Social Theory Midterm

1. What three historical factors contributed to the emergence of sociological theory?

Renaissance, Age of Science/Enlightment, Reorganization of Society

 revived humanism, secular thinking, and curiosity about social life.

Renaissance

emphasized empiricism, rationality, and systematic observation (Newton, Bacon).

Age of Science/Enlightenment

 brought by the French Revolution and Industrial Revolution, which created new social classes, urbanization, and instability that sociology tried to explain.

Reorganization of Society

2. What were Auguste Comte’s major theoretical contributions?

Law of three stages, body social, social stats and dynamics, and hierarchy of sciences

Theological → Metaphysical → Positive (scientific).

Law of Three Stages

society is like an organism, with interdependent parts.

Society as a “Body Social”

Statics = order and structure; Dynamics = change and progress.

Social Statics and Dynamics

 sociology sits at the top, integrating insights from other sciences.

Hierarchy of Sciences

 What were Herbert Spencer’s contributions to structural functionalism?

Organismic analogy, super-organic vision, systems of society, interdependent parts

Saw society as an evolving system, similar to an organism, with

interdependent parts.

 institutions are like organs, each performing necessary functions.

Organismic Analogy

 society evolves beyond biology into complex cultural and social levels.

Super-Organic Vision

Operative (economic), Regulatory (political/legal), Distributive (transportation/communication).

Systems of Society

 What were the three intellectual traditions that inspired Karl Marx’s conflict theory?

German philosophy, French socialism, british political economy

Hegel’s dialectic → transformed into dialectical materialism

German philosophy

Saint-Simon’s focus on class conflict and property relations

French socialism

Adam Smith/Ricardo’s labor theory of value

British political economy

What are the key concepts in Marxian theories of social change and class conflict?

historical materialism, dialectical materialism, labor theory of value and surplus value, alienation, false consciousness

history is driven by modes of production and material conditions.

Historical Materialism

progress comes from contradictions and class struggles.

Dialectical Materialism

workers create value; capitalists exploit surplus.

Labor Theory of Value & Surplus Value

workers estranged from product, labor, others, and themselves.

Alienation

workers unaware of their exploitation due to ruling class ideology.

False Consciousness

 What were Max Weber’s contributions to sociological methodology?

Verstehen, Ideal Type

interpretive understanding of social action from the actor’s perspective.

Verstehen

conceptual models to analyze real social phenomena.

Ideal Type

What are Weber’s three types of authority/domination?

Traditional, charismatic, legal-rational authority

based on custom, tradition, and lineage.

Traditional Authority

based on devotion to an individual’s personal qualities.

Charismatic Authority

 based on laws, rules, and bureaucracy.

Legal-Rational Authority

What was Simmel’s vision of society?

Sociation, Web of Group Affiliation

society is patterns of interaction, not an “organism.”

Sociation

individuals belong to multiple groups, shaping identity.

Web of Group Affiliation

12. What is Simmel’s “formal sociology”?

A methodological approach studying basic forms of interaction (e.g., conflict, exchange, domination), regardless of content.

What is Simmel’s Positive view of money as a social form?

 freedom, individuality, flexible exchange.

What is Simmel’s negative view of money as a social form?

alienation, impersonal relationships, commodification

According to Durkheim, what types of societies are characterized by solidarity?

Mechanical and organic

small, traditional societies; held together by shared beliefs and collective conscience.

Mechanical Solidarity

modern, complex societies; held together by interdependence and division of labor.

Organic Solidarity

What are Durkheim’s four types of suicide?

Egoisitc, Altruistic, Anomic, and Fatalistic

low social integration.

Egoistic

 excessive integration.

Altruistic

low regulation (social norms collapse).

Anomic

excessive regulation (oppressive discipline).

Fatalistic

What is Durkheim’s distinction of punitive law?

enforces conformity with punishment; linked to mechanical solidarity.

What is Durkheim’s distinction of restitutive law?

 regulates relationships and restores order; linked to organic solidarity.

17. What is Cooley’s “Looking-Glass Self”?

• We develop self-concept through how we imagine others see us.

18. What are Mead’s three stages of self-development?

Imitation stage, play stage, game stage

child imitates others.

Imitation stage

child plays roles of significant others.

Play stage

child learns roles in organized groups.

Game stage

19. What are Mead’s two phases of the self?

I and Me

socialized self, shaped by expectations.

Me

spontaneous, creative self.

I

20. What are Mead’s three critical variables

mind, self, and society

 capacity for symbolic communication.

Mind

arises through social interaction.

self

structured patterns of relationships shaping self.

soceity

Meads vision

 society emerges from symbolic interaction, meaning-making, and the development of self.

structural functionalism view

• society is a system of interdependent structures that maintain stability