8.1 Flashcards
society
Culture + locality
group of people who share a culture, and live interact with each other within a definable area
functionalism
sociology - society as LIVING organism with different parts and organs
Durkheim -> dynamic equilibrium
Manifest versus latest function
intended versus unintended/less recognizable consequences of a structure
conflict theory
inequality in resources, people compete for social, political, and material resources (money, land, power, leisure)
Marx
fails to explain…
- non-forceful ways in which groups reach agreement
- focuses too much on people who lack power
- explains conflict only through economic factors
symbolic interactionism
MICRO
individuals society
COMMUNICATION, exchange of information through language/symbols
ex. dress codes, bike lanes
individuals actively change society, rather than acted upon
subjective meanings of objects, events, and behaviors
human interpretation constructs society
- MEANING is ascribed to things
- LANGUAGE allows humans to generate meaning through social interaction
- meanings are modified through THOUGHT processes
dramaturgical approach
people in society choose what kind of image they want to communicate verbally and nonverbally to others
social constructionism
reality is shaped by social interactions
construction means NOT reality, NOT inherent
ex. marriage, money
social institutions
roles, norms, values organized into a stable form that contributes to social order by governing the behavior of people - provides predictability, organization for people -> mediates social behavior
ex. education, family, religions, government, health care systems
social institutions
family, education, organized religion, government, economy, medicine
culture
shared way of life: beliefs and practices
symbolic culture
symbols that convey meaning and recognized by people of the same culture
material culture
physical objects particular to a culture
demography
study of human population dynamics (size, structure, distribution of populations) - birth, death, and migration
residential segregation
separation of groups into different neighborhoods (race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status)
environmental injustice
poor people suffer from negative environmental impacts to health and well-being
social stratification
categorization by race, education, wealth, and income
meritocracy
is never perfect (merit, personal effort, establishes social standing)
social reproduction
structures and activities in place in a society that serve to transmit and reinforce social inequality
cultural capity
non-financial social assets that promote social mobility and social capital, social networks allow for upward social mobility
global stratification
wealth, economic stability, power of various countries
absolute poverty
inability to meet bare minimum of basic necessities (water, food, safe housing, health care)
Gumplowicz
society shaped by WAR and CONQUEST, certain groups become dominant over others
Weber
expanded on Marx, inequalities include political power and social status
decreased class conflict when, 1. agreement with authority figures, 2. high rates of social mobility, 3. low rates of class difference
rational choice theory
decisions driven by rational choice
greatest reward, lowest cost
social exchange theory
assign punishments (costs) and rewards (benefits) to interactions and relationships, we prefer those with the greatest personal benefits – not necessarily economic (hug, smile, frown)
involve an exchange of resources
Minimal costs, maximum benefits
Profit from interaction = rewards of interaction - punishments of the interaction
theoretical approaches of society (DRAW TABLE - p. 288)
DRAW
kinship
extended family, community
bilateral descent - maternal and paternal relations
preference: patrilineal, matrilineal
how governments derive their powers
- rational-legal -> legal rules and regulations stipulated in documents
- traditional authority -> custom, tradition, accepted practice
- charismatic authority -> MLK
aristarchic government
small group of people with decision-making powers
does NOT involve the public
ex. aristocracies, meritocracies
autocratic
single person, or selectively small group, with absolute decision-making power
dictatorships, fascist
4 categories of economic structures
- command (planned) - means of production are state-owned
- market - supply and demand, MoP are private (ex. laissez-faire, free market economies)
- mixed - blend of command and market (public and private ownership) - US
- traditional - social customs - bartering and trading
Durkheim’s two forms of social solidarity (economic approach)
mechanical solidarity -> common beliefs lead to people having fundamental experience. COLLECTIVE CONSCIENCE, shared beliefs, morals, and values. (Agricultural societies)
Organic solidarity -> division of labor, each person has a different personal experience
medical model
physical factors lead to disease – criminality, drug addition, depression
social model of disease
one’s social class, employment status, neighborhood, exposure to environmental toxins, diet, and other factors affect health
PROXIMATE CAUSE
sick role
= deviance
Talcott Parsons
the sick person must seek medical care and make a sincere attempt to get well
sapir-whorf hypothesis
we define the world through language, which shapes how we experience the world
cultural diffusion/imperialism
social ideas and religious traditions transfering
sociocultural evolution
questions how human minds have evolved for us to succeed as beings with natural social tendencies
positive and preventative checks
in Malthusianism, positive checks raise the death rate (plague, disasters, hunger), and preventative check lower the birth rate (means of sustenance are limited)
race and ethnicity
race - genetic origin
ethnicity - socially defined concept based on social experience or ancestry
both race and ethnicities are SOCIAL CONSTRUCTS (p. 312)
demographic interest
dominant groups (not necessarily a majority) age, gender, race, ethnicity, SO, immigration status disability, socioeconomic characteristics
racial formation perspective
Michael Omi and Howard Winat
race is not genetic but constructed through economic, political and social forces, which ascribe social meanings to these categories
race is socially learned
racialization -> ascribing racial or ethnic identities (perceived or real) to groups
false consciousness
when members of proletariat don’t recognize the state of class relations under capitalism -> overly strong belief in meritocracy and economic rationality
social reproduction
structure and activities that serve to transmit and reinforce social inequality
cultural capital
social capital
cultural capital
non-financial social assets that promote social mobility (e.g. education)
social capital
social network allows for social mobility
but also can reinforce inequalities
priviledge
an unearned benefit
intersectionality
traits cannot be assessed in isolation
3 Ds
dirty, dangerous, difficult
