HW: Read Joel Charon's Should We Generalize?
Here are the results of 20 years of doing this activity:
Out of 71 times, here are the totals:1.Able-Bodied Sailor Jones: 22
2.Ship’s Officer O’Maley: Mr./Ms. O’Malley: 2
3.Quarter Master MacDonald: 56
4.Self-Made Millionaire Douglas: 54
5.College Student Mr/Ms Parsons: 60
6.Nobel Prize Winner in Literature, Dr. Lightfoot 35
7.Nobel Prize Winner in Physics, Dr. Singleton 0
8.Football Player Mr. Small: 15
9.Cheerleader Mrs. Small: 6
10.Army Captain Thomas: 15
11.Draft Evader Samuels: 59
12.Peace Corps Volunteer Mr./Ms. Davidson: 5
13.Med Student Mr./Ms. Ryan: 0
14.Elderly man Mr. Eldridge: 65
15.Elderly woman Mrs. Eldridge: 62
16.Travelling Poet Mr/Ms Carpenter: 41Sociological Literacy: macrosociology and microsociology.
The activity helps to understand the different levels of study that sociologists examine: macrosociology and microsociology.
Macrosociological perspective
On the macro level, sociologists look for the influences of large-scale forces on groups or individuals. So, for the simulation, let's examine the similarities for who your class kicked off the boat compared to the other classes that I have taught.
Our class is made up of different people than my other classes. In fact, so different that students are from a different generation! For example, I have been doing this activity long enough that two of my students married! They met in my class as the football player and cheerleader, and then after continuing to date during college, they asked me to marry them! Even though they are old enough to be a different generation than my current class, patterns still emerge.
Class Discussion: Despite the differences, what does our class share in common with all of the other classes that I have done this with?
Students in our class are Americans, teenagers, high-schoolers, from an upper-middle class suburb. All of these groups have an effect on an individual so that even when an individual makes choices alone, he/she is still being influenced by these groups.
Students consistently save the characters who they believe are useful, especially the medical student and the Nobel prize winner in Physics. And, students consistently reject the elderly and the sick (quartermaster, college student) and the draft evader. There are macro-sociological forces that shape these decisions. All of those participating in this simulation are Americans and teens. I believe they are shaped by cultural values. Other cultures might save the elderly or save the more educated or save the sick and the weak, etc...
From a structural-functional paradigm, this macro analysis might focus on the ways that our families, schools, economy and peers all promote the values that the macro data reveal.
The activity helps to understand the different levels of study that sociologists examine: macrosociology and microsociology.
On the macro level, sociologists look for the influences of large-scale forces on groups or individuals. So, for the simulation, let's examine the similarities for who your class kicked off the boat compared to the other classes that I have taught.
Our class is made up of different people than my other classes. In fact, so different that students are from a different generation! For example, I have been doing this activity long enough that two of my students married! They met in my class as the football player and cheerleader, and then after continuing to date during college, they asked me to marry them! Even though they are old enough to be a different generation than my current class, patterns still emerge.
Class Discussion: Despite the differences, what does our class share in common with all of the other classes that I have done this with?
Students in our class are Americans, teenagers, high-schoolers, from an upper-middle class suburb. All of these groups have an effect on an individual so that even when an individual makes choices alone, he/she is still being influenced by these groups.
Students consistently save the characters who they believe are useful, especially the medical student and the Nobel prize winner in Physics. And, students consistently reject the elderly and the sick (quartermaster, college student) and the draft evader. There are macro-sociological forces that shape these decisions. All of those participating in this simulation are Americans and teens. I believe they are shaped by cultural values. Other cultures might save the elderly or save the more educated or save the sick and the weak, etc...
From a structural-functional paradigm, this macro analysis might focus on the ways that our families, schools, economy and peers all promote the values that the macro data reveal.
From a conflict paradigm, this macro analysis might focus on who consistently is treated differently by the macro data and the ways that those people are affected by that treatment.
Microsociology
On the microsociological level, sociologists study how groups interact in face-to-face conversation. That is, who makes eye contact, how loud people speak, where they sit, who is the leader, etc... So, the microdata from each time that the activity is done, might be different based on the interaction. This includes the words students use. This can be an example of the symbolic interaction paradigm. Because there is shared meaning in some of these words, that shapes how people react. For example, if the poet focuses on being a poet, people might see that as undesirable and kick him off. But if the poet reinforces that he is useful because of his sailing skills, that might save him because usefulness is a shared value in our culture.
Microsociology
On the microsociological level, sociologists study how groups interact in face-to-face conversation. That is, who makes eye contact, how loud people speak, where they sit, who is the leader, etc... So, the microdata from each time that the activity is done, might be different based on the interaction. This includes the words students use. This can be an example of the symbolic interaction paradigm. Because there is shared meaning in some of these words, that shapes how people react. For example, if the poet focuses on being a poet, people might see that as undesirable and kick him off. But if the poet reinforces that he is useful because of his sailing skills, that might save him because usefulness is a shared value in our culture.
This activity is a metaphor for any group that you are a part of; all of the groups that shape you are governed by both macro-sociological forces and micro-sociological forces. For example, apply this to high school. If we examined these two levels in high school, there are certain macro-sociological values that one would expect to find no matter where the school is located: grades, expectations of learning, homework, rules etc... So as you move from one class to the next, you will see these macro-sociological values present. On the other hand, every class is different because of the micro-sociological dynamics present in that class: some teachers are more casual, some teachers use rows vs. a horseshoe shape, some classes have a few loud boisterous individuals and other classes might be mostly girls or mostly guys etc...
These questions are continued from the Google Form from the previous lesson:
Sociological Literacy: Macro and Micro Sociology and Statuses
4. What does macro-sociology focus on?
Small Group Discussion (don't write this down, yet)
5. How would a sociologist examine this activity using macro-sociology?
6. What does micro-sociology focus on?
7. How would a sociologist examine this activity using micro-sociology?
Individually Applying Sociology:
8. Apply this to the primary research article that you found. Is the research that you found, macro or micro? Why?Can you see these two levels at play in your own life? Perhaps in your family, your classes or with a group of friends, or at your job? Think about that lifeboat activity and how it is a metaphor for any of the groups that you are a part of. There are macro forces like culture and social class that affect your group but there are also micro forces at play too such as the dynamic of how the group interacts.
Sociological Literacy Review:
Social Construction of RealityHow can you examine this activity using the idea of social construction of reality?
Sociological ImaginationHow can you examine this activity using a sociological imagination?
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