Mcat Psyc/soc Ch7/8

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Functionalism

Back 1

A macro-level theory founded by Émile Durkeim, conceptualizes society as a living organism with many different parts and organs, each of which have a distinct purpose and work together in dynamic equilibrium

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Social facts

Back 2

Elements that serve some function in society (laws, moral values, etc.)

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Manifest functions

Back 3

These are the intended and obvious functions/consequences of something in society (E.g. hospital promotes)

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Latent functions

Back 4

These are the indirect, unintended, less direct functions/consequences of something society (E.g. hospital reduces crime by creating more jobs)

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Social dysfunction

Back 5

A process that has undesirable consequences and reduces the stability of society

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Conflict Theory

Back 6

A macro-level theory founded by Karl Marx (elaborated by Gumplowicz/Weber), views society as a competition for limited resources. Certain groups amass more resources and power and will maintain their position by suppressing the advancement of others

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Karl Marx

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________ proposed that there is a struggle between those who own/control production and those who provide the labor. Capitalism produces tension that will lead to self-destruction

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Ludwig Gumplowiqz

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________ is a conflict theorist who proposes society is shaped by war/conquest, conflict leads to certain groups being dominant over others

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Max Weber

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_________ is a conflict theorist who proposes that capitalism will cause conflict but not collapse

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Symbolic interactionism

Back 10

A micro-level theory founded by George Herbert Mead, focuses on communication (exchange of info through language and symbols) and sees society as the build up of these micro interactions. Society is constructed on human interpretations

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Dramaturgical approach

Back 11

People are acting throughout everyday life. Front stage is how they act in public while back stage is how they act when they are comfortable and let their guard down

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Feminist theory

Back 12

Both macro/micro-level theory, focuses on the social experiences of men and women and the differences between them, the social structures contributing to gender differences (macro), and the effects of gender differences on individual interactions (micro)

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Glass ceiling

Back 13

The invisible barrier that limits opportunities for the promotion of women in professional contexts

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Command/Planned economy

Back 14

An economy in which decisions are based on a plan of production and the means of production are publicly owned (e.g. socialism and communism)

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Market economy

Back 15

An economy in which decisions are based on the market (supply and demand) and the means of production are often private

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Traditional economy

Back 16

An economy which considers social customs in economic decisions

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Rational choice theory

Back 17

In terms of decisions made between multiple courses of action, choices are made to provide the greatest reward at the lowest cost

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Social exchange theory

Back 18

Essentially the same as the rational choice theory but for social interactions instead

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Social institutions

Back 19

Complexes of roles, norms, and values organized into a form that contributes to social order by governing the behavior of people (e.g. family, educational systems, religion)

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Educational stratification

Back 20

There is not equal opportunity for education between children from poorer/wealthier neighbourhoods which functions to widen and maintain socioeconomic privilege gaps

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Teacher expectancy theory

Back 21

If a teacher forms expectations of a student and the student accepts them as reasonable, the student will perform in accordance

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Ecclesia

Back 22

A form of religious organization in which there is one dominant religion that includes most members of society, no other religions are tolerated

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Aristarchic Governments

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Governments controlled by a small group of people based on specific qualifications, the public is uninvolved with political decisions (e.g. aristocracies/meritocracies)

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Autocratic governments

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Governments controlled by one person or a small selective group with absolute decision making power (e.g. dictatorships, facists, monarchies)

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Authoritarian governments

Back 25

Governments consisting of unelected leaders. The public may have freedom but they do not control representation (e.g. totalitarianism)

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Democratic government

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Governments consisting of elected leaders and the public has some degree of political decision making power through either direct decisions or representation

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Republican governments

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Governments which consider the country to be public concern and are democratic in nature. The people have supreme power

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Socialism

Back 28

An economic system where resources and production are collectively owned and distributed to satisfy human needs. Driven by collective goals

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Capitalism

Back 29

An economic system where resources and production are privately owned and goods/service production is driven by pursuit of personal profit

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Welfare capitalism

Back 30

An economic system where most of the economy is private with the exception of extensive social welfare programs

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State capitalism

Back 31

An economic system where companies are privately run, but work closely with the government

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Food desert

Back 32

A highly populated area in which fresh food is difficult to find

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Medicalization

Back 33

The process by which a condition comes to be re-conceptualized with a medical diagnosis and treatment

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Social model of disease

Back 34

Emphasizes the effect of one's social class, employment, neighbourhood, exposure to toxins, and diet on health

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Talcott Parsons' Sick role

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When a person is ill, they will not be able to be a contributing member of society

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Cultural diffusion

Back 36

The transfer of elements culture from one social group to another

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Cultural transmission

Back 37

The process through which information is spread across generations

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Cultural lag

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The phase of time where the creation of a new social concept lags because change is hard to accept (transition shock)

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Culture shock

Back 39

When transition shock is the result of an individual being subjected to alternative cultures and foreign environments

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Race vs. Ethnicity

Back 40

Race: biological, anthropological, or genetic origin of an individual

Ethnicity: socially defined concept referring to whether or not people identify with each other based on shared social experience or ancestry

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Environmental injustice

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People in poorer communities will more likely be subjected to negative environmental impacts to their health and well being

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Urban Blight

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Less functioning areas of large cities degrade as a result of urban decline

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Gentrification

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The renovation of urban areas in a process of urban renewal

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Demographic transition

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A transition from an overall higher to overall lower birth and death rates as a result of a country's development from pre-industrial to industrial. Leads to a stable population

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Globalization

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The process of increasing interdependence of societies and connections between people across the world (economic, political, sociocultural)

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Caste system

Back 46

Closed social stratification where people can do nothing to change the category they're born into

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Class system

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Stratification system where people are grouped by wealth, income, education etc., but they can strive to reach a higher class

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Meritocracy

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Stratification system where only merit establishes social standing

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Socioeconomic status (SES)

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Status which depends on power, property, and prestige

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Social reproduction

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Structures and activities that transmit and reinforce social inequality from one generation to the next

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Role conflict

Back 51

Conflict in society's expectations for multiple statuses held by the same person

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Role strain

Back 52

A single status resulting in conflicting expectations

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Mere exposure effect

Back 53

People prefer repeated exposure to the same stimuli

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Attraction (based on 3 characteristics)

Back 54

Similarity, appearance, and proximity form the basis for ___________

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Agression predictors

Back 55

Genetics, neurology, and biochemistry can be predictors of _______

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Socialization

Back 56

The process through which people learn to be proficient and functional members of society through family, school, peers, workplace, religion, government, or mass media

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Kohlberg's Stages of moral development: level 1

Back 57

Kohlberg's Stages of moral development: pre-conventional level of moral reasoning, morality judged by direct consequences to the self

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Kohlberg's Stages of moral development: level 2

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Kohlberg's Stages of moral development: conventional level of moral reasoning, morality judged by comparing actions to society's views and expectations

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Kohlberg's Stages of moral development: level 3

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Kohlberg's Stages of moral development: post conventional level of moral reasoning, morality judged by internal ethical guidelines

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Mores ("morays")

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Norms that are highly important for the benefit of society and are strictly enforced

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Durkheim's Anomie

Back 61

Normlessness. Used to imply that social norms are used to contribute to social cohesion and maintenance of order

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Differential association theory of deviance

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Deviance is a learned behavior resulting from interactions between individuals and their communities - deviance is no different than any other learning

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Labelling theory of deviance

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Deviance is a result of society's response to a person rather than something inherent in their actions - behaviors become deviant through social processes

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Structural strain theory of deviance

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Deviance is the result of experienced strain

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Individuation

Back 65

The development of a distinct, individual personality

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Projection bias

Back 66

We assume others have the same beliefs that we do

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Institutional discrimination

Back 67

Unjust or discriminatory practices employed by large organizations that have been codified into operating procedures or institutional objectives

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Stereotype threat

Back 68

A self-fulfilling fear that one will be evaluated based on a negative stereotype

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Physical capital

Back 69

Money, property, looks are all examples of _________ which can influence social mobility

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Cultural capital

Back 70

Non-financial characteristics evaluated by society like education, race, motivation, or sexuality are all examples of ____________ which can influence social mobility

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Social capital

Back 71

Social networking and interpersonal connections are examples of _________ which can influence social mobility

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Self schema

Back 72

Specific beliefs and ideas we have about ourselves used to guide and organize the processing of information that is relevant to ourselves

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Self concept/identity

Back 73

Includes all your beliefs about who you are as an individual, it is the sum of all of your self schemas

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Self efficacy

Back 74

Our belief in our abilities, competence, and effectiveness at specific tasks

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Locus of control

Back 75

Our belief in whether or not we can influence the events that impact us (internal = control, external = no control)

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Attribution theory

Back 76

Theory to explain how we understand our own behavior and the behavior of others, based off of distinctiveness, consensus, consistency

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Fundamental attribution error

Back 77

When we attribute another person's behavior to their personalities (internal causes)

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Actor/observer bias

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When we attribute our own actions to the situation (external causes)

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Self serving bias

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When we attribute our success to internal causes and our failures to external causes

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Optimism bias

Back 80

When we believe bad things happen to other people but won't happen to us

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Just world fallacy

Back 81

When we believe bad things happen to others because of their own actions (they have an internal locus of control)

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Social facilitation effect

Back 82

When the presence of others improves our performance

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De-individuation

Back 83

In situations where there is a high degree of arousal and a low degree of personal responsibility, we may lose sense of restraint and individual identity in exchange for identifying with a mob mentality

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Groupthink

Back 84

Occurs within a group when the desire for harmony or conformity results in members don't bring up evaluations or criticisms to avoid conflict

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Group polarization

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When groups tend to intensify the pre-existing views of their members

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Solomon Asch's study

Back 86

Study on conformity, had people perform a simple task but then also in the presence of other confederates with differing answers

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Milgram's Shock study

Back 87

Study on obedience, people were told by an authority figure to shock someone and continued to do so even though they heard the cries of pain. The authority figure also accepted responsibility for the zapping

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Message characteristics of persuasion

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Characteristic of persuasion that includes the logic, complexity, and strength of the message itself

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Source characteristics of persuasion

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Characteristic of persuasion that includes characteristics of the person or venue delivering the message like their expertise or trustworthiness

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Target characteristics of persuasion

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Characteristic of persuasion that includes the characteristics of the person receiving the message like their self esteem, intelligence, mood, etc.

Front 91

Elaboration likelihood model

Back 91

There are 2 cognitive routes of persuasion:

1) central route (message characteristics)

2) peripheral route (source characteristics