Q26 - 42 For Midterm #1 Flashcards
What is a positivist research approach?
- The study of society based on systematic observations of behavior
- Sociologists have to put their personal opinions and biases aside in order to approach this type of research in an objective way
What is operationalization?
The process of turning abstract ideas into measurable observations
Compare and contrast the notion of a dominant culture with countercultures and subcultures.
Dominant cultures - culture that can impose its beliefs on behaviors and individuals due the dominance and power it holds in society
Countercultures - rejects the beliefs of the dominant cultures and rebels against it
Subcultures - differs from the dominant culture but doesn’t oppose it like countercultures
What is a subculture? Provide at least two examples.
It’s a culture that differs from dominant cultures but doesn’t necessarily oppose to it
ex/ Goth subculture that emerged in the 70s and 80s was influenced from the dominant Victorian era culture in the 1800s and the punk era
ex/ Drag is subculture that is rooted in the culture of the LGBTQ community
What is high culture? Please provide some examples of high culture and explain why it is associated with the notion of cultural capital.
It’s a culture that is linked to the more sophisticated and prestigious part of society
ex/ Classical music would be considered high culture
-It’s associated w/ the cultural capital, because it refers to the knowledge, tastes and behaviors considered sophisticated in a society, which are usually gained through privileged upbringing and education, so it could be used as a social currency that can get one advantages and access into higher social circles
Define mass culture and popular culture. What is the difference between these two terms?
Mass culture - emphasizes more the process of creating products for a big audience through mass media
Popular culture - focuses more on the cultural elements (trends, ideas) that are actively embraced and shared by most of population
Compare and contrast biological determinism with social or cultural determinism.
biological determinism - the idea that human behavior is mainly formed by inherent biological factors (ex/ genetics, DNA) (nature argument)
Social determinism - the idea that social interactions and environmental factors have the strongest influence on human behavior (nuture argument)
Distinguish between primary and secondary socialization.
Primary socialization - factors that socialize individuals during childhood
Secondary socialization - factor that continue to socialize individuals later in life
What is resocialization?
Process that involves unlearning old social habits, norms, attitudes, and beliefs and learning new ones upon moving to a new social environment
-Can be voluntary (moving out of own’s free will) or involuntary (forced to change)
What is anticipatory socialization?
The process of learning the values, behaviors, and expectations of a group before joining it
- Occurs usually in adolescence or early adulthood
What are the effects of social isolation? Provide current examples of this practice.
It interrupt one’s ability to develop social skills, human traits, and fit into society
ex/ solitary confinement in prison systems
What is the difference between voluntary resocialization and involuntary resocialization?
Voluntary resocialization - When one naturally and willingly changes their social environment
ex/ changes schools, starts a new job, retires, etc.
Involuntary resocialization - When one is forced to change their social environment
ex/ residential schools
When does socialization begin and end? Explain
It’s a lifelong process; it begins in childhood and ends when we die. As long as we’re in society and engaging w/ ppl, it will always be continuous throughout our lives.
Who are agents of socialization? Explain their roles
They are groups that have a big impact on one’s socialization
-Family -considered the most powerful agent; socialization of the child is seen as a key function of family, however it differs from family to family and culture to culture
-Peer groups - groups that share interests, age, and social positions; things like peer could definitely influence one’s socialization
-Community and neighborhood - depending on where they live (big city, small town, suburbs, rich or poor neighborhood) children are more or less likely to engage in risk behaviors (engaging lifestyle activities that could have negative consequences on their life)
Mass media - still being debated in our society if mass media has an effect on our behavior
ex/ There’s been many debates about children’s exposure to violence through TV, movies, and video games
Education - Socialization occurs here through, teachers, textbooks, curriculums, and social environment of the classroom
-schools are usually the first source of info kids receive about social groups outside of their own
-A teacher’s social location (gender, age, ethnicity) can play a big impact on child’s socialization
What is a dramaturgical perspective?
That idea that social life is seen as a stage and individual are seen as actors portraying certain roles
