AICE Sociology VOCAB #4

Late Modernity

A term used by Giddens to describe the later stages of modern society, which he claims is characterised by globalisation and reflexivity.

Reflexivity

The state of being able to examine one's own feelings, reactions and motives for acting and being able to adjust one's behaviour or identity accordingly.

Late Capitalism

A term used by Marxists to describe the later stages of modern capitalist society, especially capitalism's ability to exploit new global markets and to create new forms of labour in order to generate profit.

Monopoly

The exclusive possession or control of the supply of, or trade in, a commodity or service.

Oligopoly

A state of limited competition, in which a market is shared by a very small number of producers or sellers.

Socialization

The process of social learning that orcurs in the period from birth to death in which individuals acquire and absorb the cultural values and norms of the society in which they live.

Society

A community of people who share a common territory and culture and consequently interact with one another daily.

Beliefs

Ideas that members of society hold to be true.

Artifacts

Material objects such as flags or monuments and buildings or cultural products such as sport, music and national dishes which have symbolic meaning for members of particular societies.

High Culture

Cultural products, such as art and literature, that are regarded as rare, unique and the product of exceptional talent.

Mass/Popular Culture

Cultural artefacts such as pop music or Hollywood blockbusters that are mass produced for mass consumption.

Folk Culture

A type of culture which stems from the experiences, customs, traditions and beliefs of rural communities such as the peasantry or tribes that make up part of a wider culture, and which is passed down by word-of-mouth.

Values

General guidelines about how members of society should behave. Values generally shape norms of behaviour. For example, many societies value marriage.

Value System

A collection of values, norms, traditions and customs agreed upon and shared by a social group or society.

Relativity of Culture

The idea that what constitutes culture differs across time periods, societies and even between social groups living in the same society.

Norms

The rules that govern what behaviour is normal in any given social situation.

Secular

Not subject to religious routines or rules.

Role

The behaviour that is expected from those who occupy a particular status.

Gender Role Socialization

The process of learning behaviour that is culturally expected from males and females.

Custom

A regular pattern of behaviour that is accepted as a routine norm in a particular society; for example, shaking hands when greeting someone.

Social Mores

Values, often influenced by religion, which set out the moral principles and rules of societies; for example, that sexual relationships should only be conducted in the moral context of marriage.

Deviance

Behaviour that is regarded as either offensive or odd to a social group or society and is therefore regarded as requiring some form of formal or informal regulation.

Law

A rule or system of rules which a society agrees to follow and which regulate the behaviour of all. The role of the police and the courts is to enforce those rules by arresting those who break them and to impose punishments if found guilty of doing so.

Identity

The qualities, beliefs, personality, looks ana or expressions that constitute both how you see yourself and how other people may see or judge you.

Primary Socialization

The process of learning that occurs in the family when parents teach children the language, attitudes, values, norms and ethics of the culture in which they live so that they grow up to be citizens and workers who conform to what society expects of them.