1: The Basics Last updated Save as PDF Page ID 130446 Anonymous LibreTexts 1.1: History and Introduction 1.2: The Sociological Imagination The sociological imagination is the ability to situate personal troubles within an informed framework of larger social processes. 1.3: Studying Sociology Sociological studies range from the analysis of conversations and behaviors to the development of theories in order to understand how the world works. 1.4: Sociology and the Social Sciences As a social science, sociology explores the application of scientific methods to the study of the human aspects of the world. 1.5: Social Theories 1.6: The Functionalist Perspective 1.7: The Symbolic Interactionist Perspective 1.8: The Conflict Perspective 1.9: Sociology Today 1.10: Levels of Analysis- Micro and Macro 1.11: Applied and Clinical Sociology 1.12: Thinking Globally