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Sociology > Chapter 3 - Social Structure > Flashcards

Chapter 3 - Social Structure Flashcards

0
Q

Status

A

Socially defined position in a group or society

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1
Q

Social structure

A

Network of interrelated statuses and roles that guide human interactions

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2
Q

Roles

A

Behavior expected of someone occupying a particular status

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3
Q

Ascribed status

A

Assigned according to qualities beyond a person’s control

- based on inherited traits or when you reach a certain age

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4
Q

Achieved status

A

Acquired through their own efforts

- skills, knowledge or abilities

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5
Q

Master status

A

Plays greatest role in shaping a person’s life and determining identity

  • either achieved or ascribed (mostly achieved)
  • change over time
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6
Q

Reciprocated roles

A

Corresponding roles that define the patterns of interactions between related statuses

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7
Q

Role expectations

A

Socially determined behaviors of a person performing a role (what they are expected to do in society)

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8
Q

Role performance

A

Actual role behavior

  • may not match role expectation
  • not everyone in society agree on what is appropriate role performance
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9
Q

Role set

A

The different roles attached to a single status

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10
Q

Role conflict

A

Fulfilling the role expectations of one status makes it difficult to fulfill the role expectations of another status

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11
Q

Role strain

A

A person has difficulty meeting the role expectations of a single status

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12
Q

Role exit

A

Process people go through to detach from a role that has been central to their identity

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13
Q

Helen Rose Ebaugh

A

People go through certain common stages in their way to creating a new identity as an ex

  • experience disillusionment with old role
  • start to look for alternative roles
  • reach a turning point and make the decision to depart old role
  • conflict occurs because society expects the ex to behave according to the old identity
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14
Q

Social institutions

A

Statuses and roles are organized into units that satisfy one or more basic needs of society

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15
Q

Family as social institution

A

Take responsibility for raising the young and teaching them accepted norms and values

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16
Q

Economics as social institution

A

Organizes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services

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17
Q

Political institution

A

System of norms that governs the exercise and distribution of power in society

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18
Q

Education as an institution

A

Ensures the transmission of values, patterns, of behavior and certain skills and knowledge

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19
Q

Religion as an institution

A

Provides a shared, collective explanation of the meaning of life

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20
Q

Exchange as a social interaction

A

When people interact in an effort to receive an award or return for there actions
- most basic and common form of interaction

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21
Q

Reciprocity

A

The idea that if you do something for a person, that person owes you in return
- can be material or non-material

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22
Q

Exchange theory

A

People are motivated by self interest in their interactions wig other people
-people do things primarily for the rewards

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23
Q

Competition as social interaction

A

When two or more people or groups oppose each other to achieve a goal that only one can attain

  • positive: motivates people
  • negative: stress, lack of cooperation in social relationships, inequality and conflict
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24
Q

Conflict as social interaction

A

Deliberate attempt to control a person by force, too oppose someone, or to harm another person
- few rules of accepted conduct

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25
Q

What are the four sources of conflict

A

Wars
Disagreements within groups
Legal disputes
Clashes over ideology, such as religion and politics

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26
Q

What are positives of conflict?

A
  • Reinforces group boundaries
  • Strengthens group loyalty by focusing on an outside threat
  • Can lead to social change by bringing problems to the forefront and forcing opposing sides to seek solutions
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27
Q

Cooperations as social interaction

A

Two or more groups or people working together to achieve a desired goal that will benefit more than one person

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28
Q

Accommodation as a social interaction

A

A state of balance between cooperation and conflict (helps to ensure social stability)

29
Q

Compromise

A

Occurs when the two parties at odds each give up something to come to a mutual agreement

30
Q

Truce

A

Temporarily brings a halt to the competition or conflict until a compromise can be reached

31
Q

Mediation

A

Calling in a third party who acts as adviser and counselor to guide the two parties toward an agreement

32
Q

Arbitration

A

A third party makes a decision that is binding on both parties

33
Q

Group

A

Set of people who interact on the basis of shared expectations and who possess a common interest
- largest group studied is society

34
Q

Subsistence strategies

A

Ways societies use technology to provide for the needs of its members
- how sociologists classify societies

35
Q

Preindustrial society

A

Food production is main economic activity

  • animal and human labor
  • subdivided according to technological level and method of producing food
36
Q

What were hunter and gatherer societies like?

A
  • Daily collection of wild plants and hunting wild animals
  • Move around constantly
    • do not build permanent villages
    • do not generate numerous artifacts
  • Rarely exceed 100 people
  • Statuses are relatively equal
  • Decisions reached through group consensus
  • Family forms main social unit
  • Family carries out most social functions
37
Q

What are pastoral societies like?

A
  • rely more on domesticated animals
  • live a nomadic lifestyle
  • – move herds to various pastures
  • can support larger populations
  • have excessive food supply
  • – fewer needed to prepare food
  • – division of labor
  • production of food encourages trade
  • –tends to create inequality
  • –creates families with more power
  • hereditary chieftain ships
38
Q

Division of labor

A

Specialization by individuals/groups to perform specific economic activities

39
Q

What are horticultural societies like?

A
  • fruits and vegetables grown in garden plots
  • – slash and burn method popular for clearing fields
  • – rotate garden plots
  • similar technology to pastoral societies
  • build permanent or semi-permanent villages
  • population depends on amount of land available for farming
  • division of labor: role specialization
  • more developed economical and political systems
40
Q

What are agricultural societies like?

A
  • animal labor utilized more with plows
  • – more crops produced
  • – irrigation used
  • larger populations
  • specialization les to cities
  • power transferred form generation to generation(usually a monarchy)
  • develop armies to protect
  • create roads, leads to less bartering and more exchanging with money
  • develop a writing system to keep records
  • statuses: peasants or land owners
41
Q

What were industrial societies like?

A
  • emphasis shifts to manufactured goods
  • production carried out by machines
  • supports larger population because food production increased
  • switch from agriculture to industrial workers
  • urbanization occurs
  • creates institutions
  • – education occurs outside of home
  • – more freedom to compete for social position
42
Q

What are postindustrial societies like?

A
  • focus is on information and services, not manufacturing
  • standard of living improves
  • stronger emphasis on education and role of science
  • technology advances key to prosperity
  • rights of individuals and self fulfillment are important values
  • strong emphasis on social equality and democracy
43
Q

Emile Durkheim

A

Contrasting societies, mechanical solidarity, organic solidarity

44
Q

Mechanical solidarity

A

Preindustrial societies

  • people share same values and preform same tasks
  • United for common good
45
Q

Organic solidarity

A

More developed societies

  • complex division of labor; impersonal social relationships
  • become dependent on others for survival
46
Q

Ferdinand Tönnies

A

Contrasting societies, gemeinschaft(community), Gesellschaft(society)

47
Q

Gemeinschaft

A

Community

  • most people know each other
  • relationships are close
  • activities center on family and community
48
Q

Gesellschaft

A

Society

  • social relationships based on need; impersonal and temporary
  • traditional values are weak
  • individual goals more important than group goals
49
Q

What are the four major features of groups in society?

A
  1. ) must consist of two or more people
  2. ) must be interaction among members
  3. ) members must have shared expectations
  4. ) members must possess some sense of common identity
50
Q

Aggregate

A

When people gather together in one place but lack organization or interaction
- examples: crowds, shopping mall, festivals, sporting event crowds, people on airplanes

51
Q

Social categories

A

Means of classifying people according to a shared trait or common status
- examples: red heads, grades, women, left handed people

52
Q

What are characteristics of a group?

A

Size, time, organization

53
Q

Triad

A

Group of three people

  • one person cannot disband the group
  • decisions are easier to make
54
Q

Dyad

A

Smallest group consisting of two people

- each member has direct control over group’s existence

55
Q

Time as a group characteristic

A
  • Interaction is not continuous

- varies according to group and need

56
Q

Formal group

A

Structure, goals and activities of the group are clearly defined

57
Q

What number do sociologist consider the largest number of people in a group that works well together?

A

15

- any group larger tends to sort themselves into smaller groups

58
Q

Informal group

A

No official structure or established rules of conduct

59
Q

Primary group

A

Small group of people who interact over a relatively long period of time

  • direct and personal basis
  • relationships are intimate and often face to face
  • communication is deep and intense
  • structure is informal
60
Q

Secondary group

A

Interaction is temporary and impersonal

  • more casual with limited personal involvement
  • person’s importance depends on function they play for the group (individual can be replaced)
  • organized around specific goals
61
Q

Reference group

A

Any group that an individual identified with

- adopt attitudes and values

62
Q

In-group

A

A group that a person belongs to or identifies with

  • tend to separate themselves through use of symbols
  • view themselves positively and view others negatively
  • often compete with out-groups
63
Q

Out-group

A

Group that a person doesn’t belong to or identify with

64
Q

Electronic community

A

People interacting via electronic means

65
Q

Social networks

A

Web of relationships formed by all of a person’s interactions with others

  • direct and indirect relationships
  • do not have clear boundaries
  • do not give a common sense of identity
  • provide a support system
66
Q

What are group functions?

A
  • Groups need to define boundaries by using symbols, gestures and language
  • groups have leaders
  • groups need to control behaviors of members
  • – employ effective sanctions to ensure conformity and norms
67
Q

How do leaders get power?

A
  • – influence attitudes and opinions
  • – may be assigned by members
  • – may be achieved because of abilities
  • – two groups of leaders
68
Q

Instrumental leaders

A

Task-oriented (help others reach goals)

69
Q

Expressive leaders

A

Emotion-oriented (find ways to keep the group together and maintain morale)

70
Q

Conformity

A

Accordance with accepted rules or conventions

Sociology (7 decks)

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