Sociology and the Real World Flashcards Outline

Flashcards covering the introductory concepts of sociology including major theoretical perspectives, key figures, and levels of analysis based on Chapter 1 of 'The Real World'.

What is the broad definition of sociology?

The systematic study of human society.

How did Becker define sociology?

The study of people “doing things together.”

What is the definition of a social science?

The disciplines that use the scientific method to examine the social world.

What is a sociological perspective?

A way of looking at the world through the sociological lens.

What is the characteristic of a “beginner’s mind”?

Approaching the world without knowing in advance what it will find and finding inner stillness to observe surroundings instead of following routine.

What experience is created when using the sociological perspective to see the familiar through an outsider’s eyes?

Culture shock

What did C. Wright Mills define as the ability to look beyond the individual to see the cultural and historical context?

The sociological imagination

What is the focus of microsociology?

The interactions between individuals and the way in which those interactions construct larger patterns.

What is the focus of macrosociology?

Large-scale social structure and how it affects the lives of groups and individuals.

What are four other terms used to describe a sociological theory?

Approaches, schools of thought, paradigms, or perspectives.

What sociological concept is Auguste Comte associated with?

Positivism; the application of the scientific method to studying society.

How did Harriet Martineau critique U.S. democracy?

She argued it was flawed and hypocritical for condoning slavery and denying full citizenship to women.

What is social Darwinism according to Herbert Spencer?

The concept of "survival of the fittest" where society is compared to the human body, with all parts needed for the whole to function.

Who is the founder of structural functionalism?

Émile Durkheim

In structural functionalism, what are some of Émile Durkheim's key contributions?

Mechanical solidarity versus organic solidarity; study of suicide; anomie; religion as social solidarity; the sacred and the profane; collective effervescence; and collective conscience.

What is the difference between manifest and latent functions in Merton’s functionalism offshoot?

Manifest functions are the intended consequences of a social structure, while latent functions are the unintended or hidden consequences.

Who is the founder of conflict theory and what is its main premise?

Karl Marx; the premise is that society is an area of conflict and change motivated by struggle over resources and power.

In Marxist theory, who are the two opposing classes?

The proletariat versus the bourgeoisie.

What are the offshoots of conflict theory?

Critical theory (Frankfurt School or neo-Marxism), critical race theory, feminist theory, and queer theory.

What is Max Weber’s concept of the “iron cage”?

A description of modern life characterized by rationalization, bureaucracies, and disenchantment.

What are the original principles of symbolic interactionism?

Face-to-face interaction is the building block for all of society; meanings are created, negotiated, and modified through social interaction.

What are three offshoots of symbolic interactionism?

Dramaturgy, ethnomethodology, and conversation analysis.

What does postmodernism argue regarding universal truths?

There are no absolute universal truths from which we can interpret the meaning of existence; we must embrace deconstruction and multiplicity.

What is midrange theory?

A style of theorizing that strikes a balance between the micro and macro by incorporating research questions and empirical data into smaller-scale theories.