Chapter 4 Sociology Terms

Front 1

What is macrosociology?

Back 1

Analysis of social life that focuses on broad features of Society, such as social class and the relationship of groups to one another. Usually used by functionalists and conflict theorists.

Front 2

What is microsociology?

Back 2

Analysis of social life that focuses on social interaction; typically used by Symbolic interactionists.

Front 3

What is social interaction?

Back 3

One person's actions influencing someone else; usually refers to what people do when they are in another's presence, but also includes communications at a distance.

Front 4

What is social structure?

Back 4

The framework of Society that surrounds us; consists of the ways that people and groups are related to one another; this framework gives direction to and sets limits on our behavior.

Front 5

What are the elements of social structure?

Back 5

Culture, social class, social status, social roles, social institutes, and groups.

Front 6

What is culture?

Back 6

A groups language, beliefs, values,behaviors, and gestures. Cultures also include the material objects that a group uses. Culture is the broadens framework that determines what type of people we become.

Front 7

What is social class?

Back 7

A large group of people who rank close to one another in property, power, and prestige; according to Marx, one of two groups: capitalists who own the means of production or workers who sell their labor.

Front 8

What is a social status?

Back 8

The position that someone occupies in a social group.

Front 9

What is a status set?

Back 9

All the statuses or positions that an individual occupies.

Front 10

What is an ascribed status?

Back 10

A position an individual either inherits at birth or received involuntarily later in life.

Front 11

What are achieved statuses?

Back 11

Positions that are earned, accomplished, or involve at least some effort or activity on the individual's part.

Front 12

What is a status symbol?

Back 12

Indicators of a status; items that display prestige.

Front 13

What is a master status?

Back 13

A status that cuts across the other statuses that an individual occupies.

Front 14

What is status inconsistency?

Back 14

Ranking high on some dimensions of social status and low on others. Also called status discrepancy.

Front 15

What is a role?

Back 15

The behaviors, obligations, and privileges attached to a status.

Front 16

What is a group?

Back 16

People who interact with one another and who believe that what they have in common is significant; also called a social group.

Front 17

What are examples of social institutions?

Back 17

Family, religion, education, economy, medicine, politics, law, science, military, mass media.

Front 18

What is social integration?

Back 18

The degree to which members of Society or a group are united by shared values and other social bonds; also known as social cohesion.

Front 19

What is mechanical solidarity?

Back 19

Emile Durkheim's term for the unity (a shared consciousness) that people feel as a result of performing the same or similar tasks.

Hint 19

Farmers

Front 20

What is division of labor?

Back 20

The splitting of a groups or a society's task into specialties. Example: some mine gold, others turn in into jewelry, others sell it.

Front 21

What is organic solidarity?

Back 21

Emile Durkheim's term for the interdependence that results from the division of labor; as part of the same unit, we all depend on others to fulfill their jobs.

Front 22

What is "Gemeinshaft"?

Back 22

A type of Society in which life intimate; a community in which everyone knows everyone else and people share a sense of togetherness. Means "intimate community".

Front 23

What is "Gesellschaft"?

Back 23

A type of Society that is dominated by impersonal relationships, individual accomplishments, and self-interest.

Front 24

Who was Ferdinand Tonnies?

Back 24

19th century sociologist who analysed the fundamental shift in relationships. He coined the terms Gemeinschaft (intimate community) and Gesellschaft (impersonal association) to describe two different types of societies, one old, one new.

Front 25

What is a stereotype?

Back 25

Assumptions of what people are like, whether true or false.

Front 26

What is dramaturgy?

Back 26

An approach, pioneered by Erving Hoffman, in which social life is analysed in terms of drama or the stage.

Front 27

What is body language?

Back 27

The ways in which people use their bodies to give messages to others.

Front 28

What is ethnomethodology?

Back 28

The study of how people use background assumptions to make sense out of life using commonsense. Testify of how people do things. 20th century sociologist Harold Garfinkel founded it.

Front 29

What is a background assumption?

Back 29

A deeply embedded, common understanding of netherworld operates and how people ought to act.

Front 30

What is the Thomas Theorem?

Back 30

William L. and Dorothy S. Thomas' classic formulation of the definition of the situation: "if people define situations as real, they are realcinctheir consequences".

Front 31

What is the social construction of reality?

Back 31

Then use of.background assumptions and life experiences to define what is real.