Sociology 1.1

Key terms

Primary and Secondary identity

Primary and Secondary identity

Primary identity is our sense of self. Secondary identity consists of the roles we play in society

Gender identity

How we think of ourselves and how others think of us in terms of our gender. E.g boy or girl. Gender is a social construct.

Ethnic identity

A cultural position in society.

Religious Identity

Identity people associate with their religious following. E.g wearing religious clothing

National identity

The identity people associate with the geograhical location they live in. E.g speaking your language.

Primary Socialisation

Where norms and values are learnt through the family. E.g Parents teach their children to eat with a knife and fark.

Secondary socialisation

Where norms and values are learnt through secondary agencies. E.g education, peers, media

Informal socialisation

What a person learns about their culture, norms and values as they go about their daily life. For example, waiting in a que.

Formal Socialisation

When people deliberately set out or change how others behave. For example, the government put in new laws to protect the public during COVID-19.

Norms

Expected behaviours of a culture. For example, eating with a knife and fork

Values

Basic rules shared by most people in culture. They reflect what should happen in society. E.g freedom of speech

Mores

Ways of behaving that are seen as good. E.g not stealing

Deviance

Is the breaking of a norm in society. E.g calling someone a name

Subculture

A group of people with their own norms and values, they are considered deviant.

Cultural diversity

A term used to describe the differences between different cultures. In Britain people eat fish and chips, in America they eat fast fried food

Cultural universal

Social behaviours that can be found in all cultures

Cultural relativity

What is considered acceptable in one culture may not be viewed the same in another culture

Nurture

refers to how one person has been socialised into the norms and values of society starting with primary socialisation. it is the idea that behaviour is taught to us

Nature

refers to how someone is based off their biological characteristics. E.g genetics

Social control

The regulations, sanctions, mechanisms and systems that restrict the behaviour of individuals in accordance with social norms and values within a culture

Formal social control

Is exerted by the government, religion, mass media. These agencies put formal laws and sanctions in place to make sure people stick to the norms and values of society.

Informal social control

Methods used by society to put pressure on an individual to behave a certain way. E.g friends, family, school

Sanctions

Positive and negative consequences of behaviour

Formal sanctions

Official consequences from agencies like the government, police. E.g going to prison

Informal sanctions

positive and negative consequences of behaviour. E.g being grounded

Identity

Who you are and how others see you. E.g gender identity

Roles

The part you play in society. E.g a nurse or teacher

Status

Your position in society. E.g achieved status

Ascribed status

Refers to the social status of a person that is assigned at birth or assumed later in life. E.g mother or daughter

Achieved status

Refers to the status someone achieves. E.g teacher

Role model

Someone others look up to. E.g teacher

How is gender identity learnt through the family

Ann Oakley (1972) describes gender role socialisation through:

• manipulation - parents manipulate children into masculine and feminine behaviours

• canalisation - gendered activities e.g toys

• language - good girl, naughty boy

• activities- girl helps mum with washing

Ethnicity

A group of people who identify with eachother based on perceived shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. These attributes can include people of common language, culture, traditions. E.g Welsh.

Social Class

refers to people economic, social, cultuural position in society. E.g the UK has 7 social classes

Social mobility

The movement of individuals, families, hosueholds or other categories of people within or between social status in a society. E.g someone might move up the class system through education

Social stratification

Refers to societys categorisation of its people based on socioeconomic factors like wealth, race, income, education, ethnicity, gender, or derived power.

Meritocracy

The functionalist perspective that everyone has an equal opportunity to achieve in society if they work hard enough

Old boys network

An informal system through whihc men are thought to use their positions of influence to help others who went o the same school or university as they did, or share a similar social background