Chapter 8 - Social Structure Flashcards
Define society
the group of people who share a culture and live/interact with each other within a definable area
What is sociology?
the study of how individuals interact with, shape, and are subsequently shaped by, the society in which they live
Describe the functionalism theory
It conceptualized society as a living organism with many different parts and organs, each of which has a distinct purpose.
What is meant by Durkheim’s dynamic equilibrium?
Complex societies involved many different but interdependent parts working together to maintain stability.
Who is considered the father of sociology?
Emile Durkheim
What are social facts?
elements that serve some function in society, such as the laws, morals, values, religions, rituals, etc.
Did Dukheim emphasize individuals within a society or social facts of a society?
social facts
What are manifest functions?
intended and obvious consequences of a structure (ex: hospital promotes health in the community)
What are latent functions?
unintended or less recognizable consequences of a structure (ex: hospital reduces crime by creating more jobs in the community)
What is a social dysfunction?
process that has undesirable consequences and may actually reduce the stability of a society
Describe the conflict theory
It views society as a competition for limited resources. It often considers the discrepancies between dominant and disadvantaged groups.
What was Karl Marx’s theory on social conflict?
He argued that societies progress through class struggle between those who own and control production and those who labor and provide the manpower for production. He believed capitalistm produced internal tensions which would ultimately lead to self-destruction of capitalist society, to be replaced by socialism.
What was Ludwig Gumplowicz’s theory on social conflict?
He proposed that society is shaped by war and conquest, and that cultural and ethnic conflicts lead to certain groups becoming dominant over other groups.
What was Max Weber’s theory on social conflict?
He agreed with Marx about conflict, but did not believe that the collapse of capitalism was inevitable; rather, he argued that there could be more than one source of conflict, such as conflict over inequalities in political power and social status.
Describe the symbolic interactionism theory
It sees society as a buildup of everyday typical interactions. It focuses on communication, the exchange of information through language and symbols. It holds the principle of meaning to be the central aspect of human behavior.
What is the dramaturgical approach of social theory?
It assumes that people are theatrical performers and that everyday life is a stage. People choose what kind of image they want to communicate verbally and nonverbally to others.
Define the social constructionism theory
It argues that people actively shape their reality through social interactions - it is therefore something that is contructed, not inherent.
What is a social construct?
a concept or practice that is construct of a group; essentially, everybody in society agrees to treat a certain aspect a certain way regardless of its inherent value (ex: money)
What are social institutions?
They are complex roles, norms, and values organized into a relatively stable form that contributes to a social order by governing the behavior of people. They provide predictability and organization for individuals within a society, and mediate social behavior between people. (ex: edicational system, family, government, religion, medicine, economy)
What 5 functions does family typically serve?
- reproduction and monitoring of sexual behavior
- protection
- socialization - passing down norms and values
- affection and companionship
- social status
Define endogamy
the practice of marrying within a particular group
Define polygyny
a man married to more than one woman
Define polyandry
a woman married to more than one man
Define exogamy
requirement to marry outside a particular group (ex: prohibiting sexual relationships between relatives)
Define kinship
how we think about who we are related to
What is bilateral descent?
kingroups involving both maternal and paternal relations
What is patrilineal descent?
preference for paternal relations
What is matrilineal descent?
preference for maternal relations
What is a patriarchy?
Men in the family have more authority than women.
What is a matriarchy?
Women in the family have more authority than men.
What is an egalitarian family?
Spouses are treated as equals and may be involved in more negotiation when making decisions.
Define ecclesia
a dominant religious organization that includes members of society, is recognized as the national/official religion, and tolerates no other religions (ex: Islam in Iran)
Define church
a type of religious organization that is well-integreated into the larger society (ex: the catholic church)
Define sect
a religious organization that is distinct from that of the larger society (ex: mormon and amish communities)
Define cult/new religious movement
a religious organization that is far outside society’s norms and often involves a very different lifestyle
Describe Christianity
- the largest single faith in the world
- many denominations
- monotheistic (God)
- belief in prophets (Jesus)
- afterlife
- a judgment day
Describe Islam
- the second largest religion in the world
- followers are known as Muslims
- monotheistic (Allah)
- prophets (Mohammad)
- afterlife
- a judgement day
- largely affects culture and laws
Describe Judaism
- monotheistic
- formed the historical basis for Christianity and Islam
- God formed a covenant with Abraham and Sarah that if the Ten Commandments were followed, God would bring paradise to Earth
Describe Hinduism
- developed in Indian
- polytheistic
- reincarnation
Describe Buddhism
- developed based on teachings of Siddhartha (Buddha) in India
- overcoming cravings for physical or material pleasures through medititative practices
Define religiosity
referes to the extent of influence of religion in a person’s life
What are fundamentalists?
those who adhere strictly to religious beliefs, believing all statements in the Bible to be literally true
What is rational-legal authority?
legal rules and regulations are stipulated in a document like the Constitution
What is traditional authority?
power due to custom, tradition, or accepted practice
What is charismatic authority?
power by persuasion
What is capitalism?
It is an economic system in which resources and production are mainly privately owned, and goods/services are produced for a profit. The driving force is the pursuit of personal profit. It emphasized personal freedom, by limiting government restrictions and regulations.
What is socialism?
It is an economic system where resources and production are collectively owned. It includes a system of production and distribution designed to satisfy human needs (produced for direct use instead of profit). Driving force is collective goals. Economy is centrally controlled and run by the government.
What is welfare capitalism?
a system in which most of the economy is private with the exception of extensive social welfare programs to serve certain needs within society
What is state capitalism?
a system in which companies are privately run, but work closely with the government in forming laws and regulations
What is a food desert?
It is an area, typically in a highly populated lower-income urban environment, where healthy, fresh food is difficult to find. This can exacerbate obesity.
What is a symbolic culture?
consists of symbols that are recognized by people of the same culture (ex: rituals, words, gestures)
What is the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis of language?
It asserts that people understand their world through language and that language, in turn, shapes how we experience our world.
What is a material culture?
involves the physical objects that are particular to that culture (ex: clothing, good, home design)
What are cultural universals?
patterns or traits that are common to all people pertaining to basic human survival and needs, such as securing food and shelter, and also pertaining to events that everybody experiences, including birth, death, and illness
What are values?
a culture’s standard for evaluating what is good or bad
What are beliefs?
convictions that people hold
What are norms?
the visible and invisible rules of social conduct within a society
What is sociobiology?
the study of how biolody and evolution have affected human social behavior
What is demography?
the study of human population dynamics, including size, structure, distribution, and change over time due to birth, death, and migration
Define race in terms of the U.S. census
the biological, anthropological, or genetic origin of an individual
Define ethnicity
a socially defined concept referring to whether or not people identify with each other based on shared social experience of ancestry
How does fertility compare to fecundity?
fertility: ability of females to generate offspring in abundance
fecundity: potential reproductive capicity of a female
What is the crude birth rate?
annual number of live births per 1000 people
What is the general fertility rate?
annual number of live births per 1000 women of childbearing age
What is the replacement level fertility?
the number of children a woman/couple must have in order to replace the number of people in the population who die
What is mortality?
the death rate in a population
What is the crude death rate?
annual number of deaths per 1000 people
What is life expectancy?
number of years that an individual at a given age can expect to live at present mortality rates
What is urbanization?
the growth of urban areas as the result of global change
What is residential segregation?
separation of groups into different neighborhoods, most often due to racial differences, ethnic differences, and/or socioeconomic differences
What is environmental injustice?
People in poorer communities are more likely to be subjected to negative environmental impacts to their health and well-being.
What is social stratification?
the way that people are categorized in society (ex: by race, education, income)
What is the caste system?
a closed stratification where people can do nothing to change the category that they are born into
What is the class sytem?
an open stratification system where people can strive to reach a higher class, or fall to a lower one
What is a meritocracy?
stratication system based on merit (or personal effort) to establish social standing (this is an idealized system)
What is socioeconomic status (SES)?
can be defined in terms of power, property, and prestige
What is social mobility?
the ability to move up or down within the social stratification system (upward and downward mobilities)
What is intergenerational mobility?
an increase or decrease in social class between parents and children within a family
What is intragenerational mobility?
differences in social class between different members of the same generation
What is social reproduction?
structures and activities in place in a society that serve to transmist and reinforce social inequality from one generation to the next
What are two mechnisms by which social reproduction occurs?
- cultural capital
- social capital
What is cultural capital?
the non-financial social assets that promote social mobility (ex: education)
What is social capital?
the potential for social networks to allow for upward social mobility
What is global stratification?
compares the wealth, economic stability, and power of various countries
What is relative poverty?
inability to meet the average standard of living within a society
What is absolute poverty?
inability to meet a bare minimum of basic necessities, including clean water, food, healthcare, etc.
What is social epidemiology?
the study of the distribution of health and disease across a population, with the focus on using social concepts to explain patterns of health and illness in a population
What are examples of healthcare disparities?
- population-specific differences in the presence of disease
- health outcomes
- quality of healthcare across different social groups
What is a gender bias in healthcare?
men and women receive different treatment for the same disease or illness
