SOCO terms

sociology

the study of all social interaction

sociological imagination

when we see personal lives as intertwined with history

micro level of analysis

individuals and individual relationships

meso level of anaylsis

communities and organizations

macro level of analysis

whole cultures, institutions and ideologies

verstehen

the ability to take another persons point of view

culture

is the social heritage of a people

material culture

tangible parts of a culture

non-material culture

non tangible parts of a culture

society

an organized continuing number of people living in a specific area

socialization

the process by which we internalize and learn about our culture

cultural universal

an element that is common to all human cultures

culture shock

moving from one cultural environment to a different one

cultural appropriation

adoption or use of elements of one culture by members of another

cultural exchange

when cultures come together in mutual understanding and respect

syncretism

when aspects of two or my cultures blend together to create a new idea

ethnocentrism

the belief in the superiority of ones own ethnic group of culture

cultural relativism

the belief that cultures should only be judged by their own criteria

subcultures

a group within a culture that has its own unique norms and customs

counterculture

a subculture that rejects and resists parts of society

Social Learning Theory

we learn by observing and imitating others

Cognitive Development Theory

development of a persons thought process over time

Symbolic Interactionism

a process by which we observe, interpret, evaluate, communicate with and control the self

Social Communication

the process by which we transmit ideas and information

self-evaluation

how we evaluate/judge ourselves

self-esteem

a reflection of self-evaluation, how we feel after we have judged ourselves

impression management

management of the impressions others have of you

dramaturgical approach

we are all actors on a stage we are constantly performing

face-work

when we present a proper image

face-saving

when you embarrass yourself and then try to save yourself

involvement shields

things we use to shield our involvement

studied non-observance

trained as you get older that you recognize what happened but don’t react

ambiguous loss

loss without conclusion

social bereavement

a whole society experiences a loss

social group

two or more people with some common identification that interact regularly

relationship

relationship when two people have developed relatively stable expectations of each other

expressive relationship

a relationship that involves emotional investment

instrumental relationship

a relationship that involves a commitment to a goal

para-social relationship

one-sided relationship where one person is investing while the other person is unaware of their existence

primary groups

small groups that are characterized by face-to-face interactions, family

secondary groups

large groups that are less intimate and more formal, extended family

in groups

groups we want to be apart of and identify with

out groups

groups you don’t want to be apart of and are against

reference groups

groups we compare ourselves to

relative deprivation

feeling deprived in comparison to a reference group

Ideal Type

typical or logically consistent characteristics of any social phenomenon

Critical Theory

stresses that mass media in capitalist societies creates and maintains inequality

Feminist Theory

offers the perspective of women and girls

Postmodern Theory

deeply distrustful of science and objectivity

Linguistic Relativity Hypothesis

the limits of our language are the limits or our world

Creature Releases

scratching, coughing, yawning etc

Ideal Culture

standards we would like to live up too

Real Culture

way it actually is based on what occurs and what exists

social loafing

when people tend to work less when in a group

social dilemmas

a conflict between your own personal needs and the needs of the group

group think

when members of a group lose sight of reality in order to gain group consensus

group conformity

when we want to be like members of a group

Parkinsons Law

work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion

The Peter Principle

you are promoted until you reach your level of incompetence

role performance

how well you do your role

role conflict

when two two statuses that you inhabit conflict

role structure

structure within a role

role exit

when exit/leave a roll