Shared Flashcard Set

Details

Sociology 204, Ch. 9,10,11,14
From the book "Sociology: Understanding a Diverse Society
72
Sociology
Undergraduate 1
08/06/2009

Additional Sociology Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Social Mobility
Definition
Movement; when people can move within groups. Ex: People have social mobility in class; we can move to different classes.
Term
Estate Systems
Definition
Power & property is monopolized by an elite group who have control over resources. Different hierarchies don't cross (marry) w/each other. Ex: Royalty, clergy, commoners are all intertwined but do not marry.
Term
The Matrix of Domination
Definition
Many different parts & levels in a society. Inequality is a matrix of domination.
Term
Social Stratification
Definition
Where we layer people in a hierarchy; public, macro level of power over other groups. Ex: whites are rated as the highest group.
Term
Caste System
Definition
To make lines between the statuses. Consists of position being based on ascribed status. Endogamus, which is by custom or law. The US used to have this system & we called it "slavery". Cannot intermarry or interbreed.
Term
Slavery
Definition
True slavery is not what the US practiced. It is based on debt, crime, & conquering from war. People became slaves to pay debts, to pay debt to society from a crime, or when they were conquered in war. Can eventually move out of being a slave.
Term
Race
Definition
A social distinction that is based on physical attributes. Ex: skin color, eye color, hair color, bone structure.
Term
Ethnicity
Definition
A social distinction that is based on cultural attributes. Ex: religion, marriage customs, traditions, etc.
Term
Endogamy
Definition
To marry within your group (race or ethnicity).
Term
Ritual Pollution
Definition
To treat people socially as if they are contaminated (segregation). When the US had a Caste System, they practiced ritual pollution.
Term
Marx's 2 classes
Definition
Believed we have 2 classes: the Capitalists who own everything & the Workers who do not own. Capitalists exploit the Workers to make more for themselves.
Term
Goal of Capitalism
Definition
Maximum profit for private ownership. All inequality systems are socially constructed & have ideology. Ideology in Capitalism is "all you have to do to move up a class is work harder".
Term
Tokens
Definition
Occasional people who move up a class under gross circumstances. "Rags to riches" stories. Capitalists use them to prove people can move up. Ex: Abe Lincoln, Col. Sanders, owner of Starbucks.
Term
False Consciousness
Definition
Subjective belief that it's a person's own fault that they are low class despite objective facts like not being exposed to opportunities.
Term
Low & high class
Definition
The lower your class is, the harder you need to work to get ahead. The higher your class is, the harder you have to fall.
Term
Homeless
Definition
The fastest growing group of homelessness is now families w/young children, especially single mothers.
Term
Davis-Moore Thesis
Definition
A functionalist perspective that we have so many positions in society that have to be filled & if you want the good ones, you just have to work harder.
Term
Status
Definition
Social definition of a persons position in a group.
Term
Social Differentiation
Definition
The process by which different statuses develop in a group. Ex: in sports, the players, fans, cheerleaders, owners, managers, & sponsors all have different statuses within the organization.
Term
Apartheid
Definition
An example of a caste system used in South Africa where travel, employment, associations, & residence are severely restricted.
Term
Class System
Definition
A system where one's rank can change according to individual achievements. To some degree, class can be achieved or earned by acquisition resources & power rather than ascribed.
Term
Life Chances
Definition
The opportunities that people have in common by virtue of belonging to a particular class. Ex: having an income, the way we dress, where or if we vacation, the jobs we have access to, etc.
Term
Means of production
Definition
The system by which goods are produced & distributed.
Term
Weber's 3 dimensions to stratification
Definition
Class: the economic dimension; Status (or Prestige): cultural & social dimension; Power: political dimension.
Term
Prestige
Definition
The judgment or recognition that's given to a person or group. Those w/the most economic resources tend to have the most prestige.
Term
Power
Definition
The capacity to influence groups or individuals even in the face of opposition.
Term
Status Attainment
Definition
The process by which people end up in a given position in the stratification system.
Term
Socioeconomic Status (SES)
Definition
Derived from certain factors: income, occupational prestige, & education. A theory that takes into consideration more than just money.
Term
Occupational Prestige
Definition
The subjective evaluation people give to jobs.
Term
Educational Attainment
Definition
Status that's measured by the total years of formal education.
Term
Modernization Theory
Definition
If you work hard, you can get to the top, which is wealthy, high mass consumption.
Term
World Systems Theory
Definition
When we do and/or build things, we do it globally. Products are often outsourced to multiple nations.
Term
Underclass
Definition
Those with little or no opportunity for movement out of the worst poverty.
Term
Professional-Managerial Class
Definition
Middle class that includes managers, supervisors, & professional workers.
Term
Functions of Poverty
Definition
1. Pool of people to do the dirty work (nannies, housekeepers). 2. Creates jobs. 3. Pool of people to sell sub-standard products (DollarTree, Goodwill). 4. Charity for tax purposes. 5. Negative reference group ("at least I'm not that bad off"). 6. Carry the burden of social change.
Term
Classes
Definition
1. Upper class (Bill Gates, pro athletes) 2. Upper middle (masters, Ph.D's) 3. Lower middle (some AA's, Bachelors deg) 4. Working class (GED/diploma, AA's) 5. Lower class (Functional illiteracy)
Term
Warrior Caste
Definition
Cops, military, positions of authority, etc.
Term
Dependency Theory
Definition
People worldwide create a dependency for them, for the benefit of the rich nation. ("Rich nation richer, poor people poorer" - Marx)
Term
World Levels
Definition
1st World= Very rich; 2nd World= Developing; 3rd World= Not there yet
Term
W.A.S.P.
Definition
White Anglo Saxon Protestant
Term
Status Terms
Definition
Ascribed: born into. Achieved: not born into, worked to get. Master: main or dominant status. Status Inconsistency: When a status doesn't fit into what we are taught it should be (ex: older women dating younger men, senior citizen having a child, corrupt police, etc.)
Term
Status Symbols
Definition
Things that show a person's status. Ex: clothes, home, car, etc.
Term
The 4 Stages of Modernization
Definition
1. Start w/a traditional or underdeveloped society like agricultural. 2. Start to take off & go to higher society. 3. Drive to technological maturity. 4. Develop into high mass-consumption.
Term
Internal Theories
Definition
Marx's theory, SES theory
Term
Global Theories
Definition
World Systems Theory, Dependency Theory
Term
Middle Class Slide
Definition
People that are middle class are sliding down because they are the highest bankruptcy rate, too much debt, spending beyond their means, & heavy taxes on the middle class.
Term
Institutional Access
Definition
Laws that made raping a woman of color not illegal.
Term
Racism
Definition
Ideology that one group is superior/inferior to another. Europeans had the idea that whites were superior to blacks and brought that w/them to America.
Term
White vs Black
Definition
The idea that black is bad (ex: blacklisted, blackmailed, blackballed, etc.) and white is good or at least not as bad (white lie, white washed, etc.).
Term
Stereotypes
Definition
The mental pictures or ideas that people learn in their upbringing and often buy into or easily fall for (ex: all blacks like chicken, all jews are cheap, gay males are flamboyant, etc.).
Term
Stereotypes
Definition
The mental pictures or ideas that people learn in their upbringing and often buy into or easily fall for (ex: all blacks like chicken, all jews are cheap, gay males are flamboyant, etc.).
Term
Social Gerintology
Definition
The study of aging process, which includes: social, psychological, biological.
Term
Prejudice
Definition
An attitude that is a built-in judgment that we hold against a particular group.
Term
Discrimination
Definition
An action that may be based in prejudice. Ex: not hire someone based on prejudice, kill people based on prejudice (genocide), hit someone based on prejudice.
Term
DINK
Definition
Dual Income No Kids
Term
Age Cohorts
Definition
Generational groups. Ex: Baby Boomers (1945 - 1964, Gen-X, XL generation, techno generation.
Term
Societies Timetables
Definition
Timetables that we use to define a person as "old".
Term
Dependency Ratio
Definition
The number of people that don't work that are being supported by the people that work (i.e. kids under 15, elders over 65, disabled people, etc.)
Term
Life Expectancy
Definition
Now it's 77, was 46-47 in the 1900's. White females have the longest life expectancy.
Term
Labeling Theory
Definition
When you label somebody, that is what they are.
Term
Ages of Societies Timetables
Definition
55: "honored citizen"; 50: AARP member; 62: Early social security benefits; 66 & 67: full SS benefits; 70: SS benefits with bonus. 65: Qualify for Medicare.
Term
Agism
Definition
To devalue a group of people because of their age. Ex: 40 is "over the hill" & they get black balloons.
Term
Types of Labeling
Definition
Societies Timetables, Biology (gray hair, loss of hair, overweight), Gender (people perceive women as getting older faster than men), Personal History (Grandparent or great-parent will be perceived as old even if they are young)
Term
Disorganized Disintegrated
Definition
People who hate being old, hate other old people, and hate themselves for being old.
Term
Passive Dependents
Definition
Are capable of doing certain things but use being old as an excuse not to. Ex: too old to drive, too old to open a jar.
Term
Defended
Definition
Do a lot of things w/o even asking for help. Sometimes they push themselves farther than they are capable.
Term
Activity Theory
Definition
The theory that the more active elderly people are, the better quality of life they will have.
Term
Integrated
Definition
See aging process as just another stage in life. Adjusted to age and what they can and can't do.
Term
Merton's categorizing of Prejudice & Discrimination
Definition
P & D: Active Bigots; NP & D: Fair-weather Liberals; P & ND: Timed Beings; NP & ND: All-weather Liberals
Term
Institutional Discriminators
Definition
People who discriminate because they are institutionalized to do so.
Term
Dependency Ratio
Definition
The # of people that don't work that a person(s) who does work supports(kids under 15, elders over 65, etc.)
Term
Intragenerational Mobility
Definition
To move up or down a class(es) between generations.
Supporting users have an ad free experience!