Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

MCAT PSYCH/SOC > Class 1 - Major Sociological Theories > Flashcards

Class 1 - Major Sociological Theories Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
MCAT flashcards Psychology 101 flashcards GRE® Psychology flashcards
1
Q

Sociology

A

The study of society and the individual in relationship to society

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Macro-Sociology

A

Behind with society as a whole; focuses on large-scale social structures and drills down to how structures affect groups/individuals; top-down view

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Micro-Sociology

A

Begins with one-on-one interactions; focuses on the smallest building blocks of society and builds up to larger structure; bottom-up view

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Macro-Sociology Theories

A
  1. Functionalism
  2. Conflict Theory
    -considered founding theories
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Premise of Macro-Sociology

A

Individual positions within social structures determine behavior

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Micro-Sociology Theories

A
  1. Symbolic Interactionism
  2. Rational Choice/ Exchange Theory
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Premise of Micro-Sociology

A

Human behavior is the result of individual interactions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Theories that are both Macro- and Micro-Sociology

A
  1. Social Constructionism
  2. Feminist Theory
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Functionalism- how it views society

A

Views society as an organism and as a complex system; compares society to a living organism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Functionalism- how society functions

A

Individual parts work together in order to maintain solidarity, order, BALANCE, and social STABILITY; Dynamic Equilibrium

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Dynamic equilibrium

A

a term to describe when society balances out and is in homeostasis; parts of society work together to maintain dynamic equilibrium

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Emile Durkheim

A

Considered the founder of modern sociology; established sociology as separate from psychology and political philosophy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Durkheim’s Assertions:

A

Post-industrial societies are complex; society requires different people to work together to make society function (division of labor); people felt solidarity with those that had things in common with them (common consciousness); dysfunctions in society are caused by anomie

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Anomie

A

Not having a group or category they belong in; mismatch between what society expects of you and what you are
ex. idealized body image

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Manifest Functions

A

Intended to happen, obvious; always good

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Latent Functions

A

Unintended consequence of something, less recognizable; can be good or bad

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Social Reproduction

A

Inequality that is passed down from one generation to the next

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Major Flaws of Durkheim’s Theory:

A

-Doesn’t really address gross inequality

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Conflict Theory- how it views society

A

Views society as a competition for limited resources

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Conflict Theory- how society functions

A

Individuals and groups compete for social, political, and material power

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What are conflict theorists concerned with

A

imbalances in wealth, power, and prestige among major groups in society and how they create class struggle between those who control production and those who provide labor

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Karl Marx

A

Considered the founder of modern sociology; his theories of economy and society form the foundation for conflict theory

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Marx asserted that:

A

Capitalism is an economic system that encourages private ownership in order to produce profit and wealth; Capitalism would create a cycle of greater inequality which would lead to worker revolts; capitalism should be replaced with socialism- collective ownership of production

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Class Consciousness

A

A social condition in which members of a subordinate social class are actively aware of themselves as a group that is exploited by the wealthy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

False Consciousness

A

A lack of class consciousness and awareness that a group is subordinate and is being exploited; People are okay with how things are

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Flaws in Marx’s Theory

A

-Altruism: anonymous charity; help others without expecting things in return

27
Q

Max Weber

A

Considered a founder of modern sociology; Believes modern societies are becoming increasingly bureaucratic and rational; still conflict theory

28
Q

Weber asserted that:

A

There could be more than one source of conflict; There are factors that can moderate people’s reactions to inequality (high rates of social mobility, agreeing w/ authority); The defining transformation of society was increasing RATIONALIZATION

29
Q

bureaucracy

A

refers to all the different layers of administration

30
Q

rationalization

A

societies’ trend towards increasing efficiency and away from traditional religious standards of spirituality and morality; also promotes the proliferation of highly impersonal bureaucracies

31
Q

Weber believed:

A

-ideas and beliefs can exert a very powerful effect on society
-people base their actions on personal interpretation of the meaning of the world around them
*these beliefs form the basis of the SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM theory

32
Q

Cultural Capital

A

Having a role that is valued in the culture

33
Q

Social Capital

A

Knowing people, having influence

34
Q

Social mobility/ Vertical Mobility

A

Moving up of down in classes

35
Q

Horizontal mobility

A

Can move around at the level you’re at

36
Q

Founders of Modern Sociology

A

Durkheim, Marx, and Weber

37
Q

Symbolic Interactionism Theory

A

People act towards things based on meaning; meanings are derived from social interactions and adopted through individual interpretation; symbols are socially derived from social objects that have shared meanings, which are created through social interactions

38
Q

Central Theme of Symbolic Interactionism

A

Human life is lived in the symbolic domain; through language and communication, symbols provide the means by which realty is constructed

39
Q

Founder of the symbolic interactionism school of thought

A

George Herbert Mead

40
Q

George Herbert Mead asserted that the self develops in 3 stages:

A
  1. Preparatory Stage
  2. Play Stage
  3. Game Stage
41
Q

Preparatory Stage

A

(0-2yrs); children learn to use language and symbols, but only mimic those around them

42
Q

Play Stage

A

(2-6yrs); children learn to play the roles of others in pretend games, such as “playing doctor”

43
Q

Game Stage

A

(7+yrs); children begin to understand the “generalized other,” the generalized attitude of a social group

44
Q

“Me”

A

The social self that develops through interactions with others and consists of our interpretations of how the “generalized other” views us

45
Q

“I”

A

A response to the social self, “Me,” which arises in response to the “Me”; this is one’s personal identity and individuality

46
Q

Mead’s “actual self”

A

A balance between the “I” and “Me”; thinking is an ongoing discussion between them

47
Q

Looking-Glass Self

A

The self is shaped by others and interactions with others and perception of others; Individuals shape themselves on this perception, tending to confirm expectations

48
Q

Charles Cooley (symbolic interactionist) asserted that one’s concept of self is developed in 3 stages:

A
  1. We imagine how we must appear to others
  2. We imagine what others think about us based on their observations of us
  3. We develop our feelings about ourselves based on our imagined judgements of others, which can cause our behavior to confirm these judgements
49
Q

Social Constructionism Theory

A

“Reality” is not inherent, but socially constructed; social constructionists believe there is no “natural” reason that constructs necessarily have to be the way they currently are

50
Q

Social Construct

A

Anything that appears natural of obvious to the people that accept it, but is largely the intervention of a given society
ex. childhood, marriage, gender roles

51
Q

Socialization

A

The dynamic, ongoing process by which an individual internalizes the values, beliefs, and norms of their society and learns to function as a member of society; helps explain how social constructs are maintained and passed along

52
Q

Symbolic Interactionism VS Social Constructionism

A

Symbolic Interactionism- focuses on symbols; looks at how symbols impact interactions
Social Constructionism- focuses on social constructs; looks at how socialization maintains and transmits concepts through society

53
Q

Rational Choice Theory

A

(similar to Exchange Theory)
Individuals make decisions by comparing the costs and benefits; the goal is to maximize benefits and reduce the costs

54
Q

Exchange Theory

A

(similar to Rational Choice Theory)
Individuals respond to rewards and punishments; The goal is to maximize rewards and reduce punishments

55
Q

Feminist Theory

A

A variety of perspectives on the treatment of women vs men in society

56
Q

Intersectionality

A

The study of how different social identities, such as gender, race, etc. intersect

57
Q

Glass Escalator

A

Refers to the way men are often fast-tracked to advanced positions when entering primarily “pink collar” professions

58
Q

Glass Ceiling

A

A metaphor representing an invisible barrier that prevents a given demographic from rising beyond a certain level in a hierarchy

59
Q

Functionalism (Description, Level, and Theorists)

A

Description: Parts of a society work together to maintain stability (dynamic equilibrium)
Level: Macro
Theorist: Durkheim

60
Q

Conflict Theory (Description, Level, and Theorists)

A

Description: Parts of society work against each other in competition for limited resources
Level: Macro
Theorists: Marx, Weber

61
Q

Symbolic Interactionism (Description, Level, and Theorists)

A

Description: Individuals communicate with each other using culturally learned symbols
Level: Micro
Theorist: Mead

62
Q

Social Constructionism (Description, Level, and Theorists)

A

Description: Individual interaction results in socially agreed upon constructs
Level: Both Macro and Micro
Theorists: N/A

63
Q

Rational Choice/ Exchange Theory (Description, Level, and Theorists)

A

Description: Individuals act and interact based on rewards/benefits and punishments/costs
Level: Micro
Theorists: N/A

64
Q

Feminist Theory (Description, Level, and Theorists)

A

MCAT PSYCH/SOC (7 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions