Student Images of Sociology: Variations and Change.

To explore the impact of an introductory sociology course on concepts held by college students, a study was executed on the images of sociology and sociologists, the variation of this image with other variables, the degree and direction of change of these images on completing an introductory course, and variability among students' changes in direction and degree. Students enrolled in an introductory sociology college course were given questionnaires at the beginning and end of each term. A semantic differential technique was used with a seven-point scale for several polar opposites. In addition, questionnaires at the end of each course included a critique of the course and several background items. The hypotheses that college students would share a consistent image of sociology and that selected personal variables would not affect their images of sociology or sociologists were supported by the data. A third hypothesis, proposing little changes in student images of sociology after the introductory course, was not supported: student images did appear affected by the course. Research methodology, references, and tables of data are included in the report. (Author/KSM)