Chapter 1: Thinking About Social Problems Flashcards
What two elements does each social problem have?
Objective & Subjective.
Objective: the existence of a social condition that arises through our sensory experiences.
Subjective: the belief that a particular social condition is harmful to a segment of society or needs to be changed.
What is our class definition of a social problem?
A social problem is a social condition that a segment of society views as harmful to members of society and is in need of remedy.
Why do people vary in terms of what they consider to be a social problem?
The subjective element of social problems stems from differences in what we value and believe. What we value and believe is a function of what we experience. We all have significantly different experiences; thus, we differ somewhat in our values and beliefs.
Define and distinguish between culture and social structure.
Culture is defined as the meanings and ways of life that characterize a society, including beliefs, values, norms, sanctions, and symbols. Social structure refers to the way society is organized & the connections between different elements. I always find it useful to think of social structure as the apparatus that determines the cultural elements we are exposed to.
Define these three terms: belief, value, & symbol. Are these 3 terms elements of culture or social structure?
Beliefs are definitions and explanations about what is assumed to be true.
Values are social agreements about what is considered good and bad, right, and wrong, desirable and undesirable.
Symbols are something that represents something else.
Each of these is an element of culture.
What is a norm? What are the 3 types of norms and how do they differ? Are norms elements of culture or social structure?
Norms are socially defined rules of behavior. Folkways, laws, and mores are the three types of norms.
Folkways – customs, habits, and manners of society. Example - greeting someone with a handshake.
Laws - formal norms backed by authority.
Mores - norms with a moral basis. Example - Do not murder your next-door neighbor (often mores are formalized into laws, but not always)
What is an institution? Provide some examples.
Institutions refer to large-scale and established sets of laws, customs, practices, and organizations that govern the political or social life of a people. Institutions make and enforce a society’s rules and norms.” Almost all human societies have had institutions of family, religion, politics, economics, and education. Institutions are usually in place to solve certain “problems” societies have. For example, the institution of family helps solve the problem of how to care for and socialize children.
What distinguishes primary and secondary groups?
Primary groups are more intimate, cohesive, and informal than secondary groups. Your immediate family and close friends would be considered primary groups. Classrooms are an example of a secondary group.
What is a status position?
Status positions are the places we occupy in social structure. One of the status positions that you are currently occupying is the position of “student”. Son, daughter, employee, and citizen are other examples of status positions.
Distinguish between achieved and ascribed status positions.
Ascribed status positions are positions that you have no control over. Racial and age categories are examples of ascribed status positions. Achieved status positions are so named because they must be achieved through some behavior. High school graduate, spouse, and parent are examples.
Define “sociological imagination”.
The sociological imagination refers to the ability to see the connections between our personal lives and the social world in which we live. In other words, it is the ability to recognize how individual lives are not the product of individual decisions so much as the product of one’s social circumstances.
Do sociologists look at social problems as being caused by individuals or by parts of society?
Parts of society. For example, if someone commits a crime, sociologists don’t ask, “what is wrong with that person?”. Sociologists would instead ask, “what social conditions led this person to choose this behavior?”
What are the three main sociological perspectives?
Structural-functional; conflict; symbolic-interactionist
What assumptions about the world does the structural-functional perspective make?
This perspective assumes that the world is a large system of interconnected parts that work together to make society work harmoniously. Each “part” exists because it serves a useful purpose know as its manifest function.
Describe the conflict perspective.
This perspective assumes that the world is divided into groups that compete over valued resources. Theorists who use this perspective often assume that the world has been set up to benefit privileged groups.
