SO100 Ch.1 - Introduction to Sociology

Mental model

An internalized, abstract representation of how something works, created from information and experiences

Sociology

The scientific study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior

Sociological literacy

The ability to use the "sociological eye" to understand how social forces shape individual experiences and society as a whole

Sociological imagination

• Theory proposed by C. Wright Mills

• The ability to connect individual experiences and personal troubles to larger social, historical, and structural forces

Industrial Revolution

• A period of rapid technological development and economic transformation

• Caused a dramatic shift in the way people interacted and the way society functioned

Division of labor

• Proposed by Adam Smith

• The specialization of individual people or groups in specific tasks and roles to improve productivity and efficiency

Panic buying

The behavior of consumers buying unusually large quantities of products in anticipation of or during a crisis

Social conflict

The struggle between individuals or groups within a society for power, limited resources, or incompatible goals, leading to disagreement, tension, and antagonism

Dialectic

A methodological approach that involves the logical exchange of arguments, involving opposing viewpoints, that forms a new, higher understanding

Capitalist society

• An economic and political system characterized by private ownership of the means of production, free markets driven by competition and profit, and individual economic freedom

• Involves class conflicts where workers want more money for their labor but the government want to pay them less

Relational

A sociological perspective that views the social world as a dynamic network of interacting relations, rather than as a collection of static individuals or structures

Alienation

The feeling of estrangement or disconnection people experience from their work, themselves, others, and society, often within capitalist systems

Social structure

The established patterns of relationships, behaviors, and social institutions that organize a society and influence individual choices

Solidarity

The shared bonds, interests, and values that hold a society together

Mechanical solidarity

• Proposed by Emile Durkheim

• Describes social cohesion in traditional, pre-industrial societies where individuals share similar beliefs, values, and experiences, creating a strong sense of unity through their sameness

Organic solidarity

• Proposed by Emile Durkheim

• Describes the social cohesion in modern, industrialized societies where individuals are bound together through interdependence and a high division of labor

Integration

The process during which newcomers or minorities are incorporated into the social structure of the host society

Regulation

The rules and norms that structure the behavior of individuals within a given context

Social norm

A standard of behavior that a social group expects of its members and that guides behavior in specific situations

Anomie

• Proposed by Emile Durkheim

• Describes a state of "normlessness" or the breakdown of social norms and values, leading to individual feelings of disconnection, despair, and purposelessness

Methodological individualism

A research approach arguing that social phenomena must be explained by the actions, motivations, and decisions of individuals, not by collective entities like states or cultures

Social action

Any individual human behavior that is subjectively meaningful and takes into account the behavior of others in its orientation

Interpretive sociology

A sociological approach, founded by Max Weber, that emphasizes understanding social life by focusing on how individuals and groups make sense of their world, their actions, and their identities

Culture

Group values and beliefs that guide actions

Rationalization

The societal shift from traditional, emotional, or mystical ways of life to those guided by logic, efficiency, and predictability

Hull House

• Founded by Jane Addams

• A pioneering social settlement that served as a hub for immigrant education and community services, which allowed for the study of social patterns, the development of community, and the promotion of social justice

Socially engaged scholarship

• Used by Jane Addams

• A form of public sociology that emphasizes collaborative, mutually beneficial partnerships between academics and community members to address pressing social issues

Status

A person's position or rank within a social group or society

Psychological wages

• Proposed by W.E.B. Du Bois

• Describes the non-monetary benefits and status advantages that white people receive from their racial identity

Leisure class

• Proposed by Thorstein Veblen

• A stratum of society that has amassed enough wealth to avoid productive labor, instead engaging in activities that display their status and wealth

Conspicuous consumption

• Proposed by Thorstein Veblen

• The practice of purchasing and displaying expensive goods and services to show off wealth and social status

Pecuniary emulation

• Proposed by Thorstein Veblen

• The social practice of competing to demonstrate wealth and status by imitating the lifestyles and consumption habits of wealthier individuals

Veblen good

A luxury item where demand increases as the price increases

Status symbol

A tangible object, possession, or behavior that indicates an individual's social standing, wealth, or prestige within a given society or cultural context

Achieved status

A social position that an individual earns or takes on through their personal efforts, merits, choices, or accomplishments, rather than being born into it

Ascribed status

A social position assigned to an individual at birth or involuntarily later in life, based on attributes beyond their control, such as race, gender, age, or family background

Social hierarchy

The ranking of individuals and groups within a society based on factors like power, wealth, and status

Life chances

• Proposed by Max Weber

• The opportunities an individual has to improve their quality of life

Social role

A set of expected behaviors, responsibilities, norms, and rights associated with a particular social status or position within a society

Role conflict

A state where an individual's social roles are incompatible, meaning the expectations of one role interfere with fulfilling the expectations of another

Social group

Any collection of two or more individuals who interact with each other, share a sense of common identity or purpose, and are bound by common norms and values

Social network

The structure of relationships connecting individuals or organizations (nodes) through various ties

Social institutions

Enduring, structured patterns of behavior that fulfill essential societal needs and functions through established roles, norms, and positions

Agency

An individual's or group's capacity to act independently, despite structural roles and resources, and make choices that shape their lives and the world around them

Self-concept

An individual's overall perception of who they are, formed and developed through social interactions and socialization processes rather than being an innate trait

Socialization

The lifelong process of learning and internalizing the norms, values, beliefs, and behaviors of one's society and culture, enabling individuals to participate in social life

Generalized other

The internalized attitudes, behaviors, and expectations of a social group or community that individuals internalize, shaping their sense of self and guiding their actions

Looking-glass self

A sociology concept by Charles Horton Cooley describing how our self-concept develops through social interactions

Agents of socialization

The people, groups, and institutions that influence a person's development by teaching them the norms, values, and behaviors of society

Resocialization

A process where individuals unlearn old norms, values, and behaviors and learn new ones, adapting to a new social environment or institution

Heteronormative masculinity

Describes the socially constructed definition of what it means to be a straight male

Total institutions

A place where residents' lives are completely controlled and isolated from the wider society, leading to a loss of individual identity and a process of resocialization

Microsociology

A branch of sociology that studies small-scale, everyday human interactions, such as conversations and face-to-face encounters, to understand how individuals create social meaning and patterns of behavior

Macrosociology

A level of analysis in sociology that focuses on large-scale social structures, systems, and long-term social patterns rather than individual interactions

Symbolic interaction

A micro-level sociological perspective that focuses on how individuals create meaning and social reality through symbolic communication, particularly language and gestures

Structure of opportunity

The external social and cultural frameworks, or pathways, that enable or restrict individuals and groups from achieving their goals, particularly culturally defined goals like success or advancement

Reflexivity

Describes the capacity for individuals and social systems to critically think about and influence themselves

Thorstein Veblen

Sociologist known for developing the concept of conspicuous consumption, or excessive consumption for the sake of signaling social status

Theoretical analysis

What was Thorstein Veblen’s methodological approach?

Theoretical analysis

• The critical examination of phenomena through the lens of existing theories and models to gain deeper understanding

• Involves observing the existing world and creating your own analysis

Conspicuous consumption

What was Thorstein Veblen’s key idea?

Marx, Smith

Which two people did Thorstein Veblen engage with? (hint: just use last names)

The Theory of the Leisure Class

What is a famous work of Thorstein Veblen?

Jane Addams

Pioneering American social worker, reformer, and Nobel Peace Prize winner who focused on women’s suffrage and social work

Socially-engaged research

What was Jane Addams’ methodological approach?

Socially-engaged research

What was Jane Addams’ key idea?

American pragmatists

Who did Jane Addams primarily engage with?

Hull House Maps and Papers

What famous work did Jane Addams produce?

W.E.B. Du Bois

American historian, sociologist, and civil rights activist who co-founded the NAACP and championed the cause of Black equality through his prolific writings

Pioneered place-based research

What was W.E.B. Du Bois’ methodological approach?

Psychological wage

What was W.E.B. Du Bois’ key idea?

Black Reconstruction in America, The Souls of Black Folks

What were two famous works of W.E.B. Du Bois’?

Max Weber

Known for his theories on bureaucracy, the rationalization of society, and the connection between Protestantism and capitalism

Methodological individualism, social action, interpretive

What was Max Weber’s scientific approach? (hint: there are three)

Culture

What was Max Weber’s Theory of Change?

Bureaucracy, rationalization

What were two of Max Weber’s concerns for individuals?

The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, Economy and Society, Politics as a Vocation

What were three of Max Weber’s famous works?

Emile Durkheim

Founder of modern sociology that focuses on structural functionalism, collective consciousness, social solidarity, and social facts

Scientific, structural

What was Emile Durkheim’s scientific approach? (hint: there are two)

Social structure, solidarities, integration and regulation

What was Emile Durkheim’s Theory of Change? (hint: there are three)

Anomie from lack of norms

What was Emile Durkheim’s primary concern for individuals?

The Division of Labor in Society, Suicide, Elementary Forms of Religious Life

What were three famous works of Emile Durkheim?

Karl Marx

A philosopher and economist known for his critiques of capitalism, the development of Marxism, and advocating for a classless society

Historical materialism, relational, dialectic

What was Karl Marx’s scientific approach? (hint: there are three)

Historical materialism

Karl Marx's theory that society develops through material and economic conditions, with class struggle arising from changes in the forces and relations of production

Social conflict between classes causes everything else

What is Karl Marx’s Theory of Change?

Alienation within capitalist system of wage labor

What is Karl Marx’s primary concern for individuals?

Das Kapital, The Communist Manifesto

What were two famous works of Karl Marx’s?

C. Wright Mills

Known for popularizing the concept of the "sociological imagination," which connects personal troubles to public issues by understanding how social structures and historical contexts shape individual lives

Adam Smith

A prominent Scottish Enlightenment philosopher whose work laid the foundation for modern economics and included significant social and moral dimensions relevant to sociology

Herbert Blumer

• American sociologist whose main scholarly interests were symbolic interaction and methods of social research

• Believed that humans act towards things based on meaning towards us

• Believed that meaning comes from others and our social interactions

Symbols

Objects that people assign meaning to to help us approach the world

Rituals

A prescribed sequence of symbolic actions, words, or gestures performed by members of a group in a specific order, often with religious or cultural significance

Material culture

Refers to the physical and tangible creations, such as objects, artifacts, architecture, and technology, that are made, used, and valued by people within a specific cultural group

Symbolic culture

Consists of the non-material aspects of a society, such as language, beliefs, values, norms, and customs, that are shared by members and used to communicate and understand the world

Collective representations

Shared, socially-generated ideas, symbols, and beliefs that exist outside of individuals but are held by a group, providing meaning, order, and social cohesion to a society

High culture

Cultural good made for and used by elites

Popular culture

Heavily produced and commercialized goods made for and consumed by a large audience

Values

Moral beliefs

Code switching

The practice of changing how you speak, behave, or present yourself to adapt to different environments, social expectations, or audiences