Sociology 101 - Lesson Keywords

Sociology

The study of society and social behavior.

Social Sciences

Disciplines that examine human behavior from various aspects.

Culture Shock

The feelings of confusion and disorientation that people experience when they encounter a culture different from their own.

Sociological Imagination

The ability to see the relationship between individual experiences and larger social influences.

Microsociology

The study of social interactions on a small scale.

Macrosociology

The study of larger societal structures and processes.

Positivism

The philosophical theory that information derived from logical and mathematical treatments and reports of sensory experience is the exclusive source of all authoritative knowledge.

Social Darwinism

The application of the theory of natural selection to social, political, and economic issues.

Structural Functionalism

A sociological perspective that views society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability.

Anomie

A state of normlessness, where individuals feel disconnected from the collective consciousness.

Manifest Functions

The recognized and intended consequences of any social pattern.

Latent Functions

The unrecognized and unintended consequences of any social pattern.

Conflict Theory

A theory that emphasizes the role of power struggles and conflicts in society.

Social Inequality

The unequal distribution of resources, opportunities, and privileges within a society.

Critical Race Theory

A theoretical framework that examines the relationship between race, racism, and power.

Qualitative Research

Research that focuses on understanding the meaning individuals or groups ascribe to a social or human problem.

Quantitative Research

Research that employs statistical, mathematical, or computational techniques to study phenomena.

Ethnocentrism

The evaluation of other cultures according to the standards of one's own culture.

Cultural Relativism

The practice of assessing a culture by its own standards rather than viewing it through the lens of one's own culture.

Socialization

The lifelong process through which individuals learn and internalize the values, beliefs, norms, and roles of their society.

In-Group

A social group with which a member identifies.

Out-Group

A social group with which an individual does not identify.

Deviance

Behaviors, beliefs, or conditions that violate societal norms.

Social Stratification

The hierarchical arrangement of individuals in a society.

Intersectionality

The interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group.

Prejudice

An unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason.

Discrimination

The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people.

Gender Role Socialization

The process by which individuals learn the behaviors and attitudes deemed appropriate for their gender.

Collective Effervescence

The feeling of togetherness experienced in a group, such as during rituals or collective gatherings.

Cultural Imperialism

The practice of promoting and imposing a culture, usually of a politically or economically dominant nation, over a less powerful society.

Service Work

Jobs that provide services to people rather than producing goods.

Feminization of Poverty

The increasing representation of women and their children among the world's poor.

Malthusian Theorem

The theory that population growth is potentially exponential while the growth of the food supply or other resources is linear.

Davis Moore thesis

some positions are more highly valued because they are perceived as crucial to society - to attract the most qualified individuals, higher rewards are allocated to these positions and stratification is viewed as a functional and unavoidable aspect of social organization

conflict theory and stratification

society is structured by inequality and power struggles rather than functional necessity

structural functionalism on stratification

stratification seen as inevitable and potentially necessary feature of society, provides individuals with a defined position in social structure, motivating individuals to fulfill their roles, contributing to societal stability and function