HSB

How and why our society changes and how we can address these topics.

Social Sciences

1. Identify a problem or research question
2. Develop a hypothesis
3. Gather data
4. Analyze the data
5. Drawing conclusions

5 stages of the social inquiry model

1. Must offer a convincing explanation of reality and withstand vigorous questioning.
2. Must inform practice.
3. Must have practical applications.

Characteristics of a theory

1. It must be concise
2. It must be precise
3. It must be testable
4. It must be productive

What makes a good theory

Study of humanity focused on understanding our origins, uniqueness as a species and diversity in our social existence

Anthropology

The beliefs, attitudes, values and ideals of a society. Composed of material objects, acceptable attitudes, and behaviours that are considered proper.

Culture

The effort of an investigator to gain entrance into and social acceptance by a foreign culture to better understand the internal structure of their society.

Participant observation

Establishing one’s own culture as the norm, putting one's own culture at the center.

Ethnocentrism

Studying and comparing the past with contemporary cultures.

Ethnology

In-depth study of two or more cultures through extensive fieldwork. E.g. Marriage

Ethnography

Studying other cultures with respect.

Cultural Relativism

How different parts of person, society, or technology reflect and contribute to the entity’s main purpose or function.

Functionalism

Analyzes something such as a person, society, etc. by breaking it down to its most basic parts and examining how these elements relate to each other and the whole.

Structuralism

Technological and economic aspects play the primary role in shaping a society. Cultural materialism aims to understand the effects of technological, economic, and demographic factors on social structure.

Cultural Materialism

Exchange of ideas between different cultures resulting in changes to both groups

Acculturation

Spread of a cultural trait from one society to another.

Diffusion

Everyday study of behaviour and mental processes which are directly or indirectly observable. Psychologists try to describe, explain, predict and control behaviour.

Psychology

Former is hereditary factors whom influence who we are, latter is environmental factors which influence who we are

Nature vs. Nurture

Former sets up experiments to examine how individuals behave in particular situations, latter develops programs for treating individuals suffering from mental illnesses

Experimental vs. Clinical Psychology

Former employs rewards and punishments, forms association with behaviour and consequences for that. Latter is learning which is drawn from associations between environment and naturally occurring stimulus.

Operant vs. Classical conditioning

Values

One’s principles or standards of behaviour

Norms

A pattern of behaviour expected of a group

Roles

a socially expected behavior

Deviant Behaviour

different from the social norm

Status

term used to describe our position in an institution

Hierarchy

ranking of authority and power

Former is smaller groups (family, friends) members are hard to replace, frequently meet, share private stuff together. Latter are larger, impersonal groups (rugby team)

Primary vs. Secondary Groups

Societies need certain things to function

Structural-Functionalism - Emile Durkheim

Economic power is equal to political power.

Conflict theory - Karl Marx

We should look at the individual mind.

Symbolic Interactionism - George Mead

The key to understanding society is studying gender inequality.

Feminist Theory

You cannot study society through the eyes of the majority.

Inclusionism

Social trends operate similarly to that of a virus, once it reaches its tipping point it only goes downhill from that

Social Epidemic

Hypocrisy, inconsistent thoughts, beliefs and attitudes

Cognitive Dissonance

A new set of values becoming strong enough to change the way individuals see reality

Paradigm shift

Stickiness factor, law of the few, and power of context

Malcolm Gladwell

Psychologist who studied conformity - Stick experiment

Solomon Asch

Psychologist who studied cognitive development

Jean Piaget

Socialist who studied the class divide - marxism

Karl Marx

Primotologist who studied chimps in their natural environment

Jane Goodall

Psychologist who studied the reasons for crimes - societal pressure (strain theory)

Psychologist who studied the reasons for crimes - societal pressure (strain theory)

Kenneth Clark

Studied race theory