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171 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back
What Subject matter does Sociology entail?
Society, interaction, communities, behavior, developement, social structures, religions.....ect.
What Methodology does Sociology use?
"Scientific": testable, observable
sociologist are social scientists
Identify "The Sociological Imagination"
- Term coined by C. Wright Mills (1916-1962)
- The ability to see the societal patterns that influence individual and group life
- Understanding:
a. The intersection between individual biography and human history.
b. The link between micro and macro.
c. Personal (private) troubles and public issues.
Identify: sociology
The systematic study of human society
Identify:sociological perspective
-The special point of view of sociology that sees general patterns of society in the lives of particular people.
- Reveals the power of society to shape individual lives
- C. Wright Mills called this point of view the "sociological imagination", which transforms personal troubles into public issues.
- Being an OUTSIDER or experiencing SOCIAL CRISIS can encourage the social perspective
Identify: global perspective and 4 reasons why it is important
The study of the larger world and our society's place in it.
1. Where we live shapes the lives we lead (to understand ourselves and others we must understand how societies differ).
2. Societies throughout the world are increasingly interconnected (US impacts other societies- other societies impact the US. This has implications on many levels- pop culture, economy...)
3. Many social problems that we face in the US are far more serious elsewhere.
4. Thinking globally helps us learn more about ourselves (comparing life in diff. societies can lead to "surprising leassons")
Identify: high-income countries
The nations with the highest overall standards of living
Identify: middle-income countries
The nations with a standard of living about average for the world as a whole
Identify: low-income countries
The nations with a low standard of living in which most people are poor
Identify: positivism
A way of understanding based on science.
Comte's approach. As a positivist, Comte believed that society operates according to certain laws, just as the physical world operates according to gravity and other laws of nature.
Identify: theory
A statement of how and why specific facts are related. Social theory= explains social behavior in the real world.
Identify: theoretical approach
A basic image of society that guides thinking and research
Identify: structural-functional approach
-A framework for building theory that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability. -"explores how social structures work together to help society operate"
- Auguste Comte, Emile Durkheim, and Herbert Spencer helped develop the structural-functional approach.
Identify: social structure
Any relatively stable pattern of social behavior
Identify: social functions
The consequences of a social pattern for the operation of society as a whole
Identify: manifest functions
The recognized and intended consequences of any social pattern
Identify: latent functions
The unrecognized and unintended consequences of any social pattern
Identify: social dysfunction
Any social pattern that may disrupt the operation of society
Identify: social-conflict approach
- A framework for building theory that sees society as an arena of inequality that generates conflict and change
- "shows how inequality creates conflict and causes change"
- Two important types of conflict analysis are the gender-conflict approach (linked to feminism) and the race-conflict approach.
- Karl Marx helped develop the social-conflict approach
Identify: gender-conflict approach
A point of view that focuses on inequality and conflict between women and men
Identify: feminism
The advocacy of social equality for women and men
Identify: race-conflict approach
A point a view that focuses on inequality and conflict between people of different racial and ethnic categories
Identify: macro-level orientation
A broad focus on social structures that shape society as a whole
Identify: micro-level orientation
A close-up focus on social interaction in specific situations
Identify: symbolic-interaction approach
- A framework for building theory that sees society as the product of the everyday interactions of individuals.
- "studies how people, in everyday interaction, construct reality"
- Max Weber and George Herbert Mead helped develop the symbolic-interaction approach.
Identify: science
A logical system that bases knowledge on direct, systematic observation
Identify: scientific sociology
-The study of society based on systematic observation of social behavior
-"Uses the logic of science to understand how variables are related"
-tries to establish cause and effect.
-demands that researchers try to be objective.
Identify: empirical evidence
Information we can verify wit our senses
Identify: Concept
A mental constuct that represents some part of the world in a simplified form
Identify: variable
A concept whose value changes from case to case
Identify: measurement
A procedure for determining the value of a variable in a specific case
Identify: reliability
Consistency in measurement
Identify: validity
Actually measuring exactly what you intend to measure
Identify: correlation
A relationship in which two (or more) variables change together
Identify: cause and effect
A relationship in which change in one variable (the independent variable) causes change in another (the dependent variable)
Identify: interpretive sociology
-The study of society that focuses o the meanings people attach to their social world.
-"focuses on the meanings that people attach to behavior"
-People construct reality in their everyday lives
-Weber's "verstehen" is learning how people understnad their world.
Identify: critical sociology
-The study of society that focuses on the need for social change
-"Uses research to bring about social change"
-focuses on inequality
-Rejects the principle of objectivity, claiming that all research is political.
Identify: gender
The personal traits and social positions that members of a society attach to being female or male
Identify: research method
A systematic pan for doing research
Identify: experiment
-A research method for investigating cause and effect under highly controlled conditions.
-"allows researchers to study cause and effect between two or more variables in a controlled setting"
-example: Zimbardo's "Standford County Prison"
Identify:survey
A research method in which subjects respond to a series of statements or questions in a questionnaire or an interview
-Example: Bejamin's "talented 100"
Identify: participant observation
-A research method in which investigators systematically observe people while joining them in their routine activities.
-"researcher joins with people in a social setting for an extended period of time"
-Ex: Whyte's "Street Corner Society"
Identify: stereotype
An exaggerated description applied to every person in some category
What does the sociological perspective show us about whom any individual chooses to marry?
The operation of society guides many of our personal choices
The personal value of studying sociology includes:
- seeing the opportunities and constraints in our lives.
- the fact that it is good preparation for a number of careers
- being more active participants in society
The discipline of sociology first developed in:
Countries experiencing rapid social change: rise of an industrial economy, explosive growth of cities, new political ideas.
Which early sociologist coined the term "sociology" and in what year?
Auguste Comte in 1838. This makes sociology one of the youngest academic disciplines.
Sociology's social-conflict approach draws attention to:
Patterns of social inequality
What are some of the benefits of applying the sociological perspective?
- Helps us understand the barriers and opportunities in our lives
- Giving us an advantage in our careers
- Guiding public policy
Identify Karl Marx
1818-1883. Early sociologist who was diply troubled by the striking inequality of the new industrial society. Wanted the new discipline of sociology not just to understand society but also to bring about change toward social justice.
What is the level of analysis for the Structural-Functional Approach?
Macro-level
What is the level of analysis for the Social-Conflict Approach?
Macro-level
What is the level of analysis for the Symbolic-Interaction Approach?
Micro-level
What image of society does the Structural-Functional Approach have?
-Society is a system of interrelated parts that is relatively stable.
-Each part works to keep society operating in an orderly way.
-Members generally agree about what is morally right and morally wrong.
What image of society does the Social-Conflict Approach have?
-Society is a system of social inequalities based on class (Marx), gender (feminism and gender-conflict approach).
-Society operated to benefit some categories of people and to harm others.
What image of society does the Symbolic-Interaction Approach have?
-Society is an ongoing process.
-People interact in countless settings using symbolic communications.
-The reality people experience is variable and changing.
What core questions does the Structural-Functional Approach ask?
-How is society held together?
-What are the major parts of society?
-How are there parts linked?
-What does each part do to help society work?
What core questions does the Social-Conflict Approach ask?
-How does society divide a population according to class, gender, race, and age?
-How do advantaged people protect their privileges?
-How do disadvantaged people challenge the system seeking change?
What core questions does the Symbolic-Interaction Approach ask?
-How do people experience society?
-How do people shape the reality they experience?
-How do behavior and meaning change from person to person and from one situation to another?
What are the three theoretical approaches sociologists make use of?
1. Structural-Functional Approach
2. Social-Conflict Approach
3. Symbolic-Interaction approach
What are the three ways to do sociological research?
1. Scientific Sociology
2. Interpretive Sociology
3. Critical Sociology
The Scientific Sociology research approach views reality as what?
Society is an orderly system.
There is an objective reality "out there".
The Scientific Sociology research approach conducts research how?
Researcher gathers empirical, ideally quantitative, data.
Researcher tries to be a neutral observer.
The Scientific Sociology research approach corresponds to what theoretical approach?
Structural-function approach
The Interpretive sociology research approach views reality as what?
Society is ongoing interaction. People construct reality as they attach meanings to their behavior.
The Scientific Sociology research approach conducts research how?
Researcher develops a qualitative account of the subjective sense people make of their world.
Researcher is a participant.
The Interpretive Sociology research approach corresponds to what theoretical approach?
Symbolic-interaction approach.
The Critical Sociology research approach views reality as what?
Society is patterns of inequality.
Reality is that some categories of people dominate others.
The Critical Sociology research approach conducts research how?
Research is a strategy to bring about desired social change.
Researcher is an activist.
The Critical Sociology research approach corresponds to what theoretical approach?
Social Conflict approach.
What are the four widely used methods of sociological investigations?
Experiment
Survey
Participant Observation
Existing Sources
What is the application of the Experiment research method?
-For explanatory research that specifies relationships between variables.
-Generates quantitative data.
What is the application of the Survey research method?
-For gathering info about issues that cannot be directly observed, such as attitudes and values.
-Useful for descriptive and explanatory research.
-Generates quantitative or qualitative data.
What is the application of the Participant Observation research method?
-For exploratory ad descriptive study of people in a "natural" setting.
-Generates qualitative data.
What is the application of the Existing Sources research method?
-For exploratory, descriptive, or explanatory research whenever suitable data are available.
What are the advantages of the Experiment research method?
-Provides the greatest opportunity to specify cause-and-effect relationships.
-Replication of research is relatively easy.
What are the advantages of the Survey research method?
-Sampling, using questionnaires, allows surveys of large populations.
-Interviews provide in-depth responses.
What are the advantages of the Participant Observation research method?
-Allows study of "natural behavior".
-Usually inexpensive.
What are the advantages of the Existing Sources research method?
-Saves the time and expense of data collection.
-Makes historical research possible.
What are the limitations of the Experiment research method?
-Laboratory settings have an artificial quality.
-Unless the research environment is carefully controlled, results may be biased.
What are the limitations of the Survey research method?
-Questionnaires must be carefully prepared and may yield a low return rate.
-Interviews are expensive and time-consuming.
What are the limitations of the Participant Observation research method?
-Time-consuming.
-Replication of research is difficult.
-Researcher must balance roles of participant and observer.
What are the limitations of the Existing Sources research method?
-Researcher has no control over possible biases in data.
-Data may only partially ft current research needs.
Identify: culture
-"The ways of thinking. the ways of acting, and the material objects that together form a people's way of life."
- A Way of Life: culture is shared by members of a society and shapes how we act, think, and feel
- A Human Trait: although several species display limited capacity for culture, only human beings rely on culture for survival.
- A Product of Evolution: as the human brain evolved, culture replaced biological instincts as our species' primary strategy for survival
Identify: society
people who interact in a defined territory and share a culture.
Identify: culture shock
-personal disorientation when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life.
- occurs when we enter an unfamiliar culture and are not able to "read" meaning in our new surroundings.
- We create culture shock for others when we act in ways they do not understand.
Identify: symbol
anything that carries a particular meaning recognized by people who share a culture in the form of words, gestures, and actions to express meaning.
Identify: language
a system of symbols that allows people to communicate with one another
Identify: cultural transmission
the process by which one generation passes culture to the next
Identify: Sapir-Whorf thesis
the idea that people see and understand the world through the cultural lens of language
Identify: values
- culturally defined standards that people use to decide what is desirable, good, and beautiful and that serve as a broad guidelines for social living
- "abstracted standards of what ought to be"
Identify: beliefs
specific statements that people hold to be true
Identify: norms
- rules and expectations by which a society guides the behavior of its members
- 2 types- mores and folkways
identify: folkways
norms for routine or casual intersections
identify: technology
knowledge that people use to make a way of life in their surroundings
identify: hunting and gathering
the use of simple tools to hunt animals and gather vegetation for food
identify: horticulture
the use of hand tools to raise crops
identify: pastoralism
the domestication of animals
identify: agriculture
large-scale cultivation using plows harnessed to animals or machines
identify: industry
the production of goods using advanced sources of energy to drive large machinery
identify: high culture
cultural patterns that distinguish a society's elite
identify: popular culture
cultural patterns that are widespread among society's population
identify: subculture
cultural patterns that set apart some segment of a society's population
identify: multiculturalism
a perspective recognizing the cultural diversity of the United States and promoting respect and equal standing for all cultural traditions
identify: Eurocentrism
the dominance of European (especially English) cultural patterns
identify: Afrocentrism
Emphasizing and promoting African cultural patterns
identify: counterculture
Cultural patterns that strongly oppose those widely accepted within a society
identify: cultural integration
the close relationships among various elements of a cultural system
identify: cultural lag
the fact that some cultural elements change more quickly than others, disrupting a cultural system.
identify: ethnocentrism
the practice of judging another culture by the standards of one's own culture
identify: cultural relativism
the practice of judging a culture by its own standards
Identify: mores
norms that are widely observed and have great moral significance.
Trace technological development in terms of stages of Sociocultural Evolution.
1. Hunting and Gathering
2. Horticulture and Pastoralism
3. Agriculture
4. Industry
5. Postindustrial Information technology
How does culture change?
- Cultural change results from:
Inventions
Discovery
Diffusion
- Culture Lag results when some parts of a cultural system change faster than others
How do we understand cultural differences?
- Ethnocentrism links people to their society but can cause misunderstanding and conflict between societies.
- Cultural Relativism is increasingly important as people of the world come more and more in contact with each other.
How does the Structural-Function Approach view culture?
- Macro-level
- As a relatively stable system built on core values. All cultural patterns play come part in the ongoing operation of society.
- Culture is a system of behavior by which members of societies cooperate to meet their needs.
- Cultural patterns are rooted in a society's core values and beliefs
- Asks: How does a cultural pattern help society operate? What cultural patterns are found in all societies?
How does the Social-Conflict Approach view culture?
-Macro-level
-Sees culture as a dynamic arena of inequality and conflict. Cultural patterns benefit some categories of people more than others.
- Culture is a system that benefits some people and disadvantages others.
- Cultural patterns are rooted in a society's system of economic production
- Asks: How does a cultural pattern benefit some people and harm others? How does a cultural pattern support social inequality?
How does Sociobiology view culture?
- Macro-level
- Explores how the long history of evolution has shaped patterns of culture in today's world.
- Culture is a system of behavior that is partly shaped by human biology
- Culture patterns are rooted in humanity's biological evolution.
- Asks: How does a cultural pattern help a species adapt to its environment?
Of all the world's countries, the United States is the most_____?
Multicultural
Ideas created by members of a society are part of what?
nonmaterial cultural
Sociologist define a symbol as what?
Anything that has meaning to people who share a culture.
US culture holds a strong belief in what?
Individuality
Cheating on a final examination is an example of violating campus what?
Mores
Provide an example of ethnocentrism.
Judging another culture using the standards of your own culture.
The concept of "subculture" refers to what?
Cultural patterns that set apart a segment of a society's population.
Which region of the United States has the largest share of people who speak a language other than English at home?
The Southwest
In human history, the "dawn of civilization" took place with the development of what?
Agriculture.
Which theoretical approach focuses on the link between culture and social inequality?
The social-conflict approach.
Identify: socialization
-"The lifelong social experience by which people develop their human potential and learn culture"
-Develops our humanity as well as our particular personalities.
- is a life-long process
- extended periods of social isolation result in permanent damage.
- a mater of nurture rather than nature.
Identify: personality
A person's fairly consistent patterns of acting, thinking, and feeling.
Identify: id
Freud's term for the human being's basic drives
Identify: ego
Freud's term for a person's conscious effort to balance innate pleasure-seeking drives with the demands of society
Identify: superego
Freud's term for the cultural values and norms internalized by an individual
Identify: sensorimotor stage
Piaget's term for the level of human development at which individuals experience the world only through their senses.
Identify: preoperational stage
Piaget's term for the level of human development at which individuals first use language and other symbols.
Identify: concert operational stage
Piaget's term for the level of human development at which individuals first see casual connections in their surroundings
Identify: formal operation stage
Piaget's term for the level of human development at which humans think abstractly and critically
Identify: self
George Herbert Mead's term for the part of an individual's personality composed of self-awareness and self-image.
Identify: looking-glass self
Charles Horton Cooley's term for a self-image based on how we think others see us
Identify: significant others
People, such as parents, who have special importance for socialization
Identify: generalized other
Mead's term for widespread cultural norms and values we use as a reference in evaluating ourselves.
Identify: Peer Group
A social group whose members have interests, social position, and age in common
Identify: Anticipatory socialization
Learning that helps a person achieve a desired position.
Identify: Mass media
The means for delivering impersonal communications to a vast audience.
Identify: gerontology
The study of aging and the elderly
Identify: gerontocracy
A form of social organization in which the elderly have the most wealth, power, and prestige
Identify: ageism
Prejudice and discrimination against older people
Identify: cohort
a category of people with something in common, usually their age
Identify: total institution
a setting in which people are isolated from the rest of society and manipulated by and administrative staff.
Identify: resocialization
radically changing an inmate's personality by carefully controlling the environment.
Kingsley Davis's study of Anna, the girl isolated for five years, shows what?
Without social experience, a child never develops personality.
Most sociologists take what position concerning nature and nurture?
It is human nature to nurture.
Lawrence Kohlberg explored socialization by studding what?
The development of biological instincts.
Carol Gilligan added to Kohlberg's findings shows what?
Girls and boys typically use different standards in deciding what is right and wrong.
The "self" said George Herbert Mead, is what?
The part of the human personality made up of self-awareness and self-image.
Why is the family so important to the socialization process?
- family members provide necessary care for infants and children
-families give children social identity in terms of class, ethnicity, and religion
- Parents greatly effect a child's self-concept
Compared to higher-income parents, lower-income parents are more likely to emphasize what?
Obedience (as opposed to independence, creativity, imagination...)
In global perspective, which statement about childhood is correct?
Rich societies extend childhood much longer than poor societies do.
Modern, high-income societies typically define people in old age as what?
Less socially important than younger adults.
According to Erving Goffman, the purpose of a total institution is what?
To radically change a person's personality or behavior.
Sigmund Freud's model of the human personality has what 3 parts.
- id
- superego
-ego
Identify Jean Piaget
Believed that human development involves both biological maturation and gaining social experience. He identifies four stages of cognitive development:
1. Sensorimotor stage
2. preoperational stage
3. concrete operational stage
4. formal operational stage
Identify Carol Gilligan
Found that gender plays an important part in moral development, with males relying more on abstract standards of rightness and females relying more on the effects of actions on relationships.
What sociologist used the term "looking-glass self"?
Charles Horton Cooley
Identify Erik H. Erikson
Identified challenges that individuals face at each stage of life from infancy to old age.
Identify George Herbert Mead
To Mead:
- the self is part of our personality and includes self-awareness and self-image.
- the self develops only as a result of social experience
- social experience involves the exchange of symbols
- social interaction depends on understanding the intention of another.. which requires taking the role of the other
- human action is partly spontaneous (the I) and partly in response to others (the me)
- We gain social experience through imitation, play, games, and understanding the "generalized other"
Identify four agents of socialization.
1. Family
2. Schools
3. Peer Group
4. Mass Media
Explain how the Family acts as an agent of socialization.
- is usually the first setting of socialization
- has the greatest impact on attitudes and behavior
- A family's social position, including race and social class, shapes a child's personality.
- Ideals about gender are learned first in the family.
Explain how School acts as an agent of socialization.
- Gives most children their first experience with bureaucracy and impersonal evaluation.
- Schools teach knowledge and skills needed for later life.
- Schools expose children to greater social diversity
- Schools reinforce ideas about gender.
Explain how Peer Groups acts as an agent of socialization.
- helps shape attitudes and behavior
- takes on great importance during adolescence
- frees young people from adult supervision.
Explain how the Mass Media acts as an agent of socialization.
- has a huge impact on socialization in modern, high income societal.
- the average US child spends as much time watching television and videos as attending school and interacting with parents.