Chapter 1: Sociology: Theory and Method

Question 1

SOCIETY

Answer 1

A group of people who share a culture and live/interact with each other within a definable area.

Question 2

SOCIOLOGY

Answer 2

Study of how individuals interact with, shape, and are subsequently shaped by, the society in which they live.

Question 3

Sociological Imagination

Answer 3

The application of imaginative thought to the asking and answering of sociological questions. Someone using the sociological imagination “thinks himself away” from the familiar routines of daily life.

Question 4

Structuration

Answer 4

The two-way process by which we shape our social world through our individual actions and by which we are reshaped by society.

Question 5

GLOBALIZATION

Answer 5

The process of increasing interdependence of societies and connections between people worldwide.

Question 6

CAPITALISM

Answer 6

An economic system in which resources and production are mainly privately owned and goods/services are produced for a profit.

Question 7

DURKHEIM, EMILE

Answer 7

Considered the father of sociology and major proponent of functionalism. Pioneer of modern social research (must study social facts).

Question 8

LATENT FUNCTIONS

Answer 8

The unintended or less recognizable consequences of a social structure or activity; can be considered beneficial, neutral, or harmful.

Question 9

MANIFEST FUNCTIONS

Answer 9

The intended and obvious consequences of a social structure or activity.

Question 10

MARX, KARL

Answer 10

Closely identified w/ conflict theory, Marx argued societies progress thru class struggle bt those who own and control production and those who labor and provide manpwr for production. Believed capitalism produced internal tensions which would lead to self-destruction of capitalist society, to be replaced by socialism. Considered a founding father of sociology.

Question 11

SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONISM

Answer 11

Sociological theory that argues people actively shape their reality through social interactions; it is therefore something that is constructed, not inherent. It looks to uncover the ways individuals and groups participate in the construction of their perceived social reality.

Question 12

SOCIALISM

Answer 12

An economic system where resources and production are collectively owned. It includes a sys of production and distribution designed to satisfy human needs (goods/services produced for direct use instead of profit).

Question 13

SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM

Answer 13

Examines relationship between individuals and society by focusing on communication, the exchange of information through language and symbols. It suggests that the mind and self emerge through the social process of communication or use of symbols.

Question 14

URBANIZATION

Answer 14

Growth of urban areas (as people move from rural to urban areas) as the result of global change. It is tied to industrialization, and industrialized countries have more people living in urban areas than non-industrialized countries.

Question 15

WEBER, MAX

Answer 15

Agreed with Marx’s ideas about conflict theory, but he did not believe the collapse of capitalism was inevitable; argued there could be more than one source of conflict like in political power and social status. A founding father of sociology.

Question 16

Organic Solidarity

Answer 16

According to Emile Durkheim, the social cohesion that results from the various parts of a society functioning as an integrated whole.

Question 17

Social Constraint

Answer 17

The conditioning influence on our behavior by the groups and societies of which belong. Regarded by Durkheim as one of the distinctive properties of social facts.

Question 18

Functionalism

Answer 18

Theoretical perspective based on the notion that social events can best be explained in terms of the functions they perform—that is, the contributions they make to the continuity of a society.

Question 19

CONFLICT THEORY

Answer 19

A sociological perspective that emphasizes the role of political and economic power and oppression as contributing to the existing social order.

Question 20

POWER

Answer 20

The ability of individuals or the members of a group to achieve aims or further the interests they hold.

Question 21

Ideology

Answer 21

Shared ideas or beliefs that serve to justify the interests of dominant groups. Ideological systems serve to legitimize the power that groups hold.

Question 22

FEMINIST THEORY

Answer 22

A sociological perspective concerned with the social experiences of both men and women and the differences between these experiences. Feminist sociologists strive to understand both the social structures contributing to gender differences and the effects of gender differences on individual interactions.

Question 23

FEMINISM

Answer 23

A collection of social movements with the purpose of establishing men and women as equals in terms of social rights, roles, statuses, etc.

Question 24

Postmodernism

Answer 24

The belief that society is no longer governed by history or progress. Postmodern society is highly pluralistic and diverse, with no “grand narrative” guiding its development.

Question 25

MICRO-SOCIOLOGY

Answer 25

The study of human behavior in contexts of face-to-face interaction.

Question 26

MACRO-SOCIOLOGY

Answer 26

The study of large-scale groups, organizations, or social systems.

Question 27

Comparative Questions

Answer 27

Questions concerned with drawing comparisons among different human societies for the purposes of sociological theory or research.

Question 28

Developmental Questions

Answer 28

Questions that sociologists pose when looking at the origins and path of development of social institutions from the past to the present.

Question 29

Theoretical Questions

Answer 29

Questions posed by sociologists when seeking to explain a particular range of observed events. The asking of theoretical questions is crucial to allowing us to generalize about the nature of social life.

Question 30

Factual Questions

Answer 30

Questions that raise issues concerning matters of fact (rather than theoretical or moral issues).

Question 31

Steps in the Research Process

Answer 31

1) Define the Problem 2) Review the Evidence 3) Formulate a Hypothesis 4) Select a Research Design 5) Carry out Research 6) Interpret Results 7) Report Findings

Question 32

Qualitative Methods

Answer 32

Approaches to sociological research that often rely on personal and/or collective interviews, accounts, or observations of a person or situation.

Question 33

Quantitative Methods

Answer 33

Approaches to sociological research that draw on objective and statistical data and often focuses on documenting trends, comparing subgroups, or exploring correlations.

Question 34

Ethnography

Answer 34

The firsthand study of people using participant observation or interviewing.

Question 35

Participant Observation (Fieldwork)

Answer 35

A method of research widely used in sociology and anthropology in which the researcher takes part in the activities of the group or community being studied. Also called fieldwork.

Question 36

Ethnography Pros/Cons

Answer 36

Pro: Usually generates richer and more in-depth information than other methods.
Provides a broader understanding of social processes. Con: Can be used to study only relatively small groups or communities.
Findings might apply only to groups or communities studied; not easily generalizable.

Question 37

Survey Pros/Cons

Answer 37

Pro: Make possible the efficient collection of data on large numbers of individuals.
Allow for precise comparisons to be made among the answers of respondents. Con: Material gathered may be superficial; if questionnaire is highly standardized, important differences among respondents’ viewpoints may be glossed over.
Responses may be what people profess to believe rather than what they actually believe.

Question 38

Experiments Pros/Cons

Answer 38

Pro: Influence of specific variables can be controlled by the investigator.
Are usually easier for subsequent researchers to repeat. Con: Many aspects of social life cannot be brought into the lab. Responses of those studies may be affected by the experimental situation.

Question 39

Representative Sample

Answer 39

A sample from a larger population that is statistically typical of that population.

Question 40

Random Sampling

Answer 40

Sampling method in which a sample is chosen so that every member of the population has the same probability of being included.

Question 41

Experiment

Answer 41

A research method in which variables can be analyzed in a controlled and systematic way, either in an artificial situation constructed by the researcher or in naturally occurring settings.

Question 42

Comparative Research

Answer 42

Research that compares one set of findings on one society with the same type of findings on other societies.

Question 43

Oral History

Answer 43

Interviews with people about events they witnessed earlier in their lives.

Question 44

Triangulation

Answer 44

The use of multiple research methods as a way of producing more reliable empirical data than are available from any single method.

Question 45

Informed Consent

Answer 45

The process whereby the study investigator informs potential participants about the risks and benefits involved in the research study. Informed consent must be obtained before an individual participates in a study.

Question 46

Debriefing

Answer 46

Following a research study, informing study participants about the true purpose of the study and revealing any deception that happened during the study.