Psychology and Sociology: Chapter 11 Flashcards
Sociology
the study of society; how we create society, how we interact within and change society, and how we define what is normal and abnormal in society
Micro level of sociology
consists of family groups and local communities
Meso level of sociology
consists of organizations, institutions and ethnic subcultures
Macro level of sociology
consists of national and international systems
Symbol
any object, image, sound, or action that carries meaning
Symbolic interactionism
is an approach to sociology pioneered by influential sociologist Georgy Herbert Mead that attempts to understand human action and interaction by studying the symbols we use to communicate
3 assumptions symbolic interactionism makes about human behavior
-Humans act toward symbols based on the meanings that these symbols carry
-The meanings symbols carry come from social interaction
-Humans interpret the meaning of symbols, and this interpretation influences action
Social construct
any idea that has been created and accepted by the people in a society
Social constructionism
the attempt to understand a society through the study of the society’s social constructs
Rational choice theory
-focuses on individual decision making; humans will make rational choices to further their own self-interests
-people weigh the costs and benefits when making choices, ranking their options based on maximizing perceived benefit
- social exchange theory or exchange theory: whether there is reciprocity and balance in social relationships
-People stay in relationships because they get something from the exchange
Conflict theory
attempts to understand society by examining the inevitable conflicts between groups in society
Capitalism
an economic system which individuals and corporations, rather than governments, own and control what Marx called the means of production meaning property, machinery, factories, or any other means of creating a saleable good or service
Capitalist (bourgeoisie) class
small, wealthy class who control the means of production
Worker (proletariat) class
lower class that performs manual labor
Interest groups
individuals that organize into a group to use tools such as protesting or voting to enact change and equalize power
Structural functionalism
Interested in how large societies survive over long time periods, and is therefore concerned with social cohesion and stability
-inverse of conflict theory
Teacher expectancy
refers to the idea that teachers tend to get what they expect from students
Religiosity
refers to how religious one considers him- or herself to be, and includes strength of religious beliefs, engagement in religious practices, and attitudes about religion itself
Denominations/sects
members of a religion that group because they share certain beliefs or practices but no the others
Cult
a religious sect may take on extreme or deviant philosophies
Fundamentalism
maintenance of strict adherence to religious code
Democracy
allows every citizen a political voice, usually through electing representatives of office
Monarchies
include a royal ruler (a king or queen), although the ruler’s powers may be significantly limited by the presence of a constitution, a parliamentary system, or some other legislative body
Dictatorship
system where a single person holds power, and usually includes a mechanism to quell threats to his power
Theocracy
a system where power is held by religious leaders
Capitalist economies
focus on free market trade and laissez-faire policies, where success or failure in business is primarily driven by consumerism with as little intervention from central governing bodies as possible
Socialist economies
treats large industries as collective, shared businesses, and compensation is provided based on the work contribution of each individual into the system; profit is then distribute equally to the workforce
Sick role
an ill patient is not responsible for their illness and is exempt from normal social roles
4 Key tenets of medical ethics
-Beneficence: the physician has a responsibility to act in the patient’s best interest
-Nonmaleficence: do not harm; the physician has a responsibility to avoid treatments or interventions in which the potential for harm outweighs the potential for benefit
-Respect for patient autonomy: the physician has a responsibility to respect patients’ decisions and choices about their own healthcare. While there are exceptions to this rule, patients do have the right to refuse life-saving therapies
-Justice: the physician has a responsibility to treat similar patients with similar care, and to distribute healthcare resources fairly
Material culture
includes the physical items one associates with a given group, such as artwork, emblems, clothing, jewelry, foods, buildings, and tools
Symbolic culture
-Focuses on the ideas that represent a group of people
-May be encoded in motts, songs, or catchphrases, or may simple by themes that are pervasive in the culture
Cultural lag
symbolic culture is usually slower to change than material culture
Values
what a person deems important in life, which dictates one’s ethical principles and standards of behaviors
Belief
something that in individual accepts to be truth
Cultural barriers
a cultural difference impedes interaction with others
Norms
societal rules that define the boundaries of acceptable behavior
Ritual
a formalized ceremony that usually involves specific material objects, symbolism, and additional mandates on acceptable behavior
Common demographic categories
age, gender, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, and immigration status
Population density
counts the number of people per square kilometer of land area
Population pyramids
provide a histogram of the population size of various age cohorts
Fertility rate
children per woman per lifetime
Birth rate
children per 1000 people per year
Mortality rate
deaths per 1000 people per year
Migration rate
immigration rate minus emigration rate
Demographic transition
a specific example of a demographic shift that occurs as a country develops from a preindustrial to an industrial economic system
Demographic transition theory
-Stage 1: preindustrial society; birth and death rates are both high, resulting in stable population
-Stage 2: economic progress leads to improvements to healthcare, nutrition, sanitation, and wages, causing a decrease in death rates. Thus, total population increases
-Stage 3: improvements in contraception, women’s rights, and a shift from an agricultural to an industrial economy cause birth rates to drop
-Stage 4: an industrialized society; birth and death rates are both low, resulting in a relative constant total population
Malthusian theory
focuses on how the exponential growth of a population can outpace growth of food supply and lead to social degradation and disorder
Relative deprivation
a decrease in resources, representation, or agency relative to the whole of society, or relative to what the group is accustomed to from the past
Proactive social movements
promote social change
Reactive social movements
resist social change
Globalization
The process of merging of the separate nations of the world into a single sociocultural entity, and is a relatively recent phenomenon spurred on by improvements in global communication technology and economic interdependence
Urbanization
Refers to dense areas of population creating a pull of migration; cities are formed as individuals move into and establish residency in these new urban centers
Ghettos
areas where specific racial, ethnic, or religious minorities are concentrated, usually do to social or economic inequalities
Slum
extremely densely populated area of a city with low-quality, often informal housing and poor sanitation
