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127 Cards in this Set
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Sociology |
The systematic study of the relationship between individuals and society |
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Anomie |
term for state of normlessness: without moral guidance |
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Anomic Suicide |
Suicide that results from a sudden and dramatic change in the level of social regulation, which leaves the individual without any clear rules about how to adapt. These changes can be negative, such as with the death of a spouse or the loss of a job |
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Egoistic suicide |
Suicide that results from too little social integration and are committed by people who feel isolated and detached from society. For example, married couples are likely to have a strong bond with one another, whereas divorced, widowed, and unmarried people are more likely to lack a strong social connection; thus suicide rates among these latter groups are higher |
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Fatalistic suicide |
Suicide caused by too much regulation. Seen in the case of slaves, prisoners, or invalids who see no hope or way to escape the desperate conditions of their lives |
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Altruistic suicide |
Suicide that result from too much social integration, leading individuals to sacrifice themselves for the sake of the collective. For example, during World War II Japan used kamikaze pilots who volunteered to fly suicide missions for their country. |
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Social solidarity |
Term for the collective bonds that connect individuals |
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Mechanical solidarity |
Term for social cohesion based on shared experience and a common identity with limited individuality |
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Organic solidarity |
Term for social cohesion characteristic of modern industrial societies, that is based on interdependence |
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Manifest functions |
Term for the recognized and intended consequences of social phenomena. |
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Latent functions |
Term for the largely unrecognized and unintended consequences of social phenomena. |
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Macro level analysis |
analysis with a focus on large-scale social systems and processes such as the economy, politics, and population trends. |
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Micro level analysis |
analysis with a focus on small-scale, usually face-to-face social interaction. |
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In what group of research-based disciplines does sociology belong? |
Social Science |
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Why did Sociology Develop? |
As a social explanation of the world |
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What summarizes Karl Marx’s view of the social world? |
Conflict theorist: focus on issues of contention, power, and inequality, highlighting the competition for scarce resources. Specifically he was critical of the social inequality associated with industrial capitalism. |
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What summarizes Emile Durkheim’s view of the social world? |
Functional theorist: focus on the consensus and cooperative interaction in social life, emphasizing how different elements that make up a society's structure contribute to its overall operation. He was particularly interested in the question of social solidarity, the collective bonds that connect individuals. At he core of his theory was the proposition that society is held together by shared cultural values. |
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What summarizes Max Weber’s view of the social world? |
Interactionist Theorist: focus on how people use shared symbols and construct society as a result of their everyday interactions. Weber's verstehen - researcher tried to understand action from the perspective of the actor |
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Theory that asks how society is held together. What functions do the parts of society serve |
Functionalist theory |
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Theory that asks how inequality is structured in society, how are power relations maintained? |
Conflict theory |
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Theory that asks how people interpret and understand the social world in their interactions, how do they help shape the reality they experience? |
Symbolic Interactionist Theories |
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What is the culture in Symbolic Interactionist Theory |
Through the use of symbolism people create culture based on their interpretation of social reality. |
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Theory that focuses on the ability of a social system to reach its collective goals. Inequalities serve a positive function by motivating the most qualified to fill the most important positions |
Functionalist Theory |
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Theory that focuses on the power concentrated in the hands of a dominant group that uses it to exploit or oppress others |
Conflict Theory |
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Theory that finds that power is rooted int he social relationships between people. Inequalities results from the actions of individuals and therefore can be changed |
Symbolic Interactionist Theory |
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Quantitative data |
evidence that can be summarized numerically presented in the form of variables |
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Qualitative data |
any kind of evidence that is not numerical in nature, including evidence gathered from interviews, direct observation, and written and visual documents. |
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Independent variable |
associated with and/or causes change in value of the another variable |
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Dependent variable |
changes in response to the another variable |
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Hypothesis |
statement about the relationship between variables that is to be investigated |
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Correlation |
relationship in which change in one variable is connected to a change in another variable |
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Variables |
an element, feature, or factor that is liable to vary or change |
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Sample |
part of the population that represents the whole |
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Random Sample |
high-quality sample chosen randomly, so that every element of the population has an equal chance of being chosen |
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Generalize |
describe patterns of behavior of a larger population based on findings from a sample |
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Field Research (ethnography/field work) |
data collection technique in which the researcher systematically observes some aspect of social life in its natural setting sometimes engaging in participant observation |
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Existing Sources |
secondary analysis using data previously collected by other researchers. (Content analysis - a variety of techniques that enable researchers to systematically summarize and analyze the content of various forms of communication |
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Experiment |
data gathering technique in which the researcher manipulates an independent variable under controlled conditions to determine if change in an independent variable produces change in a dependent variable thereby establishing a cause and effect relationship |
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Culture |
the collection of values, beliefs, knowledge, norms, language, behaviors, and material objects shared by a people and socially transmitted from general to generation/ "way of life". Can be macro (entire society), meso- (school or business), or individuals (micro) |
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Society |
a group of people who live together in a specific territory and share a culture |
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Norms |
a culture's rules and expectations for “appropriate” behavior |
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Folkways |
group habits or customs that are common in a given culture |
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Mores |
norms that are strictly enforced, with potentially severe penalties for violating them. |
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Subculture |
cultures associated with smaller groups in society that have distinct norms, values, and lifestyles setting them apart from the dominant culture. |
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Counterculture |
a subculture that champions values and lifestyles distinctly opposed to those of the dominant culture. |
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Assimilation |
the process by which members of a minority group come to adopt the culture of the majority group. |
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Multiculturalism |
the recognition, valuing, and protection of the distinct cultures that make up a society |
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Ethnocentrism |
the practice of judging another culture by the standards of one's own |
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According to Robin Williams Jr., what are the values central to U.S. culture? |
Achievement and Success Freedom Activity and work Conformity Moral orientation Science and secular rationality Humanitarian mores Nationalism-patriotism Efficiency and practicality Democracy Progress Individual personality Material comfort Racism and related group-superiority Equality
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Cross cultural values |
Power Universalism (appreciation and concern for all humanity) Achievement Benevolence (generosity and compassion) Tradition Hedonism (seeking of personal pleasure) Security Stimulation (seeing of excitement and personal challenge) Self-Direction Conformity (desire to blend in) |
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What is the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis and the implication? |
suggests that because of their different cultural content and structure, languages affect how their speakers think and behave |
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Difference Between Subculture and Counterculture |
Subcultures are segments of society like sports fans. Countercultures are in direction opposition of the dominant culture: KKK etc. |
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ethnocentrism |
the judging of other cultures by the standards of one's own on the assumption that one's own is superior and can be the source of xenophobia (the unreasonable fear and hatred of foreigners or people from other cultures) |
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cultural relativism |
the practice of understanding a culture by its own standards |
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Social structure |
recurring patterns of behavior |
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Status |
position in a social system that can be occupied by an individual/What You Are |
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Role |
sets of expected behaviors associated with particular statuses/What is Expected of You |
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Ethnomethodology |
an approach that examines the methods people use to make sense of their daily activities, emphasizes the ways in which we collectively create social structure in our everyday activities |
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Difference between Role Conflict and Role Strain |
Strain - a conflict in a single role Conflict - When there is conflict between multiple roles |
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How is gender structured in our society? |
the expected patterns of beliefs and behavior associated with gender in the United States (that is, the structure of gender) have changed significantly from homemaker to career. |
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What are breaching experiments? |
controlled social situations in which the individuals involved intentionally break social rules, violating basic norms and patterns of behavior |
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Why are sociologists interested in McDonaldization? |
the McDonaldization effect is to impose the standardized, efficient structure of a fast-food restaurant on all aspects of our lives, including school, work, travel, and leisure. |
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What would Max Weber think about McDonaldization? |
McDonaldization represents an extreme form of rational action. Rational action is motivated by calculations of efficiency. |
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Power |
the ability to bring about an intended outcome, even when opposed by others |
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Socialism |
Ideology that emphasizes the collective good and economic equality as coordinated by the government. In this system, the government typically owns major industries and taxes wealthy citizens heavily to pay for free or subsidized social programs such as education, health care, housing, and daycare. |
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Democratic socialism |
combines a government accountable to the electorate with an economy that includes considerable state intervention. These societies tend to cultivate an ideology that values equality and the common good, even if it means putting strict limits on the income and wealth of the country's richest citizens. |
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Caste system |
stratification based on various ascribed characteristics determined at birth |
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Class system |
stratification determined by economic position, which results from a combination of individual achievement and family of birth |
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Charismatic power |
power whose legitimacy is derived from the extraordinary personal characteristics of an individual leader, which inspire loyalty and devotion |
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Rational-legal power |
legitimacy because it is based on established laws, rules, and procedures (like a presidental term) |
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Traditional power |
legitimacy because of compliance with well established cultural practices |
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What is the most effective way to resist power? |
Disobedience |
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What are the factors found in all stratification systems? |
1. The unequal distribution of valued resources 2. Distinct groups that make up society's strata (layers) 3. An ideology that explains and justifies inequality |
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What do sociologists focus on when examining systems of stratification? |
Stratification based on class, race, and gender that is especially widespread and significant |
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Difference between class and caste system |
Class systems are more flexible than caste systems and offer more opportunities for social mobility |
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Capitalist class system |
ideology emphasizes individualism—the idea that success is based on merit, not inherited advantage |
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difference between capitalist and socialist class systems is... |
the nature and degree of government intervention in the economy, socialist ideology emphasizes the collective good and economic equality as coordinated by the government. In a socialist system, the government typically owns major industries and taxes wealthy citizens heavily to pay for free or subsidized social programs such as education, health care, housing, and daycare. |
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Who is mainly responsible for total American campaign contributions? |
Corporations |
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What is the main problem with a highly concentrated economic power in the context of a democracy? |
Hegemony exists when those in power have successfully spread their ideas—and marginalized alternative viewpoints—so that their perspectives and interests are accepted widely as being universal and true. By manipulating ideas, those in power can often manufacture the consent of others. For example, political leaders typically demonize foreign enemies in rallying citizen support for a war. Gramsci argued that hegemony is a tenuous condition that must be actively maintained in the face of constant challenges. |
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What was the result of the ruling in Citizens United v the Federal Election Commission? |
The United States Supreme Court held that the First Amendment prohibits the government from restricting independent political expenditures by non profit organizations. The principles articulated by the Supreme Court in the case have also been extended to corporations, labor unions and other associations. |
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Socialization |
the process through which people learn their culture's basic norms, values, beliefs, and appropriate behaviors |
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Agents of socialization |
People and groups who teach us about our culture (family, school, media, peer groups, the workplace, religion, total institutions) |
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Resocialization |
the process by which individuals replace old norms and behaviors with new ones as they move from one role or life stage to another |
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Looking Glass Self |
the idea that our sense of self develops as a reflection of the way we think others see us Cooley's concept of the looking glass self Is part of a symbolic interactionist perspective on social development |
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Mead's "I" |
the part of the self that is spontaneous, impulsive, creative, and unpredictable |
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Mead's "Me" |
the sense of self that has been learned from interaction with others |
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Generalized Other |
the values and orientations of one's overall community rather than those of specific individuals |
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How have children been viewed in Western culture over time? |
As an asset, now they are a burden in well-off cultures |
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What is the Nature-versus-nurture debate? |
A disagreement about the relative importance of biology ("nature") and the social environment ("nurture") in influencing human behavior |
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What did we learn from the case study of Isabelle? |
It is possible for an isolated child to fully take part in their culture after intensive therapy |
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Cooley |
We are not born with a sense of self; rather we develop it over time as a product of the culture in which we are socialized. In particular, we develop a sense of self through our experience of social interaction. An early American sociologist, Charles Horton Cooley (1864–1929), articulated this point with his concept of the looking glass self, the idea that our sense of self develops as a reflection of the way we think others see us (1902). (A looking glass is a mirror.) According to Cooley, our interactions with others involve three steps that, repeated in all our interactions, forge our sense of self: 1. We imagine our image in the eyes of others.2. We imagine the others making some judgment about us. 3. We experience a feeling as a result of the imagined judgment. Cooley's concept of the looking glass self is part of a symbolic interactionist perspective on social development. |
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Mead |
George Herbert Mead (1863–1931). Mead argued that the self is made up of what he called the “I” and the “me” (1934/1962). Mead's “I” is the part of the self that is spontaneous, impulsive, creative, and unpredictable. It is nonreflective and exists only in the present To create a healthy self, the “I” must be balanced with what Mead calls the “me.” Mead's “me” is the sense of self that has been learned from interaction with others. When you adhere to social norms—such as when you refrain from saying something for fear of offending someone—the “me” is dominating the “I.” When you reflect on the “I,” it becomes part of the “me.” Socialization involves learning to balance the “I” and the “me.” |
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Which group is increasingly relying on the online world as a source of support? |
Senior Citizens |
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Thomas Theorem |
The idea that if people define situations as they, they are real in their consequences. Subjective interpretations of reality have objective effects (example: arms race, giving money to someone on the street) |
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Status Set |
collection of statuses that an individual holds |
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Achieved status |
status we attain voluntarily, to a considerable degree, as the result of our own efforts |
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Ascribed status |
status that is assigned from birth, regardless of our wishes or abilities |
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Social role |
the sets of expected behaviors that are associated with particular statuses and are expected by society |
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Role strain |
the problem that occurs when the expectations associated with a single role compete with each other (ex. Teacher that is supposed to help and support and have to evaluate students sometimes with a failing grade) |
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Role conflict |
the problem that occurs when the expectations associated with different roles clash |
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Dramaturgy |
an approach to the study of social interaction that uses the metaphor of social life as a theater |
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Front-stage behavior & Back-stage behavior |
How we act when people are watching vs when they aren't |
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Impression Management |
We try to control the image others have of us through our performance |
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Social Network |
the collections of social ties that connect people to each other |
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Primary Groups |
make up of people who have regular contact, enduring relationships, and a significant emotional attachment to each other (ex. Family) |
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Secondary Groups |
made up of people who interact in a relatively impersonal way, usually to carry our some specific task (ex. Coworkers) |
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Bureaucracy |
hierarchical administrative system with formal rules and procedures used to manage organizations. 1. A division of labor
2. A Hierarchy of authority and accountability 3. Impersonality 4. Written Rules and Records |
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Groupthink |
form of uncritical thinking in which people reinforce a consensus rather than ask serious questions or thoroughly analyze the issue at hand |
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Scientific management |
(also known as Taylorism) the effort by trained managers to study workflow and develop precise procedures that govern the completion of work tasks Ex. Assembly line |
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What is the first wisdom of sociology? |
Things are not what they seem. Social reality turns out to have many layers of meaning. The discovery of each new layer changes the perception of the whole |
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In studying juvenile delinquency, which social scientist would focus on implements that delinquents use to commit crimes, as well as the belief system of delinquents? |
Anthropologists |
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What is the sociological imagination known as? |
Sociological Perspective |
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What does Mills identify as the signal feature of our time? |
The condition of uneasiness and indifference |
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What are Research methods? |
Research designs; procedures for gathering data: survey, secondary analysis, documents, experiments, unobtrusive measures, and participant observation |
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What aspect of Yanomamo life sets them apart from most other tribal societies? |
There is still warfare/importance of aggression |
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What time consuming, difficult task did Chagnon undertake? |
Genealogy |
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What are examples of silent language? |
Posture, gesture, facial expressions, costume, way you walk, proximity, costume, treatment of space, time, and material things. |
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What does Harris conclude about cows in India? |
That they are analogous to cars and dogs in our society |
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Why are there religious laws against killing cows? |
Hindus needed to set themselves apart from invading Muslims in the 8th century AD |
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What are the cornerstones of the Amish lifestyle? |
Family bonds and their faith |
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What trend is leaving the Amish vulnerable to outside influences? |
Competition in a money market - economic need. |
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How were Isabelle’s case was similar to Anna’s? |
Both girls were found at around the same time, were unable to speak and scored similar to a 2-1/2 year old child when they were first found |
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What is the primary obstacle that prevents U.S. women from focusing on constructive aspects of themselves? |
Focusing on attractiveness |
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How are women denied their sense of totality? |
They are considered an object in order to assess for attractiveness |
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What did Milgram conclude about the subjects who pressed the lever all the way? |
They were very obedient |
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What is the unique job of kindergarten in education? |
To teach children to be students so they can participate in conformity |
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How does the author illustrate that McDonald’s has routinized the work of its crews thoroughly? |
The level of training that employees receive |
