Chapter One Flashcards
Positivism
A system of thought that regards scientific observation to be the highest form of knowledge-Auguste Comte
Sociology
The study of human behavior and society
Functionalism
A theoretical perspective that interprets each part of society in terms of how it contributes to the stability of the whole society
Social change
The alteration of social interaction, social institutions, stratification systems, and elements of culture over time.
Social Darwinism
The idea that society evolves to allow the survival of the fittest.
Symbolic interaction theory
A theoretical perspective claiming that people act toward things because of the meaning things have for them
Social structure
The patterns of social relationships and social institutions that make up society.
Social interaction
Behavior between two or more people that is given meaning.
Empirical
Refers to something that is based on careful and systematic observation.
Verstehen
The process of understanding social behavior from the point of view of those engaged in it.
Social institutions
An established and organized system of social behavior with a recognized purpose.
Issues
Problems that affect large numbers of people and have origins in the institutional arrangements and history of a society.
Sociological imagination
The ability to see the societal patterns that influence individual and group life.
Debunking
Looking behind the facades of everyday life.
Troubles
Privately felt problems that come from events or feelings in one individuals life.
