Intro to Sociology Notes

Flashcards covering key sociological concepts, theories, influential figures, research methods, and social phenomena presented in the lecture notes.

Sociology

Studies social order, identifies patterns of human behavior, and searches for social causes of this behavior, often described as 'intently subversive' and comparative.

Social Order

Identifies patterns of human behavior.

Familiarity (Effect Subjectivity)

A taken-for-granted approach and tendency to generalize from experience, rather than representativeness.

Individualism

The concept of a 'self-created person,' characteristic of individualistic nations.

Issy Cante (Auguste Comte)

Coined the term 'sociology' and advocated for a 'cult of science' focused on order and progress.

Karl Marx

A founder of sociology primarily associated with the concept of 'social class.'

Max Weber

A founder of sociology associated with 'rationalization,' 'bureaucracy,' and 'rationality.'

Emile Durkheim

The first to hold a sociology position, he focused on how social groups contribute to reality, order, and solidarity, believing that more integrated individuals lead to better outcomes.

George Simmel

Associated with 'formal sociology,' he emphasized that 'numbers matter,' and focused on interaction forms and the 'web of group affiliations.'

Functional Perspective

A theoretical framework viewing society like a body, where all parts contribute and have a 'function.'

Function (Sociology)

The contribution a part makes to society.

Manifest Function

Anticipated or recognized contributions or effects of a part within a social system.

Latent Function

Unanticipated or unrecognized effects of a part within a social system, such as regulating surplus population.

Conflict Perspective

A theoretical framework focusing on disadvantaged groups, structural inequalities, and the practices of dominant groups, asking 'Who benefits, who loses?'

Rational Choice Perspective

A logic-based theoretical framework that explores individual behavior driven by resources and rewards, from the perspective of the actors.

Symbolic Interaction

A theoretical framework asserting that individuals act towards things based on meaning, which is derived from social interaction and is an interpretive process.

Theory (Sociology)

Explanations of variations in society, serving as paradigms or models that can be compared to social events or criteria.

Macro-sociological

Refers to the study of larger-scale social phenomena.

Micro-sociological

Refers to the study of smaller scales and day-to-day social reactions.

Socialization

The process of internalizing culture given to a society, developing human capacity, a sense of self/social identity, and learning cultural norms.

Social Reproduction

The process through which societies produce continuity over time, transmitting culture from one generation to the next.

Looking Glass Self

A concept described as: 'I think of me the way that I think you think of me.'

Preparatory Stage

The first stage in the genesis of the self, involving initial formation.

Play Stage

The second stage in the genesis of the self, contributing to the formation of identity.

Game Stage

The third stage in the genesis of the self, where identity and perspective become more developed.

Culture

Analytically distinct from social structure, it permeates everything, promotes integration, legitimates order, provides common solutions, and creates a common world of meaning.

Repertoires (Culture)

Described as a 'tool kit' for interpreting experience within a culture.

Basic Social Structures

Fundamental components of society including groups, networks, organizations, and situations.

Complete Perspective

The full, system-level view focusing on the properties of social structures as a whole.

Entitativity

The degree to which a collection of persons is cohesive as a unit, affected by factors like size, duration, boundaries, goals, and shared experiences of interaction.

Realistic Conflict Theory

Explains intergroup relations as stemming from competition for resources and working towards common goals.

Discontinuity Effect

The observation that competitiveness and greed are greater in groups than in individuals, and groups are feared more than individuals.

Social Networks

Characterized by structure (density, size, types of relations), content (what flows across ties), and function (emotional support, instrumental aid, monitoring, mutual defense).

Homophily

The principle of 'sameness' where 'birds of a feather flock together,' influenced by propinquity (nearness), leading to homogeneous groups.

Weak Ties (Social Networks)

Connections in a social network that are less strong than close relationships, often providing more diverse opportunities and information than strong ones.

Social Capital

The advantage people have due to their specific location or connections within a social structure.

Asymmetry (Relations)

Refers to imbalances in resources, information, or potential exchange partners between people or corporate actors.

Milgram Experiment

A study demonstrating that individuals would obey authority figures even when they knew their actions were wrong.

Propinquity

Physical or psychological nearness, often explaining why people become friends because of their proximity.

Ethnomethodology

A micro-sociological school of thought assuming things proceed as expected and questioning how social order is possible when rules are general, dealing with novel situations.

Breaching Experiments

Experiments used in ethnomethodology to deliberately disrupt social order to reveal the underlying assumptions and 'accomplishment' of social life.

Front Stage Behavior (Goffman)

A concept describing social situations where individuals maintain standards and perform a social role for others.

Back Stage Behavior (Goffman)

A concept describing private physical spaces or communication channels where individuals can step out of their 'front Stage character.'

Entrainment (Sociology)

The synchronization of organisms to rhythms, often observed in social interactions.

Interaction Rituals

Social situations involving co-presence, shared experiences, and pressure, which generate social solidarity; when broken, they can lead to moral uneasiness.

Emotional Energy

A concept where 'high' energy implies feeling strong, fresh, and untiring, while 'failed rituals' can lead to energy draining, leaving one weak, tired, or immobilized.