General Knowledge Flashcards
Functionalism
The view that society operates like a human body with all institutions working to support one another. Based on class consensus and not conflict.
Positivism
Views sociology as a science and try to find cause-and-effect relationships by testing a hypothesis. Attempts to collect quantitative data which can be visualised on graphs and further used to compare a society in different time periods and to another society altogether. Is both reliable and repeatable.
Culture
Shared norms and values, customs, traditions, language, skills, knowledge and beliefs.
Transmitted from generation to generation.
Values
General principles or goals. Tell us what is good and what we should aim for. E.g. Achievement, wealth, life.
Norms
Specific rules that govern behaviour in particular social situations.
Primary Socialisation
Takes place in the early years of life and occurs largely within the family. We learn language, basic skills and norms.
Secondary Socialisation
Takes place later in education and wider society. We learn advanced skills and develop a wider understanding of norms.
Status
A position in society. Can be either ascribed or achieved.
Ascribed
Fixed characteristics we are born with such as gender and ethnicity which determine our status.
Achieved
Won though our own efforts such as getting into university, passing a test or getting promoted at work.
Role
A set of norms surrounding a particular status. The individual of the status is expected to follow the norms associated with it.
The Structural View
Entirely shaped by the structure of society. Sees us as behaving according to societies norms and expectations which we internalise through socialisation.
We are like puppets manipulated by society.
The Social Action View
Sees us having free will and choice. Emphasises the power of individuals to shape society through thief own actions and interactions.
Macro Sociology
The structural view.
Favoured by Positivists. Is the large study of society as a whole.
Micro Sociology
The social action view.
Favoured by interpretivists. Studies the individuals within society and how they shape it.
Marxists
See society as based on class conflict, not consensus. Divide society into 2 main classes; the Bourgeosie and the Proletariat.
Bourgeosie
The minority capitalist class that own the means to production such as factories, raw materials and land. Exploit the Proletariat and profit from their labour breeding class conflict.
Proletariat
The majority working class. Own nothing but their own labour which they sell to the Bourgeosie in return for income in order to survive. However they are exploited by being paid less than the market price of the items they manufacture and produce.
Karl Marx - (1818-83)
A German philosopher and sociologist. Believed the Proletariat would eventually overthrow the Bourgeosie and create a classless, equal society.
Author of the communist manifesto alongside Fredrich Engels.
Friedrich Engels -(1820-95)
German philosopher and social scientist. Helped create ‘scientific socialism’ alongside Karl Marx and aided him in writing the communist manifesto.
Sanctions
Anything that encourages people to conform to norms. Comes in two forms:
- Positive Sanctions
- Negative Sanctions
Positive Sanction
A reward for conforming to a norm.
Negative Sanctions
A punishment for not conforming to a norm.
Social Control
An active or passive process of social groups regulating itself according to its shared norms, values and beliefs in order to prevent negative deviance. Sanctions are a form of social control.
Subculture
A cultural group within a larger culture which often has beliefs, norms, values and attitudes at variance with those of the larger, mainstream culture. However some norms, values, beliefs and interests are also shared.
Feminists
Believe in conflict within society between gender. They regard society and its institutions as male-dominated or patriarchal.
E.g. The family is oppressive with women doing most of the housework.
Postmodernism
States we are now living in a post-modern society. Unlike modern society where individuals share a common culture, class or identity, postmodern society is fragmented into a wide variety of different groups. Ethnicity, age, gender, nationality, sexuality etc. Individuals can choose what they belong to.
Analysis
Explaining things in detail. Showing how ideas fit together, comparing, contrasting, organising answers logically and drawing conclusions.
Evaluation
Involves judgement, such as the advantages and disadvantages of different research methods or arguments for and against a sociologists views.
Application
Involves linking ideas, theories and studies to the set question. Clearly showing relevance to what you have been asked about.
Structuralism
Methodology that implies elements of the human culture must be understood by way of their relationship to the broader society or system.
