SSCI 101 midterm exam

What is a channel in communication?

The medium through which a message is sent.

What is decoding in communication?

Interpreting a received message.

What is encoding in communication?

Turning thoughts into a message.

What are the main components of human communication?

Encoding, decoding, channel, noise, feedback, context.

What is anthropology?

The study of humans, past and present, focusing on culture, biology, language, and history.

What are the four subfields in anthropology?

Cultural anthropology, biological anthropology, linguistic anthropology, archaeology.

What are artifacts?

Human-made objects that provide information about past cultures.

What is ethnography?

A detailed written account of cultural practices and social life based on fieldwork.

What is ethnocentrism?

Judging another culture by the standards of one's own culture.

What are borderlands?

Regions where different cultures, nations, or communities meet and interact.

What are the main components of human communication?

Encoding, decoding, channel, noise, feedback, context.

What is encoding in communication?

Turning thoughts into a message.

What is decoding in communication?

Interpreting a received message.

What is a channel in communication?

The medium through which a message is sent.

What is noise in communication?

Any interference with the message.

What is feedback in communication?

Response from the receiver to the sender.

What is context in communication?

The situation or environment in which communication takes place.

What are the subfields in communication?

Interpersonal, group, organizational, mass, intercultural, health, political, and digital communication.

What is a projection in maps?

A method of representing the 3D earth on a 2D map.

What is diffusion in geography?

The spread of ideas, products, or practices across space.

What is GIS?

Geographic Information Systems—computer systems for capturing, storing, analyzing spatial data.

What is historiography?

The study of how history has been written and interpreted.

What is digital history?

Using digital tools and methods to research, teach, and present history.

What is language acquisition?

The natural process of learning a language, especially in childhood.

What is the difference between descriptive vs. prescriptive grammar?

Descriptive = how language is actually used; Prescriptive = rules about how it should be used.

What is a dialect?

A regional or social variety of a language with unique features.

What is the difference between normative vs. empirical approaches?

Normative = values/judgments about politics; Empirical = facts and observable data.

What is political ideology?

A set of beliefs about government, society, and the economy.

What is political socialization?

The process by which people develop political values and beliefs.

What are the levels of explanation in psychology?

Biological, cognitive, social, cultural.

What are psychological approaches

Biological, behavioral, cognitive, humanistic, psychodynamic, sociocultural, evolutionary.

What are subfields in psychology?

Clinical, cognitive, developmental, social, industrial-organizational, educational, forensic, health.

What is society?

A group of people who share a culture and territory.

What is culture?

Shared beliefs, values, practices, and symbols.

What is the sociological imagination?

The ability to connect personal experiences with larger social structures.

What is structural functionalism?

A theory viewing society as a system of interdependent parts working together.

What is conflict theory?

A perspective that emphasizes power struggles and inequality in society.

What is symbolic interactionism?

A perspective focusing on social interactions and meanings individuals attach to them.

What is androcentrism?

Placing male experiences at the center and treating them as the norm.

What is intersectionality?

The overlapping and interconnected nature of social identities and oppressions.

What is heteronormativity?

The assumption that heterosexuality is the default or "normal" sexuality.

What is social construction?

The idea that categories (like gender, race) are created and maintained by society.