Sociology

1010 class chapter 1,2,3,7,8

Applied Sociology

the use of sociology to solve problems—from the micro level of classroom interaction and family relationships to the macro level of crime and pollution to improve social conditions and inform policy.

Pure Sociology

sociological research for the purpose of making discoveries about life in human groups, not for making changes in those groups

Functional Analysis

a theoretical framework in which society is viewed as composed of various parts, each with a function that, when fulfilled, contributes to society’s equilibrium

Symbolic Interaction

a theoretical perspective in which society is viewed as composed of symbols that people use to establish meaning, develop their views of the world, and communicate with one another

Conflict Theory

a theoretical framework in which society is viewed as composed of groups that are competing for scarce resources

Macro/micro Analysis

an examination of large-scale patterns of society (macro). analysis of social life that focuses on social interaction; typically used by symbolic interactionists (micro).

Social Integration

the degree to which an individual is tied to their social group

Sociology

the scientific study of society and human behavior

Society

people who share a culture and territory

Sociological Perspective

understanding human behavior by placing it within its broader social context

Theory

general statement about how some parts of the world fit together and how they work. explanation of how two or more facts are related to one another

Norms

the oughtness of the situation, what is expected of people

Value

beliefs about what is good or desirable in life and about the way the world ought to be

value free

keeping personal beliefs out of research

Anomie

normlessness

Status

the position one occupies in society

Master Status

a status that cuts through the rest of the status set

Achieved Status

Status one can earn through effort

Ascribed Status

a status that is given and cannot be changed

Role

Behaviors, obligations and privileges attached to a status

Role Conflict

conflict between multiple roles

Role Strain

conflict within a role

Status Symbol

identifiers of a certain status

Social Institution

the ways society meets its basic needs

Social System

social systems have interdependent and interrelated parts and are within a social structure (performance vs script (social STRUCTURE))

Status Set

A set of all the statuses/positions we hold/occupy

Social Structure

the framework that directs how society operates

Culture

the languages, norms, behaviors, values, and beliefs that characterize a group

Culture Lag

parts of a culture changing at different paces

Culture Shock

something so far out of the norm that it shocks people

Cultural Diffusion

culture spreading out from one group to another

Symbolic Communication

communication through symbols

Material Culture

tangible items that are part of a culture

Non-material Culture

non-tangible things that make up a culture

Real Culture

the actual values and norms practiced

Ideal Culture

the values, norms and goals that a group aims to achieve

Culture Complex

clusters of related cultural traits centered around an idea

Counterculture

a culture in direct opposition to the dominant culture

Subculture

a world within a world

Cultural Leveling

different cultures becoming more and more similar

Cultural Relativism

viewing culture on its own terms

Ethnocentrism

judging culture through the lens of your own

Language

a system of symbols that can be combined infinite number of times to communicate objects and abstract thought

Pluralistic Society

made up of multiple groups

Social Stratification

a system in which groups of people are divided according to their property, power and prestige

Social Mobility

the ability to go up or down the social ladder due to one’s own effort

Structural Mobility

going up or down the social ladder due to structural changes in society

Property

wealth

Power

the ability to get one’s way even through the resistance of others

Prestige

respect or regard

Status Inconsistency

ranking high and low across statuses

Status Consistency

statuses rank on the same level of 3 P’s

Caste

a form of social stratification in which people’s statuses are determined by birth and are lifelong

Classless Society

social structure where everyone shares the same status

Social Class

a large group of people who rank close to one another

Social Class Configuration

the structural arrangement and relationships of different socioeconomic groups within a society

Karl Marx

economics, conflict theory, communist manifesto

Max Weber

protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism, 3 p’s

Emile Durkheim

implemented scientific method to sociology

Auguste Comte

coined the term sociology, positivism

George Herbert Mead

symbolic interaction founder

Herbert Spencer

survival of the fittest, social darwinism, no social reform

Jane Addams

opened hull house, was for using sociology for social reform

C. Wright Mills

created the sociological perspective term, critiqued power structures

Upper-upper Class

likes privacy, private schools, have several dwellings, patrons of the arts. old money, oil rich/stocks and bonds, major shares in large industries

Lower-upper Class

New rich/stocks and bonds, major shares in large industries. copy the upper-uppers, the jet setters/concerned with fashion. have most everything the upper-uppers do, but not old family/money status. takes 3 generations to become upper-upper

Upper-middle Class

professional class in america/dentists, MDs, university professors, career military officers, CPAs, attorneys. career success is very important, roots of many are in lower-middle class, stress education in the home

Lower-middle Class

white-collar workers/small businessmen, public school teachers, nurses, bookkeepers, managers. respectability is a key factor in behavior, stresses education and make great sacrifices for it, keeper of keys of societal morality

Upper-lower Class

tradesmen of america/carpenters, plumbers, electricians, television repairmen/semi -skilled to skilled workers

Lower-lower class

unskilled to semi-skilled workers/migrant workers/last hired, first fired/seasonal workers/domestic laborers. low income, low education, low savings, low home ownership, crowd welfare rolls, high number of minorities