SUMMARY

Across human history, we have faced similar problems of survival. People from different cultures have solved these problems creatively…but differently. This is why we may sometimes experience discomfort around those who “do” it differently.

For instance, ask five people to describe their family and you may get five different family situations. Yet each of us knows who belongs in our “family” and who does not. And even if our families seem very different from one another, we have similar expectations and interactions with our family members.

How old were you when you found out that different families ate different foods than you, or held different worldviews from you and your family members? Did it startle you? We may have already been asking questions about human interactions, and sociology helps us to answer these questions.

In this section, you have learned about what sociology is, where it came from, and the many possibilities for its present-day use. Unless you are planning a life of total solitude, sociology can contribute positively in both your personal and professional life. Due to the diversity of our society and a “shrinking” world, it’s a good bet that you will run into people from distinctly different cultures, even within the borders of the United States.

Understanding one another contributes to more peaceful interactions as we go about our daily living. A solid knowledge of the “sociological imagination” helps us to see the connection between our personal experiences and how our own life-chances may be impacted by the way society views us as individuals.