Sociology Lecture: Groups, Deviance, Family & Medical

Vocabulary flashcards summarizing key concepts from lecture notes on social groups, deviance theories, criminal justice, family structures, and medical sociology.

In-group

A social group toward which a person feels loyalty and belonging.

Out-group

A social group perceived as different, outside one’s own, often met with competition or hostility.

Reference group

Any group individuals use for self-evaluation and shaping attitudes or behaviors.

Dyad

The simplest social group, consisting of two people.

Triad

A three-person group that introduces coalitions and mediation dynamics.

Leadership styles

General approaches leaders use to direct or influence a group’s activities.

Democratic leadership

Style in which the leader seeks group input and strives for consensus.

Laissez-faire leadership

Hands-off style where the leader provides minimal direction and lets the group self-manage.

Authoritarian leadership

Leader makes decisions unilaterally and expects strict compliance from members.

Rationalization

The replacement of traditional methods with efficiency, calculability, and predictability.

McDonaldization

Ritzer’s term for the extreme rationalization of society modeled on fast-food principles.

Bureaucracy

A formal organization marked by hierarchy, explicit rules, and impersonality.

Deviance

Behavior that violates social norms or rules.

Functions of deviance

clarifies norms, strengthens group unity, and promotes social change.

Social control / sanctions

Rewards or punishments used to enforce societal norms.

Merton Strain Theory (Anomie)

Deviance arises when cultural goals conflict with the institutional means to achieve them.

Social Disorganization Theory (Chicago)

Crime results from the breakdown of community institutions and social ties in neighborhoods.

Labeling Theory

The idea that deviance is created and sustained by societal labels applied to behavior.

Primary deviance

Initial norm violation that has little effect on a person’s identity.

Secondary deviance

Continued norm violation after societal reaction, leading to a deviant identity.

Hirschi Social Control Theory

Strong social bonds (attachment, commitment, involvement, belief) deter deviant behavior.

Criminal Justice System

Institutions that enforce laws and administer penalties for crime.

Police

Front-line agents who enforce laws and maintain public order.

Courts

Judicial bodies that determine legal guilt and assign sentences.

Corrections

Agencies responsible for carrying out criminal sentences (prisons, probation, parole).

Race/Gender and Social Justice

Study of how legal outcomes vary by race and gender, highlighting systemic inequality.

Designing out crime

Using environmental and product design to reduce opportunities for offending.

Monogamy

Marriage or partnership with only one spouse at a time.

Polygamy

Marriage involving more than one spouse simultaneously.

Polygyny

Form of polygamy where one man has multiple wives.

Polyandry

Form of polygamy where one woman has multiple husbands.

Family of orientation

The family into which a person is born and socialized.

Family of procreation

The family one forms through marriage or childbearing.

Attachment styles

Characteristic patterns of relating to caregivers: secure, ambivalent, avoidant.

Secure attachment

Style marked by comfort with closeness and ease of trust in caregivers.

Ambivalent attachment

Style marked by anxiety and clinginess due to inconsistent caregiver responsiveness.

Avoidant attachment

Style marked by emotional distance and avoidance of closeness due to unresponsive caregiving.

Family Systems Theory

Approach viewing the family as an interdependent emotional unit.

Medical sociology

Study of how social factors influence health, illness, and the healthcare system.

Obesity in high- vs low-income countries

High-income nations show higher obesity due to sedentary lifestyles; rates rise in low-income nations with urbanization.

Stigmatization of illness

Social disapproval directed at individuals because of a particular disease or condition.