Key Concepts in Sociology and Social Change

Beginner's Mind

Bernard McGrane suggests clearing our minds of stereotypes and preconceptions to better understand social experiences.

Culture Shock

The disorientation felt when entering a new cultural environment.

Microsociology

Focuses on small-group interactions and their effects on larger institutions.

Macrosociology

Examines large-scale social structures and their impact on groups/individuals.

Symbolic Interactionism

A perspective emphasizing interaction and meaning-making in society.

Conflict Theory

Views social conflict and inequality as central to society. Focuses on power dynamics, materialism, and social change.

Structural Functionalism

Society is seen as a system of interrelated structures (e.g., family, education) that maintain stability by fulfilling specific functions.

Hypothesis

A testable prediction about the relationship between variables.

Spurious Correlation

A false or misleading relationship between two variables caused by an external factor.

Target Population

The group a researcher aims to study.

Quantitative Research

Numerical data analysis (e.g., surveys).

Qualitative Research

Non-numerical data (e.g., interviews, observations).

Cultural Change

The evolution of cultural norms and practices, which can be slow or rapid.

Cultural Leveling

The process where distinct cultures become more similar.

Cultural Diffusion

The spread of cultural elements (e.g., technology, beliefs) between groups.

Cultural Imperialism

Imposing one culture's practices on another through media or consumerism.

Nature vs. Nurture Debate

Examines whether genetics (nature) or environment/socialization (nurture) shapes behavior.

The Thomas Theorem

W.I. Thomas's idea that situations defined as real have real consequences.

Roles

Expected behaviors tied to a status.

Role Strain

Tension within a single role.

Role Conflict

Clash between roles of different statuses.

Role Exit

Leaving a role entirely.

Emotions and Personality

Emotions are socially patterned, not purely personal.

Feeling Rules

Norms about which emotions are appropriate in specific situations (e.g., sadness at a funeral).

Cooley's Looking-Glass Self

The self develops through perceiving others' evaluations of us.

Defining Deviance

Behavior violating group norms, eliciting negative reactions.

Deviance Across Cultures

Definitions/punishments of deviance vary culturally and historically.

U.S. Social Ladder

Class hierarchy: Upper class (1%), upper-middle (14%), middle (30%), working (30%), working poor (13%), underclass (12%).

Theories of Social Class (Marx, Weber)

Marx: Class conflict between capitalists (bourgeoisie) and workers (proletariat). Weber: Class includes wealth, power, and prestige.

Social Mobility

Intergenerational: Movement between generations. Intragenerational: Movement within one's lifetime.

Intragenerational

Movement within one's lifetime.

Horizontal

Changing roles within the same class.

Vertical

Moving up/down the class ladder.

Just-World Hypothesis

The belief that the world is fair, so people 'deserve' their outcomes.

Inequality and the American Dream

The ideology that hard work guarantees success, often masking systemic inequality.

Social Construct of Race

Race is a social, not biological, category shaped by history and power.

Institutional Racism

Systemic discrimination embedded in social institutions (e.g., education, criminal justice).

Social Construct of Gender

Gender is a culturally defined performance, not biologically fixed.

Agents of Socialization and Gender

Family, schools, peers, and media teach gender norms.

Gender Role Socialization

Lifelong process of learning gendered behaviors.

Feminization of Poverty

Women's higher poverty rates due to wage gaps, single motherhood, and childcare costs.

Information Revolution

Social shift driven by digital technology (e.g., microchips, internet).

Service Work vs. Knowledge Work

Service Work: Direct interaction with clients (e.g., teaching). Knowledge Work: Managing information (e.g., programming).

Resistance Strategies

Workers' tactics to reclaim control (e.g., quiet quitting, unions).

Quiet Quitting

Doing only the minimum required at work, rejecting overwork.

Gig Economy

Short-term, task-based labor (e.g., Uber, DoorDash).

Social Media Algorithms

Systems prioritizing content based on user engagement, often creating echo chambers.

Social Construction of Health and Illness

Health/illness definitions vary by culture and time (e.g., medicalization of behaviors).

Medicalization

Redefining personal issues as medical problems (e.g., addiction).

Social Inequality, Health, and Illness

Lower SES correlates with poorer health due to access disparities and systemic racism.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Complementary: Used alongside Western medicine. Alternative: Replaces Western medicine.

Food Desert

Areas lacking affordable, healthy food options.

Environmental Sociology

Studies society-environment interactions, including causes/consequences of environmental issues.

Sociological Definition of the 'Environment'

The natural world, human-made surroundings, and their interactions.

Climate Change

Long-term shifts in weather patterns due to human activity.

Grassroots Environmentalism

Local, community-led environmental activism.

Environmental Justice and Climate Justice

Addressing unequal environmental burdens (e.g., pollution in poor communities) and framing climate change as a moral issue.

Lauren's Unusual Ability (Hyperempathy)

In Parable of the Sower, Lauren feels others' pain literally, shaping her actions in a dystopian society.

Science Fiction Genre

Explores 'if this goes on' scenarios to critique present social issues.

Definition of Social Change

Cultural transformation over time, driven by collective action, discoveries, or demographic shifts.

Resource Mobilization

How social movements gather resources (e.g., money, support) to achieve goals.

Progressive and Regressive Movements

Progressive: Advocates for forward social change. Regressive: Resists change or reverts to past norms.