Behavioral Sciences Chapter 11: Social structure and Demographics Flashcards
Functionalism
focuses on the function of each component of society and how those components fit together
Manifest functions
deliberate actions that serve to help a given system
Latent functions
unexpected, unintended or unrecognized positive consequences of manifest functions.
Conflict theory
Focuses on how power differentials are created and how these differentials contribute to the maintenance of social order.
Symbolic interactionism
The study of ways individuals interact through a shared understanding of words, gestures and other symbols.
Social constructionism
explores the ways in which individuals and groups make decisions to agree upon a given social reality
Social institutions
well-established social structures that dictate certain patterns of behavior or relationships and are accepted as a fundamental part of culture. Common include the family, education system, religion, government, economy, health and medicine
What are the four key ethical tenets of American medicine?
Beneficence = acting in the patients best interest
Nonmaleficence = avoiding treatments for which risk is larger than benefit.
Respect for autonomy = refers to respecting patients’ rights to make decisions about their own healthcare
Justice = refers to treating similar patients similarly and distributing healthcare resources fairly
Culture
encompasses the lifestyle of a group of people and includes both material and symbolic elements.
Material culture
includes the physical items one associates with a given group, such as artwork, emblems, clothing, jewelry, food, buildings and tools
Symbolic culture
includes the ideas associated with a cultural group
cultural barrier
social difference that impedes interaction.
Language
consists of spoken or written symbols combined into a system governed by rules.
Value
what a person deems important in life.
Belief
something a person considers to be true
ritual
formalized ceremonial behavior in which members of a group or community regularly engage. It is governed by specific rules, including appropriate behavior and a predetermined order of events
Norms
societal rules that define the boundaries of acceptable behavior
Culture and evolution
There is evidence that culture flows from evolutionary principles and that culture can also influence evolution.
Demographics
refer to the statistics of populations and are the mathematical applications of sociology. One can analyze hundreds of demographic variables.
Ageism
prejudice or discrimination on the basis of a person’s age.
Gender
the set of behavioral, cultural or psychological traits typically associated with a biological sex.
Gender inequality
The intentional or unintentional empowerment of one gender to the detriment of another
ethnicity
also a social construct that sorts people by cultural factors, including language, nationality, religion and other factors
symbolic ethnicity
recognition of an ethnic identity that is only relevant on special occasions or in specific circumstances and does not specifically impact everyday life.
