Chapter 1-4 Vocabulary Flashcards
sociology
the discipline that attempts to understand the forces outside us that shape our lives, interests, and personalities.
Social Determinism
The assumption that human behavior is explained exclusively by social factors.
human agency
individuals that actively shape social life by adapting to, negotiating with, and changing social structures.
sociological imagination
a book written by C. Wright Mills, which discusses that the task of sociology is to realize that individual circumstances are linked to the structure of society.
positivism
knowledge based on systematic observation, experiment, and comparison
social facts
social factors that exist external to individuals such as tradition, values, laws, religious ideology, and population.
false consciousness
believing in ideas that are not in a group’s objective interest but rather in the objective interest of the capitalist class.
class consciousness
when a class recognizes their class interests, common oppression, and an understanding of who the oppressors are.
charisma
expressive qualities of individual leaders.
sociological theory
a set of ideas that explains a range of human behavior and a variety of social and societal events.
value neutrality
to be absolutely free of bias in research
sample
a representative part of a population
variable
attitude, behavior, or condition that can vary in magnitude and significance from case to case
longitudinal surveys
special type of research that collects information about the same person over many years.
social organizations
refers to the ways in which human conduct becomes socially organized
social structure
the structure of behavior in groups and society
culture
the shared beliefs of group members that unite them and guide their behavior
aggregate
a collection of individuals who happen to be at the same place and time
group
a collection of people who because of because of sustained interaction, have evolved a common structure and culture
social interaction
the actions of one person affect another person
social relationship
a case of enduring social interaction that can occur from a number of reasons such as religion, common interests, or just being neighbors
social roles
expectations that group members have of individuals occupying the various positions within the group
norms
rules that specify appropriate/inappropriate behaviors
folkways
minor rules that groups can have like a church having wine at communion being acceptable but beer isn’t
Mores
more important norms that violation may cause severe punishment and often deal with morality like stealing, disloyalty, or bringing shame to the group
status
the bestowing of a social identity from the positions within groups.
hierarchy
the arrangement of people in order of importance and can include job titles, and placement in various organizations.
master status
a status that has exceptional significance for social identity, and which trumps all others when a situation or individual is judged by others.
Role
behavior expected of a person occupying a status in a group
sanctions
social punishments for approved or disproved behavior that may be lifted as a reward
social group
organization created through enduring and patterned interaction
primary groups
groups whose member are most intimately involved with each other
Secondary Groups
much larger and more impersonal than primary groups