Shared Flashcard Set

Details

Unit 3: The Foundations of Social Order
Culture, Types of society, Basic perspectives on social order, and elements of social control
53
Sociology
Undergraduate 1
12/14/2010

Additional Sociology Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Culture (definition)
Definition
The totality of human production
Term
Ideology
Definition
Ideas + Norms
Term
Technology
Definition
Material Culture + Norms
Term
Culture (components of)
Definition
Ideology + Technology
Term
Material Culture
Definition
Everything that we make. It has made us the dominant species on the planet.
Term
Non-material culture
Definition
Dictates our behavior toward material culture. Symbolic.
Term
Five points about culture
Definition
~It is shared (you can't makeup your own.)
~It is learned
~It is taken for granted
~It is symbolic
~It is variable across time and space
Term
Herbert Spencer
Definition
Darwin's contemporary. Thought that natural selection should work in society too. His philosophy led to the eugenics movement and helped Hitler justify killing Jews
Term
Social Darwinism
Definition
When philosophy becomes policy (think Nazi Germany.)
Term
Culture in flux
Definition
Says that culture changes in time and across space.
Term
Innovation (referring to culture)
Definition
A new artifact or trait becomes culture
Term
Diffusion
Definition
Changing a culture from the outside
Term
Reformulation
Definition
Says that things are not picked up by other cultures exactly as they were (think McDonalds)
Term
Cultural lag
Definition
Our material culture changes more rapidly than our non-material culture. Goods become available before we really know what to do with them.
Term
Subculture
Definition
A group of people within a larger society whose general pattern of life is measurably different than the mainstream culture (ex: the Amish and desert dwellers)
Term
Ethnocentrism
Definition
The tendency to evaluate someone else's culture by the standards of your own
Term
Relativism
Definition
Says that we should not judge other cultures by the standards of our own. (this causes problems when we use ti to excuse blatant human rights violations such as sex trafficking)
Term
Edward Shill's model of society
Definition
Made up of the center and the periphery. Little circle inside of a big circle.
Term
Center (Edward Shills)
Definition
A network of institutions that shapes society. Promotes and reflects the central values system. ALWAYS coercive.
Term
Periphery (Edward Shills)
Definition
Where the people live. Can be far or near the center. Is at odds with the center.
Term
Gemeinschaft
Definition
Community. Mutual assistance and shared access. Family is the best example. Is "thick" because it affects you on many levels.
Term
Tonnies' types of Gemeinschaft
Definition
Family, Geography (neighborhoods), of the mind (a group of people you feel tied to. For example, other members of your religion or commune)
Term
Gesellschaft
Definition
Society. Based on self interests and exchange. No shared access to necessities. "very thin"
Term
Jointly produced good
Definition
Something that is only available if people cooperate
Term
Social contract
Definition
~Implies rational decision
~To get some good, you must incur some cost
~We DECIDE that the good is worth the cost.
Term
Functional rationality
Definition
The way people are supposed to act
Term
Substantiative rationality
Definition
The desired end (should come from functional rationality
Term
Pre-contractual solidarity
Definition
Trust. (which is irrational)
Term
Merton
Definition
Says that an organization has latent functions and manifest functions
Term
Manifest functions
Definition
What the organization is designed to do
Term
Latent functions
Definition
Purposes that the organization serves that were not intentional (ie: GCC acts as a Christian dating service)
Term
Conflict theory
Definition
The inversion of functionalist philosophy. Does not assume equilibrium but does assume that someone is constantly being abused
Term
Weber
Definition
A conflict theory philosopher. Talks about "spheres of society." Assumes differentiation.
Term
Weber's "spheres of society" idea
Definition
Some spheres overlap, they have different, conflicting requirements and morals and are ever-expanding. Conflict happens when the spheres run up against each other.
Term
Marx
Definition
A conflict theory philosopher. Talks about the base and superstructure of society. Also says that competition over resources drives human history.
Term
Marx's base
Definition
Encompasses everything economic. Includes the division of labor. Determines how we think about everything else.
Term
Marx's superstructure
Definition
Everything that is not directly related to the economy (government, science, family, religion, etc.) The way we view this depends on the base.
Term
Interactionist perspective
Definition
Focuses on micro-level analysis.
Very interested in socialization and symbolism
Term
Deviance
Definition
Any behavior that violates a societal norm
Term
Two perspectives on deviance
Definition
Absolutist and relativist
Term
Absolutist perspective on deviance
Definition
The context doesn't matter. If it's wrong, it's wrong.
Term
Relativist perspective on deviance
Definition
Brings context into the story but doesn't exclude the notions of right and wrong.
Term
Three elements of a deviant act
Definition
~Expectation of behavior
~Violation (the act itself)
~Reaction
Term
Conservative response to a deviant act
Definition
Focuses on punishment for deviants and on enforcement.
Term
Liberal response to a deviant act
Definition
Focuses on the issues behind the deviant act. Often says that the person should not be blamed and that society should open its mind.
Term
Radical response to a deviant act
Definition
(aka the sociological response) Asks how some behaviors get identified as problematic and others don't.
Term
Functionalist explanation of deviance
Definition
~Clarifies moral boundaries
~Provides rallying points
~Reaffirms the norms
Term
Durkheim's take on deviance
Definition
Deviance is manufactured if society is running smoothly to reaffirm the norms. Punishing wrongdoers is cathardic in an "at least we're not like them" sort of way.
Term
Merton's take on deviance
Definition
Deviance is the gap between reality and the goals a society presents to its young members. It is the means to get to an end.
Term
Formal sanctions
Definition
Often based on some sort of points system, etc. Reward: give points, prizes, etc. Punishment: Take points away, fine them, imprison them.
Term
Informal sanctions
Definition
Not based on points or scores, etc. Reward: thanking someone. Punishment: smacking someone
Term
Labeling theory
Definition
When a group of people commit various acts of deviance, other non-deviant things that they do are perceived as being deviant.
Term
Rosenham
Definition
Convinced his grad students to get into a mental institution, then see how long it took for them to get out. This was an experiment in labeling.
Supporting users have an ad free experience!