Exam C Sociology Key Concepts

Key vocabulary and theoretical perspectives from sociology lecture notes covering Functionalism, Conflict Theory, Economic Systems, and Social structures.

Functionalism

A theoretical perspective that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to benefit the whole, promoting solidarity and stability.

Conflict Theory

A theoretical perspective that views social life as a competition over scarce resources, focusing on the distribution of resources, power, and inequality, and how dominant groups maintain their privileges.

Symbolic Interactionism

A theoretical perspective that focuses on how symbol-using people interact in their everyday lives, emphasizing the meanings and interpretations individuals give to social symbols like language and gestures.

Social Construction of Reality

The process by which people creatively shape reality through social interaction, where perceptions of reality are shaped by the subjective meanings given to experiences.

Social Structures

The organization, arrangement, or framework of norms, roles/social positions, and expectations that guide and constrain behavior.

Social Institution

A structure within a society, including social positions and role expectations, that fulfill one or more needs of that society (e.g., family, education system, healthcare system).

Capitalism

An economic system based on private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit, characterized by private property, wage labor, and market forces determining production and distribution.

Socialism

An economic system where the means of production are owned or regulated by the government on behalf of the people, with production directed toward satisfying human needs.

Power

Defined by Max Weber as the ability to realize one’s will even in the face of resistance from others.