Sociology and Culture Concise Study Guide

Sociology

The systematic study of society and social life.

Sociological Perspective

Connects individual experiences to larger social patterns and external circumstances.

Social Institution

An organized part of society that serves important social purposes.

Positivism

Emphasizes studying society through observation and evidence rather than assumptions or opinions.

Functionalist Perspective

Examines how different parts of society work together to contribute to stability.

Conflict Perspective

Focuses on wealth, power, resources, and opportunities, and how they are distributed unequally.

Micro-Level Analysis

Focuses on small-scale social interactions within a particular setting.

Quantitative Research

Uses numerical information and data to identify patterns.

Material Culture

Physical objects associated with a culture, such as buildings, clothing, and computers.

Symbol

Something that carries a particular shared meaning understood by members of a group.

Value

Cultural belief about what is desirable, acceptable, or right.

Norm

Expected behavior within a particular situation or society.

Law

Written rule enacted and enforced by government.

Cultural Universals

Cultural features found across different societies, such as family structure.

Subculture

A group within a larger society that develops distinctive cultural characteristics without necessarily rejecting mainstream values.

Counterculture

A group that intentionally rejects major values and norms of the larger society.

Ethnocentrism

Viewing one's own culture as superior and judging other cultures according to one's own cultural standards.

Cultural Relativism

Understanding a cultural practice according to the standards of the culture in which it occurs.

Cultural Diffusion

The spread of cultural elements from one society to another via travel, media, and the Internet.

Cultural Lag

Occurs when technology changes more quickly than beliefs, rules, or non-material cultural aspects adjust.

Discovery

Finding or recognizing a new use or understanding of something that already exists.

Invention

Using existing knowledge to create something that did not previously exist.

Cultural Leveling

Increasing similarity among societies as cultural products and practices become widespread.

Status

A social position held by a person.

Ascribed Status

Received through circumstances such as birth, family, or heritage.

Achieved Status

Gained through personal effort, skills, training, or accomplishments.

Master Status

Position that becomes especially important to a person's identity and how others identify them.

Role

Expected behaviors associated with a particular status.

Role Conflict

Competing expectations created by different statuses.

Role Strain

Competing expectations