Book1 Flashcards
Social Institutions
The various organized social arrangements which are found in all societies
Social structure
The social institutions and social relationships that form the ‘building blocks’ of society
Socialization
The lifelong process of learning the culture of any society
Culture
The language, beliefs, values and norms, customs, dress, diet, roles knowledge and skills which make up the ‘way of life’ of any society
Identity
How individuals see and define themselves and how other people see and define them
Roles
The patterns of behavior which are expected from individuals in society
Role Models
People’s patterns of behaviour which others copy and model their own behaviour on
Role Conflict
The conflict between the successful performance of two or more roles at the same time, such as those of a worker, mother and student
Values
General beliefs about what is right or wrong, and about the important standards which are worth maintaining and achieving in any society or social group
Laws
Official legal rules
Norms
Social rules which define the correct and acceptable behaviour in a society or social group to which people are expected to confrom
Customs
Norms which have lasted for a long time and have become part of a society’s traditions
Social Control
The term given to the various methods used to persuade or force individuals to conform to the dominant social norms and values of a society
Deviance
The failure to conform to social norms
Sanctions
The rewards and punishments by which social control is achieved and conformity to norms and values enforced.
Positive sanctions
Rewards of various kinds
Negative sanctions
Various types of punishment
Social class
A group of people who share a similar economic situation, such as a similar occupational level, income and ownership of wealth.
Social mobility
The movement of groups of individuals up or down the social hierarchy, from one social class to another
Status
Sometimes refers to the role position someone occupies in society, but ore commonly refers to the amount of prestige or social importance a person has in the eyes of other members of a group or society
Ascribed status
the status given by birth or family background, which, in general, cannot be changed by individuals
Achieved status
A status that is achieved by an individual’s own efforts or talents
Structuralism
a perspective which is concerned with the overall structure of society, and sees individual behaviour moulded by social institutions like the family, the education system, the mass media and work
Macro Approach
Focuses on the large-scale structure of society as a whole, rather than on individuals
Functionalism
A sociological perspective which sees society as made up of parts that work together to maintain society as an integrated whole. Society is seen as fundamentally harmonious and stable, because of the agreement on basic values (value consensus) established through socialization.
Functional prerequisites
The basic needs that must be met if society is to survive
Value consensus
a general agreement around the main values and norms of any society
Marxism
A structural theory of society which sees society divided by conflict between two main opposing social classes, due to private ownership of the means of production: the key resources necessary for producing society’s goods, such as land, factories and machinery.
Means of production
The key resources necessary for producing society’s goods, such as land, factories and machinery
Relations of production
The forms of relationship between those people involved in production, such as cooperation or private ownership and control
Ideology
A set of ideas, values and beliefs that represents the outlook, and justifies the interests, of a social group
Surplus value
The extra value added by workers to the products they produce, after allowing for the payment of their wages, and which goes to the employer in the form of profit
Class conflict
The conflict that arises between different social classes. It is generally used to describe the conflict between the bourgeoisie and proletariat in Marxist views of society
The ruling class
The social class of owners of the means of production, whose control over the economy gives them power over all aspects of society, enabling them to rule over society
The dominant ideology
The set of ideas and beliefs of the most powerful groups in society, which influences the ideas of the rest of society
Ruling class ideology
The set of ideas of the ruling class
False consciousness
A failure by members of a social class to recognize their real interests
Class consciousness
is an awareness in members of a social class of their real interests
Social Action theories or interprevist approaches
Perspectives which emphasize the creative action which people can take, rather than seeing them as simply passive victims of social forces outside them. Social action theory suggests it is important to understand the motives and meanings people give to their behaviour, and how this is influenced by the behaviour and interpretations of others. The focus of research is therefore on individuals or small groups rather than on society as a whole
Determinism
The idea that people’s behaviour is moulded by their social surroundings, and that they have little free will, control or choice over they they behave.
Micro-approach
Focuses on small groups or individuals, rather than on the structure of society as a whole.
Symbolic interactionalism
A sociological perspective which is concerned with understanding human behaviour in face- to- face situations and how individuals come to be defined in particular ways through their encounters with other people
Labelling
Defining a person or group in a certain way - as a particular ‘type’ of person or group
Structuration
An approach between structuralism and social action theory. It suggests that while people are constrained by social institutions, they also have a choice and can at the same time take action to support or change those institutions
Feminsim
A view that examines the world from the point of view of women, who are seen as disadvantaged, with their interests ignored or devalued in society
Marxist Feminism
Feminism that takes a Marxist approach to the study of women and women’s interests and emphasizes the way in which women are doubly exploited - both as workers and as women
Radical feminism
Focuses on the problem of men and male domination under patriarchy
Patriarchy
The system whereby males dominate in every area of society
Liberal Feminism
Focuses on measures to ensure that women have equal opportunities with men within the present system
The New Right approach
Stresses individual freedom and self-help and self-reliance, reduction of the power and spending of the state, the free market and free competition between private companies, schools and other institutions, and the importance of traditional institutions and values
Postmodernism
An approach that stresses that society is changing so rapidly and constantly that is is marked by chaos, uncertainty and risk, and is fragmented into many different groups, interests and lifestyles. Social structures are being replaced by a mass of individuals making individual choices about their lifestyles. Societies can no longer be understood through the application of general theories or grand stories (metanarratives) like Marxism or functionalism, which seek to explain society as a whole.
Metanarrative
A broad all-embracing ‘big theory’ (literally a ‘big story’) or explanation for how societies operate
A Social problem
Something that is seen as being harmful to society in some way, and needs something doing to sort it out
A sociological problem
an social issue hat needs explaining
Social Policy
Refers to the packages of plans and actions adopted by national and local government or various voluntary agencies to solve social problems or achieve other goals that are seen as important.
