Sociology 101 Exam 3

Final exam for Joseph Tucker's SOC101

gender stratification

the unequal distribution of wealth, power, and privilege between men and women

sex

the biological distinction between females and males (primary and secondary sex characteristics)

gender

the behaviors and attitudes that a society considers proper for its males and females; masculinity or femininity

patriarchy

men-as-a-group dominating women-as-a-group; authority is vested in males

feminism

the philosophy that men and women should be politically, economically, and socially equal; organized activities on behalf of this principle

glass ceiling

the most invisible barrier that keeps women from advancing to the top levels at work

sexual harassment

the abuse of one’s position of authority to force unwanted sexual demands on someone

lifespan

the maximum length of life of a species; for humans, the longest that a human has lived

life expectancy

the number of years that a person can expect to live

graying of America

the growing percentage of older people in the U.S. population

ageism

prejudice and discrimination toward individuals based solely on their age

age cohorts

people who were born roughly at thr same time and who pass through the life course together

disengagement theory

the view that society is stabilized by having the elderly retire (disengage from) their positions of responsibility so the younger generation can step into their shoes

activity theory

the view that satisfaction during old age is related to a person’s amount and quality of activity

continuity theory

theory focusing on how people adjust to retirement by continuing aspects of their earlier lives

politics

the exercise of power, leadership, influence, and authority

authority

power that people perceive as legitimate, aka legitimate power

coercion

power that people do not accept as rightly exercised over them, aka illegitimate power

state

a political entity that claims monopoly on the use of violence in some particular territory; commonly known as a country

traditional authority

authority based on custom

rational-legal authority

authority based on law or written rules and regulations, aka bureaucratic authority

charismatic authority

authority based on an individual’s outstanding traits, which attract followers

routinization of charisma

the transfer of authority from a charismatic figure to either a traditional or a rational-legal form of authority

city-states

an independent city whose power radiates outward, bringing the adjacent area under its rule

monarchy

a government ruled by a king or queen

democracy

a government whose authority comes from the people. Greek translation: power to the people

representative democracy

form of democracy in which voters elect representatives to meet together to discuss issues and make decisions on their behalf

direct democracy

form of democracy in which eligible voters meet together to discuss issues and make their decisions

citizenship

the concept that birth (and residence or naturalization) in a country imparts basic rights

universal citizenship

the idea that everyone has the same basic rights by virtur of being born in a country (or by immigrating and becoming a naturalized citizen)

dictatorship

a form of government in which an individual has seized power

oligarchy

a form of government in which a small group of individuals holds power; the rule of the many by the few

totalitarianism

a form of government that exerts almost total control over the people

voter apathy

indifference and inaction on the pert of the individuals or groups with respect to the political process

special interest group

a grou of people who support a particular issue and who can be mobilized for political action

lobbyists

people who influence legislation on behalf of their clients

Political Action Committee (PAC)

an organization formed by one or more special interest groups to solicit and spend funds for the purpose of influencing legislation

anarchy

a condition of lawlessness or political disorder brought about by the absence of governmental authority

pluralism

the diffusion of power among many interest groups that prevents any single group from gaining control of the government

checks and balances

the separation of power among the 3 branches of the US government (legislative, executive, judicial). each is able to nullify, preventing a single branch from dominating government

ruling class

another term for the power elite

terrorism

the use of violence or the threat of violence to produce fear in order to attain political abjectives

economy

a system for producing and distributing goods and services

substinence economy

a type of economy in which human groups live off the land and have little or no surplus

conspicuous consumption

Thorstein Veblen’s term for a change form the thrift, savings, and investments of the Prostestant ethic to showing off wealth through spending and thr display of possessions

capitalism

an economic system built around the private ownership of the means of production, the pursuit of profit, and market competition

laissez-faire capitalism

literally “hands off” capitalism, meaning that the government doesn’t interfere in the market

socialism

an economic system built around the public ownership of the means of production, central planning, and the distribuation of goods without a profit motive

market forces

the law of supply and demand

democratic socialism

a hybrid economic system in which the individual ownership of businesses is mixed with the state ownership of industries thought essential to the public welfare, such as the postal servicem natural resources, the medical delivery system, and mass transportation

convergence theory

the view that capitalist and socialist economic systems each adopt features of the other, a hybrid (or mixed) economic system will emerge

global superclass

the top members of the capitalism class, who, through their worldwide interconnections, make the major decisions that affect the world

polygyny

a form of marriage in which men have more than one wife

polyandry

a form of marriage in which women have more than one husband

family

two or more people who consider themselves realted by blood, marriage, or adoption

household

people who occupy the same housing unit

extended family

a family in which relatives, such as the “older generation” or unmarried aunts and uncles live with the parents and their children

nuclear family

a family consisting of a husband, wife, and children

family of orientation

the family in which a person grows up

family of procreation

the family formed when a couple’s first child is born

marriage

a group’s approved mating arrangements, usually marked by a ritual of some sort

endogamy

the practice of marrying within one’s own group

exogamy

the practice of marrying outside one’s own group

incest taboo

the rule that prohibits sex and marriage among designated relatives

system of descent

how kinship is traced over the generation

bilineal descent

a system of reckoning descent that counts both the mother’s and father’s side

patrilineal system

a system of reckoning descent that counts only the father’s side

matrilineal system

a system of reckoning descent that counts only the mother’s side

matriarchy

a society in which women-as-a-group dominate men-as-a-group; authority is vested in females

egalatarian

authority more or less equally divided between people or groups, ex. husband and wife

romantic love

feelings of erotic attraction & idealization of the other

homogamy

the tendency of people with similar characteristics to marry one another

machismo

an emphasis on male strength and dominance

blended family

a family whose members were once part of other families

cohabitation

unmarried couples living together in a sexual relationship

incest

sexual relations between specified relatives, such as brothers and sisters or parents and children

credential societies

the use of diplomas and degrees to determine who is eligible for jobs, even though the diploma or degree may be irrelevant to the actual work

mandatory education laws

laws that require all children to attend school until a specific age or until they compete a minimum grade in school

cultural capital

pirivileges accompanying a social location that help someone in life; included are more highly educated parents, from grade school to high school being oushed to bring home good grades, and enjoying cultural experiences that translate into higher test scores, better jobs, and higher earnings

cultural transmission of values

the process of transmitting values from one group to another; often refers to how cultural traits are transmitted across generations; in education, the ways in which schools transmit a society’s culture, especially its core values

inclusion

helping people to become part of the mainstream of society, aka mainstreaming

social placement

a function of education-funneling people into a society’s various positions

gatekeeping

the process by which education opens and closes doors od opportunity; another term for the social placement function of education

tracking

the sorting of students into different programs on the basis of real of perceived abilities

hidden curriculum

the unwritten goals of schools, such as teaching obedience to authority and conformity to cultural norms

self-fulfilling prophecy

Robert Merton’s term for an originally false assertion that becomes true simply because it was predicted

grade inflation

hugher grades given for the same work; a general rise in student grades without a corresponding increase in learning

social promotion

passing students to the next level even though they have not mastered basic materials

functional illiteracy

refers to high school graduates who have difficulty with basic reading and math

sacred

Durkheim’s term for things set apart or forbidden that inspire fear, awe, reverence, or deep respect

profane

Durkheim’s term for common elements of everyday life

church

according to Durkheim, one of the three essential elements of religion- a moral community of believers; also refers to a large, highly organized religious group that has formal, sedate worship services with little emphasis on evangelism, intense religious experience, or personal conversion

cosmology

teachings or ideas that provide a unified picture of the world

religious experience

a sudden awareness of the supernatural experience or a feeling of coming in contact with God

born again

a term describing Christians who have undergone a religious experience so life transforming that they feel they have become new people

rituals

ceremonies or repetitive practices; in religio, observances or rites often intended to evoke a sense of awe of the sacred

modernization

the transformation of traditional societies into industrial societies

spirit of capitalism

Weber’s term for the desire to accumulate capital- not to spend it, but as an end in itself- and to constantly reinvest it

Protestant ethic

Weber’s term to describe the ideal of a self-denying, highly moral lif accompanied by thrift and hard work

cult

a new religion with few followers, whose teachings and practices put it at odds with the dominant culture and religion