Sociology Exam 1

Define: Sociology

Scientific study of human society

Define: Sociological Imagination

Connect personal experience with a larger social focus

Define: Macrosociology

large-scale institutions or social systems

Define: Microsociology

small-scale interactions

What two things defined the period of social change

industrialization and urbanization

List the author, view of society, focus, and concepts of: Structural Functionalism

• Author: Emile Durkheim

• Society: stable system of interrelated parts

• Focus: role of institutions in maintaining social order

• Concepts: social solidarity, manifest, latent function

List the author, view of society, focus, and concepts of: Conflict Theory

• Author: Karl Marx

• Society: arena for conflict, social change

• Focus: inequality, power, ideology, influence

• Concepts: alienation, false consciousness

List the author, view of society, focus, and concepts of: Symbolic Interactionism

• Author: George Herbert Mead

• Society: symbols, rituals with shared meaning

• Focus: people’s actions, identity development

• Concepts: definition of the situation, looking glass self

List the author, view of society, focus, and concepts of: Postmodernism

• Author: Jean Baudrillard

• Society: no absolute, universal truths

• Focus: grand narratives, fluidity, multiplicity

• Concepts: deconstruction, simulacra

Explain Deductive vs Inductive approach

• Deductive: start with a theory and then observe

• Inductive: start with an observation then make a theory

Explain this principle of social research: Descriptive

defining or describing social phenomena

Explain this principle of social research: Exploratory

exploring understudied or new social phenomena

Explain this principle of social research: Explanatory

explaining causal factors to a social phenomena

Explain this principle of social research: Evaluative

assessing effectiveness of policy or program

Define: Conceptualization

defining a concept

Define: Operationalization

specifying parameters to a concept

Define: Reliability

consistency

Define: Validity

accuracy

Explain the advantages and challenges of: Survey Research

• Advantages: versatile (can cover many topics), efficient (get data quickly and have a large sample size)

• Disadvantages: superficial (cannot capture nuances), non-response (impacts findings)

Explain the advantages and challenges of: Ethnography

• Advantages: rich data, grounded theory (developing a new theory from data)

• Disadvantages: not replicable, generalizability

Explain the advantages and challenges of: In-depth Interviews

• Advantages: own words (nuance), probe (ask follow-up questions)

• Disadvantages: time-consuming, generalizability (issues with sample selection)

Explain the difference between Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism

• Ethnocentrism: viewing another culture through your own cultural lens

• Cultural relativism: trying to look at a culture through its own lens

Explain the differences between Mainstream Culture, Subculture, and Counterculture

• Mainstream culture: most widely shared culture

• Subculture: somewhat compatible with the mainstream

• Counterculture: directly opposite of the mainstream

What is the sociological perspective of Structural Functionalism

widely shared, contribute to social cohesion

What is the sociological perspective of Conflict Theory

dominant culture, interests of the most powerful groups

What is the sociological perspective of Symbolic Interactionism

created via ongoing social interactions

Explain the Culture Industry

standardization of cultural items

Explain the Logic of Safety

repackaging of time-tested themes

Explain the idea of Conglomeration

ownership across various mass media

Explain the idea of Consolidation

fewer corporations owning, increasing shares

Explain the idea of Media Impact

spectrum of ideas or opinions can narrow

Explain: Cultivation Theory

create perceptions of social reality

Explain: Magic Bullet Theory

audiences are passive and reactive

Explain: Agenda-Setting Theory

networks set “newsworthy” stories

Explain: Two-Step Flow Theory

networks convey certain storylines

Explain: Reinforcement Theory

echo chamber

Explain the main idea of the Looking-Glass Self

our “self” is based on how other people judge us (or how we imagine that people perceive us)

Explain the main ideas of Dual Self, Significant Other, and Generalized Other

• Dual self: “'I” (subjective) and “me” (objective)

• Significant other: acting in accordance to individuals who hold high importance

• Generalized other: act according to shared social rules rather than just individual reactions

Explain the ideas of Dramaturgy, Impression Management, Frontstage, and Backstage

• Dramaturgy: the view of social life as a theatrical performance

• Impression management: controlling impressions via performance tactics

• Frontstage: coming into a character

• Backstage: stepping out of the character

Explain: Social Control

individuals are brought into social conformity

Explain: Social Reproduction

structural continuity (passing on traditions)

Explain and list: Primary Agents

• factors that influence socialization

• peers, family, mass media, school

Explain: Labeling Theory

behaving according to how people see you

Explain: Differential Association Theory

behaving according to who you hang out with

Explain: Broken Windows Theory

behaving according to cues and local social norms

Explain the difference between Ascribed Status, Achieved Status, and Master Status

• Ascribed status: born into a certain status

• Achieved status: earned status

• Master status: largest, most recognized status

Explain Role Strain and Role Conflict

• Role strain: incompatibility among roles within the same status

• Role conflict: tension from the demands of multiple statuses

List and explain the strategies from “Managing Emotional Manhood”

• Scripting: developing a game plan

• Framing: treating it as just another day

• Othering: building confidence

• Fostering: intimidating opponent