Posted: November 21st, 2015
Writing Assignments for SOC 101
For this class you must complete two writing assignments. For the assignments you must form a hypothesis and clearly identify your independent and dependent variables and their measures (response categories). The measures must be clear. I need to be able to understand exactly what you mean by each variable.
For each hypothesis you must then use each of the major theoretical perspectives presented in module one to explain why this hypothesis should be supported if research were done on the topic. You should state the assumptions of each theoretical perspective you are using first, and then explain how each theory would support your hypothesis. Please note that each theory will probably have a different explanation for your hypothesis, and that sometimes a theory does not work well in explaining a hypothesis. The concluding paragraph should be your opinion on which perspective offers the best explanation for your hypothesis.
This assignment should be a maximum of two pages in length.
You need to turn in 2 different hypotheses. Obviously, you cannot use the examples as one of your papers.
You cannot use the same variables twice; in other words, you must write about four different variables.
The first paper is due October 28
The second paper is due November 24
Example 1
Higher social class people are more likely to participate in the political process
Independent Variable
social class – what is your annual income?
Response categories are $0-$1 million+
Dependent Variable
Political participation – Did you vote in the last Presidential election?
Response categories are yes or no
Structural Functionalist Theory – Society is a system of interrelated parts that is relatively stable. Each part works to keep society operating in an orderly way. Members generally agree about what is morally right and morally wrong. Structural-functional theory would explain this hypothesis by saying that in order to have a stable society people must vote for their elected officials and have confidence that these elected officials are acting in the voters’ best interests. However, this theory does not work well because if only higher social class people vote, then the system becomes dysfunctional. Everyone should vote according to this theory.
Conflict Theory – Society is a system of social inequalities based on class, gender, or race. Society benefits some categories of people and harms others. Social inequality causes conflict that leads to social change. Conflict theory would argue that higher social class people vote more often than lower social class people because the political system benefits the higher class more than the poor. The poor do not bother to vote because they feel the government is not responsive to their needs.
Symbolic Interaction – Society is an ongoing process. People interact in countless settings using symbolic communications. The reality people experience is variable and changing. This theory would explain the hypothesis by stating that voting symbolizes an individual’s faith in a particular elected official. An individual has been convinced to vote for a particular candidate through interactions with that candidate. Higher social class people are more likely to have interactions with candidates that convince that individual to vote for a particular candidate.
In my opinion conflict theory offers the best explanation because…
Example 2
Members of Protestant religions are more likely to commit suicide than members of other religious groups.
Independent Variable
Religious affiliation
Response categories are the religious groups in which you are interested in this case Protestant or non-Protestant
Dependent Variable
Suicide
Did the person commit suicide with the possible categories of
yes or no
Structural-Functional theory – Society is a system of interrelated parts that is relatively stable. Each part works to keep society operating in an orderly way. Members generally agree about what is morally right and morally wrong. Structural-functional theory would explain this hypothesis by saying that suicide is dysfunctional and should not occur. For some reason, Protestants are not well integrated into society, making them more vulnerable to suicide.
Conflict Theory – Society is a system of social inequalities based on class, gender, or race. Society benefits some categories of people and harms others. Social inequality causes conflict that leads to social change. Conflict theory would argue that society benefits non-Protestants over Protestants, thus making Protestants more vulnerable to suicide. Perhaps non-Protestants have better educational and employment opportunities.
Symbolic Interaction – Society is an ongoing process. People interact in countless settings using symbolic communications. The reality people experience is variable and changing. This theory would explain the hypothesis by stating that Protestants have less successful social interaction. Protestants are more likely to experience a reality where they have possibly less social support, or more negative interactions, which leads them to be more likely to commit suicide.
In my opinion symbolic interactionism offers the best explanation because…
Writing Assignment Rubric
Hypothesis is clearly stated 5 percent
Independent and dependent variables
are correctly identified 5 percent
Independent variable properly measured 10 percent
Dependent variable properly measured 10 percent
Basic assumptions of the theories are stated correctly 15 percent
Each theory is applied properly 40 percent
Opinion offered with an explanation 15 percent
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