Culture and Society Lecture Notes

Vocabulary flashcards covering key sociological terms, theorists, and concepts related to culture and society.

Society (Structural View)

The total social heritage of folkways, mores, institutions, habits, sentiments, and ideals shared by a population.

Structural View of Society

Perspective that regards society as the organized social heritage and formal relationships binding individuals.

Functional View of Society

Perspective that sees society as a complex of interrelated groups interacting through roles to maintain stability.

Folkways

Customary, everyday norms that guide routine behavior but carry little moral weight.

Mores

Moral norms whose violation is considered serious and threatens social order.

Ginsberg's Definition of Society

A collection of individuals united by relations or modes of behavior that set them apart from others.

F.H. Giddings' Definition of Society

The union itself—the organization and sum of formal relations binding associating individuals together.

G.D.H. Cole's Definition of Society

The complex of organized associations and institutions within a community.

J.F. Cuber's Definition of Society

A group of people who have lived together long enough to be organized and seen as a distinct unit.

MacIver and Page's Definition of Society

A system of usages, procedures, authority, and mutual aid formed by many groupings that regulate behavior.

Talcott Parsons' Definition of Society

The total complex of human relationships arising from action oriented to means and normative goals.

Charles Horton Cooley's Definition of Society

A complexity of forms and processes that live and grow through mutual interaction.

Leacock's Definition of Society

The whole range of human relations, not only political ties but every bond that connects people.

Society–Culture Relationship

Society is organized interaction among people; culture is the shared way of life guiding that interaction—each depends on the other.

Gerhard Lenski's Technological Perspective

Theory that technological information determines the speed of social change and the type of society.

Hunting and Gathering Society

Society in which people subsist by hunting animals and gathering plants with simple tools.

Horticultural and Pastoral Society

Society that raises crops with hand tools or herds animals for subsistence.

Agrarian Society

Agriculture-based society using animal-drawn plows and irrigation to boost productivity.

Industrial Society

Society powered by advanced energy sources driving machinery; characterized by factories and rapid social change.

Post-Industrial Society

Society based on information technology where service and knowledge work replace manufacturing.

Karl Marx's View of Society

Analysis focusing on production, class ownership of means of production, and inevitable class conflict.

Conflict and History (Marx)

Theory that societies move from egalitarian hunting bands to unequal capitalist systems dominated by the bourgeoisie.

Class Conflict

Antagonism between entire classes over the distribution of wealth and power, seen by Marx as unavoidable under capitalism.

Capitalism

Economic and political system in which trade and industry are privately owned and run for profit.

Bourgeoisie

Capitalist class that owns the means of production in Marxist theory.

Proletariat

Working class that sells its labor to owners of production.

Alienation (Marx)

Experience of isolation and powerlessness stemming from being estranged from one's labor and society.

Max Weber's Rationalization

Shift from traditional to calculated, efficient reasoning, exemplified by industrial capitalism.

Traditionalism (Weber)

Pre-industrial worldview where inherited beliefs and sentiments guide behavior.

Rationalism (Weber)

Belief that actions should be based on reason and knowledge rather than tradition or emotion.

Emile Durkheim's Social Solidarity

Extent to which society is integrated and united, ensuring social order.

Social Facts

Ways of thinking, feeling, and acting external to individuals that exert social control.

Norms

Shared rules or guidelines specifying appropriate behavior in specific situations.