Chapter 4: Society & Social Interaction

Hunter-gatherer societies

Small, nomadic groups that rely on foraging for subsistence.

Pastoral societies

Communities that rely on the herding of animals for food and resources.

Agricultural societies

Societies that cultivate crops and domesticate animals, leading to permanent settlements.

Industrial societies

Communities characterized by the use of machinery and technology to produce goods, resulting in urbanization.

Post-industrial societies

Societies that focus on information and services rather than manufacturing, often marked by a knowledge-based economy.

Definition of Society

A group of people living in a community sharing cultural components.

Comparison of Societies

Both China and the U.S. are technologically advanced, depend on foreign trade, and face economic inequalities.

Mechanical Solidarity

Found in preindustrial societies; where people perform similar tasks and share common values.

Organic Solidarity

In industrial societies; develops acceptance of differences due to specialized roles.

Anomie

When social norms weaken, leading to confusion and alienation among individuals.

Karl Marx

Proposed that the economy shapes culture and society and highlighted class conflict.

Bourgeoisie

Capitalists who own the means of production according to Marx.

Proletariat

Workers who sell their labor according to Marx.

Alienation from the product

Workers face disconnect from the products they produce.

False Consciousness

Individuals' beliefs align more with the ruling class than their own interests.

Class Consciousness

Awareness of one's own social class and its interests.

Max Weber's focus

Differentiated class, status, and power in societal structures.

Rationalization

Emphasis on logic and efficiency in modern societies according to Weber.

The Protestant Work Ethic

Weber connected Calvinist beliefs to hard work as a driving force behind capitalism.

Social Construction of Reality

The idea that society is created through human interactions.

Habitualization

Actions done repeatedly which create norms that people follow unconsciously.

Institutionalization

The establishment of conventions or norms that society agrees upon.

W.I. Thomas's Theorem

Situations defined as real have real consequences.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

A belief that leads to its own fulfillment.

Symbolic Interactionism

Theory focusing on interactions and the symbols used in those interactions.

Roles in Society

Patterns of behavior that represent a person’s social status.

Ascribed Status

Social status not chosen, assigned at birth.

Achieved Status

Social status chosen, earned through actions.

Role Set

Multiple roles associated with a single status.

Role Strain

Occurs when too much is expected from a single role.

Role Conflict

When different roles clash or contradict each other.

Collective Conscience

Shared beliefs and morals that bind a society together, according to Durkheim.

Social Integration

The strength of relationships within social groups, crucial for societal stability.

Types of Preindustrial Societies

Includes hunter-gatherer, pastoral, horticultural, and agricultural societies.

Feudal Society

A society with strict hierarchical power based on land ownership.

Industrial Revolution

A period characterized by significant technological advancements leading to urbanization.

Technological Sophistication

Classification of societies based on their technological advancement.

Power Shift in Society

Shift from aristocracy to industrialists as society evolved.

Education Access

Defines social class in post-industrial society, emphasizing technical skills.

Sociology

A field emerged to study societal changes due to industrialization.

Social Structures in Pre-industrial Societies

Often egalitarian, with less pronounced class distinctions.

Economic Class and Social Dynamics

Marx's theory that the economy shapes societal culture and relationships.