Sociology Flashcards

1
Q

What is sociology?

A

The systematic study of human social life, groups, and societies.

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2
Q

What do sociologists study?

A

A: How groups and societies shape individuals and how individuals’ actions affect society

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3
Q

What is a society?

A

A group of people who live in a defined territory and share the same culture, including people, institutions, shared beliefs, and cultural ideas.

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4
Q

Who is considered the father of sociology?

A

Auguste Comte.

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5
Q

What did Auguste Comte contribute to sociology?

A

Defined sociology as the systematic study of society, believed in constant social change, and developed theories on social inequality.

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6
Q

What is positivism?

A

The application of the scientific method to obtain concrete, measurable, and testable data to understand society.

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7
Q

What do sociologists do?

A

Study interactions, actions, beliefs, and behaviors in societies to understand and compare them, and use research results to solve social problems and promote social change.

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8
Q

What are some areas sociologists study?

A

Behavior, religion, family interaction, politics, statistics, power hierarchies, crime, media, gender and sex, environment, and social class.

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9
Q

What is the aim of sociology?

A

To take personal experiences and show their relation to larger social issues.

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10
Q

How do sociologists use their research?

A

To solve social problems and bring about social change.

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11
Q

What are social institutions?

A

Organizations or social frameworks that meet the basic needs of society’s members by providing direction and operating principles.

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12
Q

Name the five social institutions found in all cultures.

A

Family, religion, education, government, and economy

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13
Q

What are the three central purposes of social institutions?

A

to socialize and teach appropriate behavior, provide order and stability, and ensure safety and security.

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14
Q

What is social structure?

A

A system of social relations occurring between social institutions or groups, determining social interactions.

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15
Q

What is macro sociology?

A

The analysis of societies, social systems, and populations on a large scale, focusing on larger social systems rather than individuals.

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16
Q

What is micro sociology?

A

Focuses on individual social activities, emphasizing social status and roles based on empirical observation.

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17
Q

What is structural functionalism?

A

A theory that focuses on how social structures function within society, viewing institutions as interdependent parts that work together to meet individual needs.

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18
Q

How does structural functionalism view society?

A

As stable when social institutions meet the needs of its citizens, with institutions modeling social norms and providing positive reinforcement.

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19
Q

Who is Emile Durkheim and what did he contribute to sociology?

A

A French sociologist who originated structural functionalism and observed that humans define themselves by social interactions.

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20
Q

How did Durkheim view suicide?

A

As a result of social disorganization or lack of social integration and solidarity, rather than a purely individual act.

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21
Q

What is the importance of status and roles within society?

A

They ensure that individuals fill specific positions and demonstrate expected behaviors, making institutions and society function smoothly.

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22
Q

What are norms and values in structural functionalism?

A

Norms are the most prevalent behaviors and expectations in society, while values are social principles accepted by society or groups within it.

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23
Q

What is role specialization?

A

The process where individuals in society perform specific roles, increasing efficiency within institutions like families

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24
Q

How do individuals learn the roles they are expected to play in society?

A

Through the process of socialization, where they are taught the appropriate behaviors for various roles.

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24
Q

What does conflict theory focus on?

A

Economic and political power, and the competition between different groups due to inequalities in power.

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25
Q

What is role strain?

A

The stress experienced when a person has multiple roles to play at the same time, such as a teacher juggling teaching, grading, and mentoring.

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26
Q

How does conflict theory view power in society?

A

As a force that holds society together, but also as a source of conflict between different groups.

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27
Q

Who was Karl Marx and what was his contribution to conflict theory?

A

A leading conflict sociologist who described capitalism, class divisions, and the concept that “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.”

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28
Q

What is social stratification?

A

The processes that define certain occupations and goods as socially desirable, leading to unequal resource distribution.

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29
Q

How does conflict theory apply to socioeconomic status?

A

By examining how education, money, and occupation contribute to social class differences and inequalities.

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30
Q

What is achieved status?

A

A social position obtained through personal effort and accomplishment.

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30
Q

What is ascribed status?

A

A social position assigned at birth, such as race, sex, or inherited wealth.

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31
Q

Who are the bourgeoisie according to Marx?

A

The wealthy owners of businesses and factories who control the means of production and the livelihood of working people.

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32
Q

What is the focus of George Dei’s research?

A

Racial inequality and anti-racism in schools, examining power imbalances from a conflict theory perspective.

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33
Q

What are some principles of anti-racism according to George Dei?

A

Holistic education, strong community relationships, fighting oppression and racism, diverse representations in learning materials, and societal transformation.

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34
Q

How does conflict theory explain inequality?

A

As a result of some people exploiting others for personal gain.

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35
Q

What does feminist theory examine?

A

Gender inequality and how men control women’s lives in terms of jobs, finances, and bodies.

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35
Q

How would structural functionalists explain social stratification?

A

As necessary for society to function.

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36
Q

What is social feminism?

A

A theory that views women’s status and social inequality as rooted in the sexual division of paid and unpaid labor.

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37
Q

What did Dorothy Smith contribute to feminist theory?

A

She argued that women have been marginalized in a society constructed to favor men, leading to gender inequality.

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38
Q

What is propinquity?

A

he tendency to marry someone within a five-mile radius of where you live or go to school.

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39
Q

Who are the proletariats?

A

the workers who work hard to make the bourgeoisie rich

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40
Q

Who are the bourgeoisie?

A

The top 1 percent who control everyone else, typically the owners of businesses and factories.

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41
Q

What is symbolic interactionism?

A

A theory that focuses on how individuals learn about their culture and shape their behavior through interaction and the use of symbols.

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41
Q

What are symbols in symbolic interactionism?

A

Gender, facial expressions, words, sign language, and other forms of communication.

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42
Q

What is interaction in symbolic interactionism?

A

The action that occurs as two or more objects have an effect upon one another.

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43
Q

How do humans interact according to symbolic interactionism?

A

Through symbols such as words, gestures, and facial expressions, modifying behavior based on others’ reactions.

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44
Q

What is the “looking glass theory” by Charles Cooley?

A

The concept that an individual’s self-perception is based on how they believe others perceive them.

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45
Q

What was Phillip Zimbardo’s experiment, and what did it demonstrate?

A

The mock prison experiment, which showed that individuals put on different “masks” and behave according to their roles in society.

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46
Q

How did George Herbert Mead expand on Cooley’s ideas?

A

By suggesting that individuals understand their social roles and act according to how they interpret others’ expectations.

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47
Q

What is socialization?

A

The process where someone learns the attitudes, values, and behaviors necessary for their society.

47
Q

How would a symbolic interactionist interpret the experiences of immigrants adjusting to a new society?

A

By noting that immigrants must learn and interpret new symbols, change their interactions, and adapt to new cultural norms and laws.

48
Q

When does socialization start and how long does it continue?

A

It starts at infancy and continues throughout a person’s life.

49
Q

What does socialization teach individuals?

A

Basic skills, socially accepted goals, roles, and behaviors.

50
Q

Why is socialization important?

A

It helps individuals learn how to function in their roles within society.

51
Q

What are agents of socialization?

A

People and institutions that shape an individual’s social development.

52
Q

What is the primary agent of socialization?

A

family

53
Q

Why is the family considered the primary agent of socialization?

A

It has the greatest impact on socialization, teaching values, acceptable behaviors, and meeting basic needs.

54
Q

What is social referencing?

A

The process where individuals observe and adjust their behavior based on the reactions and behaviors of others.

55
Q

What is a nuclear family?

A

A family consisting of two parents and their children.

56
Q

What is a dual income family (DINK)?

A

A family where both parents are employed and have no children

57
Q

What is a blended family?

A

A family where parents have divorced their previous spouses and remarried, combining children from previous relationships.

58
Q

What is a single parent family?

A

A family with one adult raising children.

59
Q

What is an extended family?

A

A family including parents, children, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and other blood relations.

60
Q

What are some functions of the family?

A

Physical maintenance, addition of new members, socialization of children, social control, production and consumption of goods and services, and affective nurturance (love).

61
Q

What is the significance of the family as an institution?

A

It nurtures and provides emotional support, shaping a child’s life and behavior.

62
Q

What is abnormal socialization?

A

Situations where children are not raised in a nurturing environment, leading to potential emotional and social deficits.

63
Q

What are some foundational behaviors taught by the family?

A

Language abilities, body control, emotional control, rules of public conduct, and moral values.

64
Q

What are feral children?

A

Children deserted at a young age and raised by animals, learning the behaviors of the species that raised them.

64
Q

Who is Genie Wiley, and why is she significant to sociologists?

A

An isolated child who provided sociologists with an opportunity to study the effects of improper or lack of socialization.

65
Q

How do family interactions influence social behavior?

A

Through conscious efforts to shape behavior and by observing and reacting to each other’s actions.

66
Q

What can result from cases of child abuse or neglect?

A

Children may not learn normal and healthy behaviors, leading to serious emotional and social consequences later in life.

67
Q

How do different types of families affect socialization?

A

They vary in structure and roles but all perform essential socialization functions, impacting the way individuals learn to function in society.

68
Q

Who was Genie Wiley?

A

A girl discovered in the 1970s who had lived in severe isolation for 13 years, leading to significant developmental delays.

68
Q

What is the critical period of learning?

A

the specific times during development when the brain needs to make connections to learn certain skills.

69
Q

Why is Genie’s case referred to as the “forbidden experiment”?

A

Because it provided insight into human development under extreme isolation, which is unethical to replicate.

70
Q

What are secondary agents of socialization?

A

Non-family people and institutions that teach individual social behaviors and norms, such as schools, peer groups, workplaces, mass media, and religion.

71
Q

Why is school considered an agent of socialization?

A

It teaches life lessons, communication, behavior, respect for authority, time management, and problem-solving skills.

72
Q

What is the manifest function of school?

A

The obvious purpose of school: to socialize children in the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to help them function as adults in society.

73
Q

What is the latent function of school?

A

The hidden curriculum: attitudes, values, and habits such as organization, reliability, promptness, cooperation, and respect for authority.

74
Q

How do peer groups function as an agent of socialization?

A

They teach communication, collaboration, compromise, expose different personality types, and build awareness of one’s appearance to others.

75
Q

Why is the media considered an agent of socialization?

A

It shapes behavior and attitudes by exposing young people to images of how to think and behave.

76
Q

Why is media literacy important?

A

It helps individuals critically analyze media content and understand its influence on behavior and attitudes.

77
Q

How does religion act as an agent of socialization?

A

It provides moral codes, sets behavior standards, and teaches responsibility and the importance of charity.

78
Q

What role does the workplace play as an agent of socialization?

A

It socializes adults by developing new specialized skills, values, and norms, and involves anticipatory socialization.

79
Q

What is anticipatory socialization?

A

The process of learning how to plan the way to behave in new situations.

80
Q

What are the functions of family as an agent of socialization?

A

Physical maintenance, addition of new members, socialization of children, social control, production and distribution of goods and services, and affective nurturance.

81
Q

What are some foundational behaviors taught by the family?

A

Language abilities, body control, emotional control, rules of public conduct, and moral values.

82
Q

What can result from abnormal socialization such as child abuse or neglect?

A

Emotional and social deficits later in life.

83
Q

What are feral children?

A

Children deserted at a young age and raised by animals, learning the behaviors of the species that raised them.

84
Q

Who are isolated children, and what can be the impact of their isolation?

A

Children raised in near isolation within human households, often resulting in severe developmental delays and social deficits.

85
Q

What is mass media?

A

Technology intended to reach a mass audience, such as news, radio, television, internet, film, video, audio recording, and print

86
Q

What is the primary purpose of mass media?

A

To shape public opinion on culture and national identity, often through a one-way form of communication.

87
Q

What is cultural diffusion?

A

The spread of cultural items like ideas, styles, religions, technologies, and languages between individuals or cultures.

88
Q

How does mass media influence culture and national identity?

A

By selecting and depicting certain stories, images, and language that shape people’s views about culture and national identity.

89
Q

What is cultural familiarity in the context of mass media?

A

The exposure of people to various aspects of culture and national identity, creating a common culture or threatening local cultures if one culture is more dominant.

90
Q

What is the global village concept?

A

An international community where people are connected by mass media, popular culture, and telecommunications.

91
Q

What are some advantages and disadvantages of the global village?

A

Advantages: Increases knowledge about lives in different places.
Disadvantages: Industrial countries can export their culture, potentially overwhelming local cultures.

92
Q

How does mass media impact children?

A

It depends on how much they watch, their age, personality, whether they watch alone or with adults, and if parents discuss the content with them.

93
Q

What are the major concerns regarding media’s impact on children?

A

Violence, increased fear, desensitization to real-life violence, and increased aggressive behavior.

94
Q

Who conducted the Bobo Doll Experiment, and what did it demonstrate?

A

Albert Bandura; it showed that children who observed violence were more likely to exhibit violent behavior themselves.

95
Q

How can television negatively affect healthy child development?

A

By reducing physical activity, increasing obesity, and exposing children to unhealthy food advertisements.

96
Q

What are the concerns related to sexual content in the media?

A

Media often portrays explicit but misleading sexual messages, with insufficient information about safe and responsible sex.

97
Q

What is the importance of being media literate?

A

to understand the sources of information, cross-check facts, and recognize bias, misinformation, and disinformation.

97
Q

What is media literacy?

A

The ability to sift through and analyze the messages in media, asking questions about what’s present and noticing what’s absent.

98
Q

What is social media?

A

Websites and applications enabling users to create and share content or participate in social networking.

99
Q

Why do governments and corporations desire to control media?

A

To push their messages or increase sales, which can lead to biased media and propaganda

100
Q

How can we ensure the information we get from media is trustworthy?

A

By knowing the source of information, cross-checking multiple sources, and understanding the origin of the sources.

101
Q

What are the potential benefits of online media?

A

Increased interconnectedness, making online friends, exposure to new things, accessibility, financial opportunities, and potentially an educational resource.

102
Q

What are the potential harms of online media?

A

Cyber-bullying, misinformation & disinformation, divisiveness, exploitation by companies and influencers, personal data sharing without consent, limited privacy (doxing & swatting), and dangerous messaging.

103
Q

What is algorithm bias in social media?

A

Unfairness in algorithm-generated outputs that disadvantage certain groups, impacting areas like healthcare, criminal justice, and credit scoring.

104
Q

What is cancel culture?

A

The public rejection or boycott of individuals or groups due to socially or morally unacceptable views or actions.

105
Q

What are some examples of online movements?

A

MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter are examples of online movements that have had significant real-world impacts.

106
Q

What is social identity theory?

A

A theory proposing that a person’s self-concept and self-esteem are influenced by the groups they belong to.

106
Q

What is social belonging?

A

The subjective feeling of inclusion or acceptance into a group, satisfying a basic human need for identity, physical well-being, and mental health.

107
Q

What are social groups?

A

Groups of two or more people who interact, share a common identity, and have informal or formal social structures with shared values, behavior, and goals.

108
Q

What are mores and folkways in social groups?

A

Mores are societal rules based on morality (e.g., cheating, killing), while folkways are general social norms (e.g., saying thank you).

109
Q

What are sanctions in social groups?

A

Punishments or rewards (formal or informal) used to enforce social norms and behaviors within a group.

110
Q

What is the bystander effect in casual crowds?

A

A phenomenon where individuals in a crowd may not intervene or act due to diffusion of responsibility.

111
Q

What are the primary forms of collective behavior?

A

The crowd, the mass, and the public.

112
Q

What is collective behavior?

A

Group behavior not regulated by institutions, often spontaneous, with no clear social boundaries, and involving limited interactions.

113
Q

What are conventional crowds?

A

Crowds that gather for scheduled events like religious services, adhering to appropriate norms for the situation.

114
Q

What is rational decision theory in collective behaviour?

A

A theory suggests people decide to participate in collective behaviour based on rational self-interest and the actions of others.

114
Q

What are expressive crowds?

A

groups formed to express emotion, such as at weddings, funerals, or political protests.

115
Q

How does conflict theory explain collective behaviour?

A

It suggests that social change is resisted by those in power, leading to conflict when groups challenge established norms or power structures.