Sociology Practice Flashcards: Social Processes, Gender, and Family

Flashcards testing terminology, theories, and key empirical sociological findings regarding socialisation, gender, and family structures.

Norm

An unwritten rule or shared expectation that guides acceptable behaviour within a specific group or society.

Culture

The shared way of life for a group of people.

Cultural diversity

Forms of behaviour that are different in every society.

Cultural universals

Forms of behaviour that are found in all societies.

Values

The beliefs that lie behind social norms.

Roles

The expected behaviour, duties, and responsibilities that go with a specific social position.

Status

The relative rank, prestige, or position an individual holds in a social group or society.

Personal identity

How an individual sees themselves as unique and independent of any group membership.

Social identity

A person's sense of who they are based on the social groups to which they belong.

Sanction

Societal reactions showing approval or disapproval used to reinforce rules.

Gender

Characteristics that a society or culture thinks are appropriate for men and women; it is socially constructed.

Sex

Biological differences, such as internal and external sex organs and hormone differences; it is biologically constructed.

Organic analogy

The idea that society is like a living body, with each part depending on the others to function and maintain social order and stability.

Patriarchy

A society where men have more power and privilege than women.

Primary socialisation

The first stage of socialisation where a child learns shared norms, values, beliefs, and behaviours from their family.

Secondary socialization

The second stage of socialization where people learn norms, values, and behaviours from agencies outside of the family.

Nature argument

The idea that human behaviour and abilities are biologically inherited from birth through genetic makeup.

Nurture argument

The idea that human behaviour and abilities are shaped by their environment, upbringing, and socialisation.

Manipulation

A strategy where parents punish or reward children depending on whether they behave in ways associated with their gender.

Canalisation

A process where parents give gender-specific toys to channel traditional gender roles into the minds of their children.

Verbal application

The different language, speech patterns, and labels parents use when speaking to boys versus girls.

Activity

A strategy where girls and boys are encouraged to take part in different gendered hobbies and chores.

Hyper-masculinity

A state where male characters possess a strong, often unattainable physique as depicted in media.

Emotional stoicism

A character trait where men mask vulnerability behind aggression and sorrow.

Saviour complex

The positioning of men in media as the primary protectors and problem solvers while women are portrayed as needing to be saved.

Gendered careers

Divisions in employment where media and society position men into technical or executive roles and women into supportive roles like teachers, nurses, and assistants.

Social control

The rules and mechanisms that society uses to regulate individual and group behaviour.

Functionalism

A consensus theoretical perspective holding that everyone in society must share the same norms and values and work together in their roles to maintain social stability.

Marxism

A conflict theoretical perspective holding that society is divided into the bourgeoisie (who own means of production) and the proletariats (who are exploited), causing inequality.

Feminism

A conflict theoretical perspective holding that society is patriarchal and structured by inequality favoring men over women.

Family

A group of two or more people linked by birth, marriage, or emotional connection.

Household

A group of people living together who share the same living space, meals, and bills, regardless of blood relation.

Nuclear family

A kinship unit consisting of $2$ parents and their dependent children living in a single household.

Blended family

A reconstituted family unit where at least one parent brings children from a previous relationship into a new union.

Beanpole family

A multi-generational family structure that is tall and thin, characterized by few children in each generation.

Extended family

A kinship structure where a nuclear family lives with or closely interacts with external relatives.

Cohabitation

An unmarried couple living together in the same household in a romantic or sexual relationship.

Secularisation

The historical decline in the social influence and significance of religion within society.

Divorce Act in 1969

Legislation that allowed married couples to legally divorce due to the permanent breakdown of their relationship without placing fault on either partner.

Equal Pay Act

Legislation that legally prohibited employers from paying different wages to men and women for performing the same work.

Polygamy

A marital practice where one partner is legally allowed to marry several partners at the same time.

Polygyny

A form of polygamy where one man can have several wives.

Polyandry

A form of polygamy where one woman can marry several husbands.

One Child Policy

A policy introduced in China in $1979$ to slow population growth, offering benefits for single-child families and imposing sanctions for multiple children, ending in $2015$.

G.P. Murdock's four functions of the family

The four vital roles provided by the nuclear family: educational, economical, reproductive, and sexual.

Warm Bath Theory

Talcott Parsons' concept that the family acts as a source of emotional support and love to relieve working husbands from daily stress and burnout.

Cult of private life

Zaretsky's Marxist concept that individuals absorb themselves in family life and consumerism, ignoring the broader structural injustices of capitalism.

Double standard of morality

A social dynamic where young women's sexualities are strictly controlled and judged while men's sexual behaviours are socially rewarded.

Pure relationship

Anthony Giddens' term for a relationship based entirely on mutual love, companionship, and personal choice rather than duty, tradition, or economic necessity.

Conjugal roles

The domestic roles and responsibilities split or shared between two partners in a household.

Gender role segregation

A pattern within a household where men and women maintain distinct and separate duties.

Symmetrical family

A family structure defined by Young and Willmott where conjugal roles are more balanced, with equal time spent on household tasks and shared leisure time.

Stratified diffusion

The theory described by Young and Willmott where they believed that the symmetrical family was common among the middle class and would subsequently spread down to the working class.

New man

A male partner who undergoes role reversal by staying home to care for children while the female partner acts as the primary earner.

Intimate father

Esther Dermott's term for fathers who desire a close emotional connection and active participation in their children's daily lives and household tasks.

Dual career family

A household structure where both partners pursue dedicated, highly demanding careers while raising children.

Boomerang children

Adult children who return to live with their parents after a period of living independently.

Sandwich generation

Middle-aged adults (typically aged $30$ to $60$) who are simultaneously caring for dependent children and aging parents or grandparents.

Toxic childhood

Sue Palmer's term describing modern childhood issues caused by excessive parental control, screen time, poor diet, and educational stress.

Child-centred society

A society characterized by smaller family sizes and higher living standards where parents direct high amounts of attention, time, and finance toward their children.

Dual burden

Ann Oakley's concept describing women who manage paid employment in addition to taking on the majority of unpaid domestic housework.

Triple shift

Duncombe and Marsden's concept stating that women perform three major tasks: paid employment, unpaid housework, and emotional management for family members.