Core Themes and Concepts Flashcards
Nature Explanation
The view that human behaviour is genetically based.
Evidence to support Nature explanation
Animal studies - scientists have succeeded in breeding animals with specific inherited characteristics
Twin Studies - Genetically identical twins, even when raised apart are similar in terms of intelligence or personality.
Nurture Explanation
The view that human behaviour is learned and are a product of the environment.
Evidence to support Nurture explanation
Various examples of children isolated from human contact from birth e.g. feral children show the importance of learning in human behaviour
Primary Socialisation
Takes place during infancy, learning basic norms and values from parents.
Children imitate parents and learns rules about right and wrong.
Secondary Socialisation
Carried out outside of the family, continues through the rest of our lives.
Informal Socialisation
Usually takes part as part of an everyday activity, informally picked up from imitating parents.
Resocialisation
When people are removed from their everyday situations and encounter new social environments. It involves relearning appropriate new norms and values to operate in that environment.
Gender socialisation
The process of learning social expectations of gender
What are Oakleys 4 Gender Socialisation processes during primary socialisation
Manipulation
Canalisation
Verbal Appellations
Differential Activity Exposure
Manipulation
Boys and girls are encouraged to adopt behaviours regarded as appropriate and normal for their gender
Canalization
Boys and girls are directed towards different toys and games.
Verbal appellations
Boys and girls are exposed to different language and praised or rebuked for different things
Differential activity exposure
Boys are girls are exposed to and are encouraged to do different activities, by observing and imitating role models
Typical features of British culture
-Overpolite
-Reserved
Norms
Socially expected patterns of behaviour, behaviour regarded as normal
What do norms ensure in society?
Ensure that society functions smoothly without chaos
How are norms enforced?
By positive and negative sanctions
What is an example of a norm?
Wearing uniform
What is an example of a positive sanction?
Praise
What is an example of negative sanction?
Fines, Detentions
What are beliefs?
What we believe to be true about the world and the nature of society
What are values?
What people consider to be right or wrong in the world.
High Culture
This culture is seen to have artistic and/or intellectual value, for example fine art, classical music, opera, and literature. It refers to activities with lasting value, aimed at upper-class and middle-class groups, interested in new ideas, critical discussion and analysis. It is associated with the rich and powerful and is seen by some as superior.
Low Culture
This culture refers to cultural products and pursuits characterised by their production for, and consumption by, the masses. It is associated with relatively poorer and less-powerful groups of people.
Consumer Culture
This culture involves social status, values and activities being centred on buying goods or services. A large part of what you do, what you value and how you are defined revolves around buying and doing stuff.
Mass Culture
Both low culture and popular culture are forms of mass culture. It is manufactured, passive, inauthentic. It consists of trivial products, dumbed down to appeal to as many people as possible, which demand little critical thought, analysis or discussion, and are of no lasting artistic value. It is simple, undemanding, easy-to-understand entertainment.
Popular Culture
This culture might include extensive coverage of celebrities and lifestyles, tabloid newspapers, tv soaps and reality shows, video games, films for the mass market and books for reading on the beach. It is passive and unchallenging, often fairly mindless entertainment, aimed at the masses. Some see it as shallow.
Folk Culture
Local customs and beliefs that directly reflect ordinary people’s lives and experiences, such as songs and stories that are handed down from one generation to the next. It is traditional and authentic rather than manufactured.
Global Culture
One, all-embracing culture that affects everyone everywhere. For example, McDonald’s is a worldwide business, growing at a colossal speed. This weakens local cultures, as local food outlets close in the face of competition. The logos of companies like Apple, Starbucks, and Nike are global brands that can be recognized across the world.
Subcultures
Social groups that differ from the dominant culture in terms of norms and values. Bring like minded individuals together.
Identity
It is a social construction, created by the socialisation process. E.g. being black / white or male / female only has significance because people attach importance to these characteristics.
Roles
Social roles are patterns of behaviour expected of certain people according to the position they hold in society.
Role Conflict
When demands of one of our roles conflicts with those of another.
Status
This refers to the amount of social prestige or the person has in a particular social position.
The Upper Class
Often referred to as the elite, those in society with the most power and wealth, often inherited from their families. Don’t need to work. often have titles.
The Middle Class
Traditionally defined as those in non-manual professions, requiring qualifications
The Working Class
Associated with manual professions, like labouring and manufacturing.
What are 3 attitudes that came from the insecurity of life in the traditional working class?
Immediate Gratification: Enjoying pleasures now instead of later.
A present orientation: A focus on the present rather than long term goals.
A sense of fatalism: An acceptance of your situation as they don’t see much hope in changing their lives.
What is the functionalist view of the class system?
Functionalists argue that social class differences are inevitable in society. People are rewarded was on ability meaning people who work hard will be able to gain status and become socially mobile. They believe everyone has the chance to succeed.
What is the Marxist view of the class system?
Marxism focuses on class conflict. They believe everyone fits into either the bourgeoise or the proletariat class based on their relationship to the means of production.
What is the New Right view of the class system?
They believe there is a class under the traditional working class called the underclass, who are those unable or unwilling to work and dependent on state benefits. They believe this class is inadequately socialised and are the cause of many problems in society.
What is the Post Modernists view of the class system?
They reject the influence of individual social class, society is too fragmented for people to conform to the norms and values of different social classes. They believe greater individualism means these classes no longer apply. People pick and choose their identities.
What does Pierre Bordieu believe?
He believes that individuals of similar status tend to have similar tastes and attributes, he called this their habitus.
What are Pierre Bordieus 4 main sources of capital in society?
Economic Capital: Consists of material wealth and income
Cultural Capital: Including educational qualifications and knowledge and understanding of the creative and artistic aspects of culture
Social Capital: Consists of social connections - who you know and who who can call on for help or favours.
Symbolic Capital: Similar to the concept of status, refers to an image of respectability and honourability.
Ethnicity
Refers to shared culture and identity, an ethnic group is one whose members see themselves as a group with a shared heritage and cultural background.
Physical Power
Involves the threat of violence
Economical Power
Involves control over scarce resources
Social Power
Advantages one may have in their ability to exert their will .
Differentiation
The way people perceive each other as different.
Stratification
Using perceived differences as a power or authority.
Intersectionality
Class, age, gender and ethnicity will interact in various combinations.
Social Policy
The plans and actions of state agencies such as health and social services, the welfare system and schools.
Globalisation
The process whereby the world is becoming more interconnected.
Economic Globalisation
The globalisation of trade, production and consumption.
Cultural Globalisation
The increasingly rapid spread of ideas and values around the globe. Includes everything from the spread of music and fashion to the spread of political and religious ideas.
