Sociology Final Review Flashcards

Flashcards for Sociology Final Review

Sociological Imagination/Perspective

Understanding human behavior by placing it within its broader social context

Functionalist Theory

Sociologists who employ this perspective view society as a set of interrelated parts that work together to produce a stable social system

Conflict Theory

A theoretical framework in which society is viewed as composed of groups that are competing for scarce resources “haves vs have nots”

Symbolic Interaction

A theoretical perspective that focuses on how people develop and use symbols to establish meaning, develop their views of the world, and communicate with one another

Social Darwinism (Herbert Spencer)

Belief that societies evolve from lower (barbaric) to higher (civilized) forms and that the “fittest” societies survive over time.

Positivism (Auguste Comte)

Using scientific methods to study society.

Social Integration (Emile Durkheim)

The degree to which people are tied to their social groups

Karl Marx contribution to sociology

Class struggle and the impacts of capitalism

Verstehen (Max Weber)

A deep understanding of social behavior from the perspective of those engaging in it

Norms

Rules of behavior

Folkways

Norms that are not strictly enforced

Mores

Norms that are strictly enforced because they are thought essential to core values or the well-being of the group

Law

A norm written into law with punishments specified

Taboo

A norm so strong that it brings extreme sanctions, even revulsion, if violated

Sanctions

Expressions of approval or disapproval given to people for upholding or violating norms

Positive Sanctions

Rewards or positive reactions for following norms, ranging from a smile to a prize

Negative Sanctions

An expression of disapproval for breaking a norm, ranging from a mild rebuke to expulsion or death

Subculture

A group whose values and related behaviors distinguish its members from the general culture

Counterculture

A group whose values, beliefs, norms, and related behaviors place its members in opposition to the broader culture

Ethnocentrism

The use of one’s own culture as a yardstick for judging the ways of other individuals or societies, generally leading to a negative evaluation of their values, norms, and behaviors

Material Culture

The material objects that distinguish a group of people, such as their art, buildings, weapons, utensils, machines, hairstyles, clothing, and jewelry

Nonmaterial Culture

A group’s ways of thinking (its beliefs, values, and other assumptions about the world) and doing (its common patterns of behavior, including language and other forms of interaction)

Cultural Relativism

Not judging a culture but trying to understand it on its own terms

Caste system

A closed system of stratification where a person’s status is determined at birth and cannot be changed

Bourgeoisie

Owners of capital or the means of production

Income

The money received from work, investments, or government aid.

Wealth

The total value of everything a person owns, minus debts.

Power

The ability to influence or control others

Prestige

The respect or admiration that a person or position receives in society

Horizontal Mobility

A change in job or position without changing your class

Vertical Mobility

Moving up or down the social class ladder

Intergenerational Mobility

A change in social class between generations

Downward Mobility

Falling down the social class ladder due to job loss, illness, or financial crisis.

Scientific Method

A method of procedure that consists in systematic observation, measurement, and experiment, and the formulation, testing, and modification of hypotheses.