Summary

Robert and Jeanette Lauer's Sociology: Contours of Society offers comprehensive but concise coverage in an affordable paperback format that does not overwhelm students. This unique text speaks to students. Its student-oriented, conversational writing style and inviting design connects with students on their own level--and asks them to apply what they learn to their own lives. Many examples, vignettes, and inserts include student-written material, which draws students into the text. There is little use of sociological jargon. All concepts are highlighted and defined as they are introduced. Each of the major sociological approaches is presented, with a balance between theoretical and empirical material. Features: * A special emphasis on critical thinking. Chapter Two shows students how to apply critical thinking to both popular and professional sources of information. Every chapter features an example of thinking critically well as a critical thinking exercise. * The use of engaging social science research. This adds a unique degree of factual content to the text. Every chapter makes reference to the type of research reported (e.g., participant observation, survey, experiment, etc.). * The integration of theory and methods. Both theory and methods are introduced in Chapter One, and their uses in various research studies are integrated into every subsequent chapter. * The inclusion of feminist theory. Feminist interpretations are given for many of the social issues raised. * A focus on diversity. Each chapter contains cross-cultural material that compares males and females as well as people from various racial, ethnic, and class backgrounds. * A global perspective. Comparisons with the societies of other nations are included in every chapter, along with an "Extensions" box that focuses on a particular country or group of nations. * A balance of micro and macro approaches. * Collaborative learning projects. "Explorations" boxes draw students into the learning process. * A chapter on science and technology. This is a topic not found in many comparable textbooks. * A comprehensive Instructor's Resource Guide/Testing Program is available.

Each chapter ends with a Glossary
Sociology as Understanding: Making Sense of Human Life
The Need to Understand
A Basis for Emotional Security
A Guide to Interpersonal Relationships
A Guide to Organizational Behavior
A Basis for Policy Decisions
Thinking Sociologically
You Are a Social Creature
Social Factors Affect All That You Think, Feel, and DoThe Sociological Imagination
How the Sociological Imagination Developed: Sociological Theories
Why Is Theory Important?
Major Theories of Sociology
A Summary and Critique
Social Research
Survey Research
Participant Observation
Experiments
Official Records and Other Existing Data
Critical Thinking: How to Evaluate Information
The Process of Critical Thinking
Facts Must Be Interpreted: A Model of Critical Thinking: Understanding the Information
Read or Listen Carefully to the Information Source
Reconstruct the Information
Evaluating Information in the Professional Media
Social Science: Fallible People Using More-or-Less Precise Methods
Questions to Ask When Evaluating Professional Sources
Questions to Ask When Evaluating Popular Sources
Culture: How Social Life Varies
What Culture Is
Material and Nonmaterial Culture: Characteristics of Culture: The Elements of Culture
Language: Knowledge and Beliefs: Values: Social Control: Technology: Art and Recreation: Cultural Diversity
Intercultural Diversity: Intracultural Diversity: Cultural Change
Innovation: Diffusion: Change and Integration:
Socialization: How You Become What You Are
Nature or Nurture?
Heredity: The Basic Materials: Socialization: Shaping the Materials: Childhood Socialization Process: Adult Socialization: Agents of Socialization
Family: Peers: School: The Mass Media: Social Class: Experiences: Becoming Who You Are
How You Think About Yourself: Your Emotions: Your Achievements: A Note on Human Freedom
Becoming Male and Female
Becoming a Moral Creature
Becoming a Group Member
Social Interaction: Why Do You Relate to Others as You Do?
Functions of Interaction
Foundations of Interaction
Status: Role: The Self: The Process of Interaction: Your Life as Drama
Performances: Impression Management: When the Performance Fails: Patterns of Interaction: Cooperation
Exchange
Negotiation
Conflict
Social Structure: How Human Life Is Patterned
The Structuring of Human Life: From Macro to Micro
Structure vs. Chaos
Structure and Process
Social Structure as Multilevel
The Micro Level: Social Groups
Why Do People Join Groups?: Primary and Secondary Groups: Reference Groups: Ingroups and Outgroups: Small Group Behavior: Formal Organizations
The Nature of Formal Organizations: Models of Work Organizations: Processes in Formal Organizations: Voluntary Associations
Bureaucracy
What Is a Bureaucracy?
Is Bureaucracy a Four-Letter Word?
Deviance: Understanding Those Who Are Different
What Is Deviance?
How Much Deviance Is There? And Why Does it Matter?
Crime: Drugs: Mental Illness
Becoming Deviant: Why?
Deviance as Built In: Deviance as Conformity: Deviance as a Labeling Process: Deviance as a Power Struggle: Deviance as Opportunity: Evaluation
Controlling Deviance: Control as a Social Bond: Control as Political: Control as Medical:
Social Stratification: How Inequality Shapes Human Life
Social Stratification: Everyone Lives in a System of Inequality
Caste Systems: Estate Systems: Class Systems: Is Inequality Necessary?
The American Class System
How Social Class Is Measured: The Consequences of Social Class Position: A Brief Portrait of American Classes: Poverty in America: Is it Inevitable?
America's Poor: Who Are the Poor?: The War on Poverty: Social Mobility: Moving up or Down
How Mobile Are Americans?: What Accounts for Social Mobility?: Global Stratification
Racial and Ethnic Groups: Understanding Differences
Race and Ethnicity: Myth or Reality?
Minorities
Racial and Ethnic Groups in the United States
African Americans: Hispanic Americans: Asian Americans: White Ethnics: Jewish Americans: American Indians: Prejudice and Discrimination: Racism in Action
Prejudice: Discrimination: Institutional D
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