An Integrated Perspective in Sociology

Taken alone, any of the sociological perspectives may present a single‐sided, distorted picture of society and human behavior.

Although each provides a unique framework for studying society, none is complete by itself.

The world is too complex to rely on reductionistic approaches or to “take it all in at once.”

Each sociological perspective clarifies some aspect of society and human behavior.

Sometimes these perspectives complement each other, and sometimes they contradict each other.

When integrated, however, these perspectives give sociologists the opportunity to gain the fullest possible sociological understanding.