SOCL 205 Exam 2

What is the social construction of reality theory

Social order is constructed entirely by humans and has no “natural” basis

Who came up with the social construction of reality theory

Berger and Luckman

What did Berger and Luckman ask to come up with their theory

How did the social world come to be the way it is

How were Berger and Luckman different from other theorists of the time

They used postmodern thought

Berger and Luckman ascribed to what kind of view

interpretivist

What does the interpretivist view say about the world

Things become real because we decide they are real

Where DOESN’T social order come from

The nature of things or law of nature

What is wrong with saying social order comes from the laws of nature

That in of itself is a social construction

Berger and Luckman say that society is being constructed due to what parts that are always interacting with each other

Externalization, objectivation, internalization

What is externalization

People give something meaning and communicate their ideas with others

What is the simple phrase that describes externalization

“It could be”

What is objectivation

When theories become objective knowledge through institutions

What happens during objectivation

People forget that explanations are just theories

What is the simple phrase that describes objectivation

“That’s just how it is”

What is internalization

Knowledge is absorbed into identity

What is the simple phrase that describes internalization

I know who I am through this knowledge

What is an example of internalization

I know I am a woman because I have these specific body parts

In a simple rundown of the theory of social construction, what is the very first step

Something exists

In a simple rundown of the theory of social construction, what is the second step

Society gives it meaning

In a simple rundown of the theory of social construction, what is the third step

Institutions reinforce that meaning

In a simple rundown of the theory of social construction, what is the fourth step

People learn the meaning

In a simple rundown of the theory of social construction, what is the last step

The meaning shapes behavior and social reality

What are the types of social constructionism

Weak social constructionism, strong social constructionism

What is weak social constructionism

There are things in society that simply are just true

What are the types of facts in weak social constructionism

Brute fact, institutional facts

What are brute facts

Basic, fundamental facts that don’t rely on other facts

What are institutional facts

Things that are only true because we have interacted with them in such a way that they become true

What is an example of an institutional fact

A $50 bill is worth $50

What is the problem with having brute facts vs institutional facts

Some people don’t agree on what is a brute fact vs what is an institutional fact

What is strong social constructionism

Nothing is real, the only reason anything exists is because we decided to give it meaning

How is reality constructed according to strong social constructionism

Through language and habits

What is an example of strong social constructionism

Protons and neutron exist only because we acknowledge them and decide that their characteristics set them apart

Your feelings about whether something (like race) is a brute fact or an institutional fact

Affects how you feel about said fact (like your race)

What is an example of race being treated like a brute fact

Race is based on biology

What is an example of race being treated as an institutional fact

Race is based on your interactions with others

The idea of learning disabilities came from a construction of an

Individualized problem

Because learning disabilities were constructed to be understood as an individualized problem

Educators perceive students with learning disabilities differently

Because educators perceive students with learning disabilities differently

Students perceive themselves differently because of their label

What is a post-truth society

Subjective opinions become as if not more important than objective facts

In a post truth society, even what can become a social construction

Facts

Creating a public issue is due to

the social construction of a social problem

What are the stages of creating a public issue

Claims-making, media coverage, public reaction, policy making, social problems work, policy outcomes

What is the name of the first step of creating a public issue

Claims-making

What is claims-making

Saying something is a public issue

In claims-making, what are the ways to frame the issue

Valence issues, position issues

What is a valance issue

An issue that affects everyone

What is a position issue

An issue that only affects a specific group of people

What power lies in changing who position issues center

You can change what people overall think

What is the name of the second stage of creating a public issue

Media coverage

What is media coverage

The media picks up the issue

When media picks up the issue, it creates

A landmark narrative

What is a landmark narrative

Framing an issue as click-baitable as possible to grab attention, regardless of how prominent that specific issue is

What is the name of the third stage of creating a public issue

Public reaction

What is public reaction

The public demands policy action

What is the name of the fourth stage of creating a public issue

Policy making

What is policy making

Policies get made

What is the name of stage 5 of creating a public issue

Social problems work

What is social problems work

Professional organizations enforce the policy

What is the name of the 6th stage of creating a public issue

Policy outcomes

What is policy outcomes

The public reacts to policy, looks for effectiveness, redefines the problem, the cycle rinses and repeats

What is an example of redefining a problem in policy outcomes

Maybe the problem with AI isn’t environmental issues, it’s mental health

What are the levels of sociological inquiry

Macrosociology and microsociology

What is macrosociology

Large scale institutions and social structure in the study of society

What does macrosociology typically look at

Policy, norms, and institutional arrangements

What is microsociology

Everyday behavior; face-to-face interactions and meaning, how one sees the world

What does microsociology focus on

Social construction, individual agency

What is a paradigm

A lens/way of looking at things; a framework

Structural functionalism is what kind of sociology

Macrosociology

In very basic words, what is the structural functionalist paradigm about

Why do things work the way they do

What do structural functionalists assume about institutions and organizations

They work together to maintain equilibrium

What does equilibrium mean in structural functionalism

Stability, not justice or fairness

What does structural functionalism say about social change

History and society have an evolutionary approach, adapting to social and environmental changes outside of institutions

Structural functionalists say everything is a result of

An adjustment

What do structural functionalists say about agreement

Large degree of social consensus at a baseline that doesn’t have to be liked, just agreed upon due to socialization

What do structural functionalists say about social conflict

It is unusual and bad for society as a result of social institution(s) not doing what they’re supposed to do

Structural functionalists ask how social patterns, institutions, or identities

Help social stability, meet social needs, produce intended and unintended outcomes, socialize individuals and connect them to society, and undermine stability

Structural functionalist see the social institution paradigm as

A bunch of interconnected gears that they ask questions about

How did Durkheim understand social cohesion

All societies develop a collective conscience that holds society together

What is the “collective conscience”

Agreed upon morals in a society that are external to you and work to encourage conformity through sanctions

What are sanctions

Rewards and punishments

Durkheim said what is the biggest part of society

Religion

Durkheim said what about elementary forms of religious life

Sacred things in religion represent nothing but the clan itself personified

According to Durkheim, why do societies need religion

To reaffirm themselves

What is the first stage of society creating religion according to Durkheim

Society creates ideal of what it is and wants

What is the second stage of society creating religion according to Durkheim

Society elevates ideals and needs to deity/deities

What is the last stage of society creating religion according to Durkheim

Religion is society worshipping itself

What does Durkheim say about the relationship between man and God

man created God(s) in their image

How does Durkheim say religion connects to the collective conscience

Societies create religions that say higher powers enforce their morals, which generates conformity and CC

According to Durkheim, how are “primitive” societies held together

Mechanical solidarity

What is mechanical solidarity

Cohesion through similarity

What are the characteristics of mechanical solidarity

Strong collective conscience, little division of labor, repressive laws to maintain conformity

Durkheim said modern societies are held together by

Organic solidarity

What is organic solidarity

Cohesion through interdependence

What are the characteristics of organic solidarity

Weaker collective conscience, high division of labor, restitutive law to encourage cooperation

What do Structural Functionalists ask about people and social institutions

How do people create institutions, and how do institutions create people

What do structural functionalists ask about institutions

Why are they interdependent with the goal of stability

Structural functionalists say conflict among people can be seen as

People not agreeing on consensus. A society with too much conflict will collapse

What do structural functionalists say about evolution

When one institution shifts, all the other institutions must shift accordingly too

How may structural functionalists say sports help social stability

It creates bonds between people

How may structural functionalists say sports meet societal needs

They provide entertainment