Functionalism
Conflict Theory
Symbolic Interactionism
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The three major sociological theories are functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. Functionalism focuses on how society functions as a whole, conflict theory examines power struggles and inequality, and symbolic interactionism looks at how individuals interact and create meaning in society.
Sociological competence refers to the ability to understand and apply sociological concepts, theories, and methods in analyzing and addressing social issues. It involves having a deep understanding of social structures, processes, and interactions, along with the skills to critically assess data and information from a sociological perspective.
Classical sociological theories focus on the macro-level analysis of society, emphasizing structures and institutions. They include theories like functionalism and conflict theory. Contemporary sociological theories, on the other hand, often incorporate a more micro-level perspective, highlighting individual agency, identities, and everyday interactions. They include theories like symbolic interactionism and postmodernism.
Characteristics of a sociological theory include explaining social phenomena, being systematic and coherent, providing a framework for analyzing society, being testable through research, and having practical applications for understanding and improving society.
Human resources, where they use sociological concepts to understand organizational behavior and manage employee relations. Marketing, where they apply sociological theories to analyze consumer behavior and trends. Education, where they use sociological perspectives to address issues related to student diversity and school culture.
Practical implications of sociological inquiry refer to how the insights and findings from sociological research can be applied in real-world settings to address social issues, inform public policy, and improve the lives of individuals and communities. This can involve programs, interventions, or strategies that are based on sociological research to bring about positive social change.