Sociology quest 2

Definition of norm

The rules and expectations that guide behavior within a society

Definition of a folkway

A type of social norm that dictates how people behave, but isn’t a set-in-stone law like mores or laws.

• ex) shaking someone’s hand when you meet them

Definition of a more

A social norm that holds deep moral value and is often set-in-stone.

• ex) don’t vandalize/destroy other people’s things

Definition of culture

The entire way of life of a people

2 Major Elements of Culture

• Material

• Non-material

Material culture

Tangible, concrete creations of society that are transmitted across generatioins

Non-material culture

abstract creations of society that are transmitted across generations

3 Components of Non-material culture

• Cognitive

• Normative

• Symbolic

Cognitive non-material culture

comprised of knowledge (based on empirical facts) and beliefs (ideas settled on to be factual with no empirical evidence)

Normative of non-material culture

comprised of values (culturally defined standards that we decide what is good/bad, right/wrong, etc) and norms of behavior (what’s expected of our behavior)

Symbolic of non-material culture

most important of any & all cultures

Definition of subculture

a small cultural group within a larger culture

• ex) artists, Christians, writers

What makes us human

Culture & society

Sociobiology

uses biological and evolutionary explanations for social behavior

Definition of socialization

process of learning and internalizing the values, beliefs, and norms of our social group

• works on both an individual and social level

Feral children

Children who have had little to no human contact

Definition of self

individual’s conscious, reflexive experience of a personal identity

Id

basic inborn drive

Ego

realistic aspects of the mind; balances id and superego

Superego

internalized demands of society

Stages in Mead’s theory

• Preparatory

• Play

• Game

Preparatory stage

1st in Mead’s theory; children mimic others

Play stage

2nd in Mead’s theory; children pretend to play a role

• ex) doctor, princess, etc

Game stage

3rd in Mead’s theory; children play organized & take a perspective of others

Expressions of behavior

small actions (eye roll, for example) as an international tool

Expressions given

intentional & usually verbal

Expressions given off

observable expressions usually unintended & nonverbal

Impression management

the effort to control the impressions we make on others

Dramaturgy

social life is analyzed in terms of its similarities to theatrical performance

Personal front

performance tactic we use to present ourselves to others

Copresence

being in the presence of others

Agents of socialization

social groups that provide structure to socialization

Hidden curriculum

values students learn indirectly over course of socialization

Resocialization

the process of replacing old norms & values with new learned ones

Status

position in a social hierarchy that carries a particular set of expectations

Ascribed status

inborn & difficult/impossible to change

Embodied status

generated by physical characteristics

Achieved status

earned through efforts

Emotional labor

managing feeling to create observable emotion

Role conflict

different roles conflicting

• ex) responsibilities as a mom vs. responsibilities as a lawyer/governor/etc

Role strain

juggling multiple responsibilities in the same role

• ex) having too much to do & not knowing where to start

Major agents of socialization

• FAMILY

• peers

• education

• media

• religion

Sex

an individual’s membership in one of two categories - male or female - based on biological factors

Primary sex characteristics

biological factors, such as chromsomes, hormones, and reproductive organs, that distinguish males from females

Secondary sex characteristics

physical differences between males and females, including facial and body hair, musculature, and bone structure, that are unrelated to reproduction

intersex

used to describe a person whose chromosomes or sex characteristics are neither exclusively male nor exclusively female

Gender

the physical, behavioral, and personality traits that a group considers normal for its male and female members

Essentialists

those who believe gender roles have a genetic or biological origin and therefore cannot be changed

Gender binary

a system of classifications with only two distinct and opposite gender characteristics

Constructionists

those who believe that notions of gender are socially determined, such that a binary system is one possibly among many

“Two-Spirit” People

biological males who dressed as/took on the roles we geerally think of as feminine.

Hijras

biological males who have had most/all of their genitals removed in South Asia

“Bacha Posh”

“a girl who is dressed up and disguised as a boy”

Gender identity

an individual’s self-definition or sense of gender

Cisgender

term used when gender identity and/or expression aligns with the sex assigned at birth

Gender expression

an individuals’s ehavioral manifestations of gender

Transgender

when gender identity is different from the sex assigned at birth

Gender-nonconforming

when gender identity differs from societal expectations

Nonbinary

individuals who do not exclusively identify as male or female

Sexuality

the character or quality of being sexual

Sexual orientation/identity

the inclination to feel sexual desire towards people of a particular gender

Heterosexuality

sexual attraction toward members of the other gender

Homosexuality

sexual attraction towards members of one’s own gender

Bisexuality

sexual attraction to both genders

Asexuality

no sexual attraction

Queer theory

Social theory about gender and sexual identity

LGBTQ(IA) - what does each letter stand for

• L - Lesbian

• G - Gay

• B - Bisexual

• T - Transgender

• Q - Queer

• I - Intersex

• A - Asexual

Group

a collection of 2 or more people who share some attribute, identify with one another, and interact with each other

Crowd

a temporary gathering of people in a public place; members might interact but do not identify with one another and will not remain in contact

Aggregales

collections of people wo share a physical location bt do not have lasting social relationships

Category

people who share one or more attributes but who lack a sense of common identity or belonging

Primary groups

groups composed of the people who are most important to our sense of self; characterized by face-to-face interaction

Secondary groups

groups that are larger and less intimate than primary groups; relationships are often temporary and built around a specific goal

Consequential strangers

people we might not think of as mattering much to our sense of happiness or well-being but who nonetheless play an important role in our lives.

Social networks

he web of direct & indirect ties connecting an individual to other people who may also affect the individual

Social ties

connections between individuals

David Pedulla and Devan Pager

studied how social network contributed to racial inequality in the work place

Said we need social limits, otherwise the lengths we would go to get what we want would be boundless

Emile Durkheim

Anomie

normlessness; term used to describe the alienation and loss of purpose that result from weaker social bonds + an increased pace of change

Virtual communities

social groups whose interactions are mediated through information technologies; particularly the internet

Group dynamics

the patterns of interaction between groups & individuals

Dyad

a 2-person social groups

Triad

a 3-person social group

One relationship

a dyad

3 relationships

a triad

6 relationships

a group of 4

10 relationships

a group of 5

In-group

a group that one identifies with and feels loyalty towards

Out-groups

a group toward which an individual feels opposition, rivalry, or hostility

Rite of Passage

a ceremony marking an individual’s transformation from one type of group member to another

Degredation ceremony

someone is ritualistically stripped of their prior identity in order to prepare them for entry into a new group

Reference group

a group that provides a standard of comparison against which we evaluate ourselves

Group cohesion

the sense of solidarity or loyalty that individuals feel toward a group to which they belong

Groupthink

in very cohesive groups, the tendency to enforce a high degree of conformity among members, creating a demand for unanimous agreement

Social influence

group impact on others’ decisions

Positive sanctions

we want to gain acceptance and approval

Negative sanctions

we avoid rejection and disapproval

Prescriptions

avoiding the things we’re not supposed to do

Compliance

going along with something because you expect to gain rewards or avoid punishment

Identification

a person’s desire to establish or maintain a relationship with a person or group