introduction to sociology

What is Sociology

The study of society and of people and their behaviour

what are theories?

explanations of the patterns we find in society

what are the three things society consists of?

the social system, the culture, individuals and relationships

what is the social system?

organisation of institutions that make the country run smoothly ie. law, economy, family, education

what is the culture?

the way of life developed in and amongst a group of people. Also describes the products created within that group.

what is the non-material culture?

beliefs, customs, traditions

what is the material culture?

things people create and attach emotional meaning to

what are some examples of non-material culture?

clothing, cutlery, manners, personal hygiene, professional code of conduct

what are some examples of material culture?

religious symbols, movies + TV, cuisines, music, buildings, trophies

what is a norm?

something that is generally seen as normal

what are the two forms of norms?

formal regulations ( ie rules of law ) and informal directives ( ie hygiene )

how are norms enforced?

formal sanctions, sanctions such as fines and jail terms ( ie breaking the law = prison ) and informal sanctions, sanctions through social disapproval ( ie not showering = negative reactions from people around you )

what are individuals and relationships?

the people in the group include their personalities, interactions, the way they see others in the group and how other members see them

what are is a value?

something that is generally seen as important

what are values drawn from?

personal beliefs - systems of values and morals that each individual has

what are examples of values?

religious values, health, good behaviour, money, lifestyle, self presentation, human rights

what is a status?

a specific position in society that an individual may hold in a given situation

what are the two types of statuses?

ascribed and achieved

what is an ascribed status?

a position that results from a fixed characteristic

what is an examples of ascribed statuses?

race, sex, being the biological child of someone

what is an achieved status?

a position gained from an individual’s own efforts

what are examples of achieved statuses?

teacher + student, gender

what are roles?

expected behaviours from individuals in a particular status e.g a student must not interrupt a teacher while they are speaking, and is expected to take notes whereas a teacher is expected to have knowledge

what is socialisation?

the process in which you learn your culture

what are the stages that socialisation is divided into?

primary, secondary, tertiary

what is primary socialisation?

first stage of learning your culture, learning basic social skills ( norms + values ) from family at the ages of 0-5

what is secondary socialisation?

second stage of learning your culture, more advanced social skills ( statuses + roles ) from education at the ages of 6-16

what is tertiary socialisation?

the third stage of learning your culture, specific social skills ( skills + jobs ) from society and the job market / work at ages 16+

what is social control?

the way society regulates the conduct and behaviour of its members

what are the two types of social control?

formal social control, informal social control

what is formal social control?

enforcement of rules on behaviour, using formal sanctions ( set punishments )

what is informal social control?

encouragement/discouragement of behaviour, using informal sanctions

give examples of both formal and informal social control

family, police, religion, education, politics

give an example of an informal social control

media

what is the nature-nurture debate?

the influence of biological or social factors

how do nature theories view human behaviour?

prompted by biological factors leading to fixed patterns of behaviour that are instinctual and inherited

how do nurture theories view society and culture?

more influential, human behaviour learnt from others through culture during the process of socialisation

what is a biological imperative?

soemthing you have to do to stay alive

what is the structural view/theory?

humans are entirely shaped by the structure of society. this is a macro (large - scale) approach

what is the social action view/ theory?

humans have free will and choice. this is a micro ( small scale approach ).

what are macro and micro approaches

macro : focuses on how society influences the individual

micro : focuses on the interactions between individuals

what are the two types of structuralist sociologists?

functionalist and marxist

what do marxists and functionalists disagree on?

functionalist : see society as based on a value consensus ( equal opportunities )

marxist : see society as conflict between different social groups ( inequality)

what specific social characteristics and trends do these theories focus on?

gender (ie more women than men live in poverty) , social class, ethnicity, age

what do functionalists believe in ?

we live in a meritocratic ( equal opportunities) society and social mobility is possible

what do marxists believe in?

we live in a capitalistic (unequal) society, believe in social reproduction