and begin a (small group/class) discussion on “contradictory lessons” that children and youth may experience through the socialization process. [Understand/Apply/Analyze] Think/Pair/Share: Agents of socialization. Ask students to reflect on contradictory messages they may have received from two different agents of socialization (pp. 104–105). For example, the topic of recreational drug use was likely broached very differently by family versus peers. Discuss and then share with the class. [Understand/Apply/Analyze] What makes good people do bad things? View “The psychology of evil,” a 2008 TED talk by Dr. Philip Zimbardo (23:16; available at http://www.ted.com/talks/philip_zimbardo_on_the_psychology_of_evil#t-2052). What does he mean when he distinguishes between bad apples, bad barrels, and bad barrel makers? Discuss. [Understand/Apply/ Analyze/Evaluate] 6. HOW WILL I KNOW THAT MY STUDENTS HAVE LEARNED THE LOs? Comment paper: If a documentary was utilized in the class, ask students to write a short comment paper. End the class with a mini quiz: Focus on multiple-choice questions that address the Learning Objectives of the chapter. Review and discuss the “correct” answers for each question. (The use of “clicker” technology and turning point slides is very effective for this exercise.) Ask students to write a concise summary: (i.e., point form/list) of the session answering: “What did I learn today?” and submit. Ask students (in pairs/small groups) to create and submit a question (with answer): The question should be one that they would like to be included on an upcoming exam. Some of these questions could be developed into a multiple-choice format and used at the start of the next class as a review of the material from this session. It allows students to engage with the exam creation, and if used as part of the next session’s opening questions, it enables them to self-assess their learning and engagement in the previous session. Set up an online survey tool account: (i.e., www.toofast.ca) and ask/instruct students to answer one or two questions, such as What did I learn today that precipitated an “aha” moment? What did I not understand in today’s class? (This provides you with feedback on the teaching in addition to the student learning. The difficulties with understanding could then be addressed in the next class.) MindTap: Refer your students to http://www.nelson.com/student to access the MindTap for Sociology: Your Compass for a New World. MindTap is a personalized program of digital products and services that engages students with interactivity while offering students and instructors choice in content, platforms, devices, and learning tools. This resource includes quiz questions, videos, and articles that are accompanied by thought-provoking questions that challenge students to think critically about current issues and events. Ask students to utilize this learning tool, and bring to the next class any questions (difficulties) they may have in regards to information from this chapter. 7. HOW CAN I ASSESS MY OWN “PERFORMANCE”? A critical reflection on my own practice: insights and understandings: A. Did I get the attention of my students at the beginning of class? a. What did I do? Did it work? How? If not, why not? b. Did I get the right kind of attention, or the wrong kind? B. Did I allot enough time for student dialogue/participation/engagement in the learning process? a. If not, why not? b. Is there any material that can (or should) be minimized or removed in order to allow for student input and participation? c. Are there ways of transferring some of the content online to open up more time in class for participation and engagement? C. How could I incorporate more student input and participation? (e.g., clicker questions, think/pair/share, one-minute summaries) D. Were my students engaged and/or focused? If so: a. What tells me that they were? b. What concepts were we covering? c. What precisely were they engaged with and/or focused on? (i.e., video clip, documentary, debate, small group discussion, whole class discussion) d. Were there unexpected moments of engagement, i.e., in group discussion, that I recognized and incorporated? If not: a. When did I lose them? b. Why did they disengage/lose focus? E. Did I integrate formative assessment of student learning throughout the “lecture”? a. What did I do? b. Did these assessments suggest to me that they understood the key concepts? If not, was I prepared to alter my plan in response? F. Did I request feedback from the students on their learning experience in this class? i.e.: a. Submission of an “aha” moment they had b. Informal summary (point form) addressing two or three concepts covered c. Five (ten) minutes for “debriefing” at the end (of class or topic)—“What” are your questions? (not “Are there any questions?”) d. Refer students to an online survey (e.g., Blackboard learning system, toofast.ca). G. Some things to consider for the next class (modifications to consider when teaching this chapter again): a. What worked really well, and why? b. What could/should/might I do differently next time to improve student engagement and learning? H. What did I learn about this topic? What insights did I gather from my students? Were any of those insights surprising to me? I. What did I learn about my teaching, and what can I do to modify my teaching as a result? 8. WHAT OTHER RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE? [Supplementary Resources] Gatto, John Taylor. 2005. Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling. Gabriola, BC: New Society Publishers. Gergen, Kenneth. 1991. The Saturated Self: Dilemmas of Identity in Contemporary Life. New York: Basic. Gladwell, Malcolm. 2008. Outliers: The Story of Success. New York: Little, Brown and Company/ Hatchette Book Group. Hatton, Erin, and Mary Trautner. 2011. “Equal Opportunity Objectification? The Sexualization of Men and Women on the Cover of Rolling Stone.” Sexuality & Culture. Available at http://seejane.org/wp-content/uploads/Hatton_Trautner_Sexuality_and_Culture.pdf Kegan, Robert. 1994. In over Our Heads: The Mental Demands of Modern Life. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Keller, Helen. 1903. The Story of My Life. Available at http://olinepublishing.com/The%20Story%20Of%20My%20Life-Helen%20Keller.pdf (2006). Park, Eunjin, and Kendall King. 2003. “Cultural Diversity and Language Socialization in the Early Years.” CAL (Center for Applied Linguistics). Available at http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/0313park.html. Pines, Maya. September 1981. “The Civilizing of Genie.” Psychology Today. Available at http://kccesl.tripod.com/genie.html (also includes a link to questions). Rigler, David. 1993. “Letter to the Editor” (of the New York Times) re: “The review of Russ Rymer’s book, Genie: An Abused Child’s Flight From Silence.” Available at http://www.nytimes.com/1993/06/13/books/l-letters-669393.html?src=pm. Strasburger, Victor C., and Barbara J. Wilson. 2002. Children, Adolescents and the Media. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. 9. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER WITH SUGGESTED ANSWERS 1. Do you think of yourself in a fundamentally different way from the way your parents (or other close relatives or friends at least 20 years older than you) thought of themselves when they were your age? Interview your parents, relatives, or friends to find out. Pay particular attention to the way in which the forces of globalization may have altered self-conceptions over time. Answer: Answers may vary. Concentrate on the adult’s socialization into the population in comparison to and in contrast with the student’s personal experiences. Theories of childhood socialization can provide support for the answer (pp. 96–98). Self-Concepts Across Generations: Interviews reveal that my self-concept is influenced by globalization, with a focus on global connectivity and diverse perspectives, unlike my parents' more localized self-view. Globalization has broadened my sense of identity and opportunities, highlighting a shift from traditional to more global self-conceptions. 2. Have you ever participated in an initiation rite in university, in the military, or in a religious organization? If so, describe the ritual rejection, ritual death, and ritual rebirth that made up the rite. Do you think the rite increased your identification with the group you were joining? Did it increase the sense of solidarity—the “we-feeling”—of the group members? Answer: Answers will vary and many examples are available. A complete answer would involve a detailed description of the initiation rite and the relation to the different agents of socialization (p. 110). Initiation Rites: In university, an initiation involved a challenging series of activities symbolizing rejection of old selves, a grueling experience representing ritual death, and a transformative process leading to a renewed sense of belonging. This rite significantly strengthened my group identification and enhanced our collective solidarity. 3. List the contradictory lessons that different agents of socialization taught you as an adolescent. How have you resolved these contradictory lessons? If you have not resolved them, how do you intend to do so? Answer: Contradictory Socialization Lessons: Adolescence brought conflicting messages from media (individual success) and family (community values). I’ve reconciled these by prioritizing personal goals within a framework of communal support. Ongoing reflection and dialogue with mentors continue to shape this balance. Chapter 4: Socialization Thinking about Your Adolescent Socialization Sociologically When you were between the ages of 10 and 17, how often were you at home or with friends without adult supervision? How often did you prepare your own meals or take care of a younger sibling while your parent(s) worked? How many hours a week did you spend cleaning your house? Or working at a part-time job to earn spending money or save for college or university? How many hours a week did you spend on extracurricular activities associated with your school? How many hours a week did you watch TV? If you are like most Canadian preteens and teenagers, many of your waking hours outside of school were spent without adult supervision and assuming substantial adult responsibilities, such as paid work. You are unlikely to have spent much time on extracurricular activities associated with your school, but you likely spent a lot of time watching TV or were on the Internet. Application Questions 1. Some sociologists assert that adolescence may be disappearing as a distinctive life stage. Based on your experience as an adolescent during the ages of 10 to 17, do you agree or disagree with this assertion? Answer: Answers will vary depending on the adolescent experience. If a student has been involved in paid work, spent significant time away from adult supervision, did not participate in a large number of high-school extracurricular activities, and so on, they might find support for the sociological viewpoint that adolescence may be disappearing. It could be considered a disappearing life stage because adolescents are increasingly taking on the responsibilities of adults at a younger age, closer to when they are in their childhood stage. Based on my analysis, adolescence may be evolving rather than disappearing, with shifts in societal expectations and transitions. While traditional markers of adolescence like school and family roles remain significant, the boundaries and experiences of this life stage are increasingly fluid, influenced by changes in education, technology, and cultural norms. 2. How might family background influence the experience of adolescence? Answer: If a student comes from a wealthier family background, they may not be as compelled to work in the paid labour market. This extra time, alongside the additional family resources, may also mean more substantial participation in extracurricular activities in school. Given the above, one could make an argument that adolescent socialization looks quite different depending on your social class background. Family background can significantly shape adolescence by affecting access to resources, social support, and educational opportunities. A stable and supportive family environment often fosters positive development, while economic challenges or family instability can create additional stressors and impact social and emotional growth during this period. 3. How do a sociologist and a psychologist differ in their approaches to understanding adolescent socialization? Answer: A psychologist would be more inclined to view childhood and adolescence as a series of predetermined steps that all youth go through as they reach adulthood. A sociologist, on the other hand, would explore the social factors that influence the shape that adolescence actually takes for different youths, including youths of different social and geographical locations. Chapter 4: Socialization Cyberbullying and Socialization According to your textbook, peer groups are important agents of socialization. From middle school through adolescence, the peer group is often the dominant socializing agent. Conflict can exist between the values promoted by parents and the values promoted by the peer group. On the other hand, peer groups can help integrate youth into society. Alternately, peer groups can cause substantial harm. In the past few years, Canadians have seen a number of news stories about bullying and, increasingly, cyberbullying. The case of Amanda Todd, in particular, attracted international attention, in part because of her public documentation via YouTube of her cyberbullying. More recently, the case of Rehtaeh Parsons in Nova Scotia has again brought attention to the issue of bullying and cyberbullying. Application Questions Go to the following link and read the news report about the case of Rehtaeh Parsons: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/04/12/rehtaeh_parsons_a_familys_tragedy_and_a_towns_shame.html 1. Keeping in mind the role of the peer group in socialization and the insights into suicide provided by Durkheim, discussed in Chapter 1, what kinds of questions might a sociologist ask about the death of Parsons? Answer: A sociologist would likely explore some of the following questions: • What kind of adult supervision did youth like Parsons and others in her community experience? • Before the alleged sexual assault, how integrated into her school community was Parsons? • What other agents of socialization are dominant in the community? Are these in conflict with family groups? 2. Parsons’ death is tied to the rise of the mass media, in particular the Internet. Thinking sociologically, what kind of policy would you recommend to help overcome the role of the Internet in cyberbullying? Answer: Answers will vary. Some possibilities might include greater awareness about legal sanctions regarding the distribution of pictures, like those passed via text and messaging that showed Parsons; a means to anonymously provide tips to police and community agents about Internet activity, to prevent the concerns expressed by some of the students quoted in the article; creating stronger bonds between youth and a stronger set of norms around appropriate behaviour in social settings and over the Internet. To combat cyberbullying, I recommend implementing comprehensive digital literacy programs in schools, alongside stricter regulations on online platforms to ensure accountability and protect users from harassment. 3. How might Charles Horton Cooley interpret the circumstances that ultimately led to the death of Parsons? Answer: Cooley would focus on how Parsons’ depleted sense of self was a result of the negative evaluations she perceived from those around her. 4. How might George Herbert Mead interpret the circumstances that ultimately led to the death of Parsons? Answer: Mead would focus attention on how Parsons was seeing herself through the eyes of the “generalized other.” Mead would explore how those around Parsons played a dominant role in emphasizing the cultural standards by which her behaviour was judged, socializing Parsons regarding appropriate behaviour for young females. Solution Manual for Sociology My Compass for a New World Robert J. Brym, Lance W. Roberts, Lisa Strohschein, John Lie 9780176532031, 9780495763963