Final Exam Sociology Chapters 1-5

Sociology

The study of social behavior and human groups

C. Wright Mills

Sociological Imagination- Ability to view one’s society as an outsider world

Emilie Durkheim

Used Sociology to study suicide- Reflects the degree people are integrated into society.

Karl Marx

Idea of Divided Classes and struggling for the same things. Published the Communist Manifesto

Functionalist Perspective

Society is a network of connected parts. Each part helps maintain society as a whole.

Conflict Perspective

Social behavior is best understood in terms of tension between conflicted groups

Feminist Perspective

Inequality in gender so central to all behavior and organization. Queer Theory- inequality in broad sexual indentities

Interactionist Perspective

Everyday forms of interaction. George Herbert Mead founded it.

Erving Goffman

Dramaturgical Performance. People are theatrical performers.

August Comte

Coined term Sociology.

Scientific Method

1. Define the Problem. Review Literature. Formulate Hypothesis. Collecting and Analyzing Data. Developing Conclusions

Culture

All customs, knowledge, objects, and behavior a group of people participate in.

Society

Large number of people who are relatively independent of people outside them.

Ethnocentrism

Assuming your culture is the norm and is superior

Culture Relativism

People’s behaviors from the perspective of their own culture.

Norms

Established standards of behavior maintained by a society

Formal Norms

Specified strict punishments for breaking a norm

Informal Norms

Understood but not recorded consequences.

Mores

Norms deemed necessary to a society.

Folkways

Norms governing everyday behavior.

Sanctions

Penalties and rewards for conduct concerning a social norm.

Dominant Ideology

Set of beliefs and practices that help maintain powerful interests

Diffusion

process of culture items spreading from group to group.(Mcdonaldization)

Socialization

Lifelong processs of social learning of culture, attitudes, values, and behaviors.

Charles Cooley

Looking Glass Self. The self is product of social interactions with other people.

George Mead

Stages of Self

Prepatory Stage

Children imitate people

Play Stage

Children develop communication

Game Stage

Children 8 or 9 consider tasks and relationships

Social Interaction

Response to someone’s behavior based on meaning attached to ssomeone’s actions

Status

Any socially defined position within a large group or society

Ascribed Status

Status one is born with

Achieved Status

Status one earns

Social Roles

Sets of expectations for people who occupy a given status

Role Conflict

When incompatible expectations arise from two or more social positions held by same person

Role Strain

Difficulties that arise when same social position imposes conflict

Role Exit

Process of disengagement from a role that is central to one’s identity to establish a new role

Social Institutions

Organized patterns of beliefs and behavior centered based on basic social needs