Sociology vocab - midterm 1

Confirmation bias

our tendency to ignore evidence/observations that contradict our beliefs (ex: climate change)
- While giving great weight to evidence/observations that support our beliefs

Attribution error

our tendency to attribute people's behavior/life outcomes to innate character or personality traits rather than to external/situational factors (ex: homeless people/ external - dont value working / situational - mental health)
- Attribution error is often applies to entire race/ethnic group “cultures”

Implicit bias

subconscious biases toward outside groups (and subconscious preferences towards one's own group)

Society simultaneously exists at two fundamental levels:

Structural (macro level)
EX: our culture, health care systems, uw madison, legal system
Symbolic (micro level)
Ex: Individual interactions, thoughts. Perceptions, etc

Social structure

a system of organized activity, durable relationships, and routine practices

• economic , educational. Legal, family, media, religion, etc

• Hierarchy and inequality are core features of most social structures (maybe not friendship groups)--Structural inequalities are organized around several “master” categories ----Social class, gender, race/ethnicity

Race

a socially constructed category of people who share arbitrarily selected physical traits

Ethnicity

a socially constructed category of people who share a common identity based on culture, language, and (typically) nationality
Ex: irish: Kenyan; Vietnamese; brazilian; seminole; etc

“pan” ethnicity

Some racial/ethinic categories encompass numerous distinct ethnic groups/nationalities

Racial formation

the historical processes by which social, economic, and political forces determine the content and meaning of racial [and ethnic] categories

Racialization

process by which a group is assigned a racial identity and place within a social hierarchy

Melting pot

people from different (european) ethnic backgrounds eventually assimilated into mainstream society

Scientific racism (early 1900s)

Darwin's theory of evolution used to “prove” that some racial groups were genetically superior

Minority groups

A race/ethnic group that receives (on average) significantly less of society's values resources and outcomes

Prejudice

Negative feelings/attitudes towards other groups

Group threat hypothesis of prejudice

prejudice derives from the relative position of different racial groups in society

Contact hypothesis

more proximity between race/ethnic groups reduces prejudice

Stereotypes

Cultural and behavioral generalizations (positive or negative, but typically incorrect) about an entire group of people

Discrimination

Unequal treatment of an individual or group because of race/ethnicity

Discriminatory INTENT

Discrimination occurs when an individual or institution PURPOSELY treat members of one group different from those of another

Discriminatory OUTCOMES or CONSEQUENCES

Discrimination is defines not by its motivation but by the RESULTS of normal routine social practices (republican doesnt mean racsit reading)
Formally neutral (or “color-blind”) practices can reinforce stable patterns of race/ethnic inequality
Ex: property taxes to fund schools

Racism

An organized social system of practices, relationships, and ideas in which some groups are systematically advantages or disadvantages on account of race/ethnic characteristics
Has both STRUCTURAL and SYMBOLIC components

White privilege

The UNEARNED and UNACKNOWLEDGED advantages that came from being a member of the dominant racial/ethnic group