Soc exam 1 Flashcards
sociology
the study of the development, structure, and functioning of human society
importance of sociology
Sociology teaches us that society and individuals have a relationship
C. Wright Mills concept
A few people in the world hold all the power and control decisions for Americans
Sociological Imagination
understanding the relationship between self and society
Public vs private
Public troubles are a trouble for society as a whole and out of your control
Private troubles are troubles that affect yourself within your control
example of sociological information
asking why someone is homeless
social structure
the arrangement of institutions where human beings in a society interact and live together
social institutions
patterns of beliefs, behaviors and relationships that organize social life
Norms and values
Norms: behavior and attitudes which are considered normal
values: are those things that people consider important to them
socialization
learning to behave in a way that is acceptable to society
culture
shared beliefs, values, and practices that people must learn to be a part of
components of culture
traits, work ethic, religion, food, memories, family structures, habits
functionalism
all aspects of a society serve a function and are necessary for the survival of that society
conflict theory
the struggle for agency or power in society
symbolic interactionalism
people in society understand their social worlds through communication
subcultures
A subculture is a group of people who share a set of secondary values, such as environmentalists
sociocentric
get ideas and beliefs from society as a whole
egocentric
ideas and beliefs are individual
ethnocentrism
the attitude that one’s own group, ethnicity, or nationality is superior to others
cultural relativism
not judging a culture to your own standards of what is right or wrong, strange or normal (understanding cultural practices)
ideology
A system of ideas, beliefs, ideals, and principles that reflect and shape our beliefs and behaviors of the social world
Media
any formats, platforms, or vehicles that carry, present, or communicate information
Why is media important
Communication can structure society
Spreads cultural knowledge
Cultural preferences can be used to consume media
Impact how we relate socially, economically, and politically
Hegemony
a historical process in which a group wins approval for their action by consent rather than coercion
how media effects sterotypes
Creation of stereotypes: pictures in our heads
how media effects subculture
develop a collective identity resistant against the mainstream society
how media effects manufacturing consent
the creation of propaganda and spreading propaganda
political economy of media
politics and economy are entirely entwined
Social Status
a position in society that comes with a set of expectations
master status
is a status that overrides all others and affects other statuses
ascribed vs achieved
ascribed: is one we are born with that is unlikely to change
achieved: is one we have earned through individual effort or that is imposed by others
primary stages of socialization
Caregivers
Peers
Teachers
coaches
secondary stages of socialization
College experience
Traveling
Workplace
group stages of organization
Peer groups
subcultures
organizational stages of socialization
Workplaces
schools
forced stages of socialization
Prisons
Military
Total institutions
deviance
For some it is a collection of actions, behaviors, conditions, or people that society disvalues, finds offensive, or violates social norms
For others it is how or why do people classify acts or individuals as lacking value
social construction of deviance
religion/church
Medicine
Criminal justice
School
Tasked with:
Defining (setting boundaries)
Explaining
Responding (the agents)
informal vs formal social control
Informal agents of social control: peers, family, friends, media
Formal agents of control: police, regulatory agents, teachers/professors
strain theory
Argues that deviance occurs when a society fails to give all its members equal ability to achieve socially acceptable goals
labeling theory
Society creates deviance
Offenders are not born, they’re made
We define acts as deviant
Reaction to act is what creates deviance or not
