soci 250- THEORETICAL APPROACHES

Question 1

how does structural functionalism view society?

Answer 1

a set of interconnected elements that work together to preserve and stabilize society

Question 2

who was a key founder of structural functionsim?

Answer 2

robert merton

• proposed social institutions perform manifest (intended goals of society) & latent (unintended consequences) functions

Question 3

how do functionalists see social problems?

Answer 3

as a failure of institutions fulfilling their roles, producing social disorganization

Question 4

what is the functionalist solution to social problems?

Answer 4

strengthen social norms and institutions, and slow the pace of social change

Question 5

how does conflict theory view society?

Answer 5

a collection of varied groups struggling over unequally distributed wealth and power

Question 6

who was a key founder of conflict theory?

Answer 6

karl marx

• believed in bourgeoisie and proletariat

Question 7

in conflict theory, where do social problems stem from?

Answer 7

inequalities that exist in SOCIAL CLASSES

Question 8

how do symbolic interactionists view society?

Answer 8

as small group interactions, focusing on the way people negotiate meanings and understandings with one another

Question 9

who was key in founding symbolic interactionism?

Answer 9

georg simmel

Question 10

what does social constructionism focus on?

Answer 10

focuses on the ways people create a sense that something is a problem or not, and how societies invent and promote new rules

Question 11

who was a key founder of social constructionism and what was his theory?

Answer 11

mead
- “generalized other,” and how we construct reality together

Question 12

what is the goal of social constructionsim?

Answer 12

examine how people interact to create their shared social reality

Question 13

what does feminism focus on?

Answer 13

how gender inequality makes women’s lives different from men

3 waves throughout history:
- women’s suffrage
- establishing inequalities for women
- redefining feminism to be more inclusive

Question 14

in feminism, ____ is how society works

Answer 14

patriarchy

Question 15

what does post-modernism and post structuralism focus on?

Answer 15

techniques people in power used to falsify popular understanding of the real world

Question 16

what does the population health perspective focus on?

Answer 16

the ways social problems manifest in widespread health problems

Question 17

how does structural functionalism see poverty?

Answer 17

argues that poverty serves an important function in society; that it motivates people to climb up the ladder

• everything functions to allow survival and continue, resisting change

Question 18

how does conflict theory view poverty?

Answer 18

structural power imbalance between capitalists and employees; focuses on how employees are vulnerable to workplace exploitation

owners amass greater wealth for themselves at

Question 19

how does symbolic interactionism view poverty?

Answer 19

creates labels, such as “lazy” = poor
- poverty has unjustified stereotypes but real consequences

Question 20

how does structural functionalism view race?

Answer 20

inequalities between racial groups have a value for society = encourages people to struggle for social & economic success

• helps socially integrate people into distinct communities

Question 21

how does conflict theory see race?

Answer 21

majority groups benefit from excluding and marginalizing minorities
(corporate benefits from minimum wage workers)

Question 22

how does symbolic interactionism view race?

Answer 22

ethnic differentiation is constructed by a labelling process
- constant awareness of race in daily social interaction increases likelihood of racial conflict

Question 23

how do feminists see race?

Answer 23

race & ethnicity, like gender, are performances, not essential qualities

Question 24

how does structural theory focus on race?

Answer 24

job markets sometimes exclude people on the grounds of race or ethnicity, bias of non hiring non-whites has compromised social mobility for these immigrants

Question 25

how do structural functionalists view family?

Answer 25

the family is viewed as a central institution in society- provide nurture and socialization

Question 26

what are the essential family functions from a structural functionalist point of view?

Answer 26

-regulating sexual behaviour
-providing physical/physiological needs for members
-socialize children

Question 27

how does conflict theory view family?

Answer 27

social reproduction in families support capitalism; this view focuses on political/economic changes

Question 28

conflict theory states families aren’t self sustaining, but rather what?

Answer 28

consumption units that depend on outside sources for survival

Question 29

how does gender inequality (feminist theory) arise from economic exploitation?

Answer 29

middle class wives used to depend on their husbands for a salary, isolating them in the home, leading to subordination

Question 30

how did the capitalist economy affirm old patriarchal tendencies?

Answer 30

providing men access to labour market, isolating women in the home

Question 31

what does symbolic interactionism state is families’ primary role?

Answer 31

to socialize the next generation, and that families involve continued interaction

Question 32

how does social constructionism focus on family?

Answer 32

focuses on political use of traditional family ideologies
- focusing on using “family values” to promote hostility against gays, single moms, divorce