Sociological Perspective

Working Out to Look Good: A Sociological Perspective The word ‘common-sense’ connotes innate knowledge that is shared among humans. A search on the internet produced the following definition of sociology – ‘the scientific analysis of a social institution as a functioning whole and as it relates to the rest of society.’ (Merriam-Webster, 2011). In other words, the student’s statement (from the assignment question) implies that we have an inherent ability to understand every-day issues without the systematic methods employed in sociology. From a sociological perspective, however, the word ‘common-sense’ itself is suspect, since it has to be learned through socialization and thus differs from culture to culture. However, the focus of my essay
Even if they were, rigorous evidence is hardly called upon to support said claims, since they are derived after all, from common-sense. Sociological study enables us to analyze issues in a systematic fashion. Sociological research involves 6 steps – Formulating a question or theory, reviewing existing literature, selecting a method of data collection, the actual collecting of data, analyzing the data and finally reporting the results (Brym and Lie, 2007, p.
Gender roles are common assumptions regarding the respective behaviors of men and women (Brym and Lie, 2007, p. 110). OR FUNCTIONALISM?! Focusing on men, I theorize that in the past, men who were strong were more suited for manual tasks needed for the survival and sustenance of his family, like hunting. MEN’S GENDER ROLE IS TO PROJECT AND IMAGE OF STRENGTH. ESSENTIALISM, WOMEN SEEK OUT SINGLE MATE WHO CAN BEST HELP SUPPORT AND PROTECT HER CHILDREN. An indication of a strong man is a muscular body, and women, in desiring security and stability, were socialized to look for this trait in men. In the 21st century however, men who are most capable of providing a comfortable existence require wealth, and intelligence is among the top prerequisites for securing a well-paying job. This might explain why indicators of such traits- expensive clothing for wealth and paper qualifications for intelligence- are now seen by women as attractive traits in men. Therefore, it follows logically that if intelligence was not such an integral factor in securing a comfortable existence, women will not find it as attractive a