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Sociology > Basics- Sociological Theories > Flashcards

Basics- Sociological Theories Flashcards

1
Q

What does functionalism say?

A

The individual is the product of society

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2
Q

What does Durkheim say?

A

Society is made up of various institutions and each has a useful function

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3
Q

What kind of theory is functionalism?

A

A structural theory as they look at how society is structured

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4
Q

What do functionalists look at?

A

How institutions in society work and how they affect individuals

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5
Q

What are some examples of social institutions and their functions?

A
  • The family- function of socialising children
  • Education- function of preparing young people for adult society
  • Religion- function of uniting society through shared beliefs
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6
Q

Why are the social institutions structured as the are?

A

They allow society to run as smoothly as possible

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7
Q

How do interactionists (interpretivists) criticise functionalists?

A

Functionalists don’t focus enough on the individual

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8
Q

How do Marxists criticise functionalists?

A

Functionalism ignores the unequal power of some groups, society is structured to serve the interests of the rich rather than to keep society ticking along as smoothly as possible

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9
Q

What does Marxism say?

A

The individual is the product of economic forces

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10
Q

What does Marx focus on?

A

The effects of capitalism, society’s economic system (infrastructure) influences its non-economic institutions (superstructure) which determines society’s beliefs and values

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11
Q

What do Marxists believe is the most important force in society?

A

Class conflict

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12
Q

Why are workers employed in capitalist societies?

A

To produce goods which are sold by their employers at a profit and most of this money is kept by the employer, only some of this money ends up in the workers’ wages

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13
Q

What would happen if workers were to notice the unfairness of the system?

A

They would revolt

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14
Q

How does capitalism avoid revolution?

A

Shapes the superstructure to make sure workers accept their lot in life

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15
Q

What do social institutions (family, education, religion) do according to Marxists?

A

Lead individual into accepting the inequalities of capitalism

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16
Q

What are the 2 social classes that Marx believes that society is divided into?

A

Bourgeoisie and proletariat

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17
Q

What is the bourgeoisie?

A

Ruling class, minority with all the money and power

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18
Q

What is the proletariat?

A

Working class, majority with little or no power

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19
Q

What is neo-Marxism?

A
  • 20th century version of Marxism
  • Developed to be more relevant to the modern world
  • Focus on ideology
  • Study how ideology is communicated and enforced by the ruling class to maintain power
20
Q

What is ideology?

A

A set of ideas and beliefs about how things should be

21
Q

What do feminists say?

A

Women are oppressed by men

22
Q

What do feminists believe?

A

Society is patriarchal and there are many inequalities in society based on gender

23
Q

What are the different strands of feminism?

A

Liberal feminism, radical feminism and Marxist feminism

24
Q

What do liberal feminists want?

A

Equal rights and opportunities for women

25
Q

What do liberal feminists believe?

A

Introducing more opportunities for women into the existing structures of society is the best way to bring about equality

26
Q

What do radical feminists believe?

A
  • Society is structured to oppress women and society itself needs to change
  • There is an imbalance of power in all relationships and all women are always expected to be subservient to all men
27
Q

What do Marxist feminists believe?

A

Women are exploited by capitalist societies which are run by men

28
Q

How do radical feminists criticise liberal feminists?

A

They don’t acknowledge that all relationships are patriarchal and not just institutions

29
Q

What do interactionists say?

A

Individual actions are most important

30
Q

What do action theories say?

A
  • Society is actually determined by the behaviour and interaction of individuals
  • They emphasise the action of individuals
31
Q

What do interactionist theories say?

A

All individuals interpret society around them and culture comes from people’s own ideas of how people interact with each other

32
Q

How do interactionists suggest that structures aren’t important?

A
  • Each of us respond to social structures in our own way
  • We have free will and make choices
  • Results of individual choice can be large-scale social change
33
Q

What does Gershuny’s interactionist analysis of gender roles in the home?

A
  • Some women decided they wanted to work outside the home (individual choice)
  • Male partners took on more childcare and housework, became acceptable for men to adopt ‘feminine’ roles in the family (large-scale social change)
34
Q

How do Marxists criticise interactionists?

A

Interactionists don’t pay enough attention to conflict or the fact that some social groups are more powerful than others

35
Q

How do functionalists criticise interactionists?

A

They don’t acknowledge the importance of the socialisation process

36
Q

How is the New Right similar to functionalism?

A
  • Consensus structuralism
  • Society needs values and institutions to maintain social order
37
Q

What do New Right theorists focus on?

A

Family, education, welfare

38
Q

What do New Right theorists say is the most important social institution?

A

The nuclear family, traditional roles within the nuclear family are crucial to maintain social order

39
Q

What does Murray say?

A

Traditional family is under threat which has led to a decline in moral standards and the breakdown of society

40
Q

How do feminists disagree with the New Right?

A

The ideas of traditional roles in the family are oppressive to women and reinforce a patriarchal society

41
Q

What is modernism?

A
  • A period of industrialisation and urbanisation that began with the Industrial Revolution when rational and scientific thinking was valued
  • Theories include Marxism and functionalism
  • Also known as ‘metanarratives’ (big, all-encompassing stories that explain why things are as they are)
42
Q

What do postmodernists say?

A
  • Society has moved on from modernism
  • No longer ordered and structured in the same way
  • Society is a lot more flexible
  • Increased globalisation
43
Q

How do functionalists disagree with postmodernists?

A

Postmodernism ignores the role of institutions

44
Q

How do interactionists disagree with postmodernists?

A

Postmodernism ignores how individual interact

45
Q

How do Marxists disagree with postmodernists?

A

Postmodernism ignores all inequalities

Sociology (43 decks)

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