Unit 3 Sociology quiz

social stratification

Refers to a society's categorization of it's people into ranking of socioeconomic tiers based on factors like wealth, income, race, education, and power

- not about individuals, but about systematic inequalities;

created by society as a whole

caste system

Closed system-

people are born into their social standing and will remain in it their whole lives

class system

open system-

based on both social factors and individual achievement

social classes

upper class: small portion of population

middle class: "comfort"

lower class: walking class

intergenerational mobility

difference in social class between different members of the same generation

global inequality

concentration of resources in certain nations, significantly affecting the opportunity of individuals in poorer and less powerful countries

capital flight

moving companies to other countries

relative poverty

is a state of living where people can afford necessities but are unable to meet their society's average standard of living

-might feel poor / don't have a car / food stamps

absolute poverty

lack even the basic necessities, which typically include adequate food, clean water, safe housing, and access to healthcare

-someone who lives on less than $1 a day (over 88 million people)

subjective poverty

has to do more with how a person or a family defines themselves

-when your income doesn't live up to your expectations

human trafficking

where people are moved away from their communities and forced to work against their will

race

refers to supefical physical differences that a particular society considers significant

ethnicity

is a term that describes shared culture

minority groups

describes groups that are subordinate or lacking power in society regardless of skin color or country of origin

scapegoat theory

suggests that the dominant group will displace unfocused aggression

ex: hitler and the jews

stereotypes

over simplifies ideas about groups of people

genocide

the deliberate annihilation of a targeted (usually subordinate) group

ex: hitlers final solution

amalgamotion

the process by which a minority group and majority group combine to form a new group

sex

refers to the physical differences between males and females

gender

refers to social or cultural distinctions associated with being male or female

gender roles

refers to society's concept of how men and women are expected to act and behave

gender and peer socialization

children reinforce norms among each other

criticized, ostracized, bullied

sexism

prejudiced beliefs that value one sex over another

-based on gender stereotypes

queer theory

challenge the idea of "heterosexual" or "homosexual" believing it pits one orientation against the other