SOCI 3431 Society and the Individual

Prerequisite: SOCI 1121 or permission of instructor. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the microsociological perspective broadly and to the field of sociological social psychology more narrowly. Both explore how various social contexts influence human behavior, seeking to answer questions such as, "What causes conflict between groups?", "Why do some people conform to norms and laws while others violate them?", "What causes harmful or aggressive behavior?", Why do stereotypes persist even when our experiences contradict them?" In attempting to answer questions such as these, we will make use of concepts such as self, role, and identity, as well as perspectives such as role theory, cognitive theory, and symbolic interaction theory. In this class students will learn to apply these concepts and theories to their own social world.