Sociology exam 1

What is sociology?

Study of social life and it's nature, structure, patterns, causes, and meanings

What is the sociological imagination?

the ability to see the relationship between individual experiences and the larger society

egoistic suicide

suicide that occurs when one is not well integrated into a social group

anomic suicide

suicide that occurs as a result of insufficient social regulation

altruistic suicide

suicide that occurs when one experiences too much social integration

fatalistic suicide

suicide that occurs as a result of too much social regulation

Rationality

the process by which traditional methods of social organization, characterized by informality and spontaneity, are gradually replaced by efficiently administered formal rules and procedures

iron cage of rationality

The dehumanizing aspects of bureaucracy. Max Weber saw bureaucracies as cages with people trapped in them, denied of their basic humanity.

What is McDonaldization?

policies of fast food organizations have come to dominate other organizations in society

- principles of efficiency, calculability, predictability, uniformity and control

Efficiency

using resources in such a way as to maximize the production of goods and services

Calculability

emphasis on things that can be calculated, counted, and quantified

predictibility

Routine, consistency, and a methodical operation. Makes working easier with less critical thinking
Reduces surprises and brings comfort.

Control

Often replacing human labor with non-human technology. Aimed at both costumers and employees

Mechanical Solidarity (Durkheim)

social bonds present in premodern society; people in a simple agricultural society were bonded together by shared traditions, beliefs, and experiences

Organic Solidarity (Durkheim)

social bond in modern day society; people bond together based on tasks performed, interdependence, and individual rights

working class

A social class broadly composed of people working in blue-collar, or manual, occupations.

Ruling class

An elite who possess adequate resources to control a regime; in Marxist theory, the class that controls key sources of wealth in a given epoch

Commodification

The process through which something is given monetary value; occurs when a good or idea that previously was not regarded as an object to be bought and sold is turned into something that has a particular price and that can be traded in a market economy.

Alienation

the experience of isolation and misery resulting from powerlessness

How do Marx and Durkheim understand society differently?

Marx's theory is based on social critique and conflict. Marx was a conflict theorist. Durkheim emphasized social factors. Durkheim was a functionalist and believed that members of a society were in consensus with each other.

What is culture and its different aspects (ideology, values, symbols)?

•Values, ideas, practices, and symbols that give a social group its collective identity.
•Culture gives members of a group shared understanding
•Passed down through generations
•Culture is learned

ideology of culture

•Shared beliefs about what the world is or how it should be
•Directs or motivates behaviors
•Ex: democracy, fascism, liberalism, conservatism, socialism, meritocracy, theocracy, technocracy, populism, etc.

Values of Culture

•What is important to a culture?
•Culture is organized around its values and principles
•Example: What are important values to members of the United States?

Symbols of culture

•Representations of cultures
•Cultural markers
•Denote belonging
•Ex: sports team apparel

Folkways

norms for routine or casual interaction. If violated, social pressure is felt
•Ex: behaving in an elevator

Mores

norms that are widely observed and have great moral significance. Violating mores can lead to sanctions (sometimes severe)
Ex: cheating on spouse; Jews and Muslims eating pork; bribing a referee in sports
**But they can shift over time and can be different across cultures. Ex: Gay marriage, racism.

Taboos

mores so strong that their violation is considered to be extremely offensive and even unmentionable. Ex: pedophilia, bestiality, child marriage, incest

Laws

society's values and standards that are enforceable in the courts. •Can encompass folkways, mores, and taboos.
•We require the state to deal with those who break laws

Goffman's dramaturgical analysis

The social world as a theatrical performance (metaphor).

Front stage

in the dramaturgical perspective, this is where we play a role and use impression management to craft the way we come across to other people.
Every single social interaction is a performance
You are performing for an audience
-Different performances for different roles
The goal is to appear authentic/genuine; to give an effortless performance
Performances can be crucially important or very mundane

Back Stage

In the dramaturgical approach, the setting where players are free from their role requirements and not in front of the audience; back stage behaviors may not be deemed appropriate or acceptable and are thus kept invisible from the audience.
-No performance
-No audience
-Can be a place to "rehearse" a future performance
-You can only be back stage when you are alone

Cooley's looking-glass self.

1.You imagine how you appear to others
2.You imagine others' judgement of your appearance
3.You form an identity based on your perceptions of others' judgement of you
-This leads to either maintaining or changing your behavior
our identity is based on our own perceptions of how others view us

What is the scientific method?

A logical, systematic approach to the solution of a scientific problem

qualitative data

descriptive data or characteristics

Quantitative data

numerical data

What is deviance and the different perspectives of it?

Any action, speech, belief, or characteristic that violates the norms (folkways, mores, taboos, laws) of a group.
Different ideas on the nature of deviance, but no true consensus.
Four things needed for deviance:
1.Must be a rule or a norm
2.Need a violator of the norm
3.Need an audience
- People to judge the norm violator
4.Need a negative reaction
- Some kind of punishment

Absolutist perspective

Claims that deviance resides in the very nature of an act and is wrong at all times and in all places.
- Durkheim's idea that deviance is functional; it sets and reinforces boundaries
- Widespread consensus exists about what deviance is and is not
The act is considered deviant in and of itself
Deviance is decided by god or a product of human nature (objective)
Seen more in homogenous and traditional societies.

Secondary Deviance

deviance in which an individual's life and identity are organized around breaking society's norms. Results in being stigmatized. Often a harsh reaction from society, treated as an outsider.
Ex: Felon

Primary Deviance

the first act of rule breaking that may incur a label of "deviant" and thus influence how people think about and act toward you. Little to no reaction from society.
Ex: Underage drinking

Relativist perspective

definitions of ethical behavior are derived subjectively from the experiences of individuals and groups.
-Deviance is created and decided by people (subjective)
- Multiple definitions of what is or what is not deviant can exist
-Marijuana, Illegal immigration, Killing: war, self defense

Social Power perspective

Crime and deviance are not formed by just any group of "others".
-Society based on conflict (Marx)
-What is considered deviant is decided by powerful groups
-Laws (and their enforcement) reflect the interests and concerns of dominant classes in society
-Ex: vagrancy laws
-Ex: sentencing disparity between crack and powdered cocaine

Stigma

-Identity that significantly deviates from what is expected or considered normal
-Devalued stereotype
-Stigma exists in the relationship between the observed and observer.
-There are three types

Abominations of the body

First type of stigma. Any part of our body that is different than the vast majority of people
Ex: facial deformities, amputees, plastic surgery, tattoos

Character Defects

Second type of stigma. Blemishes of the individual character that are perceived as the fault of the individual; weak willed.
Ex: drug and alcohol addicts, felons, patients in mental institutions.

Tribal Stigma

Third type of stigma. Stigma based on race, religion, national origin, etc. Not just felt individually, but can stigmatize families, generations, or groups of people in the same way

Strain theory

theory that deviance is more likely to occur when a gap exists between cultural goals and the ability to achieve these goals by legitimate means.
When common goals and aspirations are not met (e.g. "American Dream", having a high paying job, having a good education, etc.) leading to pressure and stress, which leads to a higher likelihood of committing crime

Social control (bond) theory

Assume people will commit crime if they are not socially controlled or "shaped" into conformity; that something exists that compels people to follow the rules and laws.

People are more likely to commit crimes when their bonds with society are weak or non-existent
•Bonds like: marriage, having a job, being a member in a church, friends and peers at school, being part of a sports teams, etc.

Self-control theory

The theory of delinquency that holds that antisocial behavior is caused by a lack of self-control stemming from an impulsive personality. People with low self-control have a higher likelihood of committing crime

Focus is on childhood upbringing, where parents/guardians are responsible for teaching the child self-control

Understand where the U.S. homicide rate is and how it relates to other countries

U.S homicide rate is distinctively higher than similar countries.

Who commits violence in society?

Violence is typically committed by young men in society.

How common is intimate partner violence?

Intimate partner violence occurs to 1/4 women and 1/9 men. Intimate partner sexual violence occurs to 1/5 women and 1/12 men.

What did the Asch experiment and the Milgram experiment show?

It showed that individual behavior is likely to be subjected to group behavior as individuals are more likely to conform to group perspective's despite the perspective being incorrect.

What are the stages of "becoming human"

The stages of becoming human consist of the pre-play stage, play stage, and game stage

pre-play stage "I"

¬Birth to 2 years old
¬At this stage there is only an "I", no "me" or "generalized other"
¬They don't care what others think of them

Play stage "Me"

¬2 - 6 years old
¬At this stage, the "Me" starts to develop
¬Children start to take on roles of people in their life.
¬Mimicking and imitating
¬But they cannot yet see their role-playing in a larger social context

Game Stage "Generalized Other"

¬Ages 6 and up
¬Learn to understand multiple roles and take on more than one
¬Begin to develop a sense of others' roles and how your role fits within the group

"I"

¬The acting part of the self
¬Immediate
¬Creative
¬Can be surprising, impulsive

"Me"

¬The thinking part of the self
¬Organized set of expectations
¬Knows what your responsibilities are
¬Associated with habits, conformity

"Generalized Other"

¬Attitude of the entire group /society
¬If an individual "takes on" the generalized other, they are seeing themselves as an element within a group... they look at themselves from the perspective of the group
¬Ability to put yourself in others' shoes