Sociology midterm review guide w/o the sociologists

Sociology

A social science that studies human groups and behaviors it focuses on social context and tries to avoid idiosyncratic explanations.

Sociological perspective

seeing how society influences people’s lives and choices.

Research methods

Sociologists study society scientifically.

Research questions must be testable.

Surveys

large groups, standardized questions.

Interviews

in-depth, personal.

Participant observation

joining group to study.

Experiments

controlled settings.

Secondary analysis

using existing data.

Informed consent

participants know they're in a study.

Ethnocentrism

judging another culture by your own.

Cultural relativism

understanding cultures on their own terms.

Norms

rules/expectations for behavior.

Folkways

everyday customs (not serious if broken).

Mores

strong norms tied to morals (serious if broken).

Laws

formally enforced rules.

Sanctions

rewards/punishments for following or breaking norms.

Agents of Socialization

Family: first, strongest influence (language, values). Schools: teach skills, norms, hidden curriculum (obedience, punctuality). Peers: influence identity, belonging. Media: shapes worldviews, stereotypes, and trends.

Gender socialization

learning cultural definitions of masculinity/femininity.