CLEP - Sociology 11-14 Flashcards
Rational-legal authority
Authority stemming from within the framework of a body of laws that have been duly enacted
Traditional authority
Authority based on long-held & sacred customs
Charismatic authority
Authority based on the extraordinary, uncanny, & supernatural powers or abilities that have been associated with a particular person
Authoritarian
A form of govt in which rulers tolerate little, if any, opposition to their authority
Totalitarian
A form of govt in which there are, in principle, no recognizable limits to authority that rulers are willing to acknowledge
Democratic
A form of govt in which authority ultimately lies with the people, whose participation in govt is considered a right
Religion
A theory, creed, or body of dogma that seeks to comprehend the universe & human beings place in it, god or the gods, as well as the supernatural realm
Sacred
The sphere of ideas, activities, persons, objects, abilities, & experiences that have been deemed holy, divine, supernatural, or mystical & hence, unalterable
Profane
The visceral sphere of objects, persons, & behaviors capable of being understood & of being altered
Cult
A religious organization consisting of a small group of followers surrounding a charismatic religious leader
Church
A religious organization whose leadership is formally established, economic foundation has been institutionalized, membership is by birth (not voluntary), & sanctions take the form of interdiction & excommunication
Sect
A religious organization that, unlike a cult, does not depend on the kind of personal inspiration offered by a charismatic leader for its continuity
Social stratification
The structured inequality characterized by groups of people with differential access to the rewards of society bc of their relative position in the social hierarchy
Social hierarchy
Ranked statuses in which people function
Social mobility
The ability of a given individual or group to move thru the social strata