Exam 1

def sociology

scientific study of groups and interactions

what did C. Wright Mills talk about

functionalist pov., personal troubles are public issues

def sociological imagination

awareness that social history/biography influence individual beh/exp; must understand former to understand latter

personal troubles v public issues

root cause and solution found wi/in person vs root cause and solution found w/in social structure/institution

list social causes of loneliness

• lack of trust

• economic stability

• living space

• social norms attached to living space

• social trends

list social outcomes of loneliness

• poor health

• lack of moral obligation

• pessimism

• homelessness

• finances/work

def theory

a way to explain dif aspects of social interactions

use a theory to make a what

hypothesis

def paradigms

theoretical frameworks used w/in a dscipline to create theories, generalizations,a nd experiments

list 3 paradigms

1. conflict theory

2. symbolic interactionism theory

3. functionalism theory

what did karl marx introduce

conflict theory

• root cause: economic inequality

• class conflict drives social change

conflict theory:

• macro or micro

• society is constantly…

• winners…

• change requires…

• macro

• in competition for limited resources

• use their power to maintain inequality

• revolution

what did max weber introduce

symbolic interactionism theory

• “verstehen” - sociologist must approach soc beh thru participants pov (empathy)

symbolic interactionism theory

• macro or micro

• emphasizes … and …

• we interact with things based on….

• meaning of things come from…

• meanings of things are interpreted by…

• micro

• interactions and communication

• the meanings we give them

• our interactions with them

• person w specific circumstances

what did emile durkheim introduce

functionalism theory

functionalism theory

• society = complex system of…

• social facts exist…

• social facts serve…

• 2 functions are…

• interrelated parts that work together to maintain social stability

• beyond the individual

• functions and govern social life

• manifest (planned) and latent (not planned)

list social facts

laws, morals, values, religious beliefs, customs, fashion, rituals

why does marx’s society continue to work

• exploitation (+, -)

• false consciousness (persons beliefs are not in their best interests)

• alienation (from others, work, and self)

def false consciousness

when person’s beliefs are not in their best interests

def alienation from others, work, and self in marx society

• others: compete against each other

• work: play a small role → no pride or connection to work → no creativity

• self: no pride in job or career → no identity

to what extent can we investigate human behavior

every aspect of human behavior is possible for investigation

list types of knowledge

experience, tradition, faith, authority, science

can use … to better understand society

empirical approach

interpretative framework

• inductive or deductive

• theory before or no theory before

• let data talk or test it

inductive, no theory before, let data talk

scientific method

• inductive or deductive

• theory before or no theory before

• let data talk or test it

deductive, theory before, test it

science is based on what 2 things

objectivity (prevent personal bias) and verifiability (can be repeated)

what is the Kuhn Cycle

see image

scientific method steps (7)

1. question

2. research

3. hypothesize

4. design/conduct study

5. collect/analyze data

6. conclusion

7. report results

what are the pros of scientific method

• parameters → objective and accurate

• develop and test theories through cold hard evidence

• systematic → consistency, objective, critical, skeptical, logical

qualitative research pros and cons

• natural setting → descriptive info → rich data → in-depth und

• small sample size → can’t generalize broadly, lacks number vigor

quantative research pros and cons

• large sample size → can generalize broadly, number vigor

• lose human-ness, dehumanizing

def random sample

everyone has an equal chance of being included in the experiment → generalization

def reliability

must yield consistent results on repeated experiments

def validity

measure what it’s intended to measure

def replication

duplicate study to ascertain its accuracy

def two types of data; how do you know which one to use

• primary source data: 1st hand collection

• secondary analysis: use data collected by others and apply new interpretation

• topic of study influences which method you use

surveys: pros and cons

• precision, comparability, price, large sample

• response rates, interview bias, problems with questions, Hawthorn effect

why are their possible problems with questions in surveys

neutrality and wording, people can’t understand the question, misleading, too general, double-barreled (2 in 1), leading question (biased words)

def field reserach

gather primary data from natural environment

def 2 types of field research

• participant observation: join in the activity

• ethnography: join entire community → experience everyday life and culture

what are the 3 challenges of field research

• gain access to setting without disrupting patterns of others beh

• becoming an “insider’ takes time and effort

• researchers sometimes pretend to be someone they’re not (ethics)

def case study

in-depth study of 1 person/event

def content analysis

systematic approach to record and value info from secondary source

def unobstrusive measures

secretly record people’s beh in public (ex. tracking devices)

3 necessary standards to establish causation

• covariance: change in var ass with change in other var

• temporal precedence: IV before DV

• confounding var: take into account all possible other var

Tuskegee experiment

• purpose: observe syphilis in black men

• misleading: “treated for bad blood”

• withholding important info/treatment - never informed about syphilis nor treated with penicillin

tearoom trade

• purpose: gather info on gay men

• never disclosed ID or what he was doing, took confidential data without consent

def institutional review boards

committee ensures ethical values are met BEFORE experiment takes place

what is the ASA code of ethics based on

Belmont Report

• respect for persons: participants are aware of the study purpose and actions, informed consent

• beneficence: do no harm, maximize possible benefits and minimize possible harm

• justice: everyone treat equally, no exploitation

What 2 things did Durkheim’s study of suicide introduce

catholics and married people had lower rates of suicide because they have collective conscience

• collective conscience

• anomie

def collective conscience

communal beliefs, morals, and attitudes of a society

def anomie

sense of aimlessness that arises when people don’t reasonably expect life to be predictable; normlessness

def culture

shared values, beliefs, practices, and symbols

def society

group of people who share a community and a culture

material culture often represents …

nonmaterial culture

def culture universals

patterns/traits that are globally common among societies

def ethnocentrism

evaluating one culture according to one’s own culture’s standards; belief/attitude of own culture is better than others

def values

a culture’s standards for discerning good/bad (kindness)

def beliefs

principles/convictions people hold to be true (the Golden Rule)

ideal culture vs real culture

standards society would like to embrace and live up to (no crime) vs way society really is based on, what actually occurs/exists (crime)

high culture vs low culture vs pop culture

• cultural patterns of society’s elite (power, prestige, $)

• cultural patterns and attitudes of the masses (pop music, fast food, $ general, Shein, reality TV)

• mainstream, widespread patterns among society’s population that are known and acceptable (sports games, parades, The Bachelor)

def norms

visible and invisible rules of conduct through which societies are structures and maintained

def 4 types of norms

• formal: established, written rules

• informal: casual beh generally conformed to

• mores: norms that reflect moral views and principles of a group

• folkways: norms that direct appropriate beh in day to day cultural practices without moral underpinnings

def sanctions

social marks of approval/disapproval in response to an action

positive sanctions… while negative sanctions…

positive sanctions encourage conformity while negative sanctions discourage breaking status quo

def communication

gestures/objects that have meanings associated with them that are recognized by people who share the culutre

def the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis

language shapes our pov of reality and beh

def subculture

groups that share a specific identification as they also exist within a larger society

def countercultures

groups that reject and oppose society's widely accepted cultural patterns (ex. cults)

culture changes when…

something new opens new ways of living/new ideas enter a culture

which diffused faster: material or nonmaterial

material

def cultura lag

gap of time between introduction of material cultural and its integration into nonmaterial culture

def diffusion

spread of culture from one society to another

def globailization

integration of international trade and finance markets (faster communication and travel → more connection)

def 3 main society eras

preindustrial, industrial, post-industrial

def 5 preindustrial socieities

• hunter/gatherer

• pastoral society

• horticultural society

• agricultural society

• feudal societies

def hunter/gatherer society

• nomadic

• only culture = family (kinship, tribes)

• no social class

• everyone is equal

• no private property

def pastoral society

• domestication of animals

• specialized occupation

• surplus → trade, develop portable technology; inequality

def horticultural society

• capacity to grow and cultivate plants

• tropical regions (consistent rainfall)

• permanent settlements

def agricultural society

• agricultural revolution

• rely on permanent tools for survival

• more time to read, philosophy

• → divisive social classes

def feudal society

strict hierarchical system of power around land ownership and protection

def industrial society era

rely on mechanized labor to create material goods

• improve technology → steam engine, textile mills produce fabric quickly

• inequality → education, transportation, and work

• increase productivity and tech → increase urban centers

• sociology is born

what did the increase in urban centers cause

• pop → diversity

• new generation prioritized wealth and upward mobility

why was sociology born in the industrial society

• masses of people moving

• power moved from aristocracy/old money to business savvy newcomers

def post-industrial/information society era

based on production of nonmaterial goods and services

• recent development

• social classes through education access

• majority of labor force employed in services

• white-collar work replaces blue-collar work

• theoretical knowledge = key

• tech forecasting

• intellectual tech dominates human affairs

what did Ferdinand Tonnies introduce

• gemeinschaft: intimate community, common identity, shared norms, emotion and sentiment

• gesellschaft: impersonal association, formal organizations, no common norms, rationality

who introduced the two solidarities and what are they

Emile durkheim

• mechanical solidarity: form of social cohesion that comes from sharing similar work, education, and religion (collective conscious)

• organic solidarity: form of social cohesion that arises out of the mutual interdependence created by specialization of work (interdependence)

def 5 functions society must fill to survive

• replace members

• socialize new members

• produce and distribute goods and services

• preserve order

• provide sense of purpose

who introduced the the iron cage and what is it

Max Weber - centered around rationalization, feared industrialization would have negative effects

• situation in which an individual is trapped by social institutions → disenchantment with society

who feared industrialization would have negative effects

Max Weber

def social institutions

relatively enduring clusters of values, norms, social status, roles and groups that address fundamental social needs (ex. economics, family, politics, medicine, religion, education)

def status

position in society that someone occupies; not a possession but a relationship with others

def 3 types of status

• ascribed status: not chosen

• achieved status: chosen/will

• master status: defining status (could be ascribed or achieved)

def status symbols

helps portray status (ex. doctor’s coat)

def roles

set of expectations, rights, and duties attached to particular status; how they’re fulfilled may vary widely

def role sets

all roles a person possesses

def role strain

results form one status one role is demanding too much and you don’t know ho to carry out role

def role conflict

results from 2 statuses that conflict

def presentation of self

how you talk, act, and dress for each role (Erving Goffman)

def looking glass self

we base our image on what we think other people see (Charles Cooley)