Exam 1 Flashcards
List three goals of social science
1) explain why something happens
2) make generalizations
3) analyze patterns to predict and resolve the future
Define sociology
The study of social life, social chg, social causes and consequences of human behavior
Social scientists use what two things
Common science and scientific evidence
What role does common sense play in the execution of social science research?
Commonsense allows social scientists to make assumptions for instance … One may think it’s common sense for the average American to get a job in this day and age
What is the significance and scientific evidence (in the social sciences)?
It allows social scientists to gather and analyse information in a scientific way for instance saying many Americans don’t have jobs and research shows that both individual and social factors play a role
What is the sociological imagination ? Give an applied example with issues of poverty & affluence.
Sociological imagination is -our personal experiences are linked to the world around us. (we are a product of society society influences our decisions and our outcomes)
And the example: Graph showing gender pay gap
List factors of gender pay gap
1) employer preference/discrimination construction workers
2) Cultural expectation of female caretaker and male breadwinner
3) General labour market structure pink collar professions nursing daycare providers
4) Within job profession gender discrimination surgeons versus pediatrician
5) early childhood socialisation males taught to be assertive females frail and submissive
Apply the sociological imagination to dropout rate graph of US
Peer pressure
Teen pregnancy rates are epidemic
Education level of parents/family history/financial conflicts
Education system not culturally sensitive
Domestic difficulties
Labour market opportunities farming
Government legislation (under 16 must go to school)
What are the main ideas and conclusions of the stories presented in Chapter 1
Story of D and Claire is about the feminization of poverty
Partner violence low pay no childcare didn’t want to be seen as welfare recipient irregular work schedule
Kate Tony breadwinner homemaker model had kids Kate quit job divorce Kate outside job market after divorce
Maria Robert breadwinner homemaker economic recession lack of affordable childcare loss of health insurance medical bills pile up
What is poverty define the two different kinds and give examples of each
Poverty is the inability to sustain an adequate standard of living
Two types of poverty are
Absolute-(objective measurement) determined by federal government by the federal poverty line. Unable to meet basic needs (ie food clothing)
Relative poverty-subjective measurement used to compare groups of people (poverty in Asia versus poverty in Africa)
How is poverty measured?
In this country poverty is measured by federal poverty line of threshold established in 1964 by the Social Security Administration used to determine who is in absolute poverty
What are the concerns about how poverty is measured?
The federal poverty line doesn’t account for state or regional individual income
Can’t count homeless or illegal aliens
Also did the federal poverty line was created in a time when the largest expense was food and now the largest expense is housing
How long does poverty tend to Last? what can explain this trend?
59% of the population is in poverty for one year or less. This is because the threshold definition of poverty skews the statistic. Typically people are in and out of poverty cycles.
How do poverty rates differ by age?
There are more poor under 18 years old then there were in 1960 there are no less poor elderly now than there were 1960
Which regions of the United States are more poor?
The southern states have more poverty
What can explain all the patterns in the United States of poverty?
Factors include
1)under educated: southern states
3) Rural areas are more likely to be under educated as opposed to urban populations
2) single mothers creates the feminization of poverty
3) children under 18
Those that live predominantly in agricultural areas tend to have more children and fewer resources
4) those in urban populations tend to live in cities with overpopulation competition for resources, cost of living is greater, less quality education
What is a social theory and why do we need series?
Social theory is a general explanation of how facts are related to one another in the context of human behavior
Because series explain how we relate to other human beings and the context in which information is passed
What are the basic tenets of symbolic interactionism functionalism and conflict theory
Symbolic interactionism
microlevel-
it focuses on the interpretation of symbols and interactions. Examples would be namebrand of shoes, prescription drugs versus generic all of these change how we view things people and status symbolic interaction. A Louis Vuitton bag equals money and status
Functionalism- macrolevel
Positive approach focus is on how different parts of society work together to fulfill order and stability
Examples include mass media, government, law, family, workplace, religion, education, sports and economy ***these are the nine agents of socialization.
For example when family is stable it creates stability in society
Conflict theory analysis-is a negative approach that focus is on how competing groups of people struggle for scarce resources i.e. money material goods power
A good example of conflict theory says that the 1% a.k.a. corporate will exploit any use workers to make a larger profit for themselves
Who is in conflict with whom: workers with the CEOs or employers
What is the conflict about
Workers don’t have a say in salary when employers set wages.
What is the feminization of poverty what are its implications?
Women are more likely to be poor
The idea that poverty is a woman’s issue
How are the working poor near poor and severely poor similar or different from one another
All three are greatly affected by structural causes
The cycle of poverty
Most have a few savings live in suburbs and cities close enough to crime don’t have adequate health care and have children who go to underperforming schools
What are the common themes found in the stories in eitzen/smith chapter 1 which Theory or theory can best explain the circumstances presented?
Despite the richness in the United States it has a serious problem with poverty .
Many social factors play a part in poverty in the United States.
Poverty is a complex matter it involves both social factors and individual factors
Feminist theory-feeling trapped
Racial/ethnic theory-
Define income versus wealth
Income refers to wages or earnings from employment or investment
Wealth is the total value of money and other assets minus any outstanding debts. Wealth may include such items as stocks bonds and real estate
What are the six rungs of the social ladder define each one in great detail
From top of the ladder to the bottom of the ladder
1) capitalist-prestigious university education-investors errors top executives-1%
2) upper middle class-college university postgrad education-professionals and upper managers-15%
3) lower middle-class-high school or college maybe apprenticeship-semi professional and lower managers craftspeople ,foreman-34%
4) working class-high school-factory workers clerical workers low-paid retail and crafts people-30%
5) working poor-some high school-laborers service workers low-paid sales people-16%
6) underclass-some high school-unemployed and part time on welfare-4%
Define social mobility
Movement by an individual from one social class to another
What factors are linked to social mobility? What is the likelihood of experiencing social mobility in the United States social class system
Factors linked to social mobility Opportunities, goals, achievements and constraints are shaped by the environment in which a person is raised (norms that are learned and constraints/ privileges each person is raised with.) Although theoretically Americans can be anything they want to be in reality there is little substantial upward social mobility or upward movement from one class to another people usually live out their lives in the same social class which they come from because the norms that are learned and the constraints and privileges they experience.
Why is the US experiencing a record poverty rate? What factors have influenced this trend?
Due to the Great recession there are record poverty rates.
Factors that influence this trend are: job outsourcing
education
technology
chronic long-term unemployed
Politics
What is the short-term and long-term implications of the record poverty rate?
Short-term-
Few jobs
Job outsourcing
technology replacing laborers and globalization of technology
middle skill workers jobs are being lost 60% of Americans with a high school diploma (no college) have lost their jobs
Long-term-
The culling of the middle class
Middle-class is disproportionately affected by this job loss
Unemployed becoming detached from the workplace
Government forced to allocate funding
What are the three main theories in social stratification?
Symbolic interactionism
Functionalism
Conflict theory
Define symbolic interactionism? Provide example
Macro level-focus is on interpretation of symbols and interaction
Examples include:
Brand-name shoes versus generic brand name clothes versus generic brand-name prescriptions versus generic. (Louis Vuitton handbag equals money and status)
All of these change how we view people and their status
Define and give examples of functionalism theory
Macrolevel-a positive analysis approach.
Focus is on how different parts of society work together to fulfill order and stability to society as a whole
For instance when a family is stable it creates stability in society
An example would be husbands should be the breadwinners and wives should be the homemakers and caretakers because that’s their specialty
MUST KNOW IN DETAIL
What are macrolevel social institutions that contribute to the functionalism theory (there are nine agents of socialization)
Mass media
Government
Law
Family
Workplace
Religion
Education
Sports
Economy
What is the glass escalator
When a man goes into a female occupation “pink collar jobs” and rise to the top quickly due to their sex
Define and give examples of conflict theory
Conflict theory is a negative approach focused on how competing groups of people struggle for scarce resources (money, material goods, power)
Need to ask who is in conflict with whom? What is the conflict about?
An example or application of the theory; CEOs of major companies will exploit their workers to maximize their own profits
Who is in the conflict with whom? Workers with CEOs
What is the conflict about? Workers don’t have a say in salary when employers that wages
Examples of conflict theory as it relates to the nine agents of socialization
Law and sports-athletes and breaking the law equals lower sentence, paying for freedom.
Workplace and names-job interview preference based on names
What are the basic tenents of the theories of Augustine Comte, Herbert Spencer, Karl Marx, Oscar Lewis, and Michael Harrington?
Comte-founder of sociology stated men naturally fell into three categories;
brain men, sensory men, and motormen
(women were excluded from discussion)
Marx-human exploitation; bourgeoisie/capitalist vs proletariat/Worker
believed capitalism destroys society
Spencer-social Darwinism: survival of the fittest
Lewis-culture of poverty: one’s lifestyle perpetuates poverty
Harrington -society and capitalism are to blame: use your sociological imagination
What are the series of gender and racial/ethnic inequality?
Feminist theory of gender inequality- belief that patriarchal structure of society has adverse consequences on women
(feminism trying to fight functionalism)
Racial/ethnic theory of inequality-
Race-physical or biological characteristics that distinguish one group from another
Ethnicity-cultural characteristics that distinguish one group from another (religion is included as ethnicity)
What are the historical views about US poverty? How did poverty develop over time and across racial/ethnic groups?
Wasps have historically discriminated against white ethnics, African-Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics, and Asian-Americans.
Those that are oppressed tend to impress others
What are the historical views of US poverty
Individual causes of poverty were rooted in poor laws of England
Where the poor versus non-worthy poor
What are the current views of poverty? Discuss in context of individualism social structuralism culture of poverty and fatalism
32 million families in poverty today in a country filled with fast wealth.
Factors explaining why poverty exist today
individualism-stereotypes about that poor abound
Social structuralism-institutional deficiencies (economy, education, government)
Culture of poverty-generational lifestyles that perpetuate poverty
Federalism-based on fate and circumstances beyond our control
What is the family? What is it sociological significance?
The definition of family has changed over time and is not universal across cultures.
Traditional functions of the family:
Performs vital functions for other fit members and society
Meet emotional, physical, and financial needs of family members
Produce, nurture, and socialize children
Care for frail and elderly relatives
Provide workers for the economy
How has the evolution of societies contributed to social inequality? Discuss the structural changes that occurred in the hunting and gathering, agricultural, industrial, and postindustrial society.
Hunting and gathering societies-most eaglet Terry and societies all members of society were expected to contribute to food production
Agricultural societies- invention of the plow = greater social inequality
-population growth, better food production, specialization of occupations, surfing slave labor, and inheritance rights all contributed to social hierarchy, women subject to men.
Industrial societies-machine technologies
Industrial revolution, social inequalities greater across gender race ethnicity and social class.
-Greater population diversity, split labor markets, greater labor market competition, Emphasis on college education, increased discrimination
Post industrial societies-dependent on technology and information
-Emphasis on capitalism and Corporations , popularity of technology and Internet, less government regulation of business, reduction in welfare spending all contribute to social hierarchy
Social inequality is arguably worse now than ever before
What is the significance of C Wright Mills “power elite”?
-Consists of government, business, and military (country club)
Their decisions shape the consciousness of the nation:
- open and close Jobs and social opportunities
- Own major media outlets and entertainment
- They control or influence colleges and universities
- Pass wealth, assets, and traditions down to their heirs
What does Max Weber’s” Protestant work ethic “ suggest about affluence?
Protestant work ethic = Hardwork = financial gain = personal salvation
Believed religion was the key to affluence
How do various groups of the elite impact society? How did these groups involved in the US? Discuss in the context of a hyper rich, academic elite, and bobos
They tend to be people in at least one but up to all three of the categories that follow:
Government, business, military
Power elite prep families and errors for power in the following ways:
Distinct education, Ivy League universities give rise to academic elite
Careers typically in business or finance = evidence of the relationship between politics and corporations
Involvement in country club = better social professional and academic networking
Capitalist mentality
Strong focus on concerted cultivation activities for proper development (private lessons private tutors)
Endogenous relationships are strongly emphasize
Traditional family gender roles are expected
Describe the development of the middle class
Industrial revolution-improved peoples lives, increased longevity, and increased standard of living
Middle-class started out as a symbol of hard work and achievement
Middle-class America today what are the common characteristics of middle-class families?
Increased number of single-parent families particularly single mothers
Rise in cohabitating couples and same-sex households
Women work force, resulting in dual earner families
Traditional family gender roles are expected but challenged
Fewer children born to college educated women
Child rearing practices are more permissive, economist, and authoritative, while focusing on verbal expression and creativity
Explain the hyper rich
1% of the population
People responsible for US economy and advancement and transformation
Innovators
Spread capitalism globally
Explain the academic elite
Emphasis on brains over blood
Explain bobos
Bourgeois bohemian
Born in the 1990s to yuppies young urban professionals of the 70s
Stem from the academic elite during a time when intelligence competed with hereditary as criteria for entering Ivy League universities
Strong emphasis on meritocratic US-hard work pays off
What is globalization
The process of integrating economic and cultural activities from around the world (examples: music, food, sports, capitalism)
Reasons for globalization
Desire for freedom of trade
Need for improved communication between countries
Need for better transportation
Desire for wide variety of skills and knowledge
Positive effects of globalization
Emphasis on need for higher education or vocational trade schools
Sharing a new ideas, lifestyles, culture, traditions
Increased awareness of other cultures around the world
Increased awareness of global concerns
Creation of new jobs, particularly for women and immigrant workers
Negative effects of globalization
Uneven distribution of resources on a global scale
Uneven distribution of resources on a local scale
Possible threat to local cultural diversity is a dominant culture takes over
Exploitation of others
Job outsourcing
Explain how jobs are created from globalization
Medical, teaching, business and domestic care Jobs have increased
The nanny chain-global care chain
What are the seven common destabilizing events that may increase one’s chances of poverty?
Divorce or separation
Unemployment
Reducuction in spouse works hours
Death of spouse
Birth of child
Retirement or disability of breadwinner
Serious illness
How have unfortunately circumstances impacted various groups of American such as women, immigrants, military soldiers, victims of natural disaster, the uninsured, in those with the lack of credit? Discussing context of the stories in etizen & Smith in chapters 2,3,4
Gender-feminization of poverty-“the domino effect, the dynamics of welfare stigma”
Immigration status-“migrants and the community at a slaughterhouse”
Race/ ethnicity-“Sunset Trailerpark”
Military status-“A veteran speaks”
Natural disasters-“Personal voices Hurricane Katrina and racism”
Lack of health insurance-“on the margins”
Credit history and banking-“The working poor”
What is institutional discrimination
Negative treatment of the group of people built into social institutions (schools, banks ,government ,health care)
Defined stigma
The quality that is socially devalued and disgraced
Define unemployed versus jobless
Unemployed-not working actively seeking work by going to school, job training.
Jobless-not working and not actively seeking work
Reasons for jobless poverty
Decreasing demand for low skilled workers
Employer discrimination for residents living in jobless neighborhoods
Suburbanization of Jobs
Lack of community support
Lack of integration into mainstream society
Describe the difference between regressive vs progressive tax
Regressive tax-is a text or lower income people pay a higher fraction of their income in taxes then do higher income people
Progressive tax-is attacks were lower income people pay a lower fraction of the income in taxes then do higher income people.
Most societies of progressive income tax systems
