Sociology Chapter 4

macrosociology

analysis of social life that focuses on the broad features of society; such as social class and the relationships of groups to one another usually used by functionalist and conflict

ex: social class, social systems (school)

microsociology

analysis of social life that focus on social interaction, typically used by symbolic interactionist

ex: relationship, roles, statuses

social structure

the framework of society that surrounds us; consists of ways that people and groups relate to one another; this framework gives direction to and sets limits and our behavior

ex: professors vs student, parent vs daughter, coach vs player. manager vs employee

componets of social structure

culture, social class, social status, roles, groupes, social insituations

culture

a group’s language, beliefs, values, behaviors, and even gestures

social class

a large group of people who rank close to one another properly, power, and prestige

ex: income, education, occupuation

status

the position that someone occupies in a social group (also called social status, may carry pretige

ex: judge, cashier, felon

status set

all the statuses or positions that an individual occupies

ex: college student, mother, daughter, homeowner, registered voter

ascribed status

a position an individual either inherits at birth or recieves involuntarily later in life

ex: race/ethnicity, sex, social class

achieved statuses

postitions that are earned, accomplished, or involve at least some effort or activity on the individuals part

ex: nurse. (passing N-Clex), Miss Howard, Ex-spouse

status symbols

something you buy or earn that communicates your status

ex: luxury bag collection, wedding ring, uniform, exotic cars

master status

status that cuts across the other statuses that an individual occupies, some master statuses are ascribed

ex: who’s the best female tennis plater, disables (person in wheelchair is easier to remember)

status inconsistency/status discrepancy

ranking high on some dimensions of social status and low on others

ex: 14 year old in college or 40 year old in college

roles

behaviors, obligations and privileges attached to a status (you occupy a status, but you can play a role)

ex: status (nurse); take care of patients, keep up with charts (role)

group

people who interact with one another who believe that what they have in common is significant, also called a social group (value, interest, norms)

ex: sports teams, democrat/republican, dormitory

social institutions

the organized, usual, or standard ways by which society meets its basic needs, set the context for your behavior and orientation

ex: family, education, military, religion, government, marriage, divorce

functionalist perspective/ analysis/ structalism

looks at society with many different parents (social institutions), helps society meets basic need for survival

• replace members (reproduction, family)

• socializaing new members (learn basic expection, education)

• producing and distributing good and services (basic resources/needs, economic)

• preserving order (protecting from potential of chaos or dysfunction, mi,itary, government)
  
  

conflict perspective

although theorist agree that social institutions were designed orginally to meet basic survival needs, they don’t view social institutions as working harmonisouly for the common good

• point out that a fairly small gorup of elite people holds the majority of society’s wealth

• they won’t preserve the status

• safeguarding the wealthy and powerful in their positions of privilege

symbolic interaction

interaction in how people view things and how this in turn affects their behavior and oreionations of life

-stereotypes in everyday life

- personal space (bag in chair next to you)

-eye contact (you look good or person knows you)

-body language

dramaturgy/ dramaturgical analysis

Erving Goffman, in which social life is analyzed in terms of drama or the stage

ex: impression management (front, public space and back, private life)

• status

• work voice

• role performance

• role conflict: multiple roles

• role strain: 1 role

ethnomethodology

Harold Gartinkel, the study if how people use bakcground assumptions to make sense out of life or how people do things

ex: assuming water will be warm, cafe open

ex: breaking assumptions- address parents as Mr or MS or by first name

the construction of reality

the use of background assumptions and life experiences to define what is real

• “if people define situations as real, they are real in their consenes”

Subjective Interpretation

our definition of reality