Sociology Packets 1 and 2 Vocabulary

Social Institution

an interrelated system of social roles and social norms, organized around the satisfaction of an important social need or social function.

Kinship

Family bonds of how individuals are related to one another

Nuclear Family

consists of a parent or parents and any children

Extended Family

consists of the nuclear family plus other relatives such as grandparents who commonly live together

Marriage

social relationship that creates family ties and typically involves intimacy, and is formalized by a legal contract and some type of ceremony, religious or not

Cohabitation

social relationship that can create family ties and typically involves intimacy, in which people live together but do not get married

Monogamy

restricting intimate relationships with one person

Polygamy

marriage system in which an individual is allowed multiple spouses

Sociology

systematic study of the relationship between individuals and society, studies from a group’s perspective, focuses on society and patterns of social relationships, how humans are molded by the things that they don’t see

social solidarity

the collective bonds that connect individuals

rationalization of society

the long-term historical process by which rationality replaced tradition as the basis for organizing social and economic life

Social Theory

a set of principles and propositions that explains the relationships among social phenomena

Conflict

tensions and disputes

Consensus

solidarity and cooperation often due to shared values

Objective Conditions

the material aspects of social life, including physical environment, social networks, and social institutions

Subjective Conditions

involves the world of ideas, including our sense of self, social norms, values and belief systems (All of these exist “in our head” and are a part of our cultural life.

Micro level analysis

focus on small scale, usually face to face, social interactions

Macro level analysis

focus on large scale social systems and processes such as economy, politics and population trends

Structural-Functionalist Theories

Focus on Consensus and cooperative interaction in social life, looking at how different parts of society contribute to its overall operation

Conflict Theories

Focuses on issues of contention power and inequality, highlighting the competition for scarce resources

Symbolic Interactionist Theories

Focuses on how society emerges from people’s use of shared symbols in the course of their everyday functions

Feminist Theories

Focuses on inequalities between women and men

Culture

collection of values, beliefs, knowledge, norms, language, behaviors, and material objects shared by a people and socially transmitted from generation to generation

Structure

the recurring patterns of behavior in social life

Power

the ability to bring about an intended outcome, even when opposed by others