Sociology Comprehensive Review: Stratification, Gender, Race, Health, and Education

Comprehensive question-and-answer flashcards covering key sociological concepts including stratification, mobility, gender, race and ethnicity, medical sociology, and education systems.

How is Socioeconomic Status (SES) defined?

An individual's position in a stratified social order.

What are the key characteristics of the upper class?

They usually don't have to work, are top-level executives, and attend elite schools/universities.

What are the primary characteristics of the middle/working class?

White/blue-collar workers, with growth in jobs.

What is horizontal mobility?

Moving up within the same social class.

What is vertical mobility?

Moving up to another social class.

What is structural mobility?

Moving to another social class due to societal changes.

What is exchange mobility?

Moving up to another social class while others move down.

What are status attainment models?

The process through which individuals move through the social ladder with factors of education, first job, IQ, etc.

What is equality of opportunity?

The idea that everyone has an equal chance to receive wealth, power, and prestige.

What is equality of condition?

The standard that everyone should have equal starting points.

What is equality of outcome?

The standard where each person should end up with the same amount.

What is an estate system of stratification?

A form of stratification with inequality built into the political/legal system that gives groups different rights/privileges.

What is a caste system built on?

Built on religious beliefs.

What is a class system?

A system based on social hierarchy.

What is a status hierarchy system based on?

Based on social prestige.

What characterizes an elite-mass dichotomy system?

A governing elite who hold power.

What is gender essentialism?

Explaining social phenomena in biological terms.

How is sex sociologically defined?

Socially accepted biological differences that distinguish males and females.

What elements comprise sexuality?

Sexual preferences, sexual identity, sexual behavior.

How is gender defined?

A social position, the set of social arrangements built around normative sex categories.

What does it mean that gender is socially constructed?

It is deeply rooted in society.

What is hegemonic masculinity?

The dominant norm against which men are judged.

What are deceptive distinctions in gender studies?

The observation that gender differences are a product of gender inequality in social position.

What is the glass ceiling?

An invisible limit on women's climb up the ladder.

What is the glass escalator?

The advantages experienced by men in women-dominated fields.

What is the motherhood penalty?

When mothers are believed to be less competent/committed and face a wage penalty.

What is a pink collar job?

An occupation dominated by women.

What is Parsons' sex role theory?

The theory that the traditional, heterosexual, nuclear family is the ideal in modern society.

How does psychoanalytical theory view gender development?

Gender develops through early childhood socialization.

How does conflict theory explain gender dynamics?

It is combined with patriarchy to make women depend on men.

What critique is raised by Black feminism?

It critiques feminism for focusing on white middle-class women and emphasizes different experiences.

How is race defined and understood biologically?

A group of people who share a set of characteristics; race is socially constructed, and people are biologically the same.

When did scientific racism start, and what was its core belief?

Started in the 1700s by thinking physical traits reflected internal abilities.

When did New Racism emerge, and how did it change from earlier forms?

Began in the late 1900s and was replaced by more subtle forms.

What is racialization?

Covers the complex religious, racial, and ethnic identities among groups.

What is symbolic ethnicity?

Identifying with the more visible and cultural parts of an ethnic or national origin.

What is assimilation?

Adopting new languages, cultures, values, norms, and behaviors.

What is pluralism?

Coexisting with other groups of diverse people.

What do discrimination and segregation involve?

Using power to separate or disadvantage other groups.

What is prejudice?

Thoughts or feelings about a racial/ethnic group.

What is discrimination?

Harmful/negative actions against people by race/ethnicity.

What is "old-fashioned" racism?

Believing white people are above minorities.

What is modern racism?

Subtle behavior towards minorities.

What is colorblind racism?

Rhetoric that replaces biology with culture/nationality.

What is institutional racism?

Rules in an institution that disadvantage minority groups.

What is individual racism?

Discriminatory behavior by one person toward another race.

Why are doctors valued highly in society?

Due to schooling/training, scarcity, and valuable product.

What is medicalization?

The process by which problems and issues not viewed as medical come to be.

What obligations and exemptions characterize Parsons' "sick role"?

Not to perform normal social roles or be held accountable for conditions.

Why do racial health disparities exist?

Exist due to economic inequality and bias.

What is the core argument of selection theory regarding income and health?

The relationship between income and health is spurious.

What does drift theory propose about health and social standing?

Health causes social position.

What does social determinants theory assert regarding health?

Social status position determines health.

What does psychological theory propose about status and health?

We feel/experience our status relative to others.

What is the relationship between marital status and health?

Married people tend to be healthier/live longer.

What does school socialization teach students?

Teaches values, beliefs, and attitudes.

What is the hidden curriculum in schools?

Nonacademic, less overt socialization functions.

What did the Coleman report conclude about school differences?

Schools' differences were less important than family backgrounds/peers.

What is tracking in education, and who is overrepresented in honor tracks?

Tracking divides students by ability or plans; high SES whites are overrepresented in academics/honor tracks.

What impact do teachers and peers have on academic performance?

Teacher expectations can lead to self-fulfilling prophecies; peers can help raise others' scores.

What is the functionalist perspective on higher education?

Must have a better education for job.

What is the conflict perspective on higher education?

Education is a badge of elite status; as education expands, you're more set apart.

What is cultural capital?

Symbolic/interactional resources people use to their advantage in various situations; knowledge, skills, behavior.

Why do racial/ethnic gaps in educational attainment happen?

Happen due to social class differences.

What is the premise of the resource dilution model?

Parental resources are finite.

What is the relationship between family size and educational outcomes?

Bigger families receive lower test scores, especially with children closer in age.