Education and Religion Flashcards
Education
A social institution that transmits attitudes, knowledge, beliefs, values, norms, and skills.
Schooling
Formal training and instruction provided in a classroom setting.
Achievement gap
The difference in academic performance that shows up in grades, standardized test scores, and college completion rates.
Hidden Curriculum
School practices that transmit nonacademic knowledge, values, attitudes, norms, and beliefs.
Credentialism
An emphasis on certificates or degrees to show that people have certain skills, educational attainment levels, or job qualifications.
Tracking (streaming; ability grouping)
Assigning students to specific educational programs and classes on the basis of test scores, previous grades, or perceived ability
Meritocracy
A system that rewards people because of their individual accomplishments
Religion
A social institution that involves shared beliefs, values, and practices related to the supernatural
Sacred
Anything that people see as awe-inspiring, supernatural, holy, and not part of the natural world.
Profane
The ordinary and everyday elements of life that aren’t related to religion
Religiosity
The ways people demonstrate their religious beliefs
Cult
A religious group that is devoted to beliefs and practices that are outside of those accepted in mainstream society.
New Religious Movement (NRM)
Term used instead of cult by most sociologists.
Charismatic Leader
Someone that followers see as having exceptional or superhuman powers and qualities.
Sect
A religious group that has been broken away from an established religion
Denomination
A subgroup within a religion that shares its name and traditions and is generally on good terms with the main group
Church
A large established religious group that has strong ties to mainstream society
Secularization
A process in which religion loses its social and cultural influence
Fundamentalism
The belief in the literal meaning of a sacred text.
Civil religion (secular religion)
Integrating religious beliefs into secular life
Protestant ethic
A belief that hard work, diligence, self-denial, frugality, and economic success will lead to salvation in the afterlife.
False Consciousness
An acceptance of a system of beliefs that prevents people from protesting oppression.
