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Sociology
The study of how individuals are both shaped by and shape society.
Agency
An individual's ability to act independently of the constraints of systems.
Social Structure
The framework of society, shaped by its institutions and people's positions within those institutions.
The Sociological Eye
The ability to look beneath the surface of a situation and discern social patterns.
Sociological Imagination
The ability to connect personal troubles to larger social patterns, as introduced by C. Wright Mills.
Personal Trouble
A problem that an individual experiences which has its source in the individual’s actions.
Public Issue
When many people have the same problem because of a public or social problem.
Core Commitments of Sociology
Using the sociological eye to observe social patterns and taking action against patterns of injustice.
Theory
A lens used to understand society, explaining the relationship or correlation between two or more aspects of social life.
Macro Level
Examining large-scale social structures, such as institutions.
Micro Level
Examining individual roles within institutions on a small scale.
Structural Functionalism
A macro-level theory stating that modern societies consist of interdependent parts that work together for societal good.
Social Institutions
Established structures in society such as education, family, economy, religion, health care, and media.
Manifest Functions
The intended and recognized consequences of a social structure.
Latent Functions
Unintended and often hidden consequences of a social structure.
Dysfunction
Anything that upsets the stability of society from a structural functionalist perspective.
Conflict Perspective
Founded by Karl Marx, it views society as composed of groups competing for power and resources.
Power Elite
A small group at the top of society that holds the most power.
Means of Production
The tools and resources used to produce goods and services.
Bourgeoisie
The class that owns the means of production.
Proletariat
The working class that sells their labor for wages.
Alienation
Disconnection from productivity, the product of labor, one's potential, and from other members of the proletariat.
False Consciousness
A lack of understanding of one's own social position and inequality.
Symbolic Interactionism
A micro-level perspective focusing on how individual meaning is constructed through socialization.
Cooley’s Looking-Glass Self
A term describing the process by which individuals form their self-concept based on how others perceive and judge them.
Goffman’s Dramaturgical Approach
An analogy where life is seen as a play, with individuals performing their roles in different contexts.
Research Process
A systematic method of inquiry involving question development, hypothesis, research design, data collection, analysis, and reporting.
Basic Research
Conducted to expand knowledge, primarily for academic audiences.
Applied Research
Conducted to solve specific problems with practical outcomes for affected individuals and decision-makers.
Quantitative Research
Collects numerical data, useful for measuring social phenomena and identifying patterns.
Qualitative Research
Focused on gathering non-numeric data, useful for understanding meanings and experiences.
Reliability
The consistency and stability of research findings.
Validity
The accuracy of research results.
Cultural Conformity
The alignment of individuals' values, beliefs, and behaviors with the dominant culture.
Assimilation
The process by which individuals adopt the cultural traits of another group.
Cultural Appropriation
When members of a dominant culture adopt elements of a minority culture in a disrespectful or exploitative way.
Ethnocentrism
The belief that one's own culture is superior to others.
Cultural Relativism
Judging a culture by its own standards without ranking cultures.
Cultural Capital
Non-economic social assets contributing to success, including cultural knowledge and education.
Culture as a Toolkit
The idea that culture provides a set of tools people use in daily life.
