Term
| the sociological perspective |
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Definition
-"The fascination with sociology lies in the fact that its perspective makes us see in a new light the very world in which we have lived all our lives" -Peter Berger
-the study of the everyday world
-an urgent need to understand the forces behind human behavior |
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Term
| theoretical paradigm/perspective |
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Definition
-overarching models of social life
-Three perspectives, two are macro, one is micro:
Structural-Functionalism (a), Conflict theory (a), Symbolic interactionism (i) |
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Term
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Definition
| A framework for building theory that see society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability. (STABILITY) |
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Definition
| A framework for building theory that sees society as an arena of inequality that generates conflict and change. Competition for scarce resources. (CHANGE) |
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Definition
A framework for building theory that sees society as the product of the everyday interactions of individuals.
-"society" is the reality that people construct as they interact with one another. |
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Term
| Macro vs. Micro-level orientation |
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Definition
Macro-a concern with broad patterns that shape society as a whole.(F&C)
Micro- a focus on small-scale patterns of social interaction in specific settings.(SI) |
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Term
| Macro vs. Micro-level orientation |
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Definition
Macro-a concern with broad patterns that shape society as a whole.(F&C)
Micro- a focus on small-scale patterns of social interaction in specific settings.(SI) |
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Term
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Definition
| any relatively stable pattern of social behavior. structures are typically defined as institutions. |
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Definition
| allow societies to attain their goals, adapt to a changing environment, reduce tension, and recruit individuals into social roles. interdependent and interconnected. (like organs in a body) |
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Term
| functions (of institutions) |
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Definition
consequences (+ or -) necessary for the stable reproduction of society:
1. ensure that the goods and services people need are produces and distributed.
2. provide ways of dealing with conflicts between individuals, groups, and organizations.
3. provide was to ensure that individuals are made part of the existing culture (socialization). |
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Term
| Manifest vs. Latent Functions |
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Definition
manifest- consequences both recognized and intended by people in society (school teaches skills)
latent- consequences of social structure that are unintended and go largely unrecognized. (schools shrink labor market) |
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Definition
| any social structure's undesirable consequences for the operation of society. |
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Term
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Definition
if one group wins, then another one loses.
(a+b=0) |
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Term
| Modernization theory vs. Dependency theory |
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Definition
effects of global corporations on poor societies:
M-functionalist-mncs=productive power and raise living standards
D-conflict theory- mncs intensify global inequality. poor societies depend on rich ones. |
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Term
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Definition
| The (SHARED) values, beliefs, behavior, and material objects that, together, form a people's way of life. "Conventional understandings made manifest in act and artifact." - Becker |
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Term
| Material vs. Non-material culture |
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Definition
Material- the tangible things created and used by members of a society.
Non-material- the intangible world of ideas created by members of society. |
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Term
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Definition
"The good, the true, and the beautiful"
culturally defined standards by which people assess desirability, goodness, and beauty, and that serve as broad guidelines for social living. |
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Term
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Definition
| rules and expectations by which a society guides the behavior of its members. |
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Term
| PROscriptive vs. PREscriptive norms |
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Definition
PRO-what we shoud NOT do.
PRE- what we should do |
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Term
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Definition
mores-norms that are widely observed and have moral significance (dont cheat on your spouse)
folkways- norms for routine, casual interaction (use a fork and knife) |
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Term
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Definition
mores-norms that are widely observed and have moral significance (dont cheat on your spouse)
folkways- norms for routine, casual interaction (use a fork and knife) |
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Term
| Subculture and Counterculture |
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Definition
subculture- cultural patterns that set apart some segment of a society's population.
counterculture- cultural patters that strongly oppose those widely accepted within society. |
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Term
| Loosely vs. Tightly-bound cultures |
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Definition
Loose-high level of cultural innovation in lifestyles and in norms for interpersonal relations, and high degree of tolerance for deviance (US)
TIght- have clearly coded and widely agreed upon systems for evaluating attitudes and practices. Lifestyles are more traditional, cultural innovation is less frequent, and cultural hierarchies more clearly defined (Saudi Arabia) |
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Term
| Culture as Strategies of Action |
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Definition
culture is a necessity for collective action (weekend jazz band example)
S of A= the steps (culturally defined means) necessary to reach our desired ends. |
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Term
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Definition
| one can only judge rationality within the context in which it is taken. different cultural strategies= view others in different contexts as irrational. |
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Term
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Definition
the devisions between "us and them"
"us"- members of a given culture have similar understanding of their actions, values, and material objects.
"them"- those that don't share these understandings do not share the groups culture. (high class and eating utensils) |
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Term
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Definition
a researchable prediction that specifies the relationship between two or more variables.
- "men with college degrees earn more than men with only a high school degree." |
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Definition
| factors that change, or vary, from one person or situation to another. |
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Term
| Independent vs. Dependent variables |
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Definition
independent- the factor presumed to influence or create change in another variable.
dependent- the one assumed to depend on, or be influence by, or change as a result of the independent variable. (the outcome of interest) |
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Term
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Definition
| define how you will measure the variable. what data will you have given the questions asked? |
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Term
| experiments (pros and cons) |
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Definition
pros- ideal because they allow scientists to (theoretically) control all of the relevant variables.
cons- artificial nature of lab setting. can lead to ethical dilemmas. |
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Term
| field research (pros and cons) |
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Definition
non-participant- no direct interaction (pro-natural behavior. con-necessary for researcher to make assumptions and interpretations)
participant observation- observations and interactions (pro-ability to ask questions and talk to people. con-people change their behavior when they know they're being watched.) |
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Term
| survey research (pros and cons) |
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Definition
pros- generalizability, can be repeated many times (can show change over time)
cons-impersonal, they can't explain the process behind relationships (between variables), "the why", limited in regard to the depth of information |
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Term
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Definition
pros- understand "the why" behind behaviors. participants describe people and events in their own words
cons- time. its extremely hard to interpret the data. or show evidence of patterns. |
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Term
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Definition
validity- are you measuring what you intend to measure?
reliability- the extent to which an experiment, test, or any measuring procedure yields the same result on repeated trials
EX. measuring height- realize later than 2 inches broke off stick, not valid- we don't have true heights, still reliable- we know that the relative heights are the same bc it broke before the tests began. |
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Term
| Qualitative vs. Quantitative research |
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Definition
Qual- based on non-numerical information (test, written words, symbols, observations) that describes people, actions, or events in social life. (identifying "the why")
Quant- based on the collection and analysis of numerical data utilizing precise statistical analyses. (identifying differences between groups) |
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Term
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Definition
| the lifelong process by which people learn their culture and become aware of themselves as they interact with others. |
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Term
| primary vs. secondary socialization |
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Definition
primary- the importance of the roles of significant others. the roles of attachment (you care about them) evolves into generalized other ("baseworld"). i dont spill soup because mommy gets mad when i spill soup. later, i dont spill soup because it makes a mess.
secondary-the internalization of institutional or institution-based "subworlds." the acquisition of role specific knowledge. entail subjective identification |
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Term
| anticipatory socialization |
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Definition
| "getting ready" for a new status (crucial to ethnography)- e.g. before college going to parties (or studying a lot, depending on your definition of college). observations, media, and interactions. |
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Term
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Definition
| one in which virtually every aspect of individuals' lives is controlled by the institution and calculated to serve the institutions goals. depends on re-socialization. |
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Term
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Definition
| the process of mentally and emotionally "retraining" a person so that he or she can operate in an environment other than that which he or she is accustomed to. "erasing" the old institutions and the roles that are associated with them. |
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Term
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Definition
| a recognized social position that an individual occupies. |
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Term
| ascribed vs. achieved status |
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Definition
ascribed- position someone receives at birth. (gender, race, class, etc.)
achieved- positions that are earned or accomplished. (doctor, judge, lawyer, etc.) |
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Term
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Definition
| the behavior expected of someone who holds a particular status. |
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Term
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Definition
S.I. theory- the self is only created through interactions we have with other people.
we have as many identities as we have social positions. (give rise to statuses) the self is a connection of one's identities. |
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Term
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Definition
| we rank our statuses (social identities) in a hierarchy of importance. more significant to our sense of self, the more salient it is. not static. |
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Term
| role conflict and role strain |
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Definition
conflict- incompatibility among roles corresponding to two or more statuses. (son vs. friend)
strain- incompatibility among the roles corresponding to a single status (single parent, or retail manager)
solutions/strategies= "role exit"- give up the role completely, or redefinition of roles. |
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Term
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Definition
| the widespread cultural norms and values we use as a reference in evaluating ourselves. the abstraction from the roles and attitudes of concrete significant others. |
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Term
| Deviance and Social Control |
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Definition
| deviance is the violation of cultural norms. social controls are the ways in which a society deter and punish deviance. ("discourage deviants and bring them back into line") |
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Term
| formal and informal social control |
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Definition
formal- legal and economic sanctions which encourage adherence to norms (e.g. police)
informal- the expectations others have of us (e.g. our reputation) |
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Term
| strain theory and example |
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Definition
the extent and kind of deviance depend on whether a society provides the means to achieve cultural goals
ex.: one missed 5 days of class because you were sick, innovate in order to get an A (an opportunity you missed because of your absence), one must innovate and CHEAT in order to get an A. |
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Term
| labeling theory and example |
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Definition
deviance and conformity result not so much from what people do as from how others respond to those actions.
-the response to initial deviance sets in motion secondary deviance by which a person repeatedly violates a norm and begins to take on a deviant identity. ("ex-cons",come out of prison and can't get a job resort to crime) |
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Term
| the medicalization of deviance |
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Definition
| the growing influence of psychiatry and medicine in the U.S. has encouraged the medicalization of deviance, the transformation or moral and legal deviance into a medical condition. (ADHD, Alcoholism, etc.) |
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Term
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Definition
| any attribute that sets people apart and discredits them or disqualifies them from full social acceptance. |
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Term
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Definition
1. Dividing the social world- an in-group vs. and out-group.
2. Rationalization and Neutralization
a. denial of injury- no harm + positive functions.
b. condemnation of condemners- resentment
c. appeal to higher loyalty- others benefit |
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