Soc Chaper 1

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Sociology

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The scientific study of societies and social behavior.

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Social problem

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1. A condition that a significant number of people believe to be a problem.
2. A condition in which there is a sizeable difference between the ideals of a society and its actual achievements.

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Social movements

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Groups of people who have banded together to promote a particular cause.

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Role

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A set of expectations and behaviors associated with a social posistion.

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Norm

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A social rule that tells us whar behavior is acceptable in a certain situation and what is not.

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Deviant

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1. An individual who violates a social norm.

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Social institutions

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Relatively stable patterns of roles and behavior centered on the performance of important social tasks.

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Social class

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A catagory of people with similar shares of the things that are valued in a society.

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Culture

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The way of life of the people in a certain geographic area, particuarily their ideas, beliefs, values, patterns of thought, and symbols.

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Subculture

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A culture that exists within and is influenced by a larger culture but it has its own unique ideas and beliefs.

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Society

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A group of people in a geographic area who share common institutions and traditions.

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Social structure

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The organized patterns of human behavior and social relationships in a society.

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Social psychological theories

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A large group of theories that attempts to explain the effects of individuals and social groups on each other.

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Functionalist perspective

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A broad sociological approach that sees society as a delicate balance of parts, each with its own functiond and dysfunctions, and holds that most social problems result from the disorganization of society.

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Function

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The contribution of each part of society to the maintenance of a balanced order.

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Dysfunction

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The way a social phenomenon interferes with the maintenance of a balanced social order.

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Social disorganization

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The condition that exists when an institution or an entire society is poorly organized and fails to carry out essential social functions satisfactorily.

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Conflict perspective

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A broad sociological approach that sees the conflict between dfferent groups as a basic sociological process and holds that the principal source of social problems is the exploitation and oppression of one group by another.

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Class conflict

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The struggle for wealth, power, and prestige among the social classes.

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World system theory

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A theory that sees the global inequality to be the product of the exploitation of the poor nations by the rich ones.

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Globalization

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The process by which the nations of the world become more and more independent.

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Feminist theory

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An approach to understanding society and social behavior that focuses on the importance of gender and the inequalities based on it.

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Patriarchy

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A society dominated by men and run in their interests.

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Sexism

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Stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination based on gender.

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Interactionism

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A theory that explains behavior in terms of the way individuals define themseleves, their social relationships, and the world as a whole.

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Definition of the situation

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People's understanding of the conditions in which they find themselves.

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Socialization

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The process by which individuals learn ways of thinking and behaving in their culture.

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Self-concept

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Our image we have of who and what we are.

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Behaviorism

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A theory that holds behavior is learned from the rewards and punishments we recieve.

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Personality theories

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A group of theories that hold that social behavior is determined by differences in personality.

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Personality theories

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A group of theories that hold that social behavior is determined by difference in personality.

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Personality

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The relatively stable characteristics and traits that distinguish one person from another.

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Biosocial perspective

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A loose grouping of theories that emphasizes the importance of biology in determining social behavior.