Sociology Unit 3 Exam Review

What is the sociological definition of religion(Durkheim)? What is the mindset of sociologists when they study religion? What are the various sociological theories about religion(Marx, Durkheim, and Weber)? What is the difference for Durkheim between sacred vs profane? What are the differences between rituals and beliefs? What are the 4 functions of religion?

According to Durkheim religion is communally shared beliefs and practices oriented towards some sacred and supernatural realm; when sociologists study religion by focusing on how religious beliefs are learned, influenced by historical and social context, and are not concerned with truth or falsity of any religion; Marx views religion as something people make, a reflection of societal arrangement, a tool of the rich and a reflection of the enforcement of those inequalities, religion causes a false consciousness and keeps things the same instead of fighting while weber believes religion can be used to change wha is going on around society, and Durkheim believes religion is a social and individual process, is not divinely or supernaturally inspired, and is a product of society; for Durkheim sacred is behaviors deemed special by religious beliefs and profane is the everyday world; rituals are the established ceremonies often performed in a systematic way, while beliefs are the convictions or acceptance that something exists or is true; the four functions of religion are social solidarity, provision of meaning(explain ultimate questions about existence), social control(over societal values and norms), and psychological support

What makes a family? Provide definitions and examinations of this question using lectures and readings. What are the 4 major issues facing American families today? According to Cherlin, what is the future of marriage in the US? Are we over marriage or just some of us(Edin and Keflas article)? According to lecture why did conservative David Brookes argue that the nuclear family was a mistake?

a householder and 1+ other people in the household who are related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption(Good definition) or a relatively permanent group of people, related by blood, marriage, adoption, or agreement to form an economic unit, and usually reside in the same location(lecture); 4 major issues are declining birth rate, healthcare insurance, childcare, and marriage does not qualify family; According to Cherlin the future of marriage is that there is a possibility of it fading away and that fragile non-marital relationships are constantly at risk of breaking up, he says its more symbolic because it is a special and highly valued and marriage went from a community institution to an individualized choice based achievement; the poor don’t reject marriage they would rather have children unmarried than get divorced; According to lecture Dave Brookes argues the nuclear family was a mistake because it is very fragile, and was a freakish historical moment when all of society conspired to obscure this fragility

What is education? What are two competing ideas about the role of education in society today: the Education Porosperity Gospel and Education as reproduction of inequality also know as Reproduction Thesis(Stevens article). What role does education play in acquiring cultural capital? What are issues about school funding, tracking systems and hidden cirriculum? How do family differences in social class affect how education is viewed(Lareau article)?

education is a social institution designed to transmit knowledge, skills, and other aspects of a societies culture to the next generation; the Education Prosperity Gospel emphasizes education as a pathway to personal success and upward mobility, while the Reproduction Thesis argues that education perpetuates existing social inequalities through systems that favor privileged groups, affecting access to resources and opportunities; the more educated a person is the more cultural capital they are bound to have; issues surrounding school funding include disparities that often disadvantage low-income areas, tracking systems can reinforce social stratification by placing students in different educational paths based on perceived ability, and the hidden curriculum consists of implicit lessons about social norms and behaviors taught within the education system; Concerted Cultivation (Middle Class): Parents view education as an investment. They intervene in schools, treat teachers as peers, and schedule structured activities to develop talents.Accomplishment of Natural Growth (Working/Poor Class): Parents view education as separate from home life, often treating schools with deference or distrust, resulting in a sense of constraint.

What is health? What 3 terms reflect when you're not in good health? What are some of the social factors related to a persons health? How do social institutions and ideologies in society affect the social organization of health(draw upon the history of scientific medicine in the US here)? How do social factors such as wealth or education affect a persons health and life expectancy? What is the term for this? What is the health/wealth gradient(movie)? According to the film Unnatural Causes and lecture, why does the US have lower life expectancy levels than other post industrial countries? What is excess death and why is it important?

health is a state of physical, mental, and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity; illness, sickness, and disease; social factors related to personal health are wealth, race, class, etc.; social institutions and ideologies shape healthcare access and quality through cultural beliefs and historical development, hospitals used to be dirty places poor people went to die, this changes as the rise of science gave hospitals and medicine more authority; wealth and education impact health outcomes, creating disparities in life expectancy, known as the health gradient; the health/wealth gradient illustrates how socioeconomic status correlates with health; the US has lower life expectancy due to social determinants of health and inequality; excess death refers to the number of deaths beyond what would be expected and highlights public health issues.

According to lecture how did doctors get to be respect and hospitals places to heal? What 3 historical factors shaped medicine today? What is the difference between health care and medical care? What system does the US have and what affects are there? What is epidemiology? How is this related to Broad Street Pump and Dr. John Snow? What did McKinlay and Mckinlays article in 1977 show about the relationship between the social and treatment of disease?

Doctors got to be respected and hospitals places to heal with the rise of science and the rise of sanitation; rise of science and newer technologies, rise of public health programs, and science and medicine being linked through education and the state; health care is preventative and promotes well being while medical care is based off treatment of a problem; medical careened this leads to lower health of residents overall even though the US spends some of the most money on medial care per person; epidemiology is the spread of disease in human populations; it is related to the Broad Street Pump incident where Dr. John Snow traced a cholera outbreak to a contaminated water source which was considered to be the origin of epidemiology; McKinlay and McKinlay's article in 1977 demonstrated that social factors significantly influence health outcomes and the treatment of diseases, emphasizing the importance of addressing social determinants in healthcare

How and why is the study of demography important for studying a societies past, present, and future? What shape of a population diagram of sex/age for a developing country look like? A shrinking country? Stabilizing country? What kinds of factors might have a unique impact on a populations shape? From lecture, what are some important demographic terms do you need to know about any changes in the world and the US? In examining populations what are three major rates you need to know(birth, death, fertility)? In population shape what are the factors/variables represented?

Demography is the statistical study of populations, focusing on their size, distribution, and trends over time. Understanding demography is crucial for analyzing historical events, predicting future societal changes, and informing policy decisions. The population diagram for a developing country typically shows a wide base reflecting high birth rates and a narrow top, while a shrinking country presents an inverted pyramid with low birth rates and an aging population; a stabilizing country exhibits a more uniform shape. Factors like disease, migration, and socio-economic conditions can uniquely impact a population's shape. Important demographic terms include population density, life expectancy, and migration; three major demographic rates are birth rate, death rate, and fertility rate, which reflect the dynamics of population changes.

What is environmental sociology? What are 3 major social factors having an impact on the biophysical world? What impact might demography have upon the environmental situation in the world? How does the consumption mechanism operate in terms of populations? Survival mechanism? What are the differences between environmental racism, environmental justice, and environmental inequality? What is it a fence line zone and why is it important to understand in the US?

environmental sociology is the study go the way society interacts with the biophysical environment; 3 major social factors having an impaction on the biophysical world are economy, inequalities, and demography; the consumption mechanism is when higher incomes support excessive consumption and waste that damage the environment; survival mechanisms are when poverty forces people to over exploit resources that damage the environment; environmental racism is when policies directly harm people of color, justice is the goal to receive fair treatment of all people regarding environmental factors, and inequality is when low income people are exposed to more harm; fence line zones are areas adjacent to industrial sites where vulnerable populations are disproportionately affected by environmental hazards, and understanding them is crucial for addressing environmental justice in the US