Sociological Theory Midterm

Are much more critical of society, not just theorizing society but how to make it better

How does Sociological Theory differ from theories of the natural sciences?

Allowed for the rise of more scientific thought that challenged formerly accepted religious beliefs, gave birth to modern day sociology

How did The Enlightenment affect sociological theory?

Counter Enlightenment (Rousseau)

Humans are naturally compassionate and society tends to corrupt them

Was very racist and sexist towards many groups

What were some limits to the Enlightenment?

The major shift in way of life (Urbanization, Population Growth) led to more social problems to solve

How did The Industrial Revolution affect Sociological Theory?

The end of monarchies led to more social problems and attempting to start a new regime in its place

How did Political Revolutions affect Sociological Theory?

Humans are inherently selfish and must be ruled in an authoritarian state

What was Hobbes strategy for society?

People will follow natural laws created by God as well as democratic government to solve disputes

What did Locke have to say about society structure?

Order

Sources of predictability in human behavior that either trickle down to individuals or bubble up from interactions with others

Action

Rational or non-rational motivations for performing actions

Rational Motivation

Motivations of strategy, logic, calculation

Non-Rational Motivation

Motivations of morals, emotions, religous beliefs

Forces of Production

The raw materials, technology, machines, factories and land that are necessary in the production of goods

Relations of Production

How individuals are related to each other (company competitors) and the forces of production (owners of production or labor)

Bourgeoisie

The owners of production, powerful and influential groups

Proletariat

Those who sell their labor for a living wage, the poor and the homeless

Class Consciousness

An awareness that is achieved by the proletariat on their common relationship in terms of the means of production

Base

A society’s technological control/social relations with the means of subsistence

Superstructure

Cultural Institutions that provide the ideological/political anchor for social order

Ideologies

Ruling ideas that intellectuals create

False Consciousness

Proletariats developing beliefs that are shaped by the bourgeoise that obscure their true social interests

Alienation

The dehumanizing estrangement of workers from many aspects of their labor in capitalism

Alienation from the product of labor

The first form of alienation in which the worker is separated from the product they work to make, the product is taken away and dominates those who work for it

Alienation from the production system itself

The second form of alienation in which the worker is separated from the act of production itself, the activity of work is taken out of the control of workers

Alienation from a person’s being

The third form of alienation in which the worker is separated from their own species being, work is a means to an end not an end in itself

Alienation from other workers

The fourth form of alienation in which workers are no longer united and instead compete against each other for survival

Private property emerged from the business owner’s alienation of the worker from his work and to express themselves

How does Private Property connect to Alienation?

Unlike earlier eras, Capitalism simplifies societal ranking by dividing people into two groups

How does capitalism differ from earlier eras?

Expanding under feudalism, transforms economy into global market, and gradually took over the government

How did the bourgeoise rise to power?

Capitalism has periods of crisis, workers can become unified through struggle, and can only take power through acting as a majority

How do the bourgeoise produce its own gravediggers?

Social Facts

Conditions and circumstances external to the individual determines a person’s course of action

Collective Consciousness

The totality of beliefs common to average citizens of the same society that forms a system

Animals are satisfied with meeting basic desires, humans have infinite desires

How are humans different from animals?

Suicide occurs in rapid increases/decreases in wealth, individuals act on greed and when crisis hits they commit suicide

How does the economy promote suicide?

Anomic Suicide

Suicide that occurs because a person due to insufficient social regulation

Egoistic Suicide

Suicide that occurs because a person lacks individual purpose

Altruistic Suicide

Suicide that occurs because a person sees value in the afterlife

Sacred

Something that is extraordinary, set apart from the everyday world

Profane

Something this is part of the everyday routine, boring and mundane

Magic holds beliefs but does not have a community, such as a church

How is magic different from religion?

Religion

A set of beliefs and activities that about something sacred that unites people into a church

Collective Effervescence

Shared emotional energy between people when coming together in a group, commonly seen in religious settings

It’s society acting on the individual through its moral ideas

What is the social function of Collective Effervescence?

It allows society to express themselves to individuals through them

What is the role of group rituals in society?

Interpretive Understanding

Weber’s view of social action that sees the subjective mindset of a culture

Social Action

A motivated behavior that takes others’ views into account

Instrument-Rational Action

Type of social action that is goal orientated, and relies on calculating the advantages and disadvantages

Value-Rational Action

Type of social action that is made based on satisfying moral values

Traditional Action

Type of social action that is based on habits and customs

Affective Action

Type of social action that is based off of emotions and impulsive decisions

Ideal Types

Analytical constructs that can be compared to real-life situations (“pure” concepts)

He rejected Marx’s objective approach of society and preferred a more comparative-historical analysis

What were Weber’s criticisms of Marx?

Emissary Religions

A type of religion in which individuals retreat from the material world to be a vessel for God and merge with the cosmos, do not promote capitalism

Exemplary Religions

A type of religion in which people are commanded to perform work to prove themselves to God, promote an idea of salvation that motivates action that also promotes capitalism

Class

People who share life chances and possibilities that are determined by economic interests

Based on Communal/Social Actions, changed over time from debt to products, to labor

What are conditions in which Class Struggle occurs?

Status

A positive/negative social estimation of honor expressed through “styles of life”

Have specific lifestyle/rules on who they associate with, based on consumption

How are Status Groups formed/functional?

Parties

Groups whose goals are aimed at influencing a communal action

Focused on gaining power, always engage in societal action, can speak to both class and status groups

How do Parties operate?

Traditional Authority

Dominance based on the belief in tradition (Patriarchal Authority)

Rational-Legal Authority

Dominance based on the rules of impersonal laws, professionals use expertise to rule in an impersonal manner (Bureaucratic Authority)

Charismatic Authority

Dominance based on people’s belief in a leader’s eccentric personality that wins emotional attachment of followers

Not trying to produce/provide wealth to population, not based on rules/laws

How is Charismatic Authority unique from the other types?

Rules/Fundraising systems are set up in the event the leader dies/retires

How is rationalization established in Charismatic Authority?

Saw women as naturally more caring/loving and men and naturally more violent

How did Spencer’s Evolutionary Theory influence Perkins-Gilman?

Corsets are uncomfortable to wear, similar to the constraints of women by traditional institutional features in society, these features are also outside of the woman’s control

What is the Corset Metaphor in relation to Perkins-Gillman?

Human women have become economically dependent on men which is not seen in any other animal

How do gender relations in animals differentiate from humans?

Men usually earn the living while women are not allowed to earn a wage or learn skills

How do economics play a role in marriages?

These characteristics (Men need to cheat on spouse, Women need to be attracted to men to survive) keep women from developing economically important skills and give benefits to men

How do secondary sex characteristics effect economic relations between women and men?

Don’t realize there is a problem due to being used to it, get agitated when pointed out due to habitual thinking

Why is it hard to see gender equality?

Pointed out the “car window” attitude of sociologists, racist theories and white sociology lacked empirical evidence

What was DuBois criticism of other sociologists?

Race was a key factor in capitalist development, Global “Color Line”

What was DuBois’ contribution to Sociological Theory?

Found that black social problems resulted from racism decades before mainstream scientific research

What was DuBois’ contribution to Empirical Sociology?

Engaged in Public Sociology long before others, protests at Fisk University, example in BLM today

What was DuBois’ contribtion to Activism?

The Veil (DuBois)

A metaphor in which skin color becomes both an objective/subjective social distancing mechanism

Double Consciousness

A split/separation of the self from being “black” and “American”, see themselves through the eyes of white people

First sought political power after Emancipation, then looked towards education after the rise of Jim Crow

What are the different phases that Black Americans have made to achieve freedom?

Components of Social Action (Parsons)

Actions that are Goal Orientated, happen in an environment regulated by Norms, and requires Effort

Social System

System in which Social Actions are governed by norms/rules

Personality System

System in which Social Actions are guided by personal needs and emotions

Cultural System

System in which Values/Norms/Morals that guide Social Action

Socialization (Parsons)

Individuals learning to accept social rules

Internalization

Incorporating Social Rules into your personality

Institutionalization

Traditions that dictate how people behave (Kosher)

Pattern Variables

Aspects of society that contrast traditional and modern society/aspects of behavior

Affective

Pattern variable in which emotional impulses are gratified (loving children/spouse)

Affective-Neutral

Pattern variable in which encourages Emotional Impulses (professional settings)

Self Orientation

Pattern variable in which decisions are made based on personal interests (choosing partner)

Collective Orientation

Pattern variable in which decisions are made for the best of the group (quitting work to support family)

Universalism

Pattern variable in which decisions are made based on general standards/rules (judicial bodies)

Particularism

Pattern variable in which decisions are made based on prior attachments/priorities (supporting friend when they do something wrong)

Ascription

Pattern variable in which rewards are given based on certain unchangeable traits (race, sex, age)

Achievement

Pattern variable in which rewards are given based on reaching a certain threshold (graduation, promotion)

Specificity

Pattern variable in which interaction is based on certain criteria/roles (student/teacher)

Diffusiveness

Pattern variable in which there are open guidelines for interaction (teacher can become friend to student if they are struggling)

AGIL

Four functional imperatives that are encountered by all social systems, requirements of all action systems

Adaptation

How well a group changes to fit the environment

Goal Attainment

A group’s ability to identify, attain, and pursue goals

Integration

Legal norms that regulate stability of a value system