Everyday Sociology Blog

Individuality, Conformity, and Your Home

By Karen Sternheimer

I recently discovered the HGTV network, and for some reason have really gotten into watching people go house hunting. It’s a fascinating peek into a process that millions of people have experienced, albeit usually in private.

A home is typically the largest purchase consumers will ever make, so it can be instructive to learn the ins and outs of buying real estate by watching others. HGTV’s house-hunting shows are also an interesting study of the contrast between individuality and conformity.

Whitney Houston’s Funeral: The Most Integrated Church Service

By Janis Prince Inniss

Whitney Houston’s first album came out in 1985, the time as I was getting into my own music, going to parties and to nightclubs. Perhaps, not surprisingly then, I have found myself drawn to the coverage of the superstar’s death.

When I first learned that her family opted to have a private, invitation-only funeral service, I surprised myself by feeling left out. What about the fans, I thought? What about the idea of having a huge event at an arena in New Jersey, her home state?

Testing "Stereotype Threat" Theory

By Sally Raskoff

Have you heard that gender affects math skills? There are many studies and reports that document the different achievements of men and women in math.

This phenomenon can be explained in a number of ways, but one recent study attempted to analyze one specific theory.

Geary and Stoet’s study, soon to be published in the journal Review of General Psychology, assesses whether or not the “stereotype threat” theory can explain gender differences in math skills.

The Importance of Emotional Labor

By Karen Sternheimer

When considering a career, you probably think about what degree or skill set a particular job requires. But seldom do we consider—or sometimes even realize—the kind of emotional skills we need in various occupations.

This came to mind as I accompanied a family member to a doctor’s appointment recently. She had a surgical procedure the week before, and was coming in for her follow-up appointment with the surgeon. After a brief wait, a physician’s assistant came in to let her know that her test results were good and she also let us know that the doctor was running a bit behind. Another patient was struggling with a difficult diagnosis and the doctor was taking some extra time with her.

Studying Classrooms Sociologically

By Janis Prince Inniss

After many years, I returned to teaching a couple years ago.Some of my initial joys and highs in this job have been tempered by some intense frustrations. I have found some comfort in the fact that my colleagues have expressed similar frustrations. Ever the student and researcher, I have been attending training and reading about teaching to be better at my job. This has helped me to focus on what I can do to be a more effective teacher.

Health, Work, and Well Being

By Sally Raskoff

The Gallup Poll has given us so much data about Americans over the years. At the end of 2011, they compiled some of their top findings on health. Many of those findings confirm common sense notions, yet not all of their findings are as expected. Taken together, however, they all paint an interesting picture of the health of the nation at the end of 2011.

The Super What?

By Peter Kaufman

Here is a riddle:

What social institution generates billions of dollars each year, influences how people act, affects how nations engage in diplomatic relations, is relevant to nearly all sociological themes, and yet, despite this ubiquitous nature and tremendous social impact is routinely ignored by sociologists?

Research and Privacy

By Karen Sternheimer

A team of researchers from Harvard and UCLA recently faced criticism for conducting research using Harvard students’ Facebook pages. The researchers studied an entire class of 1,700 students starting in 2006, examining how their connections and interests shifted over time.

According to the project’s Harvard website:

This snapshot of an entire class over its four years in college, including supplementary information about where students lived on campus, makes it possible to pose diverse questions about the relationships between social networks, online and offline.