SOC101: Introduction to Sociology

This unit will expose you to some of the most fascinating aspects of sociology. You will be introduced to such sociological concerns as culture, social interaction, groups and organizations, deviance and social control, and media and technology. As you explore these areas of sociological study, you will gain insight into some of the most common unwritten rules for behavior in our social world. Then, you will investigate why these social rules are so significant in our everyday interactions. For example, what would happen if you deliberately distrusted social order by committing even a minor social offense like cutting in line, walking backwards, or wearing two different shoes? It's the unwritten rules (or normative behaviors) that do not permit this kind of deviance without reactions (sometimes hostile) from social actors.

Finally, you will be given the opportunity to think critically about how technology has affected our social interactions as well as how it has affected deviant behavior. Think about Facebook. While it is a virtual interactive world, it has very much impacted our social thinking. For example, friend has been turned into a verb, and we can use Facebook to like something, bridging our lives and experiences with hundreds of others in seconds.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 23 hours.