The sociological imagination is an ever-evolving concept. What I mean by that is, the basis remains the same, but the application and understanding of the idea changes as society and individuals change. In basic terms, the sociological imagination is the ability to connect the individual and “social-historical conditions” (Contor). Understanding this concept will be crucial in your research of “how people decide whether to get a divorce,” as there are numerous attributing factors to making that tough decision. I will break down for you how we analyze the two factors in sociological imagination (individual and society), and ultimately how to bridge the gap between the two.
The first thing you must understand is the difference between microlevel and macrolevel analysis. The microlevel observes the smallest aspects of society, focusing on families or individuals within families and their relationships. The analysis seeks to understand patterns between family members, how individuals are treated by other family members, how individual families spend their time together, etc. The macrolevel focuses on society as a whole. This includes, “ideologies, technologies, and social institutions such as the government, the economy, and social classes” (Aulette). Now, we must look at the relationship between the micro and macro levels. The easier relationship to see is that the macrolevel affects the microlevel. I am sure you have observed individuals being influenced by a societal trend or by the social class they inhabit. The harder relationship to understand is that the microlevel influences the macrolevel as well. For example, individuals may have problems within their families and seek to create change at a societal level based on one family’s issues. Most of the social reform we see in our world today starts with an individual experiencing an issue, and wanting to make a change to positively affect society as a whole (Aulette).
Now, you might understand...