Urban Missions Vocabulary Review

These flashcards encompass key vocabulary and concepts related to urban missions and sociological terms, aiding in study and comprehension for the upcoming exam.

Acculturation

The voluntary adoption of the norms, values, and lifestyle of the dominant culture.

Agnosticism

A belief that does not deny or affirm the existence of a god.

Atheism

The belief that God does not exist.

Ascribed status

The status that comes to an individual through birth or through a condition over which he/she has no control.

Assimilation

The process of absorption into the dominant culture.

Behaviorism

A theory that argues that pattern behavior is not biologically determined, but learned.

Bureaucracy

A formal organization with clear objectives and a hierarchy of administrators who possess the power to achieve organizational goals.

Civil rights

Rights that ensure citizens are protected from harm by other citizens and from the government itself.

Capitalism

An economic system founded by Adam Smith that is characterized by private property, profit, and competition.

Class

A stratification system in which members of a society are hierarchically ranked according to money, education, race, etc.

Cultural diversity

The differences found among cultures.

Cultural universals

Concepts referring to social structures and events that seem to be shared across cultures.

Demography

The study of human populations.

Democratic leadership

A leader that seeks the advice and input from members of the group.

Discrimination

When an individual acts upon his/her prejudice by denying rights and benefits to others.

Ethnicity

A group of people who share a common cultural heritage such as language, geographic origins, and religion.

Ethnocentrism

A belief that one’s own culture is superior to that of others.

Feminist

One who advocates social and economic equality for women.

Folkways

Customary norms of a society that do not result in moral or legal action.

Gender roles

Sex roles that are learned and reinforced through associated behaviors and attitudes.

Labeling

The identification or stereotyping of individuals or groups in a negative light.

Matriarchy

A stratification system favoring women.

Minority group

Groups singled out by the dominant or more powerful members of society for differential treatment.

Monarchy

A government in which power is passed down from generation to generation based on family lineage.

Mores

Strongly held beliefs about acceptable behavior, often tied to religious beliefs.

Norms

The rules of society that prescribe how its members are to behave in given situations.

Patriarchy

A stratification system favoring men.

Political rights

Rights that guarantee citizens the opportunity to participate in the political process.

Racism

A term describing prejudice and discrimination based on the belief that people are divided into distinct groups.

Role

A set of expected behaviors attached to a status.

Social Stratification

The ranking of individuals in a hierarchy based on the distribution of economic resources, social statuses, and power.

Social structure

How society is organized and constructed.

Sociology

The scientific and systematic study of society and social interaction.

Society

A self-contained group of humans who share a common territory and have organized themselves for survival.

Stereotyping

A process whereby a trait, usually negative, is generalized to all members of a particular group.

Subculture

A group that identifies with a substantial portion of the dominant culture but holds distinct values and beliefs.

Taboos

Mores that refer to forbidden or unthinkable behavior.

Values

A common set of beliefs about what is right and wrong.

White collar crimes

Crimes committed by professionals and other white-collar workers.

Urbanization

The growth and population of urban areas.

Urbanism

The social and cultural patterns of cities.