Chapter 1 Flashcards
People who live within a territory and share many patterns of behavior
Society
The systematic study of human societies and human behaviors
Sociology
Software (in ref. to society)
Includes our shared cultures, or shared values, norms, and beliefs that guide behavior. In other words, a guideline for living
Norms
rules of behavior shared by members of a society and rooted in values
(e.g. waiting in line, raising hand before asking question)
Values
judgements about what is right/wrong
Beliefs
ideas abt life, how society works, and where one fits in
(e.g. Belief in the American Dream, traditions)
Hardware (in ref. to society)
social structures that bring order to our lives
(e.g. family, religion, education, economy)
(add. e.g. Social groups & Status groups)
W. Wright Mills
Who wrote abt the sociological imagination in 1959?
The Sociological Imagination
the ability to link our personal troubles with the issues of the social world… drawing a connection between personal lives and public problems of the larger world
Social Problem
a condition that undermines the well-being of some or all members of society
When it threatens our social institutions (e.g. family, education, economy)
When does a social problem become a public issue?
Objective Reality [social problem]
the reality of a social problem with the actual existence of a condition; is backed up by data
Subjective Reality [social problem]
the reality of a social problem with the meaning attached to the problem through everyday thoughts and actions; is an issue because an individual is going through it (not public)
When social agents (e.g. media, government) bring them into public light
When do conditions become social problems?
