Society and Culture II

Question 1

demographics

Answer 1

statistical designation that allows for the study of populations
eg sex, ethnicity, immigration status, age

Question 2

urbanization

Answer 2

movement of people away from a rural setting into a city environment
often driven by opportunities for jobs, access to schools, and better healthcare and utilities

Question 3

metropolis vs. megalopolis

Answer 3

metropolis = community of more than 500,000 people
megalopolis = grouping of metropoli eg the area between Boston and Washington DC

Question 4

gentrification

Answer 4

process of rebuilding and improving a neighborhood that forces out the current residents, due to an increase in the cost of living caused by increasing the standards of living in that neighborhood

Question 5

urban rebound

Answer 5

movement of people out of cities and back into rural areas

Question 6

functionalist perspective on urbanization

Answer 6

cities are necessary because they promote diversity and provide opportunities

Question 7

conflict theory perspective on urbanization

Answer 7

cities are full of inequalities because of the varying economic successes between individuals and a large amount of poverty
differences are increased by the large amount of diversity

Question 8

expansive population pyramid

Answer 8

graph of a population with a high fertility rate and a high mortality rate
relatively wide because of the large number of young people and small number of old people
developing countries

Question 9

stationary or constrictive pyramid

Answer 9

graph of a population with a low fertility rate and a low mortality rate that is common in developed countries
relatively narrow because of the small number of younger people and larger number of older people

Question 10

growth rate

Answer 10

births + # people who have immigrated - # deaths
typically measured by year per 1000 people
positive number means increase in population

Question 11

demographic transition: stage 1

Answer 11

high birth rate and high death rate

Question 12

stage 2

Answer 12

death rates begin to drop because of better sanitation and food, but birth rates are still high

Question 13

stage 3

Answer 13

birth rates begin to drop as social values change and contraception becomes more accessible

Question 14

stage 4

Answer 14

birth and death rates are low but the population is high

Question 15

stage 5

Answer 15

birth and death rates have both been low for a while, population begins to decline
no nation has achieved stage 5 high

Question 16

world system theory

Answer 16

core countries, periphery countries, and semi-periphery countries
core countries - mostly independent of control by other nations, economically diverse, large middle class and large tax base
periphery countries - subject to the control of corporations or other nations, typically dependent on one type of economic industry and have large class inequality
semi-periphery countries - nations that were periphery countries but have moved up in power, or core countries with declining power

Question 17

hyperglobalism

Answer 17

perspective on globalization that predicts that divisions between nations will become less relevant over time

Question 18

theories of social change

Answer 18

relative deprivation theory - social change stems from a group of people that identify an inequality in society and work together to address that inequality
resource motivation theory - social change is only possible when there are necessary funds and publicity for the movement
rational choice theory - social patterns stem from individuals that weigh the costs and benefits of certain actions and choose the action that benefits them the most
mass society theory - social movements stem from socially isolated people who join movements for refuge and to find a sense of community; helps to explain why people join extremist, irrational movements, such as fascism or communism

Question 19

culture lag

Answer 19

idea that technological advances often occur faster than the ideas and beliefs of society can evolve to accommodate these changes
this often results in social conflicts

Question 20

views of mass media

Answer 20

functionalist view of mass media- explains the need for various mediums through which information spreads, believing it is because these different mediums serve a purpose in society by bringing information, acting as an agent of socialization, and enforcing social norms
conflict theory view - different mediums work to enforce divisions between people or act as gatekeeper
feminist theory view - media works to propagate stereotypes and promote the views of the dominant group of society
interactionist perspective - different media change the way people communicate with others, communication constantly evolves with media

Question 21

evolutionary component of culture

Answer 21

natural selection is influenced by the values, beliefs, and behaviors of a society
eg gene for a lactose-digesting protein being selected for in a population that relies on drinking milk for sustenance