SOCIOL 1000: Introduction to Sociology - Final Exam Study Guide

Flashcards for SOCIOL 1000 Final Exam Review

What is sociology?

The study of human society and social interactions.

What does C. Wright Mills mean by History and Biography?

-          History: current and past social factors that impact the likelihood of biographical experiences

-          Biography: individual experiences

How do sociologists think of the relationship between nature and nurture?

-          Nature makes things more/less possible

-          Nurture impacts likelihood

What is the difference between macro- and micro-sociology?

Macro-sociology examines large-scale social structures, while micro-sociology focuses on small-scale interactions.

What is socialization?

The process through which individuals learn and internalize the norms, values, and beliefs of their society.

What are norms?

Rules and expectations that guide behavior within a society.

What is the most common method of social control?

Internalization of norms through socialization.

Who is Karl Marx and what is social conflict theory?

Karl Marx was a sociologist who developed social conflict theory, which emphasizes the role of conflict and power struggles in shaping society.

Who is Émile Durkheim and what is structural functionalism?

Émile Durkheim was a sociologist associated with structural functionalism, which views society as a system of interdependent parts working together.

What is ethnocentrism?

The tendency to view one's own culture as superior and to judge other cultures based on one's own standards.

What is cultural relativism?

The principle of understanding and evaluating a culture on its own terms, without imposing one's own cultural biases.

What are life chances?

The opportunities individuals have to improve their quality of life.

What does Zerubavel mean by cognitive defaults?

Unconscious assumptions and expectations that shape our perception and understanding of the world.

What is cognitive socialization?

The process by which individuals learn and internalize the cognitive frameworks, schemas, and mental processes of their culture or society.

What are the three types of capital as defined by Pierre Bourdieu?

Economic capital, cultural capital, and social capital.

What is cultural health capital?

Cultural resources that individuals can use to navigate the healthcare system.

What is the difference between ascribed and achieved status?

Ascribed status is assigned at birth, while achieved status is earned through effort.

What is the difference between income and wealth?

Income is earnings, while wealth is accumulated assets.

What is stratification?

The hierarchical arrangement of individuals or groups in a society.

What is the difference between absolute and relative poverty?

Absolute poverty is the lack of basic necessities, while relative poverty is poverty relative to the living standards of the majority.

What is the ideology of separate spheres?

The belief that men and women should occupy distinct roles in society, with men in the public sphere and women in the private sphere.

What is the second shift?

The unpaid housework and childcare that employed women often perform after their paid work.

What do sex and gender refer to?

Sex refers to biological traits, while gender refers to social roles and identities.

What is a subculture?

A group within a larger culture that has its own distinct norms, values, and beliefs.

What is feminism?

The advocacy of women's rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes.

What is the glass ceiling?

An invisible barrier that prevents women and minorities from rising to the highest levels of leadership in organizations.

What is meant by race and ethnicity?

Race is a socially constructed category based on perceived physical differences, while ethnicity is based on shared cultural heritage.

What is meant by racialization?

The process by which social, economic, and political processes categorize populations into races and create racial meanings.

What is environmental racism?

The disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on communities of color.

What is redlining?

Denying services to residents of certain neighborhoods based on race or ethnicity.

What is steering?

Guiding prospective homebuyers towards or away from certain neighborhoods based on their race or ethnicity.

What is blockbusting?

A practice of real estate agents profiting by convincing white property owners to sell at low prices because of fear that persons of color will soon move into the neighborhood.

What is the difference between stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination, and racism?

Stereotypes are generalized beliefs, prejudice is biased attitudes, discrimination is unequal treatment, and racism is systemic power imbalances based on race.

What is institutional racism?

Racism embedded in the policies and practices of institutions.

What is white flight?

The migration of white people from urban areas to more racially homogenous suburban areas.

Are there more people worldwide living in urban areas or rural areas?

More people worldwide live in urban areas.

What is district secession?

The process by which a group of residents in a school district seeks to create a new, separate school district.

What does Lareau mean by Concerted Cultivation and Accomplishment of Natural Growth?

Concerted Cultivation is a parenting style common in middle-class families, characterized by actively fostering children's talents and skills. Accomplishment of Natural Growth is a parenting style common in working-class and poor families, characterized by providing children with basic needs and allowing them to develop on their own.

What are manifest and latent functions of institutions?

Manifest functions are the intended and recognized consequences of an institution, while latent functions are the unintended and often unrecognized consequences.

What is cognitive engineering?

The design of cognitive systems to improve human performance.

Who are the privileged poor and doubly disadvantaged?

Students from disadvantaged backgrounds who succeed in elite educational settings, and those who remain disadvantaged despite access to such settings.

What is minimum-wage connoisseurship?

Navigating the challenges and strategies of living on a minimum wage.

What is contact theory?

The idea that intergroup contact can reduce prejudice under certain conditions.

What is epigenetics?

The study of how environmental factors can affect gene expression.

Achievement Gap

The disparity in academic performance between different groups of students, often defined by race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.

Opportunity Gap

The unequal distribution of resources and opportunities that contribute to disparities in academic outcomes, such as access to quality education, healthcare, and supportive environments.

Hidden Curriculum

The unwritten and often unintentional lessons, values, and perspectives that students learn in school alongside the formal curriculum. These can include social norms, cultural expectations, and power dynamics.

De jure Segregation

Segregation that is enforced by law, such as the Jim Crow laws in the United States that mandated separate facilities for Black and white individuals.

De facto Segregation

Segregation that exists in practice but is not legally required. It often results from residential patterns, economic factors, and individual choices, rather than explicit laws.

Immigrant Selectivity

The phenomenon that immigrants are not a random sample of their origin populations, but tend to be more educated, motivated, or skilled than non-migrants.