MCAT-SOC: Social Structure and Demographics

functionalism/functional analysis

the study of the structure and function of each part of society

functions

beneficial consequences of people’s actions

dysfunctions

harmful consequences of people’s actions as they undermine a social system’s equilibrium

manifest function

an action is intended to help some part of a system

latent function

an action has unintended positive consequences on other parts of society

conflict theory

how power differentials are created and contribute to the maintenance of social order

symbolic interactionism

the study of the way individuals interact through a shared understanding of symbols

symbols

things to which we attach meaning

social constructionism

the study of how individuals put together their social reality

rational choice theory

that individuals make decisions based on a careful consideration of benefits and harms to the individual

exchange theory

that an individual will carry out actions based on anticipated rewards or punishments

feminist theory

attempts to explain social inequalities on the basis of gender

teacher expectancy

the idea that teachers tend to get out what they expect from their students

life course approach to health

maintaining a comprehensive view of the patient’s history beyond the immediate presenting symptoms

sick role

the patient is not responsible for the illness and is exempt from normal social roles

medicalized

to be defined and treated as medical conditions

beneficence

tenet of medical ethics, the physician has a responsibility to act in the patient’s best interest

nonmaleficence

tenet of medical ethics, the physician has a responsibility to avoid treatments where potential harm outweighs potential benefits

respect for patient autonomy

tenet of medical ethics, the physician has a responsibility to respect patients’ decisions about their own health care

exceptions: significant psychiatric illness, children, public health threats

justice

tenet of medical ethics, the physician has a responsibility to treat similar patients with similar care and distribute healthcare resources fairly

culture lag

symbolic culture is slower to change than material culture

racialization

the establishment of a group as a particular race

racial formation theory

that racial identity is fluid and dependent on concurrent social factors

symbolic ethnicity

a specific connection to one’s ethnicity in which ethnic symbols and identity remain important

Kinsey scale

describes sexuality on a 0-6 scale, with few falling in the extremes and most falling in the middle

expansive population pyramid

high birth rates, young population

high youth dependency ratio

need for education infrastructure

strain on resources

stationary population pyramid

balanced birth/death rates

moderate dependency ratio

stable workforce, balanced social services

sustainable growth potential

constrictive population pyramid

low birth rate

high elderly dependency ratio

healthcare burden, pension crisis, labor shortages

need for immigration

fertility rate

the average number of children born to a woman in her lifetime

pull factors

positive factors that draw immigrating populations into a new nation

push factors

negative factors that push emigrating populations from their previous nation

stage 1 of demographic transition

preindustrial society; birth and death rates are high

stage 2 of demographic transition

death rates drop due to improvements in healthcare, nutrition, sanitation, and wages

stage 3 of demographic transition

birth rates and fertility rates drop due to improvements in women’s health and shift to an industrial economy, as well as longer dependency of children on parents

stage 4 of demographic transition

birth and death rates low in an industrialized society

Malthusian theory

that the exponential growth of a population can outpace growth of the food supply and lead to social degradation

Malthusian catastrophe

the prediction that as third-world nations industrialize, world population growth will outpace food generation and mass starvation will occur

relative deprivation

decrease in resources or agency relative to the past or to the whole of society

proactive social movements

movements that promote social change

reactive social movements

movements that resist social change