Sociology Fc #1

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Theories

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Theory: a general statement of how some parts of the world fit together & how they work. Provides a framework in which 2 place observations. each theory interprets reality in a distincit way.

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Functionalism #1

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called structural fun. sometimes. (fun. analysis 2). Basic Tenet: society is a complex system made up of interrelated parts that work together to maintain society's equlibirum.

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Functionalism #2

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views society as a human organism; each part serves a function & contributes to overall stablitiy of society. a part is affected; others become affected to.

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Manifest Function (Func. #3)

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Robert Merton; intended & recogznied action that helps the system stay in equilibrium----->why? survival

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Latent Func. (Func. #4)

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unintended consequence of an action that helps the system---->not what you inteded to do but it helps the system

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Dysfunctions (Func. #5)

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consequences of ppl's actions that udnermind the system's equlibrium

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Conflict Theory

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Basic Tenet: societ is composed of groups that compete for scarce resources. social arrangements benefit from groups at the expense of others (youre going to have winners and losers). macro level of analysis; done at larger level of society. idea originally developed by Karl Marx.

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Class Conflict (C.T. #2)

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Bourgeosic: own means of production
Proletariat: workers
conflict resolved through revolution. symbols: something to which ppl attach meanings & than use to communicate

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Symbolic Interactionism

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B.T.: humans construct their enviornments symboliically & react to the world they construct. meanings are important; ppl create/change their social worlds through the use of mutually understood symbols; society is sum of the interactions of ppl/groups; focuses on small groups

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Hypothesis

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a testable, educated guess about the relationship betwen variables (often based on theory)

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Variables

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a factor that can cahnge from case to case. ex: as a cities unemployment rises it's violence will increase

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Operational Definition

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the way in which a variable is measured in a study

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Dependant Variable

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a factor that is changed by an independent variable; the variable to be explained

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independent variable

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a factor that "causes" a change in another variable; ex: their is a positive relationship between a person's ege & a person's lelel of religiosity

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real cause & effect

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spruious correlation- the cause of a relationship between 2 variables is caused by a 3rd variable

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control variables

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factor that the researcher holds constant to test the relative impact of an IV.

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validity

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extent to which an operational definition measures what it is intended to measure

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reliability

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extent to which research produces consistent results. problem: one study finds 2%support for a new toxic waste dump while another study finds 45% support for it

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surveys

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date collected by having ppl answer a series of ?'s

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population

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the target group to be studied

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survery sampling

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since time & $ seldom let researchers study everyone in a target population, they use ss: individuals intended to represent the populatioon

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random sampling

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everyone in population has equal change of being included in the sample

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random sampling

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everyone in population has equal changes of being included in the sample

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snowball sampling

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sample in which respondents are asked to identify additional members to be included in the sample

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surveys: interviews bias

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effects that interviewers have on respondents that can lead to bias/untrue answers

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participant observation: fieldwork

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researcher participants in research seeting while observing what is happening in that setting

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content analysis

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researcher analyzes written sources that provide data (tv shows, song lyrics)

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secondary analysis

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researcher analyzes date that has been collected by others (created specific for data-gathering info)

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culture

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people's total way of life, composed of: material culture, non-material culture (religion)

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cultural universals

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cultural traits found in every society or culture; fulfil universal needs

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ethocentrism

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the practice of looking at the world as if your own culture's viewpoint is the best & other cultures are inferior

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cultural relativism

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understanding a people from the framework of their own culture

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norms

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rules of behavior that develop out of a groups values; makes everyday life predictable

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some charateristics of norms

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they change over time, they vary in diff. social settings, vary from person to person even in the same settings

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folkway

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type of norm thats not strictly enforced

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more

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a norm that has a moral basis and is stricly enforced b/c it is thought to be essentail to societys well-being (if it leads 2 u getting arrested, its probably a more)

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taboo

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a type of norm so strong that is brings about great disgust if violated; worst of the worst

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presciprtive "do" norms

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do brush your teeth every morning

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proscriptive "dont" norms

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dont burp at the dinner table

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moral holiday

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specified times when people are allowed to break norms, often center around getting drunk/rowdy

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values

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standards by which people define what is good or bad, deseriable/undesirablee/beautiful or ugly

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sapir-wharf hypothesis

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states that language creates ways of thinking/percieving