Beliefs in Society - Definitions

Question 1

Beliefs

Answer 1

Beliefs are ideas about things we hold to be true

Question 2

Ideology

Answer 2

Ideology refers to a set of ideas, values and beliefs that provides a means of interpreting the world, and represents the outlook, and justifies the interests, of a social group

Question 3

Pluralism

Answer 3

Pluralism is a view that sees power in society spread among a wide range of interest groups and individuals, with no group or individual having a monopoly of power

Question 4

Pluralist ideology

Answer 4

Pluralist ideology is a set of ideas that reflect the pluralist view of the distribution of power, with no one particular ideology able to dominate others, and with the prevailing ideas in society reflecting the interests of a wide range of competing social groups and interests

Question 5

Dominant ideology

Answer 5

the dominant ideology is a set of ideas which justifies the social advantages of wealthy, powerful and influential groups in society, and justifies the disadvantages of those who lack wealth, power and influence

Question 6

Ideological state apparatuses

Answer 6

Ideological state apparatuses are agencies that spread the dominant ideology and justify the power of the dominant social class

Question 7

Hegemony

Answer 7

Hegemony refers to the dominance in society of the ruling class’s set of ideas over others, and acceptance of and consent to them by the rest of society

Question 8

Patriarchal ideology

Answer 8

Patriarchal ideology is a set of ideas that supports and justifies the power of men

Question 9

Scientism

Answer 9

Scientism is a belief system or ideology that claims science and the scientific method alone can provide true knowledge and understanding of the world, and rejects any alleged truths that cannot be explained by the scientific method

Question 10

Empirical evidence

Answer 10

Empirical evidence is observable evidence collected in the physical or social world

Question 11

Objectivity

Answer 11

Objectivity means approaching topics with an open mind, avoiding bias, and being prepared to submit research evidence to scrutiny by other researchers

Question 12

Value freedom

Answer 12

Value freedom is the idea that the beliefs and prejudices of a researcher should not influence the way research is carried out and evidence interpreted

Question 13

Paradigm

Answer 13

A paradigm is a framework of scientific laws, concepts, theories, methods and assumptions within which scientists operate, and which provide guidelines for the conduct of research and what counts as proper evidence

These are rarely called into question until the evidence against them is overwhelming

Question 14

Open belief system

Answer 14

an open belief system is one that is open to questioning, testing and falsifying by others, and may subsequently change as a result of these processes

Question 15

Closed belief system

Answer 15

A closed belief system is one that cannot be disproved, because it relies on faith or beliefs rather than empirical evidence, and rejects or explains away any evidence that challenges that belief system

Question 16

Modernity

Answer 16

Modernity refers to the period of the application of rational principles and logic to the understanding, development and organisation of human societies

Question 17

Disenchantment

Answer 17

Disenchantment refers to the process whereby the magical and mystical elements of life are eroded, as understandings of the world based on religion, faith, intuition, tradition, magic and superstition are displaced by rational argument, science and scientific explanation

Question 18

Fundamentalism

Answer 18

Fundamentalism means a return to the literal meaning of religious texts and associated behaviour

Question 19

Metanarrative

Answer 19

A metanarrative is a broad, all-embracing big theory or story providing an explanation for how the world and societies operate

Question 20

Secularisation

Answer 20

Secularisation is the process whereby religious thinking, practice and institutions lose social significance

Question 21

Disneyization

Answer 21

Disneyization or Disneyfication is the process whereby something is transformed into a diluted or simplified, trivialized and sanitised version of its original form, to create an inoffensive neutral product resembling the Disneyland theme parks

Question 22

Conservative force

Answer 22

a conservative force is one that maintains, or seeks to restore, traditional beliefs and customs and maintains the status quo (the way things are currently organised in society)

This may sometimes involve supporting social change in order to return to traditional values and ways of life that are at risk of disappearing, or have already disappeared

Question 23

Social solidarity

Answer 23

Social solidarity refers to the integration of people into society through shared values, a common culture, shared understandings and social ties that bind them together

Question 24

Value consensus

Answer 24

A value consensus is a widespread agreement around the main values of a society

Question 25

Functional prerequisites

Answer 25

Functional prerequisites are the basic needs that must be met if society is to survive

Question 26

Cultural defence

Answer 26

Cultural defence is where culture, such as religion, acts as a focal point for the defence of community identity which is seen as under threat in some way from an external force

Question 27

Cultural transition

Answer 27

Cultural transition is where groups make the transition to a new culture, for example through migration, with their own culture, as shown through such facets as religion, providing a source of identity and support during the period of transition and adaptation to the new culture

Question 28

Totem

Answer 28

A totem is a sacred object representing and having symbolic significance and importance for a group

Question 29

Collective conscience

Answer 29

The collective conscience refers to the shared beliefs and values which form moral ties binding communities together, which is necessary to maintain social order by regulating individual behaviour

Question 30

Religiosity

Answer 30

Religiosity refers to the extent of importance of religion, and religious beliefs and feelings in people’s lives

Question 31

Alienation

Answer 31

Alienation refers to the lack of power, control, fulfilment and satisfaction experienced by workers in a capitalist society, where the means of producing goods are privately owned and controlled

Question 32

Relative autonomy

Answer 32

Relative autonomy is the idea in neo-Marxist theory that social institutions, like religion, can have some independence from the interests of the dominant class

Question 33

Cultural imperialism

Answer 33

Cultural imperialism refers to the way in which Western, and especially American, cultural values are forced onto non-Western cultures, with the consequent undermining of local cultures

Question 34

Universe of meaning

Answer 34

A universe of meaning is a set of beliefs and values which enables people to give life some focus, order and meaning

Question 35

Theodicy

Answer 35

A theodicy is an explanation for the contradiction in the existence of a God who is assumed to be all-powerful and benevolent, while at the same time there is widespread suffering and evil in the world

Question 36

Marginalisation

Answer 36

Marginalisation refers to the process whereby some people are pushed to the margins or edges of society or organisations (marginality), often by poverty, lack of education, disability, discrimination and so on

Question 37

Globalisation

Answer 37

Globalisation refers to the growing interconnectedness of societies across the world, with the spread of the same culture, consumer goods and economic interests across the globe

Question 38

Typology

Answer 38

A typology is a generalisation used to classify things into groups or types according to their characteristics, which do not necessarily apply in every real-world example

Question 39

Ideal type

Answer 39

An ideal type is a model of a phenomenon, like a religious organisation, built up by identifying the essential characteristics of many factual examples of it

the purpose of an ideal type is not to produce a perfect category, but to provide a measuring rod that enables the researcher to compare particular examples and identify the extent to which they are similar to or different from the ideal type

Question 40

Religious pluralism

Answer 40

Religious pluralism refers to a situation in which there are a variety of different religions, different groups within a religious faith, and a range of beliefs of all kinds, with no one religious belief or organisation reasonably able to claim to hold a monopoly of truth or to have the support of most members of society

Question 41

Millenarianism

Answer 41

Millenarianism involved beliefs that existing society is evil, sinful or otherwise corrupt, and that supernatural or other extra-worldly forces will intervene to completely destroy existing society and create a new and perfect world order

Question 42

Theodicy of disprivilege

Answer 42

A theodicy of disprivilege is a religious explanation and justification for social inequality and social deprivation, explaining the marginalisation of believers, often used as a test of faith with the promise of compensating rewards in a future after death

Question 43

Status frustration

Answer 43

Status frustration is a sense of frustration arising in individuals or groups because they are denied status in society

Question 44

Relative deprivation

Answer 44

Relative deprivation is the sense of lacking something compared to the group with which people identify and compare themselves

Question 45

Anomie

Answer 45

Anomie refers to a sense of normlessness, confusion and uncertainty over social norms, often found in periods of rapid social change and other disruptions of the routines and traditions of everyday social life

Question 46

Stigmatized identity

Answer 46

A stigmatized identity is an identity that is in some way undesirable or demeaning, and stops an individual or group being fully accepted into society

Question 47

Islamophobia

Answer 47

Islamophobia is an irrational fear and/or hatred of or aversion to Islam, Muslims or Islamic culture

Question 48

Desacralization

Answer 48

Desacralization refers to the loss of the capacity to experience a sense of sacredness and mystery in life

Question 49

Resacralization

Answer 49

Resacralization refers to the renewal and continuing vitality of religious beliefs

Question 50

Structural differentiation

Answer 50

Structural differentiation refers to the way new, more specialised social institutions emerge to take over functions that were once performed by a single institution

Question 51

Religious market theory

Answer 51

Religious market theory, also know as rational choice or market supply theory, suggests that religious organisations are like businesses that compete in the spiritual marketplace for customers

Diversity, choice and competition between religious organisations leads to a greater variety of religion and improved quality of religious products tailored to the needs of consumers, which leads to more religious participation

Question 52

Existential security

Answer 52

Existential security is the feeling that survival is sufficiently secure for it to be taken for granted

Religious participation is highest in societies or groups with low levels of existential security, and lowest in societies with high levels of existential security

Question 53

Deterritorialisation

Answer 53

Deterritorialisation is the blurring or severance of social, political or cultural practices, like religion, from their original places and populations