Please be sure to come to the first class prepared with the first day’s reading done.
Who knows, there could be a quiz!
SOCIOLOGY 3316 –
SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE ON PSYCHOLOGY
SPRING 2007 – Sat 8-12 AM,
Track B
(1/27, 2/10, 2/24, 3/10,
3/31, 4/21 5/5)
Sara Horsfall, Ph.D.
Phone 531-4264
Email: shorsfall@txwes.edu
http://web.txwesleyan.edu/sociology/horsfall
Office Hours:
Texts:
1.
The Production of Reality by Jodi O’Brien, Fourth Edition. Pine Forge Press.
2006.
2.
Various readings, including sections from Interaction Ritual Chains by Randall
Collins. Princeton Univ Press. 2005.
PREREQUISITE: SOC 2301
or consent of instructor
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course introduces the
student to sociological theories that address interpersonal interactions and
the construction of meaning. Topics included are social roles and statuses,
emotions, socialization, social control, deviance, social identity, inequality,
exchange, expectation states, collective behavior, frame analysis, and
labeling.
OBJECTIVES: This course introduces the
student to basic sociological research in the area of personal interaction and
construction of identity and meaning. Basic social psychology theories will be
covered including the standards from Weber, Simmel, Cooley, G.H. Mead, Blumer
and W.I. Thomas, as well as modern theorists such as Hoschschild, Emerson,
Becker, Goffman and others. Recent research in the different topic areas will also
be covered. By the end of the semester, the student should be familiar with,
and be able to use the major theories in this area of Sociology, such as social
roles ad statuses, socialization, social control, social identity, inequality,
exchange, symbolic interactionism, ethnomethodology, phenomenology, frame
analysis and labeling. Students should also develop a basic understanding of
the research methods involved and come to know where to look for future
developments in this area.
FORMAT: The format of the course
will consist of focused discussion, two individual research papers and tests.
Each student is expected to come to each class fully prepared, having read all
the relevant material assigned for that class period.
DISCUSSION:
Students
will contribute to the class discussion from both the readings and their own
life. Students are cautioned against trying to “bluff” in class discussion
because of lack of preparation. Those who are not prepared will not gain as
much from the class discussion, and hence from the course. The discussion grade
will be based on use of the assigned material, willingness to participate, as
well as actual numbers of contributions made to the group discussion. Questions
are encouraged. A free flow of ideas is essential to a college education. No
student should hesitate to express him/herself for fear of being wrong. All
ideas are valuable and all contributions are welcome.
Respect
is an essential element of academic discussion and free interaction between
students and between instructor and students is essential. Disagreements can be settled by
clarification of the issues and amicable discussion between parties. Agreeing
to disagree is an acceptable academic resolution. Prejudice, resentment and
other hostilities are not a part of academic behavior.
PAPERS: Writing and self-expression
are essential to professional performances and learning these skills is part of
the academic experience. Two ten-page papers will be completed during the
semester. These papers will represent student work applying the theories to
various situations. More information about the specific topics will be given in
class. A general note: students MUST address the assigned topic exactly as
specified. No papers will be accepted on related topics. The final paper will
be a term paper with more opportunity for student selection of topic – with
approval of the instructor. Once approved, paper topics may not be changed.
Paper
grades will be based on 1) the quality of the argument and analysis, 2) the
number of facts included and their appropriateness, 3) use of the theories, and
3) the inclusion of opposing points of view. Papers will be done in 10 point
Times Roman font. No folders or title pages are required - especially not
plastic folders. For more information on writing a good paper, please see the
selection on the sociology web page.
TESTS: There will be two tests - a
midterm (March 4) and a final (April 29). The format of the tests will be
multiple choice, fill in the blank, short answer, or other format deemed
appropriate to the content. Content will be all the appropriate assigned
readings as well as material presented in class.
GRADES:
Tests 50%
Two Papers 40%
Discussion 10%
A final grade of A signifies that the student has excelled in this course, going beyond the expected requirements. A final grade of B signifies that the student has mastered all the concepts, has a working knowledge of what it means to do sociological research as demonstrated in tests, the team project and class discussions. A final grade of C signifies that the student’s understanding of the subject matter is acceptable. A final grade of D signifies that the student is familiar with the subject matter, but may not understand or recall some important ideas. A final grade of F signifies that the student has not mastered the material of this course. Most students who have taken this class in the past received Bs or Cs as their final grade.
PROCEDURES:
Class
attendance is expected and absences will affect your final grade. Leaving the
class early or coming late will also be noted and could affect your final
grade. Keep in mind that there are only 7 sessions, hence each class period
represents two weeks of regular classes. Missing more than one class makes
passing the course questionable. A student who misses more than once without
notifying the instructor will be dropped. If for some reason – legitimate or
not – you miss a deadline, or are absent from class but intend to continue,
please notify the instructor as soon as possible. Disastrous situations can
sometimes be salvaged, albeit not without consequences.
Students
absent for whatever reason are responsible for all material, including
announcements, that they missed.
Anyone
caught cheating on a test/assignment will receive a grade of zero for that
assignment.
Anyone
guilty of plagiarism will receive a zero on that assignment and risks expulsion
from the University. Plagiarism is copying someone else’s writing and claiming
that it is your own. This includes ANY AND ALL material from the Internet,
papers of other students, material from the text or any other book.
No
late papers or assignments will be accepted.
Students
with questions or complaints about anything having to do with the course are
encouraged to make an appointment with the instructor to discuss the situation.
Misunderstanding and inadvertent human error – on the part of the student or
the instructor – can cause unnecessary problems. The easiest solution is
informal discussion. No concern is too small to be addressed. All problems will
be solved with reference to Texas Wesleyan University guidelines.
Students
are urged to use common sense when approaching the course procedures and
grading. For instance, evaluation is based on expressed knowledge, including
definitions and indications of meanings. Instructors cannot presume you know
what you are talking about if you don’t explain yourself. Similarly, should it
happen that you receive one low grade, that does not mean that you going to
fail the course. Please refer to the syllabus for the weight that grade has in
the over all grade. Especially if the course material is difficult, it is not
unusual for a student to receive a low grade for new material early in the
semester. That is an indication that the student has not mastered the content,
not an evaluation of the student’s ability to perform or an indication of the
course grade.
Every
attempt is made to judge and grade all students fairly. Please note, however,
that a portion of the final grade rests on the subjective judgment of the
instructor. If you feel this assessment is in error, you may appeal to the
instructor with evidence to support your reasoning. Further grade appeals must
go through the procedure outlined in the University catalog.
Students should read the current
Texas Wesleyan Catalog and Student Handbook to become familiar
with University policies. This includes
but is not limited to grade appeal, sexual harassment, student access to
records, and others; policies specified in the current catalog are applicable
unless otherwise stated in this syllabus.
Texas Wesleyan University
adheres to a disability policy which is in keeping with relevant federal
law. The University will provide
appropriate accommodation. Students
must notify instructors of any permanent or temporary disabilities and must
provide documentation regarding those disabilities prior to the granting of an
accommodation. For assistance, students
should consult with Dr. Michael Ellison, Psychology Department.
Note: Course syllabi are intended to provide
students with basic information concerning the course. The syllabus can be viewed as a ‘blueprint’
for the course; changes in the syllabus can be made and students will be
informed of any substantive changes concerning examinations, the grading or
attendance policies and changes in project assignments.”
CLASS SCHEDULE
Readings
from “The Production of Reality” unless otherwise specified
Readings: Symbolic Interactionism by Jodi
O’Brien, pp 44-63
Shared Meaning as the Basis
of Humanness by Jodi O’Brien, pp 64-83
From Masks to Selves by Jodi
O’Brien, pp 236-146
Chapter 8: Final Note on a
Case of Extreme Isolation by Kingsley Davis, pp89-94
Chapter 9: Seeing Voices by
Oliver Sacks, pp 95-101
Chapter 21: The Self, the I
and the Me by George Herbert Mead, pp 250-255
Chapter 22: Looking Glass
Self by Charles Horton Cooley, pp 255-257
Readings: Meaning is Negotiated Through Interaction by Jodi
O’Brien, pp 128-139
Chapter
13: Becoming a Marihuana User by Howard Becker, pp 140-149
Chapter
26: A Theory of Genius by Thomas Scheff, pp 296-308
Chapter
27: Identity Construction and Self-Presentation on Personal Homepages by
Charles Cheung, pp 310-319
Chapter
28: Body Troubles by Isabel Dyck, pp 320-332
Chapter
30: A Conception of and Experiments with Trust by Harold Garfinkel,pp370-380
Chapter
31: Self-Fulfilling Prophecies by Paul Watzlawick, pp 382-394
February 24- Theories: Social Construction of
Reality, Phenomenology, Life World, Luhmann
Readings: What is Real by Jodi O’Brien, pp
2-11
Chapter
1: Islands of Meaning by Eviatar Zerubavel, pp 12-28
Chapter
2: The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life by Jane Wagner, pp 29-34
Chapter
3: Truth, Objectivity and Agreement by Earl Babbie, pp 36-39
Chapter
4: Constructivist, Interpretivist Approaches to Human Inquiry by Thomas
Schwandt, pp 40-43
Chapter
18: Behavior in Private Places by Joan Emerson, pp 199-213
Chapter
19: Precarious Situations in a Strip Club by Kari Lerum, pp 214-222
Chapter
29: Five Features of Reality by Hugh Mehan and Houston Wood, pp 354-369
Readings: Building and Breaching Reality by Jodi O’Brien, pp
334-353
Midterm
Readings: Chapter 14: The Development of Feeling Norms by Simon,
Eder, Evans, pp 149-167
Chapter
15: Acknowledgement Rituals by Carl Pate, pp 169-184
Chapter
17: The Managed Heart by Arlie Hochschild, pp 194-198
Chapter
10: Metaphors We Live By by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, pp 103-114
Chapter
11: Pills and Power Tools by Susan Bordo, pp 115-118
Chapter
12: Racism in the English Language by Robert Moore, pp 119-126
Readings: Chapter 16: Embarrassment and the
Analysis of Role Requirements by Edward Gross and
Gregory Stone, pp 185-193
Chapter
23: Reference Groups as Perspectives by Tamotsu Shibutani, pp 257-262
Chapter
24: Girls, Media & Negotiation of Sexuality by Meenakshi Durham, pp 264-275
Chapter
33: The Persistence of Gender Inequality by Cecilia Ridgeway, pp 401-409
Chapter
35: Double Consciousness and the Veil by W.E.B. DuBois, pp 445-449
Chapter 37: We are Graceful Swans by Lubna Chaudhry, pp 465-474
May 5 - Theories: Attitudes
Final Final Paper is due.