Social structures, demographics, and stratification (BS 11, 12)

Question 1

functionalism

Answer 1

explains how parts of society fit together to create a cohesive whole, via both manifest (intended to help) and latent (unintended positive) functions

Question 2

conflict theory

Answer 2

emphasizes the role of power differentials in producing social order

Question 3

symbolic interactionism

Answer 3

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

Question 4

social constructionism

Answer 4

uncovers the ways in which individuals and groups participate in the formation of their perceived social reality

Question 5

rational choice theory

Answer 5

individuals consider benefits and harms to themselves in any given social interaction and choose the best possible action

Question 6

exchange theory

Answer 6

an extension of rational choice theory that focuses on interactions in groups; behavior is engaged in based on expectancy of future reward or punishment

Question 7

social institutions

Answer 7

well-established social structures that dictate certain patterns of behaviors or relationships including family, education, religion, government, economy, and healthcare

Question 8

material culture

Answer 8

includes artifacts one associates with a specific group (ex. clothing, food)

Question 9

symbolic culture

Answer 9

focuses on the ideas that represent a group (ex. songs, themes); slower to change than material culture

Question 10

values

Answer 10

dictates one’s ethical principals and standards of behavior

Question 11

ritual

Answer 11

formalized ceremony that involves specific material objects, symbolism, and specific behaviors

Question 12

fertility rate

Answer 12

average number of children per woman per lifetime; contribute to population growth

Question 13

mortality rate

Answer 13

number of deaths per unit time; a contributor to the increasing average age of the population in the US

Question 14

migration

Answer 14

immigration (movement into) and emigration (movement away) contribute to population size; US has a larger net immigration than emigration

Question 15

stages of demographic transition

Answer 15

1: preindustrial (birth and death rates high)
2: improved healthcare, sanitation, and wages cause decreased death rate
3: improvements in contraception, women’s rights, and shift to industrial economy cause birth rates to drop
4: industrialized society (birth and death rates low)

Question 16

Malthusian theory

Answer 16

focuses on how the exponential growth of a population can outpace growth of the food supply leading to social disorder

Question 17

globalization

Answer 17

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

Question 18

urbanization

Answer 18

dense areas of population creating a pull for migration

Question 19

ascribed status

Answer 19

based on clearly identifiable characteristics like age, gender, skin color

Question 20

achieved status

Answer 20

acquired via direct, individual efforts

Question 21

social capital

Answer 21

investments people make in their society in return for economic or collective rewards; the greater the investment the higher the level of social integration

Question 22

social mobility

Answer 22

the result of an economic and occupational structure that allows a person to acquire higher-level employment opportunities given proper experience

Question 23

meritocracy

Answer 23

based on intellectual talent and achievement; a means for a person to advance the social ladder

Question 24

poverty levels

Answer 24

structural: poverty due to “holes” in the structure of society, not on the individuals actions
absolute: a socioeconomic condition in which people don’t have enough money or resources
relative: one is poor in comparison to the larger population in which they live

Question 25

spatial inequality

Answer 25

focused on social stratification across territories and their populations; includes residential, environmental, and global

Question 26

epidemiology statistics

Answer 26

incidence: number of new cases of illness per population at risk in a given amount of time
prevalence: a measure of the number of cases of an illness overall per population in a given amount of time