SO-101 SMC Final Flashcards

Dramaturgical Theory (Goffman)

The theory that social life is like a theatrical performance, where people act out roles to manage impressions.

Front Stage vs. Backstage

Front stage: public settings where we perform expected roles. Backstage: private settings where we can drop the performance.

Scripts, Costumes, Props

Scripts are expected behaviors, costumes are appearances, and props are tools that stabilize social interaction.

Impression Management

Conscious and unconscious efforts to control how others perceive us.

Doing Gender (West & Zimmerman)

Gender is not innate but performed in everyday interactions; people enact masculinity or femininity through social scripts.

Social Hierarchies

Unequal relationships that give some groups more power, privilege, and prestige than others.

Power

The ability to influence the behavior of others.

Privilege

Special access to opportunities or rewards.

Prestige

Respect or admiration conferred to an individual or group.

Social Groups

Groups of individuals who share characteristics, attributes, or interests.

In-group vs. Out-group

In-groups are groups we belong to; out-groups are groups we do not belong to.

Dominant vs. Subordinate Groups

Dominant groups have more power/privilege/prestige; subordinate groups have less.

Agents of Socialization

Family, peers, school, and mass media that teach norms, values, and beliefs.

Hidden Curriculum

Unspoken lessons schools teach, such as obedience, punctuality, and gender norms.

Culture Shock

Disorientation when encountering a new cultural context.

Code Switching

Shifting language or behavior depending on social context.

Deviance

Behavior outside the norm or violating social expectations.

Crime

A specific type of deviance defined and punishable by law.

Strain Theory

Deviance arises when there is a gap between societal goals and the means available to achieve them.

Broken Windows Theory

Deviance is shaped by local social cues and informal norms.

Social Learning Theory

Deviance is learned from others, especially during childhood.

Labeling Theory

Deviance is shaped by societal labels; people may accept the label and continue deviant behavior.

Social Construction Theory

Crime is defined by social response, not the behavior itself.

Primary Deviance

Minor rule-breaking that does not affect identity.

Secondary Deviance

Occurs when an individual accepts a deviant label and continues deviant behavior.

Labeling Hype (Rios 2011)

Labels accumulate and intensify criminalization of Black and Latino boys.

Overpolicing-Underpolicing Paradox

Youth of color are hyper-criminalized for minor offenses but under-protected when victims.

Incarceration

The state of being housed full-time in prison or jail without freedom to leave.

Types of Correctional Supervision

State/federal prison, local jail, probation, parole, community supervision.

Mass Incarceration

A situation in which a very high proportion of people are imprisoned.

Drivers of Rising Incarceration

Policy changes in the 1970s: mandatory minimums, longer sentences, drug policing.

Boston Reentry Study

Found deep disadvantage pre/post incarceration: poverty, trauma, poor health.

Recidivism

Returning to prison after release; reduced by prison education programs.

Social Mobility

Movement between socioeconomic positions.

Intergenerational Mobility

Comparison of parents’ and children’s socioeconomic positions in adulthood.

Upward vs. Downward Mobility

Upward: higher class than parents. Downward: lower class than parents.

Ascribed Status

Status into which one is born (race, class, ethnicity).

Achieved Status

Status entered voluntarily, often through effort (education, occupation).

Meritocracy

Society where social position is determined by effort and ability.

Caste Society

Society where social position is determined by birth.

Economic Capital

Financial assets such as money or property.

Human Capital

Skills, education, or knowledge an individual possesses.

Cultural Capital

Cultural knowledge, etiquette, or familiarity with high culture.

Social Capital

Resources available through social networks and connections.

Symbolic Capital

Reputation or prestige.

Soft Skills

Noncognitive traits such as social skills, professionalism, and communication.

Credentialism

Requirement of degrees or certificates for jobs.

American Dream

Belief in upward mobility through effort and achievement.

Great Paradox (Hochschild)

People vote against economic interests due to emotional self-interest.

Deep Story (Hochschild)

Metaphor of waiting in line for the American Dream, feeling betrayed by “line cutters.”

Collective Effervescence (Durkheim)

Emotional unity experienced in group gatherings, such as rallies.

Feeling Rules (Hochschild)

Socially shared norms about how one should feel in different contexts.

Academic Gender Gap

Women earn majority of degrees at all levels; men lag behind.

Motherhood Penalty

Mothers earn less in the workplace due to stereotypes and discrimination.

Fatherhood Bonus

Fathers earn more in the workplace due to stereotypes of responsibility.

Deaths of Despair (Case & Deaton)

Premature deaths among working-class Americans due to suicide, overdose, or liver disease.

Durkheim’s Suicide Types

Egoistic (low integration), Altruistic (too much integration), Fatalistic (too much regulation), Anomic (too little regulation).

Social Drivers of Health

Lack of social connection is as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

Morris (2008)

Masculinity defined as academic nonchalance; boys pressured not to try hard in school.

McFarland et al. (2014/2015)

Clique culture varies by school environment; segregation is not inevitable.

Jack (2019)

Belonging at elite colleges shaped by prior exposure to privilege; “Privileged Poor” adapted more easily.

Western (2018)

Incarceration shaped by social disadvantage and inequality.

Rios (2011)

Criminalization of Black and Latino boys explained by labeling hype and systemic punishment.

Pager (2003)

Criminal record reduces job callbacks; race compounds disadvantage.

Hochschild (2016)

Deep story explains political divides; emotional self-interest drives voting behavior.

Abramitzky & Boustan (2022)

Immigrants achieve American Dream; children often surpass parents economically.

Correll et al. (2007)

Gender and parental status affect job callbacks; mothers penalized, fathers rewarded.