Shared Flashcard Set

Details

Sociology Key Terms
Chapters 1, 2, 3, 5 & 17
100
Sociology
Undergraduate 1
01/17/2009

Additional Sociology Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Sociology
Definition
Scientific study of social structure: Interaction between social structure and the individual; and idea of two levels of analysis.
Term
Social Structure
Definition
Patterns of social relationships. Examination of these can lead to greater insight on individual behavior than just looking at the individual separately.
Term
Recurrent patterns
Definition
Patterned interaction of people and social structures and seem to be universal from region to region. Gains much interest from sociologists.
Term
Mircosociology
Definition
Concerned concerned with the study of people as they INTERACT in daily life.
Term
Marcosociology
Definition
Focuses on groups without regard to the interaction of the people involved. Study of societies as a WHOLE. Example: effect of economy on stability of family.
Term
Individualistic explanation
Definition
Explanation of group behavior are inadequate because human activities are influenced by social forces OUTSIDE of their control that they have not created/contributed to.
Term
Humanistic sociology
Definition
Type of sociology concerned with improving society that place human needs and goals at the center.
Term
Liberation sociology
Definition
Type of sociology concerned with improving society whose objective is to replace human oppression with greater democracy and social justice.
Term
Sociological imagination
Definition
Set of mind that enables individuals to see the relationship between events in their personal lives and events in their society.
Term
Economics
Definition
Study of the distribution, production, and consumption of goods and services.
Term
Anthropology
Definition
Social science closely related to sociology that studies the "primitive" societies and some studies modern society like the cultural characteristics of neighborhoods and communities.
Term
Psychology
Definition
Study of the development and function of mental-emotional processes in the human mind.
Term
History
Definition
Examination of past event in human societies.
Term
Political science
Definition
Study of the organization, administration, history, and theory of government.
Term
Auguste Comte
Definition
Recognized as the father of sociology. Believe in order to improve society, it had to be studied scientifically and coined the term "sociology."
Term
Positivism - knowledge we can be "positive" about
Definition
Use of scientific observation and experimentation in the study of social behavior. Knowledge we can be sure about.
Term
Social statics
Definition
Study of social stability and order.
Term
Social dynamics
Definition
The study of social change.
Term
Harriet Martineau
Definition
Translated Comte's book Positive Philosophy, and wrote her own book on the methodology of sociology focusing on the framework for social observation through the right questioning, objectivity, and representative sampling.
Term
Hebert Spencer
Definition
Explained social stability through biology saying society is composed of parts working together to promote well-being and survival. Introduced theory of SOCIAL DARWINISM believing social change would happen naturally and did not need to have people get involved. Pioneer of FUNCTIONALISM.
Term
Karl Marx
Definition
Believed in a classless society. Recognized capitalist society as two sections: bourgeoisie-businessmen, proletariat- workers. He believed that eventually a class conflict would create a classless society. Originated CONFLICT THEORY.
Term
Mechanical solidarity
Definition
Social unity that comes from a consensus of values and beliefs, strong social pressures for conformity, and dependence on tradition and family.
Term
Organic solidarity
Definition
Social unity based on a complex of highly specialized role making members of a society DEPENDENT on each other.
Term
Max Weber
Definition
Most influential on the development of sociological theory. Had a subjective approach to studying humans: they act on a basis of their own understandings of a situation. Originated CONFLICT THEORY.
Term
method of verstehen
Definition
Weber's definition how understanding the subjective intentions of human social behavior: Understanding social behavior by putting oneself in the place of OTHERS. EMPATHY.
Term
Jane Addams
Definition
Most influential of the early FEMALE social reformers in the U.S. Helped to improve life of lower class and active in women's suffrage movement.
Term
W.E.B Du Bois
Definition
African American sociology that worked to understand the black community and fought for civil rights. Board of directors for the NAACP.
Term
Emile Durkheim
Definition
Believed social order exist because of a broad consensus among members of a society. The consensus came from either the values and beliefs from family and tradition (mechanical solidarity) or from a complex of specialized soles that would cause others to be dependent on each other for their services. Contributor to functionalism.
Term
Functionalism
Definition
Emphasizes the contributions performed by each part of the community (e.g. family, economy, and religion are all parts of a society. Major contributors include: Spencer, Durkheim, Parson, Merton. Would most likely choose use of SURVEYs as a research method.
Term
Dynamic equilibrium - second assumption of functionalism
Definition
Second assumption of functionalist- that societies tend to return to a state of stability after an upheaval. The idea that society changes yet maintains most of its original structure over time. A constantly changing balance among the parts (e.g. college/university protests caused social change). FUNCTIONALISM.
Term
First assumption of functionalism
Definition
Society is an integrated whole of each piece- a change in one part leads of change in other parts (e.g. INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION- farmers had large families to help w/farm work, but machines caused them to not need so many children meaning smaller families in the future).
Term
Third assumption of functionalism
Definition
Most aspects of a society exist to promote the society's survival and welfare. For this reason, all societies have economies, families, governments, and religions. If these elements didn't contribute to survival of its society, it would perish.
Term
Manifest functions
Definition
Functions found in parts of society that are intended and recognized at the time.
Term
Latent functions
Definition
Functions found in parts of society that are UNintended and unrecognized at the time (e.g. car companies designed cars to be resistant to hot-wiring to prevent car theft, but it unintentionally caused the emergence of more dangerous crime and car-jacking).
Term
Dysfunction
Definition
Elements of society that produce NEGATIVE consequences.
Term
Conflict theory
Definition
Theory that emphasizes conflict, competition, change and constraint within society. Originated by Marx, Weber, and Simmel (all German sociologists). Often the reverse of functionalism ideas. Would most likely choose CASE STUDY research method.
Term
Power
Definition
The ability to CONTROL the behavior of others, even against their will.
Term
Feminist theory
Definition
Branch of conflict theory that links the lives of women and men to the structure of gender relationships within society- umbrella term for: liberal feminism, radical feminism, and socialist feminism.
Term
Symbolic interactionism
Definition
The theoretical perspective that focuses on interaction among people- interaction based on mutually understood symbols. Term coined by Herbert Blumer. Would most likely choose PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION research method.
Term
Symbol
Definition
Something chosen to represent something else. May be an object, word, something that is observable, something concrete, but may represent something abstract.
Term
Dramaturgy
Definition
An approach that depicts human interaction as theatrical performance. Term coined by Erving Goffman. "We are all actors on the stage of life."
Term
Presentation of self
Definition
Presenting yourself in such a way to enhance their performance in hopes of others having a favorable opinion of them. "Impression management"
Term
Theoretical perspective
Definition
A set of assumptions accepted as true by its advocates.
Term
Objectivity
Definition
To prevent their personal biases from influencing the interpretation of their results.
Term
Four major nonscientific sources of knowledge
Definition
INTUITION- quick and ready insight not based on rational thought, COMMON SENSE- opinions that are widely held because they SEEM so obviously correct, AUTHORITY- someone who is supposed to have special knowledge that we do not have, and TRADITION- evidence from past experiences.
Term
Verifiability
Definition
A study that can be REPEATED by other scientists. Important because it exposes scientific work to critical analysis, retesting, and revision by colleagues.
Term
Causation
Definition
One event leading to another. Evens occur in a predictable, nonrandom ways.
Term
Multiple causation
Definition
Event occurs as a result of several factors operating in combination. (e.g. Lombroso believed that certain physical features could determine character, but his ideas were rejected).
Term
Multiple causation
Definition
Event occurs as a result of several factors operating in combination. (e.g. Lombroso believed that certain physical features could determine character, but his ideas were rejected).
Term
Variable
Definition
Characteristic that is subject to change, and occurs in different degrees.
Term
Quantitative variable
Definition
Variable that can be measured and given a NUMERICAL value.
Term
Qualitative variable
Definition
Variable that are divided into categories depending on characteristics, not numerical degree.
Term
Liberal feminism
Definition
Focus on equal opportunity for women and heightened public awareness of women's rights. Same treatment as men get.
Term
Radical feminism
Definition
Traces the oppression of women to the fact that societies are dominated by men. Interested in male supremacy - patriarchy- and the ways men gain and maintain the power to control all social institutions.
Term
Socialist feminism
Definition
Sees capitalism as a source of female oppression. Goes beyond Marxist interpretation by saying the problem of female oppression extends beyond the fact that under capitalist societies women are the PROPERTY of men. Most radical form of feminism.
Term
independent variable
Definition
Variable that CAUSE something to occur
Term
Dependent variable
Definition
Variable in which change or effect can be observed.
Term
Intervening variable
Definition
Influences the relationship between an independent variable and a dependent variable (e.g. government support program may intervene between poverty and hunger). Poverty causes hunger, but government supports those in poverty to prevent hunger.
Term
Correlation
Definition
When a change in one variable is associated with a change in the other. Can be either negative or positive relationship.
Term
Spurious correlation
Definition
An apparent relationship between two variable which is actually produced by a THIRD variable that affects BOTH of the original variables (e.g. church attendance and delinquency).
Term
Establishing causation
Definition
1. Two variables must be correlated.
2. All possible contaminating factors must be taken into account.
Term
Experiment
Definition
Takes place in a LABoratory in an attempt to eliminate all possible contaminating influences in order to determine EFFECTS of independent variable on dependent variable. If there is an affect on the dependent variable this would conclude that the independent variable CAUSED the change.
Term
Matching
Definition
The standard way to make experimental and control group COMPAREable. Participants in an experiment are matched in pairs according to all factors thought to the relationship being investigated.
Term
Population
Definition
All the people with the characteristics a researcher wants to study. TARGET group.
Term
Stratified random sample
Definition
Population is divided into categories and then subjects are randomly selected from each category, so proportion of person in given category reflects the larger population.
Term
Secondary analysis
Definition
The use of previously collected information is a well-respected method of obtaining data. First sociologist to use this was Emile DURKHEIM.
Term
Hawthorne effect
Definition
When unintentional behavior on the part of researchers influence the results they obtain from those they are studying.
Term
Field research
Definition
Investigates aspects of social life that cannot be measured quantitatively and that are best understood within a NATURAL setting
Term
Case study
Definition
Thorough investigation of a SINGLE group, incident, or community.
Term
Participant observation
Definition
Researcher becomes a MEMBER of the group being studied. Ex: Book, Black Like Me, by John Howard Griffin who dyed his skin to study African Americans in the South.
Term
Subjective approach
Definition
A development in mircosociology that attempts to uncover taken-for-granted social routines.
Term
Ethnomethodology
Definition
The study of processes people develop and use in understand the routine behaviors expected of themselves and other s in everyday life. Assumes people SHARE the meanings that underlie much of their everyday behavior.
Term
Replication
Definition
The duplication of the same study to ascertain its ACCURACY and is closely linked to reliability and validity and are errors in these are likely to be reveal through multiple testing.
Term
Culture
Definition
People's WAY of life that is PASSED DOWN from generation to generation. Consists of physical objects as wells as patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving.
Term
Society
Definition
A GROUP of people living in a defined territory and participating in a common culture.
Term
Folkways
Definition
Rules that cover customary ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving but lack of moral overtones. Ex: Using a cell phone in a restaurant is not a moral issue, so it is considered this instead. Other examples of this include handshaking, opening doors for others, or removing your hat indoors. Conformity to these are done by personal choice.
Term
Mores (Mor-AYES)
Definition
Norms of great MORAL significance thought to be vital to the well-being of society. Ex: conformity in fashion elicits social approval and violation in school evokes strong disapproval. Conformity to these are a social REQUIREMENT.
Term
Taboo
Definition
A mos (singular of mores) so important that its violation is considered repugnant.
Term
Incest
Definition
Only taboo existing in all societies
Term
Norms
Definition
Rules defining appropriate and inappropriate behavior. William Graham Sumner wrote perceptively on the subject. There are three types: Folkways, Mores, and Taboos.
Term
Sanctions
Definition
REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS http://www.indiemerchstore.com/beautifuldecay/item/4142/used to encourage conformity to norms. They can classified as either formal or informal.
Term
Formal sanction
Definition
Sanctions that may be given only by officially designated person, such as judges and college professors. Have a wide range in severity.
Term
Informal sanctions
Definition
Sanctions that can be applied by most members of a group. Consists of positive and negative alternatives
Term
Cognition
Definition
The process of thinking, knowing, or processing information.
Term
Beliefs
Definition
Ideas concerning the nature of reality. Behavior tends to stem from these perceptions.
Term
Material culture
Definition
Culture that consists of concrete, tangible objects within such as- cars, basketballs, or artifacts. Objects have no value other than the meaning societies give them.
Term
Ideal culture
Definition
Cultural guidelines publicly embraced by members of a society the guidelines we CLAIM to accept, but may or may not in reality.
Term
Real culture
Definition
ACTUAL behavior patterns that are found in cultures, not just what they say they are.
Term
Hypothesis of linguistic relativity/ Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis
Definition
According to Sapir and Whorf, language is our guide to reality. Our view of the world depends on the particular language we have learned. This makes our views of the world different.
Term
Gestures
Definition
Body movements that have symbolic meaning
Term
Social category
Definition
Group that shares a certain social characteristic such as age, sex, race, etc. Each of which have distinct activities associated with them.
Term
Subculture
Definition
Group that is part of the dominant culture but differs from it in some important respects.
Term
Multiculturalism
Definition
Movement towards the emphasis on the cultural UNIQUEness of subgroups. It accents the viewpoints, experiences, and contributions of minorities.
Term
Counterculture
Definition
Subculture that deliberately and consciously OPPOSE certain central aspects of the dominant culture. Ex: Street gang members know large culture's values, beliefs, and norms but consciously oppose them.
Term
Ethnocentrism
Definition
the tendency to judge others in relation to one's own cultural standards.
Term
Cultural universals
Definition
GENERAL cultural traits that exists in all known cultures. Exists for three reasons: Biological similarity shared by all humans, physical environment, and societies having to face many of the SAME problems.
Term
Society
Definition
Composed of a people living within a defined territorial borders who share a COMMON culture.
Term
Culture
Definition
Consists of all the material objects as well as the patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that are passed from generation to generation among members of a society.
Term
Values
Definition
Broad cultural principles embodying ideas about what MOST people in a society consider DESIRABLE.
Term
Laud Humphrey's study of homosexuals
Definition
Study that violated the privacy of the participants.
Supporting users have an ad free experience!