Sociology Term Test 1, Full Flashcard set

Sociology definitions for term test 1

Sociology

the systematic study of human society

Society

people who live in a defined territory and share a culture

Sociological Imagination

converting personal issues into social issues

Free Individuals

Absolute Self, Nobody can force any laws or labels on ourselves , We are responsible for our own success or failures

Social Beings

Relational Self, Part of a society that shapes me and my life experiences

God determined

your fate is predetermined and you are living it

Action determined

your life is a direct result of your own choices

Society determined

lots of aspects of life are outside of my control and are determined by social conditions

Social Determinants

Things that affect our life outside of our control

Ethnicity

majority, minority.

Social Determination

what humans think, how they feel, how they judge and make choices, opportunities and constraints shaped by social factors and their position in society.

Sociological Perspective

the special point of view of sociology that sees general patterns of society in the lives of particular people

Theory

a statement of how and why facts are related

Theoretical Approach

a basic image of society that guides thinking and research

Social Structure

any relatively stable pattern of social behavior

Social function

the consequences of a social pattern for the operation of society as a whole

Structural-functional Theory

Views society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability

Social-conflict

Views society as an arena of inequality that generates conflict and change

Symbolic-interaction Theory

Ignores larger social structures, effects of culture, factors such as class, gender, ethnicity, and race

Culture

the ways of thinking, the ways of acting and material objects that together form a people’s way of life

Nonmaterial culture

the ideas created by members of a society

Material culture

the physical things created by members of a society

Culture shock

personal disorientation when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life

Symbols

anything that carries a particular meaning recognized by people who share a culture

Language

a system of symbols that allows people to communicate with each other

Cultural transmission

the process by which one generation passes culture to the next

Values

culturally defined standards that people use to decide what is desirable, good, and beautiful that serve as broad guidelines for social living (abstract standard of goodness)

Beliefs

specific thoughts or ideas that people hold to be true

Norms

rules and expectations by which society guides the behavior of its members

Folkways

norms for routine or casual interaction, eg. proper dress

Mores

norms that are widely observed and have great moral significance, eg. no sexual relations with children

Laws

systems of rules recognized and enforced by governing institutions, eg. criminal code of canada

Real Culture

the way things actually are (27% of Canadians have drunk then drive in the previous year)

Ideal Culture

the way things should be (98% of Canadians think drinking and driving is unacceptable)

Technology

knowledge that people use to make a way of life in their surroundings

Hunting and Gathering

humans’ original state. Use of simple tools to hunt animals and gather vegetation, typically nomadic.

Horticulture and Pastoralism

Hand tools to raise crops and domestication of animals (10 000 years ago., religious leaders. Slavery.

Agricultural Society

Large scale cultivation using plows harnessed to animals or more powerful energy sources. Specialization period because not everyone needed to farm., which led to trade. Writing began. Feudalism.

Industrial Society

Production of goods using advanced sources of energy to drive large machinery, began about 250 years ago. Business owners become more powerful than feudal owners. Business and workers. Capitalism.

Post-Industrial Society

Production of information using computer technology, began about 50 years ago.

Ascription Society

social class and resources are primarily hereditary (based on parents and family)

Affectivity Society

a theory used to organize effects, often emotions, as a result of the society

Particularism Society

favoritism, people deal with others based on their personal opinion of them. No impartial law

Collectivism Society

think about their families and communities over themselves

Diffusion Society

more spread, general work that everyone does (everyone farms for themselves)

Modern Societies

advanced industrial economies

Achievement Society

social class and resources are earned

Neutrality Society

objective, less dependant on others and emotions

Universalism Society

there is a standard of laws and rules that are applied to everyone

Individualism Society

freedom, people do what they like and are less worried with the community as a whole

Specificity Society

people specialize at one thing and trade

High Culture

Cultural patterns that distinguish a society’s elite.

Popular Culture

Cultural patterns widespread among a society’s population.

Subculture

the cultural practices of small sections of people

Multiculturalism

A perspective recognizing the cultural diversity of Canada and promoting equal standing for all cultural traditions.

Eurocentrism

The dominance of any particular cultural patterns (e.g. European, especially English cultural patterns in Canada until lately).

Counterculture

Cultural patterns that strongly oppose those widely accepted.

Cultural Integration

the close relationships among various elements of a cultural system

Cultural Lag

some cultural elements change more quickly than others

Cultural Change

occurs by invention, discovery and diffusion.

Diffusion

the spread of cultural practices across societies

Ethnocentrism

Practice of judging another culture by the standards of your own culture

Cultural Relativism

Practice of evaluating a culture by its own standards

Human Society

a condition where humans are in interaction with one another. Society exists between or among individuals when they are in interaction.

Socialization

the lifelong social experience by which people develop their human potential and learn culture.

Behavioralist

behavior is learned (Watson)

Personality

a person’s fairly consistent patterns of acting, thinking and feeling

Family

Nurture as a child, thoughts on race and ethnicity, class impacts how people parent

School

Gender impacts behavior, what children learn eg. scheduled bathroom breaks, value competition, winners and losers

Peer Group

a social group whose members have age, interests, and social position in common

Mass and Social Media

social media, television, etc. and the messages they portray to be normal and popular

Childhood (0-12)

care-free time of learning and play, grounded in culture

Adolescence (13-17)

turmoil attributed to cultural inconsistencies, caries according to social class

Early Adulthood (20-40)

managing daily affairs, women may try to do it all

Middle Adulthood(40-65)

circumstances are set, concerns over health, career and family

Old Adulthood(65-death)

Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’ stages of dying

Total Institutions

a setting where people are isolated from the rest of society and manipulated by administrative staff

Social Interaction

the process by which people act and react in relation with others. How we create our perceived reality

Social Structure

any relatively stable pattern of social behavior, determined by status and role

Status Set

all of the status a person holds at a given time eg, daughter, worker, student, sister

Ascribed Status

a social position a person receives at birth or assumes involuntarily later in life

Achieved Status

a social position a person takes on voluntarily that reflects personal ability and effort

Master Status

status that has special importance for social identity, often shaping a person's entire life

Role

behavior expected of of someone who holds a particular status

Role Set

multiple roles attached to a single status, eg. professor is teacher, colleague, researcher

Role Conflict

conflict between statuses eg. husband and employee

Role Strain

tension between roles connected to a single status eg. being a manager and friendly coworker

Role Exit

the process of voluntarily or involuntarily disengaging from a role

Social Construction of Reality

the process by which people creatively shape reality through social interaction

The Thomas Theorem

situations that are defined as real become real in their consequences

Hard reality

reality in its effect

Soft reality

when a reality is being shaped

Ethnomethodology

the study of the way people make sense of their everyday surroundings. 

Dramaturgical Analysis

the study of social interaction in terms of theatrical performances

the presentation of self

An individual's efforts to create specific impressions in the minds of other (impression management)

Performances

presentation of the self in everyday situations 

Demeanour

the way we act and carry ourselves 

Idealization

we construct performances to idealize our intentions

Embarrassment

Discomfort after a spoiled performance

Tact

Helping someone “save face” so that “reality” is not swept away.