anthropology

The scientific study of humans, including their origins’ behaviour; and physical. Social and cultural development

Cognitive consistency

The tendency of individuals to seek out stimuli that are consistent with their beliefs and attitudes and to limit exposure to those are inconsistent.

Cognitive dissonance

The state of having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes

Collectivist society

A society in which individuals are dependent on the group, and personal needs are secondary to group needs

Command class

Those who have authority in society

Confirmation bias

The tendency among people to favour information that confirms their beliefs and preconceptions about an issue regardless of  the validity of the information

diffusion

The spread of a cultural trait from one society to another through social contact

ethnocentrism

The belief that one’s own culture, nation, or ethnic group is superior to all others

hypothesis

A tentative assumption made from know facts as the basis for investigation

Individualist society

A society that values autonomy, freedom, and competition, as well as personal rights and freedoms

Intercultural contact

Exchanges between different cultures

macrosociology

A sociological approach that analyzes social systems on a larger scale

microsociology

The study of small groups and individuals within a society

norms

Expectations of appropriate conduct that serve as the basis of all social interactions

Obey class

Those without authority in society

Participant observation

The careful watching of a group; in some cases living in their culture

psychology

The scientific study of the human mind, mental states, and human behaviour

Qualitative data

Subjective information expressed in words or actions

Quantitative data

Information that is measured numerically

Social change

Transformations in the beliefs, social interactions, practices, organization, and structures of society

Social dynamics

The factors that determine social change

Social paradigm shift

When a new set of ideals, beliefs, and values become strong enough to affect and change the way individuals see and perceive reality

Social statics

The requirements necessary to maintain and achieve social order

sociology

The scientific study of human social behaviour, including individuals, groups, and societies

Status quo

The general state of affairs or condition of a group, culture, or society

conscious mind

The active and awake mind –decisions are thought about and made here

Unconscious mind

The active and awake mind –decisions are thought about and made here

The Id

A part of the mind that seeks to meet basic physical needs and desires (food, sex, sleep, etc.)

The Superego

A part of the mind that seeks to meet our most ideal standards, such as morality, social acceptability, etc

The Ego

A part of the mind which acts as the balance between Id and Super Ego

Neurotic

A state of mental disorder, usually the result of an unresolved conflict/issue from earlier in life (childhood)

Stimulus/Response

An event that stimulates sense(s) and the response that follows

Institution

Organizations or establishments in society

Hierarchy

Ranking, sometimes connected with power or preference

Role

A position in society that comes with a perceived status and a set of values/expectations

Role Conflict

Experiencing opposing or conflicting demands of two or more roles

Values

A set of rules or ideals that tell us what is good/bad, desirable/undesirable

Deviance

Behaviour that is not considered “normal”

Dysfunctional

Not/Not completely functioning

Assimilationist

The practice or ideology of assimilation -the absorption of minorities by majorities

School of thought

a particular way of thinking, typically one disputed by the speaker

Institution

a society or organization founded for a religious, educational, social, or similar purpose

Binary Opposite

pair of related terms or concepts that are opposite in meaning

Materialism

a tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important than spiritual values

Determinism

the doctrine that all events, including human action, are ultimately determined by causes external to the will. Some philosophers have taken determinism to imply that individual human beings have no free will and cannot be held morally responsible for their actions.

Infrastructure

the basic physical and organizational structures and facilities (e.g. buildings, roads, power supplies) needed for the operation of a society or enterprise