Psych: MCAT - Understanding Social Structure

focuses on individual face-to-face, everyday social interactions

microsociology

focuses on populations, social systems and structure

macrosociology

study of structure and function of society

Functionalism

Marxist theory = groups/classes within society have differing amounts power and wealth. The upper class use their power to exploit the lower class.

Conflict theory

interacting via symbols

Symbolic interactionism

Eg: the cross symbolizes Christianity, thumbs up symbolizes approval. Symbols can vary between cultures. Eg: the two finger peace sign is offensive in England.

Symbolic interactionism

social constructs.

Social constructionism

Eg: money (it's just paper, but society made it worth more than paper).

Social constructionism

relationships form from exchange/negotiation of goods/services

exchange theory

people make everyday decisions based on rational choice (weighing the costs, benefits, probabilities)

rational choice theory

study of women (objectification, stereotyping, gender roles, experience, politics) in order to understand why there is gender inequality.

Feminist theory

what schools teach kids by accident. Eg: a rich-kids only school teaches kids the expectations and priviledges of being upper class.

Hidden curriculum

a teacher's expectancy of a kid influences how that kid will perform

Teacher expectancy

Eg: a teacher expects less from a minority student, lowers the bar for the kid, subsequently the kid did not develop his full potential.

Teacher expectancy

poor areas have poor schools which have lower quality education

Educational segregation and stratification

next to each other on a pedigree = husband-wife, parent-child, siblings

Primary kins

separated by one kin on a pedigree = your parent's parent (grandparents), your parent's sibling (aunts/uncles)

Secondary kins

separated by two kins on a pedigree = your parent's sibling's children (cousins)

Tertiary kins

eg. Single parents, homosexual parents, step parents, grandparents, etc.

Diversity in family forms

marriage from a healthcare/legal standpoint makes your spouse your next-of-kin. If anything happens to you and you can no longer make decisions, your spouse has the legal authority to do so on your behalf.

Marriage and divorce

abuse can occur to anyone, any age, any gender, and can be both physical and emotional

Violence in the family (e.g., child abuse, elder abuse, spousal abuse

meaning of life/death, spirituality

Religion

how religious you are

religiosity = religiousness

stabilizing, in alignment with government, mainstream religious teaching

Church

splits off from the church to promote a more traditional/orthodox version of the religion

Sect

splits off from the church to promote a novel version of the religion. Usually led be charismatic leaders.

Cult

adoption of technology by society. Causes secularization.

modernization

religion loses influence on people

secularization

strict literal interpretation of the scriptures. Eg: the world was created in 7 days.

fundamentalism

social order

Government and economy:

private, profit-orientated

Capitalism

state-owned, distribution of resources

Socialism

mixture of capitalism and socialism

Mixed-economy

Construction workers do nothing but build houses. Doctors do nothing but treat patients. You are able to live in a house despite the fact that you know nothing about construction. Division of laber makes people specialized in their trade, they become really good and efficient at it, which would not be possible if they are required to know everything from every trade.

Division of labor

treats the sick

Health and medicine

human conditions becoming disease entities that are then studied and treated under medicine

Medicalization

part of sick role: it's not your fault that you're sick, and while you're sick, you're exempt from work (your normal social role)

rights

You should try to get well. You should see a doctor and cooperate/comply

Obligations

pushing a sick role on someone who doesn't think so (homosexuality used to be considered a disease entity. Some patients wants to avoid the sick role due to stigmatization/HIV or because they want to continue to work). Sometimes we blame people it's their fault for being sick (obesity and lifestyle).

Issues with the sick role

primary care doctor (firstline) -> specialist referal

medical staff: doctors (diagnose, treat/prescribe), nurses (administer, bedside monitor), EMS (stabilizing the patient long enough to reach the hospital)

Delivery of health care

experiencing symptom -> assuming sick role -> seeking care -> establish doctor-patient relationship -> recovery

illness experience

public health = incidence, demographics, and control of disease

epidemiology

how society affects health. Eg: poor socioeconomic status is associated with poor healthcare.

social epidemiology

these elements make up culture, which is passed down to the next generation.

Elements of culture (e.g., beliefs, language, rituals, symbols, values)

technology, clothing, architecture, etc

material

language, beliefs, etc

symbolic

material culture (technology) changes faster than symbolic (beliefs, values). Eg: we can clone humans, but we feel it’s unethical to do so.

Culture lag

going to a different culture and be shocked at the differences

Culture shock

integrating into a different culture.

Assimilation

melting pot, like New york

Multiculturalism

a culture within the predominant culture. Eg: wearing Hijab in America.

subculture

a subculture that is radically different / opposes the mainstream culture. Eg: the hippie generation.

counterculture

media that targets the masses. Often exaggerated and modified for effect. Has a heavy influence on pop culture.

mass media

mainstream culture

pop culture =

people with culture have stronger attachments and communicate better, thus more fit.

culture as product of evolution

modern technology means we’re no longer subject to the same selection pressures as animals. Eg: we have less body hair, we have smaller jaws, smaller muscle mass than our ancesters.

culture as driver of evolution

vertical = passing culture down from generation to generation

transmission

spreading culture to other places. Eg: westernization of the world.

diffusion = horizontal