Sociological Theories Flashcards
Sociology can best be defined as:
a) the difference between personal troubles and social issues
b) The systematic study of human groups and their interactions
c) The systematic study of society
d) Seeing the familiar in the strange
b) The systematic study of human groups and their interactions
Who coined the term the sociological imagination?
a) Auguste Comte
b) Peter Berger
c) Emile Durkheim
d) C.W. Mills
d) C.W. Mills
An attribute (advantage or disadvantage) assigned at birth (ex. sex) is called:
a) Ascribed status
b) Achieved status
c) Socio-economic status
d) Sociological status
a) Ascribed status
The incidence of low income for female lone-parent families is ____x higher than the incidence for two-parent families with children
a) Two
b) Three
c) Four
d) Five
c) Four
Men on average earn…
a) 15% more than women
b) 35% more than women
c) Men and women earn the same now
d) 15% less than women
a) 15% more than women
The term sociology was first described in
a) 1753
b) 1838
c) 1908
d) 1920
b) 1838
A theoretical approach that considers all understanding to be based on science is called
a) Negativism
b) Renaissancce
c) Enlightenment
d) Positivism
d) Positivism
Which of the following was NOT a revolution that inspired sociology?
a) Industrial
b) Scientific
c) Political
d) Military
d) Military
The study of individuals or small group dynamics within a larger society is called
a) Microsociology
b) Macrosociology
c) Formal sociology
d) Molecular sociology
a) Micrososiology
Within the context of sociology, Canadianization refers to
a) The selling of raw materials from Canada to Europe
b) The training of Canadian sociologists in Canada
c) The infiltration of Canadia sociologists in American Universities
d) The assimilation of immigrant sociologists to Canada
b) The training of Canadian sociologists in Canada
What is the purpose of Sociological Theories? (3)
- Helps us navigate through the social world
- Helps us figure out/ understand what we are seeing
- Each theory is like putting on a different lense to view it from a different point/element
Defne Sociology
Who is the father of sociology?
The systematic and scientific study of society and human interactions
Auguste Comte
Define Sociological Imagination
The ability to understand the dynamic relationship between individual lives and the larger society
- Understanding other perspectives
What are some examples of central tensions?
Macro vs Micro
(Society vs individuals)
Order vs. Conflict
Structure vs. Agency
(Social structure - telling you what to wear vs. choosing what to wear yourself)
Explain the difference between personal troubles and social issues
Give an example
Personal troubles- personal challenges that require individual solutions
- ex. only you fail an exam
Social issues - Challenges caused by larger social factors that require collective solutions
- ex. everyone fails the exam
Key elements of Functionalism (2)
- The social world is a dynamic system of interrelated and interdependent parts
- Social structures (Universities) exist to help people fulfill their wants and desires as defined by social values
According to Functionalism, Society is made up of…
Structures that work together for the common good of the majority
T or F: General social features that exist on their own are dependent of individual manifestations (ex. laws, beliefs, morals)
False;
General social features that exist on their own are INDEPENDENT of individual manifestations
Why is post-secondary education functional?
One way to be successful is have a good job, one way to get a good job is to get a good education.
Therefore Universities are functional in the sense that they make this possible
Are Universities Functional or Structural?
They are both!
Structural (they have buildings, employees, etc.)
Functional (it works in society)
What are the 3 elements that Functionalism emphasizes?
1) The general interdepence of the system’s parts
2) The existence of a “normal” state of equilibrium
3) The way that all parts of the system reorganize to bring things back to normal
How do education and families rely on one another?
Institutions rely on families to teach the value of education, and society values (ex. not to steal)
What is functional about racism? Poverty?
It allows there to be a superior race
Need people to do the shitty jobs, not everyone can be a doctor
Why is society compared to a body?
(organic analogy)
- Society also has interconnected parts that work together
- Focus on stability and consensus
How can we achieve functionalism?
By returning to our state of homeostasis (for the majority)
BUT what may be functional for some (majority), may be disfunctional for others.
Functionalism:
All parts of a society have.. (2)
1) A function (or purpose)
2) Certain needs
Every structure serves a function to fulfill certain needs
Manifest functions vs. Latent functions
Manifest functions: intended consequences of an action
Latent functions: unintended consequences of an action
ex. of university -living away from home
Advantages of Functionalism (2)
1) attemps to provide a universal social theory
2) Brings a sense of order to a potentially disorderly world
Criticisms of Functionalism(4)
1) Reification of society and social institutions
2) Circular Resoning (hard to disprove because it is functional (it exists))
3) Cannot explain rapid social change (only slow changes)
4) Implicit support for the political and economic status quo (says we dont need to change because its already functional!!)
The Conflict Theory is based on the assumption…
That society is grounded upon inequality and competition over scarce resources and power
(unequal distribution)
Key elements of the conflict theory (2)
1) Power is the core of all social relationships and is scarce and unequally divided among the members of society
2) Social values and the dominant ideology are vehicles by which the powerful promote their own interests at the expense of the weak
What is a clear alternative to functionalism?
The conflict theory
According to the Conflict Theory, society is characterized by how….
Power defines and influences virtually all human interactions
Conflict theory:
Social problems stem from?
Society is a collection of varied groups that constantly struggle with each other to______
Inequality between groups
Dominate society and its institutions
Conflict theory: Why is having lawyers and McDonald’s workers inequality?
Inequality because there should be enough good paying jobs to go around for everyone
Conflict theory:
_______ and _______ are constant elements of society
Resentment and hostility
Advantages of conflict theory?
- Challenges the status quo
- Helps us understand macro level social issues, and micro level personal interactions
- Intellectuals should act on what they believe
How can we explain the relationship between owners and workers?
*Relations of production*
Owners - exploit the workers to become better off, and don’t care about the well being of the workers
- want to obtain the most labour while paying the least
Workers - want to make the most money while putting in the least amount of effort
Criticism of Conflict Theory (4)
- Sides with people who lack power
- Focuses too much on tension and the negative in society
- Marxist vision: sees economic factors as the most important conflict
- Fails to investigate individual motivations and reactions to tensions and conflicts in peoples lives
Who views society as objectively real and at times exerting a strong, coercive influence over human behaviour.
Functionalists and Conflict Theorists
Symbolic interactionists emphasize that society is nothing more than …
the creations of interacting people, and that they can be change
What is Symbolic Interactionism?
- The focus on the way individuals consciously act
- How different social actors (us) interpret the behavious of other
- Focus on the meanings people give to behaviours and how they interpret it
What is the quality of mind?
The ability to look beyond personal circumstance and into social context
What is the social imagination?
The ability to understand the dynamic relationship between individual lives and the larger society
Which 3 revolutionary events inspired the rise of sociology?
1) Scientific Revolution
2) The political Revolution
3) The Industrial Revolution
What method did Auguste Comte come up with?
The scientific method of understanding the world.
Positivism approach; that considers all understanding to be based on science.
Advantages of Symbolic interactionism
- New and different way of looking at the social world
- Contributed the research methods
What is the sympathetic introspection?
Who came up with this method?
The concept of putting yourself into other person’s shoes and seeing the world as they do
By Cooley
*SI theory*
What is the concept of looking-glass self?
Who came up with this?
That we develop our self image through the cues we receive from others
Cooley
*SI theory*
Critiques of SI (4)
1) Scope is limited
2) fails to theorize the nature of power
3) Knowledge about the social world is relative
4) doesn’t properly explain questions of social order (functionalism) and social change (conflict theory)
Si fails to acknowledge how difficult it is to…
Si fails to acknowledge how difficult it is to change long-established social arrangements
_______ view the world as a dynamic system of interrelated and interdependent parts
a) Functionalists
b) Conflict theorists
c) Symbolic interactionists
d) Post-structuralists
a) Functionalists
Durkheim referred to general social features that exist on their own and are independent of individual manifestations as __________
a) Social facts
b) Manifest functions
c) Latent functions
d) Social networks
a) Social facts
In Marx’s description of social classes, he referred to the workers as the
a) Bourgeoisie
b) Lumpen proletariat
c) Petite bourgeoisie
d) Proletariat
d) Proletariat
The belief in and support of the system that oppresses you is called
a) False consciousness
b) Class consciousness
c) Social consciousness
d) Class conflict
a) False consciousness
Who coined the term the term the looking-glass self
a) Mead
b) Marx
c) Cooley
d) Durkheim
c) Cooley
_________ refers to ideological control and consent, a process that is constantly negotiated and renegotiated
Hegemony
What is the Feminist Theory?
- Women centered
- Looks at gendered inequality
- Public and private spheres of life are gendered
- Domination of women
1) Women’s ______ and _______ in any given situation differs from men in the same situation
2) Women experience __________ than men in any given situation that they share with men
3) Women are ______ by men
1) Women’s location and experience in any given situation differs from men in the same situation
2) Women experience less privelege than men in any given situation that they share with men
3) Women are oppressed (weighed down) by men
What are the three waves of feminism?
Explain each
1) Liberal - equality of opportunity (right to vote)
- legislation
2) Marxist - inequality is the consequence of capitalism (women rely on men to support the family)
3) Radical - Women are facing inequality due to patriarchy (biological differences between men and women)
What are the goals of feminism?
1) Demonstrate the importance of women’s lives
2) To reveal that historically women have been subordinate to men
3) To bring about gender equity
Criticisms of Feminism:
Most are internal critiques (other feminists)
Liberal - fight the system
Marxist - focus too much on capitalism
- would have to overthrow capitalism (not possible)
Radical - not all men & women relationships are bad
Socialist - doesn’t focus enough on capitalism nor on patriarchy
Which concepts interested Foucault?
Power, knowledge and discourse
According to Marx, power comes in which form?
Power comes in the form of oppression
To know something is to exercise _____
power
Define discourse
A system of meaning that governs how we think, act, and speak about a particular thing or issue
Michel Foucault is most likely to be associated with which of the following perspectives?
a) Functionalism
b) Post-structuralism
c) Feminism
d) Western Marxism
b) Post-structuralism
Which is false about feminism?
a) There are many different feminist perspectives
b) Feminists are concerned with gender oppression
c) Men and women should be social and political equals
d) All feminist perspectives have been united by standpoint theory
d) All feminist perspectives have been united by standpoint theory
A system that governs how we think, act, and speak about a particular thing or issue is called
a) Discipline
b) Discourse
c) Standpoint
d) Outlook
b) Discourse
Which feminist theory sees women’s position of inequality as a consequence of capitalism?
a) Liberal
b) Marxist
c) Radical
d) Socialist
b) Marxist
What woman is considered by some to be the founder of sociology?
a) Bell Hooks
b) Dorothy smith
c) Mary Wollenscraft
d) Harriet Martineau
d) Harriet Martineau
What do each part of the feminist theory people is the cause of inequality?
1) Liberal
2) Marxist
3) Radical
4) Socialist
1) Liberal - consequence of unequal opportunity structure
2) Marxist - consequence of capitalism
3) Radical - consequence of patriarchy (male power)
4) Socialist - consequence of capitalism and patriarchy
What is Post Modernism?
All reality is constructed, everything is a multitude of images and truth
What is hyperreality?
the perception of the world that is constructed by the media
Which theory believes that there is no grand truth, there are multiple truths available.. and the one you believe to be true is?
Post modernism
What are advantages of post modernism? (2)
- Allows us to question scientific ideals and concepts
- It’s generated to deal with our society specifically now (today)
Criticisms of post modernism
- fails to live up to modern scientific standards
- Just ideas - not truth
- Too vague and abstract
- lacks a vision of what society ought to do
- contradictory
**View 20 test yourself questions in ch 1**
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