SOCIOL 1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Social Forces
Document Summary
Structural perspective = the view that there are social structures that shape how individuals think and act. Social structure = an objective, pre established way of acting or thinking. Objective = existing outside the minds of individuals. Exist outside of us/ the minds of individuals. Are imposed on us from the outside. Are independent of what we want, what we desire. We can"t just pretend they don"t exist without facing the resistance of other people. Might choose not to speak the language but cannot communicate with others. Some institutions expect people to speak specific languages. We have to use terms that other people will recognize in order to speak with them. Already has a particular configuration of rooming, hallways, elevators. We as individuals are walking around the building and are directed on paths and hallways/ rooms not designed by us. We are following paths that are not designed by us, physical structures we did not create.
