Social Structure and Demographics Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

Social structure

A

A system of people within a society organized by a characteristic pattern of relationships

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Functionalism

A

Study of the structure and function of each part of society

-society is in a normal state if all parts are fulfilling their functions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Function - definition

A

Later theorist defined it as the beneficial consequences of people’s actions
-help keep society in balance

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Dysfunctions

A

Harmful consequences of peoples actions as they undermine a social system’s equilibrium

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Manifest function

A

Action is intended to help some part of a system

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Latent functions

A

Manifest functions that have unintended positive consequences on other parts of society

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Conflict theory

A

Based on the works of Karl Marx

Focuses on the power differentials: how they are created and how they contribute to the maintenance of social order

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Symbolic interactionism

A

study of the way individuals interact through a shared understanding of words, gestures, and other symbols

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Social constructionism theory

A

Focuses on how individuals put together their social reality

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Social constructs

A

arise from humans communicating and working together to agree on the significance of a concept or principle
-ex: work ethic, dress code, gender roles

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Rational choice theory

A

Focuses on decision making in an individual
-attempts to reduce this process to a careful consideration of benefits and harms

In any given social situation the individual chooses the action that has the highest benefit to harm ratio

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Exchange theory

A

Extension of rational choice theory - focuses on interactions in groups

  • behaviour that is met with approval will be reinforced
  • behaviour that is met with disapproval is punished which discourages its continuation
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Feminist theory

A

Attempts to explain social inequalities that exist on the basis of gender
-focus on the subordination of women through social structures and institutional discrimination

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Social Institutions

A

well-established social structures that dictate certain patterns of behaviour and are accepted as fundamental part of culture
-ex: family, education

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Social Institution: Family

A

Influences by a number of factors like gender, age, race, beliefs, practices, etc.

Patterns of kinship reflected by different terms that are not conserved across cultures (mother, cousins, brother..)

Sociologists look at stages of coupling, relationships between spouses, parenting etc.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Divorce rates in the US have been…?

A

Increasing significantly in the later 20th century but have started to drop in the past 2 decades

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Domestic violence

A

1 cause of injury to american women

Seen across all social classes

Most common in families with drug abuse (especially alcoholism)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Elder abuse

A

Usually manifests itself as neglect of an older relative

caretaker of the individual is most often the source of abuse

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Child abuse

A

Most commonly manifests as neglect

-physical, sexual, and psychological abuse are also common

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Hidden curriculum

A

Education not only includes information and cognitive skills but also is a methods of transmitting social norms, attitudes and beliefs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Teacher expectancy

A

Refers to the fact that teachers tend to get what they expect from students
-ones who places high demand AND believes the students can succeed tend to see more student success

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Religion

A

pattern of social activities organized around a set of beliefs and practices that seek to address the meaning of existence

23
Q

6 social institutions

A
  1. Education
  2. Family
  3. Religion
  4. Government
  5. Economy
  6. Medicine/Heathcare
24
Q

Healthcare and Medicine

A

Institutions aimed at maintaining or improving the health status of the individual, family, community
-increase access with decreased cost

25
Q

4 tenants of medical ethics

A
  1. Beneficence: the physician had a responsibility to act in the patients best interest
  2. Nonmaleficence: “do no harm” - responsibility to avoid treatments in which the potential for harm outweighs the good
  3. Respect for patient autonomy: physician has a responsibility to respect the wishes of the patient
  4. Justice: responsibility to treat all patients with the same standard of care and to distribute resources fairly
26
Q

Material culture

A

Meaning of objects within a given society

  • can be studied by looking at the artifacts of a population
  • often very visible during ceremonies, birthdays, funerals, weddings, etc.

Often the tangible embodiment of symbolic culture

27
Q

Symbolic culture

A

aka. nonmaterial culture is focused on the ideas that represent a group of people

Has a behavioural and cognitive component
-informs values and beliefs as well as norms and communication styles

28
Q

Culture lag

A

Symbolic culture is often “slower” than material culture

29
Q

Demographics

A

statistics of populations and the mathematical applications of sociology

30
Q

Gender inequality

A

intentional or unintentional empowerment of one gender to the detriment of the other

31
Q

Race

A

Social construct based on phenotypic differences between groups of people
-can be real or perceived differences

32
Q

Racialization

A

Definition or establishment of a group as a particular race

33
Q

Racial formation theory

A

Posits that racial identity is fluid and dependent on concurrent political, economic, and social factors
*racial identities are always on display

34
Q

Ethnicity

A

Social construct that organizes people based on cultural factors including race, nationality, religion…
*ethnic identities are not always on display

35
Q

Symbolic ethnicity

A

Specific connection to one;s ethnicity in which ethnic symbols and identity remain important even when ethnic identity does not play a significant role in everyday life

36
Q

Kinsey scale

A

Ranks sexual orientation from 0-6 with 0 = only heterosexual and 6 = only homosexual

37
Q

Intersectionality

A

The interplay between multiple demographic factors that can lead to discrimination and oppression

38
Q

Fertility rate

A

children per woman per lifetime

•primary driver of population expansion in many countries

39
Q

Birth rate

A

children born per 1000 people per year

40
Q

Mortality rate

A

Deaths per 1000 people per year

41
Q

Migration rate

A

Immigration rate - emigration rate

42
Q

Demographic transition

A

specific kind of demographic shift referring to changes in birth and death rates in a country

43
Q

Demographic shift

A

changes in population makeup over time

44
Q

Stage 1

A

preindustrial society

-birth and death rates are both high

45
Q

Stage 2

A

Improvements in health care, nutrition, sanitation

  • birth rate = high
  • death rate = starts to drop
46
Q

Stage 3

A

Improvements in contraception, women’s rights and a shift from agriculture to industry

  • birth rates drop
  • families have fewer children as children spend more time in school
47
Q

Stage 4

A

An industrialized society

-both birth and death rates are low

48
Q

Malthusian theory

A

focuses on how the exponential growth of population can outpace growth of the food supply and lead to social degradation

49
Q

Social movements

A
either promote (proactive) or resist social change (reactive)
-motivated by perceived relative deprivation
50
Q

Globalization

A

process of integrating the global economy with free trade and the tapping of foreign markets

51
Q

Urbanization

A

dense areas of population creating a pul for migration

-more than half the world’s population lives in urban areas

52
Q

Slum

A

densely populated area of a city with low-quality, often informal housing and poor sanitation

53
Q

Ghetto

A

areas where specific racial, ethnic, or religious minorities are concentrated
-usually due to social or economic inequities