The Sociological Imagination And Common Sense - 1648 Words

The Sociological Imagination was a term that was first coined by sociologist C. Wright Mills. It could be said that definition of The Sociological Imagination is having the ability to look beyond personal experience and realise that society is shaped by the cross over between biography and history. Mills thought that everyone in society had the capability to think sociologically and that this was essential to gain a deeper understanding of both their society, and their current circumstance. This approach contradicts a more readily adopted approach by the public that sociologists call â€Å"The common sense approach†. The common sense approach is a collection of knowledge that has been acquired through little scientific merit, such as: personal experience, gossip or anecdotal evidence. This essay will discuss and explain the difference between the Sociological Imagination and Common-Sense explanations through the use of examples to explain the topic of sexuality. Sexuality is an issue that has been widely discussed and has often been misunderstood by society. It has often been a misconception by members of the heterosexual community that all lesbians want to be men. Through applying common sense, it can be understood why people may think gay women want to be men when looking in on the lesbian community, some lesbians prefer to express themselves and their sexuality through the way they dress and act; their short hair, masculine clothing, wearing no make-up and their machoShow MoreRelatedCommon Sense Explanations And The Explanations Of C. Wright Mills Theory Of The Sociological Imagination1534 Words   |  7 PagesIn this essay I will be exploring the differences between common sense explanations and the explanations of C. Wright Mills theory of The Sociological Imagination. Common sense is based on people s personal experiences and their opinions, very often constructed from social norms and generalised views. Whereas, the Sociological Im agination thought up by sociologist C. Wright Mills (1959) is based on the ideas of thinking critically and skeptically, in order to think sociologically. He wrote thatRead MoreThe Sociological Imagination and Understanding Personal Troubles as Social Issues1259 Words   |  6 PagesThe Sociological Imagination and understanding personal troubles as social issues: The Sociological Imagination allows us to question â€Å"things† or issues which are common and familiar to us and to find its deeper meaning. With the Sociological Imagination way of thinking, we find reasoning and uncover why many things in society are the way they are. The Sociological Imagination does not attempt to understand the individual and his or her problems alone, but focuses on issues and problems as itRead MoreSociology and Common Sense Essay1546 Words   |  7 PagesExplain the difference between a â€Å"common sense† and a â€Å"sociological† view of human behaviour, giving relevant examples. Sociology is a social science that enables people to understand the structure and dynamics of society. By using a scientific approach, and by critically analysing society using qualitative and quantitative methods, sociologists can find patterns and connections within human behaviour to provide explanations of how society affects people. Sociological views are based on theories thatRead MoreSociology and Psychology 823 Words   |  4 Pageswhich social structure and institutions affect our everyday life. Sociological imagination was founded by C. Wright mills in the 1950`s it is an overall understanding of that some of the things that happen in society may lead to a particular outcome. Mills said it is â€Å"the vivid awareness of the relationship between experience and wider society.† sociological imagination can also be defined as the ability to look at how sociological situations can unfold due to how everyone is different. The way weRead MoreAnalysis Of Dalton Conley s Y ou May Ask Yourself 1267 Words   |  6 PagesDalton Conley’s book, You May Ask Yourself, defines sociological imagination as, â€Å"The ability to connect the most basic, intimate aspects of an individual’s life to seemingly impersonal and remote historical forces† (Conley 2015, pg. A-11). Sociological Imagination is the idea of being able to step outside of the box, and evaluate society from an alternative point of view. Symbolic Interactionism, norms, socialization, and the idea of understanding yourself vs. understanding the social aspect ofRead MoreSociological Imagination, Social Construction Of Reality And Socialization902 Words   |  4 PagesThe foundational concepts of sociological imagination, social construction of reality and socialization help us learn more about ourselves and the world. Sociological imagination is the way in which individuals realize the connection between their own experience of reality and the experiences of society as a whole. This realization allows people to make sense of the world around them. When one applies sociological imagination, they are stripping their own personal experiences from their thoughtsRead MoreSociological Perspective On Understanding Human Society915 Words   |  4 PagesEvaluate the Sociological Approach to understanding Human Society Explanation of common sense and sociological approaches to the study of Human Societies, with examples. Common sense is subjective as it’s based on opinion and belief; these personal interpretations generate norms in a society that a culture becomes accustomed to, so much so that they barely notice them. It is the basic level of knowledge and judgement that we all share; which we take for granted as a real and true. Common sense tries toRead MoreBriefly Outline the Distinctive Features of the Sociological Approach to Understanding Human Life and the Illustrate How You Would Use Sociology to Make Sense of Globalisation.1554 Words   |  7 Pagestaken for granted and to de-familiarising the familiar. This is what empowers critical thinking which triggers the development of the understanding of the human life. The aim of this essay is to outline the sociological approach to understanding human life , to explore the different sociological perspectives , to question the reliability of the different forms of research and to emphasise the key elements that make sociology different t o other ways of exploring the human life. Finally I shall be illustratingRead MoreSociological Imagination and Social Issues1251 Words   |  6 PagesSociological Imagination and Social Issues People are more likely to use psychological arguments to explain why things are they way they are rather than look at the sociological aspect of them. They think that problems happening in their lives are personal and overlook that they may be caused by society (Ferris amp; Stein 13). Sociological imagination challenges people to look at the â€Å"intersection between biography and history† and see the role we each play in society (Mills 1959 and Ferris amp;Read MoreThe Sociological Imagination Of Our Everyday Lives1562 Words   |  7 Pages In order to make sense of the purpose of our everyday lives and our place in society, humans participate in a concept called the sociological imagination. This concept enables a person to â€Å"understand the larger historical scene in terms of its meaning for the inner life and the external career of a variety of individuals†(Mills, The Sociological Imagination). When applying the sociological imagination to my own experiences, I am able to locate myself society, particularly the larger structures