Sociology ch 4

Society

Society

People who interact in a defined territory and share a culture

Sociocultural evolution

Refers to lenski’s term for the changes that occur as a society gains new technology

Hunting and gathering

Refers to the use of simple tools to hunt animals and gather vegetation

Pastoralism

Refers to the domestication of animals

agriculture

Large scale cultivation using plows harnessed to animals or more powerful energy sources

Industrialism

Refers to the production of goods using advanced sources of energy to drive large machinery

Postindustrial

A technical that supports an information based economy

Social conflict

The struggle between of societies over valued resoirces

Capitalist

People who own and operate factories and other businesses and other businesses in pursuit of profits

Proletarian

People who sell their labor for wages

Social institutions

the major spheres of social life, or societal subsystems, organized to meet human needs

False consciousness

Marx’s term for explanations of social problems as shortcomings of individuals rather than as the flaws of societies

Class conflict

Conflict between entire classes over the distribution of a societies wealth and power

Class consciousness

Marx’s term for workers recognition of themselves as a class unified by opposition to capitalists and ultimately to capitalism

Alienation

The experience of isolation and misery resulting from powerlessness

Ideal type

An abstract statement of the essential characteristics of any social phenomenon

Tradition

Values and beliefs passed from generation to generation

Alienation

The experience of isolation and misery resulting from powerlessness

Alienation from the act of working

Workers have no say in production; work is tedious and repetitive

Alienation from the products of work

Workers have no ownership in the product that is sold for profit

Alienation from other workers

Work is competitive rather than cooperative

Alienation from human potential

Workers deny, not fulfill themselves in their work

Socialism

A system of production that could provide for the social needs of all

Rationalization of society

The historical change from tradition to rationality as thr main type of human thought

Gerhard Lenski

Society and technology: sociocultural evolution explores how technological advances change societies

Karl Marx

Society and conflict: materialist approach claims that societies are defined by their economic systems. Traced social classes from “ancient” societies to modern day. Industrial capitalism alienates workers, believed once workers overcame their false consciousness, they would overthrow the industrial capitalist system

Max Weber

The rationalization of society: idealist approach claims that ideas have a powerful effect on society. Contrasted the tradition of preindustrial societies with the rationality of modern, industrial societies. Traced the origins of capitalism to Calvinist beliefs

society and function, explained that society has an objective existence apart from individuals. Elements, like crimes, have functions that help society operate. Societies require solidarity, which is based on moral likeness; modern societies depends on organic solidarity which is based on specialization

Emile Durkheim

Anomie

A condition in which society provides little moral guidance to individuals

Mechanical solidarity

Social bonds based on common sentiment and shared more values that are common among members of preindustrial societies

Organic solidarity

Social bonds based on specialization and interdependence that are strong within industrial societies

Division of labor

Specialization of economic activity

Rationality

Deliberate, matter of fact calculation of the most efficient means to accomplish a specific task