Sociology and Social Living

        WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY-PHILIPPINES

Cabanatuan City

Graduate School

SS 111: Social Psychology and Philosophy

REQUIREMENT NUMBER 1: A BOOK REVIEW

Title of the Book: Sociology and Social Living

Authors: Ceferino A. Zaide Jr., Ana Maria R. Peralta, Marlene Ligan, Lucila L. Salcedo, Adelaida A. Ronquillo

Editor: Soccoro C. Espiritu

Submitted to: Clarafe A. Gonzales, Ph. D.

1. INTRODUCTION

Sociological thinking started in the days of the sages and the social philosophers of antiquity. These wise men speculated, observed and made conclusions on the social phenomena of their time. As time went on, systematic sociology appeared on the scene as a scientific discipline.

Social psychology is the scientific study of how people’s thought, feelings, and behaviours are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others. The terms thoughts, feelings and behaviours include all of the psychological variables that are measurable in human being. The reference to imagined or implied others suggests that we are prone to social influence even when no other people are present, such as when watching television, or following internalized cultural norms.

The study of attitudes and behaviours are core topics in social psychology. Attitudes are involved in virtually every other area of the discipline, including conformity, interpersonal attraction, social perception and prejudice. Social behaviour is understood to be the product of innate biological factors resulting from evolution and cultural factors that have emerged in the course of history. Early writers (e.g. William McDougall, a psychologist) emphasized instinctive roots of social behaviour. Later research and writing that tended to stress learning theory emphasized the influence of environmental factors in social behaviour.

1. REVIEW

Sociology and Social Living has undergone several periodic revisions in the course of time. This is the fourth edition of the textbook. It was first written in 1957, revised in 1960 and in 1969.The book aims at providing a general understanding of society, thereby giving the reader significant insights into the processes and problems of society which will help him to adjust himself to social changes and thus live in harmony with his fellowmen.

The content of the book is divided into four major parts: (I) Social Foundations, (2) Social Organizations, (3) the Major Social Institutions and (4) Human Ecology and is being divided into eighteen chapters: (1) the Meaning and Scope of Sociology, (2) The Nature of Culture, (3) Social groups, (4) Patterns of Social Interactions, (5) Collective Behaviour, (6) Social stratification, (7) Race and Ethnic Minorities, (8) Philippine Cultural Values, (9) Marriage and the Family, (10) The Filipino Family, (11) Family Planning, (12) Religion and Society, (13) Demography and Population Education, (14) Economic Systems and Social Behaviour, (15) Political Organization  an Social Behaviour, (16) Society and Education, (17) The Rural Community, (18) The Urban Community.

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