Sociology Key Terms: Culture, Power, and Social Processes

acculturation

The process of contacts between different cultures and also the outcome

of such contacts.

agent of

socialisation

A person or institution that shapes an individual's social development.

authority

Linked to power and the right to make decisions and to determine,

adjudicate or settle issues and disputes in society.

case study

The case study method involves the collection of data related to an

individual or small group through one or more research methods

commercialisation

The process of adding value to an idea, product or commodity with the aim

of selling it and making a profit.

commodification

A social process by which an item is turned into a commodity in readiness

to be traded.

commodity

A marketable item or consumer object that can be supplied because there

is a demand and that can be purchased through economic exchange.

conformity

When individuals behave in certain ways as a result of group pressure,

whether real or imagined.

content analysis

Used to investigate and interpret the content of the mass media and historical documents in order to discover how particular issues are (or were) presented.

continuity

The persistence or consistent existence of cultural elements in a society

across time.

cultural diversity

Appears as a society becomes larger and more complex, immigrant groups join the dominant culture, and subcultures form within the society.

cultural heritage

The practices, traditions, customs and knowledge that define who we are

socially and personally.

cultural relativism

The idea that concepts are socially constructed and vary across cultures.

cultural

transmission

The transmission of culture - such as traditions, values, language, symbols, cultural traits, beliefs and normative behaviour - across and between generations in society.

customs

Established ways of acting or cultural practices that are unique to groups in society.

focus group

A research method used to collect data from an in-depth planned discussion of a defined topic held by a small group of people brought together by a moderator.

hybrid society

A society that comprises a range of social and cultural influences and

components, rather than having a homogenous identity.

institutional power

The power that exists in institutions and how it is used to control aspects

of society.

institutions

The structural components of a society through which its main concerns and activities are organised - for example, the church, the law, the government and the family.

modernisation

A process of dynamic social change resulting from the diffusion and

adoption of the characteristics of apparently more advanced societies

by other societies that are apparently less advanced.

power

The ability or capacity to influence or persuade others to a point of view

or action to which they would not normally agree.

prejudice

The attitude, usually negative, that involves pre-judgments or preconceived ideas, negative feelings and stereotyped beliefs held towards a whole group or its individual members.

social cognition

The encoding, storage, retrieval and processing of information in an individual's mind.

social construct

A socially created aspect of social life. Social constructionists argue that society is actively and creatively produced by human beings rather than being merely given or taken for granted.

westernisation

A social process where the values, customs and practices of Western

industrial capitalism are adopted to form the basis of cultural change.

Globalisation

A process of integration and the sharing of goods, capital, services,

knowledge, leisure, sport, ideas and culture between countries.