trm54677-blog - Tumblr blog

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Introduction

Hi everyone! Welcome to my Tumblr blog page. I am a current college student studying nursing. I am creating a blog for a class project. This is my first blog, and I have been excited to see how it works all semester. My overall goal is to inform you about a particular subject. Therefore, this blog will focus on all about Sociology. I have learned a lot of interesting information through my sociology class, and I am sharing that interesting information to you. Each post will be long, informative, and pertain to different aspects of society, such as theory/thinking like a sociologist, research, culture, socialization, deviance, social class, globalization and the economy, gender, race, and social movements. In addition, I will be giving advice to the future students and reflecting on how sociology is relevant to my personal life. I did not realize how all of these different aspects of sociology have a major impact on today's society. Thank you for visiting my blog, and I hope you enjoy! 

Word Count: 170 Words

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Advice for Future Students

My advice for future students is to not wait until the last minute to complete the assignments, quizzes, and projects. It can be difficult trying to complete all of the work while taking other classes, so do not procrastinate. You must be specific and thorough when you are writing discussion posts. Do not forget to cite your sources! The more information, the better! Also, I found that printing out the lecture notes and highlighting important information in the book has helped me with this class. What did not work out for me is watching the videos that were assigned one night, and then taking the quiz a few days ago. It is best to sit down and complete everything at once. Overall, this class was interesting, and I learned a lot. The professor had the class very organized, and clearly stated her expectations. Do not be afraid to ask questions. Best of luck to you! 

Word Count: 155 Words

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Reflection of Sociology

Sociology is relevant to my life in many different ways. This topic effects my personal life, my career, my relationships, everything! Sociology is the study of human behavior. Therefore, I believe sociology is relevant to my career the most. I am currently a nursing major, and work at a hospital. The duty as a nurse is to provide care for individuals to help them get better. Each patient that I take care of has different customs. I learn something new everyday! You must adapt to this environment, or you will have a hard time. I am sure many people struggle to see sociology's relevance to their everyday lives. I personally thought the same thing before this class started. I was curious in why I was required to take it for my profession. Overall, it turns out sociology has a major impact not only on health care and nursing, but your everyday life. 

Word Count: 152 Words

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Create The World You Want

Many families consider themselves the American ideal of a family. People tend to call home their safe place, but that is not always the case. Inequality begins with the family at home. People do not always get to choose where they live. Instead they live where they can afford the bills. Crime rates tend to be higher in neighborhoods that are considered to be the lower class category. This issue creates that constant worry and fear. Families aren't able to enjoy the life they should have. As children grow up in a neighborhood full of crime, they are more than likely going to get involved with illegal acts. Crime has an impact on behaviors of society. A popular crime that happens in neighborhoods is called street crime. Street crime refers to “crime committed in public (Conley, 2017, p. 216).” Over the past years, there has been numerous crimes that caused a vast amount of individuals to become furious and demanded vengeance. This led to protests, riots, and marches. Organizations have traveled state to state to help families to find peace and build security. Organizations are known to have social movements. Social movement is a type of group action. The main goal of the movements are to completely change every aspect of society. Children deserve to live in a home that they know they are safe in. Children deserve to play in their yards and at parks without fear. Parents should not have to lay in bed at night, and worry about whether or not their children may be an innocent victim in the next crime. It is a scary world to live in, and it is time to make a change.

Conley, D. (2017). You May Ask Yourself: An Introduction to Thinking Like a Sociologist (5th ed.). New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.  

 Word Count: 281 Words

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The Ladder of Success

There are a vast amount of disparities that exist in our society regarding to social class. Social class, or also known as socioeconomic status (SES) is defined as, “an individual’s position in a stratified social order (Conley, 2017, p. 258).” We break social class intro three different categories based on occupation, income, power, wealth, education, and materials. The first class is called the upper class, which is considered the rich, high end life. This class is defined as, “the group of individuals at the top of the socioeconomic food chain (Conley, 2017, p. 258).” The upper class was known to not have to work because their lifestyle focused on collecting rent and other investments. The next class is called the middle class. This class is the “average” life where you are not wealthy, but you aren't poor either. Also, this class can be confused with the working class. Middle class is considered the most active class with the most people. Recent studies has shown the middle class are the true job creators. In addition, consumer spending is one of the biggest impacts on the economy. Therefore, the middle class does not have any competition. The upper class can only spend so much money on things, and then have a large amount left over. Even if you weaken the middle class, no other class can overpower this one. Furthermore, the last class is called the lower class. This class is considered poor, and living off the bare minimum. Individuals in this class are known to worry less about the future, unlike the other two classes, upper and middle. Each class is completely different, but makes up the diverse society.

Conley, D. (2017). You May Ask Yourself: An Introduction to Thinking Like a Sociologist (5th ed.). New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Word Count: 278 Words

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It’s All About Perspective

If I were a sociologist, I would be known to study the cultures, organizations, social institutions, and processes that people develop. My theoretical perspective views society by looking at different aspects of life. Theoretical perspectives encourage us to ask questions, receive answers, produce thoughts, and then influence others with ideas. Everyone has a different view of society, and those views are expressed in contrasting ways. Even though acceptance of other individuals views that are different from our own can be difficult, it is still important to accept the views to create diversity. Society can be tough. As you read my posts in this blog, your view of aspects of life may be different than mine. With different thoughts, we can connect them and achieve consistency. This is where social institution comes into play. Social institution is defined as, “a complex group of interdependent positions that, together, perform a social role and reproduce themselves over time; also defined in a narrow sense as any institution in a society that works to shape the behavior of the groups or people within it (Conley, 2017, p. 15).” Society influences Individuals behaviors. For example, peer pressure has a big impact on the behaviors that affect society. This peer pressure may make an individual work at a job or jobs that they absolutely cannot stand. However, they need to work here to be able to financially afford a place to live in, food to eat, and clothing to wear. Overall, this behavior is aimed to be socially acceptable. 

Conley, D. (2017). You May Ask Yourself: An Introduction to Thinking Like a Sociologist (5th ed.). New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Word Count: 253 Words

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Inequality in the Workforce

For many years, society has tried to drill an image into people’s head of the different aspects of each gender. Gender is defined as, “a social position; the set of social arrangements that are built around normative sex categories (Conley, 2017, p. 281).” An issue that surrounds gender is the term gender roles. Gender roles is defined as, “the sets of behavioral norms assumed to accompany one’s status as a male or female (Conley, 2017, p. 289).” Inequality in the workforce deals with gender roles. There are jobs that are considered to be more of a female job, and the same with males. For example, when a women works in a job that is considered appropriate only for men, the women tend to get harassed and treated unequally. Women are excluded because the men will not work with them. Due to the unfair treatment, the women usually ends up leaving their job, and finding a new one. Women are working to provide for themselves and their families. With this issue of gender equality, there is a barrier to function. Many people do not realize how big of a problem when it comes to gender. It is in fact one of the bigger problems that is spread all across society. As individuals, we can treat others with respect and accept everyone. As a business, they should punish their employees who are not creating a positive environment. These negative behaviors can lead to a negative overall reputation for the business. Little things can make a big difference. Society today is trying to reach gender equality.

Conley, D. (2017). You May Ask Yourself: An Introduction to Thinking Like a Sociologist (5th ed.). New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Word Count: 263 Words

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The iGeneration

My first research is an article, Generation Z Looks a lot like Millennials on Key Social and Political Issues. This article focuses on how the Generation Z is highlighted in views of race, media, climate, and education. Now that the Millennial generation is growing up, the generation Z is known to be taking over. The term causality best represents this change. Causality is defined as, “the notion that a change in one factor results in a corresponding change in another (Conley, 2017, p. 50).” However, many people are not happy about this due to generation Z being considered lazy. Each generation, there are increasing key social and politic issues. However, research has shown that this generation is also more accepting to key issues. Just like the Millennial generation, Generation Z is known to be racially diverse in America. For example, these groups grew up having a positive view of interracial and same-sex marriage than their older generations. For race relations, younger generations have a different perspective than their older generation on the treatment of African Americans in the United States. Generation Z and Millennials came to the conclusion that increased racial and ethnic diversity is good for our society. Next, Millennials were introduced to social media. Generation Z was born into a world of social media, and can speak this language better than most people. This access of technology allows this group to be more aware of news and global issues. Technology is doing everything for this generation. This leads to social impacts. For example, climate is a key issue that affects these generations. Due to climate change, both of these groups would credit the earth’s warming temperatures to natural patterns, instead of human activity. Lastly, the article summarizes about the education of Generation Z. According to Parker, Graf, and Igielnik, this group is noted to be the most diverse and intelligent generation yet. Overall, social issues lead to political issues. I feel that even though the Generation Z and the Millennial generation are only a few years apart, there will be some who have different views of these issues. This article provides accurate citations, facts, and data that can be used as a credible source.

Conley, D. (2017). You May Ask Yourself: An Introduction to Thinking Like a Sociologist (5th ed.). New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Parker, K., Graf, N., Igielnik, R., Parker, K., Graf, N., & Igielnik, R. (2019, January 18). Generation Z Looks a Lot Like Millennials on Key Social and Political Issues. Retrieved from https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2019/01/17/generation-z-looks-a-lot-like-millennials-on-key-social-and-political-issues/

Word Count: 366 Words

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Exchange for Acceptance

Social deviance is a topic that people tend to struggle to understand. Social deviance is defined as “transgression of socially established norms (Conley, 2017, p. 191).” There is a conflict between social deviance and conformity. This is where conformity is brought into this post. Conformity is the "accepting of both the goals and strategies to achieve those goals that are considered socially acceptable (Conley, 2017, p. 205)." As you can see in the image above, the girl that is walking has a goal of getting involved and making friends. Did you notice in the picture to the left, the girl walking is not paid any attention to? She is wearing what she likes to wear, but one can tell by looking at her facial expression that she feels insecure. Did you notice in the picture to the right, as soon as the girl changes her outfit to something similar to the other group, she is accepted and fits in better? The image overall portrays that if you change your behavior, any individual can get accepted. This conflict happens in today's society more than you know. People are changing to please others. In addition, I feel that another term that describes this image is the labeling theory. The labeling theory is "the belief that individuals subconsciously notice how others see or label them, and their reactions to those labels over time form the basis of their self-identity (Conley, 2017, p. 207).” Conformity can cause distress on people because the world is a judgmental place. People in today’s society are not always accepting.

Conley, D. (2017). You May Ask Yourself: An Introduction to Thinking Like a Sociologist (5th ed.). New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Word Count: 285 Words

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Who are you? Who am I?

Racism is an issue that surrounds race. Racism is defined as "the belief that members of separate races possess different and unequal traits (Conley, 2017, p. 325)." This issue has a negative outcome, and has spread throughout our society. The artifact that I chose is an image that portrays an example of racism. As you can see, the men are holding signs asking why they are treated differently. Kids are bullied because of racism. Their facial expressions tell a lot about the emotion in the picture. Words and actions do hurt, and can take a toll on an individual. In the past, many places had dark colored individuals in a separate room than white individuals. You were treated unfairly and judged for the color of your skin. Racism is categorized in the term race. Race is "a group of people who share a set of characteristics-typically, but not always, physical ones-and are said to share a common bloodline (Conley, 2017, p. 324 )." Race influences the decisions one makes. Everyone deserves to be treated equally. Interventions that can help calm this issue is to treat others the way you want to be treated. Put yourself in their position, and ask yourself how you would feel. I think the biggest impact on racism is family. Children grow up around family, and learn their parents behaviors. If parents don't teach the children the rights/wrongs, and to treat others with respect, then these negative behaviors will be acted out. Another impact that can help overcome racism is education. In school, teachers should educate the nature of racism and its historical context. This will give student an idea what is going on in our society.

Conley, D. (2017). You May Ask Yourself: An Introduction to Thinking Like a Sociologist (5th ed.). New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Word Count: 284 Words

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Future of Self Checkout

In globalization, businesses can expand across international borders. Globalization is defined as, “the rise in the trade of goods and services across national boundaries, as well as the increased mobility of multinational businesses and migrant labor (Conley, 2017, p. 263 ).” I picked an artifact that I am sure all of us have used several times in our lifetime. When you go to the grocery store, do you prefer to use the self-checkout line or have an employee check your items out? Many customers would rather use the self-checkout line. Self-checkout is known to be quick, cheaper, and easily accessible in different locations. Efficiency, predictability, calculability, control and substitution of non-human technology are examples that perfectly describe this artifact. These elements fall under the term McDonaldization. McDonaldization is the series of actions taken in order to have the characteristics of a fast food industry influence other areas of society (Conley, 2017). For efficiency, as a customer, you expect to not have to wait in line, handle your own scanning, and bag your items the way you would prefer. When I go grocery shopping, I personally want to get in and get out. In addition, there is a chance for more employees to be on the floor instead of cash registers, helping customers with their needs. This helps the flow of the efficiency. For predictability, self checkout kiosks in grocery stores are spread out in every country. Every single grocery store that I have been into, I can buy the same exact items. Next, people choose grocery store chains due to quantity over quality. You can get more for a cheaper price at grocery stores with kiosks because the business will not have to hire as many employees, which can lead a decrease in price of grocery items. Also, the new substitution of technology is the self ordering kiosks at home, and when you arrive at the store, the items will be ready for you. These kiosks allow a sense of control over the customer’s shopping. This feature can make shopping easier and quicker, but it can also lead to a decrease in employment.

Conley, D. (2017). You May Ask Yourself: An Introduction to Thinking Like a Sociologist (5th ed.). New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

 Word Count: 335 Words

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Face the Data

My socialization artifact is an image containing different types of social media that is accessible in today's society. Socialization is “the process by which individuals internalize the values, beliefs, and norms of a given society and learn to function as members of that society (Conley, 2017, p. 119).” Socialization is needed for individuals to communicate and function in today’s society, but these interactions are not always positive. Social media is affecting culture in negative ways. For example, social media allows an increase in connections between individuals. This impacts the impression management strategies we use. People would rather spend time being on the internet than doing anything else. We use social media to communicate, to retrieve information, and to connect with people. The dramaturgical model or theory represents social media. The dramaturgical theory is “the view of social life in which we are all actors with roles, scripts, costumes, and sets (Conley, 2017, p. 139).” People can portray themselves however they want on the internet. This leads to big issues, such as bullying. Social media is known for the place that allows someone to hide behind a screen and bully other individuals. You can say what you want, read what you want, and do what you want on the internet. In addition, new networks and technology are constantly being updated, which is causing people to be spending more time on social media. Social media is taking over. People are not facing the data, and are unaware of what social media is doing to them. As a matter of fact, technology is taking over the world, affecting relationships, health, and environment.

Conley, D. (2017). You May Ask Yourself: An Introduction to Thinking Like a Sociologist (5th ed.). New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Word Count: 269 Words

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Human Billboard

When you hear the word human billboard, what do you think of? When you hear the word consumer culture, what do you think of? Did you picture a baby with several different name brand logos tattooed all over their body? The idea is to spend our money on goods to strengthen the economy. Without spending money, businesses will sell out, and we will have nothing. And with these name brand logos, the price increases a lot. You can buy a same exact item, but without the logo, and it would be three times cheaper. Consumer culture is an idea that best describes the image above. Culture is shared behaviors and ideas, or defined as “the sum of the social categories and concepts we embrace in addition to beliefs, behaviors (except instinctual ones), and practices; everything but the natural environment around us (Conley, 2017, p. 78).” The idea is that a large part of what you do involves around what you spend your money on. Another term that I feel represented this image is macro-sociology. Macro-sociology is defined as, "a branch of sociology generally concerned with social dynamics at a higher level of analysis-that is, across the breadth of society (Conley, 2017, p, 41).” People all over the world spend money on name brand logos. As seen in the image the baby has a different country tattooed on it. The logos on the baby must be the most popular ones and used in all of society. Overall, I was curious why they chose a baby instead of an adult. Consumer Conflict can be difficult to understand, but it has a big effect in sociology.

Conley, D. (2017). You May Ask Yourself: An Introduction to Thinking Like a Sociologist (5th ed.). New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Word Count: 275 Words