schools of thought Flashcards
cultural relativism
one should not compare two cultures because each culture has its own internal rules that must be excepted. everyone sees other cultures through the lens of their own culture.
functional theory
the idea that every belief, action or relationship in a culture functions to meet the needs of individuals. there is the importance of interdependence among all things within a social system to ensure its long-term survival
cultural materialism
materials or conditions within the environment influence how a culture develops, creating the ideas and ideology of a culture. if something is not of value to a societies ability to produce or reproduce, then it will disappear from society altogether
feminist anthropology
looks to ensure the female voice is heard. examines how many cultures are dominated by men, dominated by women or are egalitarian.
postmodernism
the belief that it is impossible to have any ‘true’ knowledge about the world. what we ‘know’ about the world is our own construction, created by society.
psychodynamic
an approach to psychology that emphasizes systematic study of the psychological forces underlying human behaviour, feelings, and emotions and how they might relate to early experience
behavioural
states that all types of human behaviour can be learned through 2 types of conditioning (classical and operant). the term behaviourism and behavioural perspective can also be used interchangeably
humanistic
stresses the importance of human values and dignity. it proposes that people can resolve problems through science and reason. rather than looking to religious traditions, it focuses on helping people live well, achieve personal growth and make the world a better place.
cognitive
of, relating to, being or involving conscious intellectual activity (such as thinking, reasoning, remembering) cognitive impairment; based on or capable of being reduced to empirical factual knowledge.
structural functionalism
all social phenomena and relationships could be explained through their functions in society. individuals and groups in a society could be defined by the purpose that they served.
conflict theory
studies competition between different groups for power. result of constant struggle from those who have economic and political power and those who don’t.
symbolic interactionism
social life is rife with conflict and cohesion. laid out a theory called rationalization, defined as social actions motivated by efficiency or benefit not custom or emotion.
feminist sociology
examines gender inequality. how men controlled women’s lives, their jobs, their finances and their bodies. concluded that women were marginalized, deprived of power and without equal membership in society
