Soc 201 Final Exam Study Guide

social stratification

The hierarchical arrangement of individuals in terms of power, prestige, and resources.

caste systems

systems that are closed and hereditary.

class systems

systems that are open and based on achievement.

global stratification

The unequal distribution of resources among nations.

gender stratification

The unequal distribution of wealth, power, and privilege between men and women.

racial stratification

The unequal distribution of resources and opportunities based on race.

social structure

The organized pattern of social relationships and institutions that make up society.

status

A recognized social position that an individual occupies.

primary groups

groups that are close-knit and personal (e.g., family).

secondary groups

groups that are larger and more impersonal (e.g., coworkers).

bureaucracy

A formal organization with a hierarchy of authority and a clear division of labor.

culture

The shared beliefs, values, norms, and material objects that define a group.

material culture

culture that includes physical objects.

nonmaterial culture

culture that encompasses ideas and beliefs.

socialization

The process by which individuals learn and internalize the values and norms of their society.

agents of socialization

Family, peers, schools, and mass media.

sociology

The study of human society and social behavior.

sociological imagination

The ability to see the connection between personal experiences and larger social forces.

theoretical perspectives in sociology

Functionalism, Conflict Theory, and Symbolic Interactionism.

research methods in sociology

Surveys, experiments, observational studies, and content analysis.

functions of the family

Socialization, regulation of sexual activity, social placement, and emotional security.

education's role in society

Through socialization, cultural transmission, social integration, and social placement.

deviance

Behavior that violates societal norms.

labeling theory

The theory that deviance occurs when there is a disconnect between societal goals and the means to achieve them.

strain theory

The theory that deviance occurs when there is a disconnect between societal goals and the means to achieve them.

social movements

Organized efforts by groups of people to bring about or resist social change.