SOC 106 Exam 2

Deviance

behavior, beliefs or traits that violate social norms

Structural Functionalism Theory

Society is a system of interdependent parts working together for stability

Functions of Deviance

clarifies norms, promotes social unity, and encourages social change

Conflict Theory

Society is a competition over power and resources; laws benefit powerful groups

Organizations

structured groups (schools, businesses)

Bureaucracies

large, rule based organizations

Social institutions

major parts of society (family, education, government)

Ideologies

shared beliefs (like gender roles)

Interpersonal discrimination

person to person

Institutional Discrimination

built into systems; can exist without individuals intending harm

Social Stratification

system where people are ranked (wealth, power, status)

Social Class

a grouping of people based on shared socio-economic status, wealth, income, education, and occupation

3 Dimensions of Social Class

Economic (money, wealth)

Social (status, respect)

Political (power)

What are economic inequality trends from WWII to present?

Inequality has increased since WWII

Wealth gap is growing

Rich are getting richer faster than others

Social Mobility

movement between social classes

Free-market capitalism

private ownership, little government involvement in the economy

Welfare capitalism

more government support (programs, aid)

3 Mechanisms of Inequality

Individual attributes (skills, choices)

Opportunity hoarding (groups keep advantages)

Exploitation & Domination (powerful groups benefit from others)

What has been the trend for poverty rates in the last 50 years?

Poverty has stayed fairly stable; not caused by less welfare or unemployment, but more so cost of living or the health of the individual.

An example of individual attributes that explains poverty

education differences

An example of opportunity hoarding that explains poverty

better jobs kept by certain groups

An example of exploitation & domination that explains poverty

lower wages and unfair systems

Racism

discrimination based on race

Colorism

lighter skin color is treated better

What is housing segregation?

a deeply rooted history of discriminatory private actions and public policies that systematically segregated neighborhoods, primarily by keeping Black families out of white areas and suburban developments

Cross-institutional advantages and disadvantages

inequalities that occur across multiple social institutions (like education, housing, healthcare, and employment) and reinforce eachother.

Cumulative inequality

Inequality builds over a person’s lifetime.
Example: segregated neighborhood → poor school → low-paying job → less wealth.

Intergenerational inequality

Inequality is passed from parents to children.
Example: redlining → less homeownership → less wealth → children start disadvantaged.

What is social structure?

patterns that shape society and behavior and influences what people can/can’t do.

Sexism

unequal treatment based on gender

Androcentrism

male perspective seen as default, discrimination towards anyone with feminine qualities.

T OR F: women earn less than men overall

True

What is the relationship between sex, level of education, and earnings?

males generally are paid more no matter what level of education.

Comparative Sociology

Comparing societies or groups to identify differences and similarities in social patterns

Survey Research

Asking people standardized questions to collect data on attitudes, behaviors, and opinions

Historical Sociology

Studying past events, documents, or records to understand how society has changed over time.

Spatial Analysis

Examining the geographic distribution of people, resources, or behaviors.

Time-Use Diaries

Recording how people spend their time across activities and social contexts.

What are other reasons for poverty besides unemployment or less government funding

low wages, health issues/disability, discrimination, lack of education which is caused by cost of education

Categorical inequality

refers to systematic advantages and disadvantages that affect groups based on race, gender, or other social categories.

What is exploitation as a mechanism of categorical inequality? Give an example for race and gender.

Exploitation is when one group benefits from another group’s labor or resources without fair compensation.

ex. slavery, or women earning less than men

What is opportunity hoarding as a mechanism of categorical inequality? Give an example for race and gender.

When certain groups restrict access to valuable resources (jobs, education, wealth) to maintain advantage.

ex. elite private schools mostly for white students, or men dominating leadership positions, blocking women.

What is domination as a mechanism of categorical inequality? Give an example for race and gender.

When one group controls the behavior, options, or opportunities of another through laws, policies, or norms.

ex. segregation in housing, or workplace enforcing gender roles.

What does it mean that social structure is non-uniform? How does this apply to segregation?

Individuals can experience both advantage and disadvantage at the same time.

• Example: A Black middle-class family may have higher income (advantage) but face housing discrimination (disadvantage)

Individual Attributes Mechanism

inequalities in outcomes are explained primarily by differences in individual characteristics, skills, or choices.

ex. high education (masters or doctorates), or career choice (someone chooses their career because they love it, not for the money).

Opportunity Hoarding Mechanism

when certain groups (often based on race, gender, or class) control access to resources, jobs, or positions, keeping others out and maintaining their own advantage.

Exploitation and Domination Mechanism

when one group benefits from the labor or resources of another group without getting anything in return.