Sociology Midterm Exam Flashcards
Sociology
The scientific study of social behavior and human groups
social structures
systematic study of the way people are affected by family or laws (change slowly)
social processes
systematic study of the way people are affected by online shopping or child discipline. (changes rapidly)
Globalization
the most important instigator of social change and affects all aspects of the social world
Globalization positive affects
greater access to goods, services, and information (music, food. etc.)
Globalization negative affects
undesirable things (drugs, pandemic, war)
Classical Sociological Theory
A set of related ideas that apply to certain issues and have been tested
Karl Marx
Germany (1818-1883)
Who is Karl Marx
Theorist who focused on the structure of capitalist society
Concept from Marx
capitalism is a system based on exploitation
False Consciousness
an erroneous set of beliefs
Class consciousness
a set of beliefs about an individuals social positioning
Max Weber
Germany 1864-1920
Who is Max Weber
(Wrote the book) Theorist who was interested in rationalization and bureaucracy in society
Emile Durkheim
France 1858-1917
Who is Emile Durkheim
(Wrote suicide) Suicide was not the cause of the individual, but the cause of social facts
Anomie
a state of normalness (Covid)
Two types of solidarity
Mechanical solidarity and organic solidarity
Structural-Functionalism
examines both social structures and their functions
Manifest functions
positive consequences that are purposely brought about (marriage)
Latent functions
unintended positive consequences (getting a new car for getting good grades)
Dysfunctions
Negatively affect the ability of a given system to survive (divorce)
Conflict Theory
focus on what is negative about society (coercion) (tension)
Critical Theory
oriented towards critiquing the society
Symbolic Interactionism
interaction through symbols
Qualitive Research
A scientific method that does not require statistical methods for collection and reporting data
Quantitative Research
Involves the analysis of numerical data typically obtained from surveys and experiments
Inferential statistics
relies on data from small groups to speculate on the behavior of larger groups
Observational Research
watching, listening to, and recording what takes place in the natural world
Common observational methods
participant/non-participant
ethnography
Socialization
the process of learning and effectively integrating themselves into a group or society (starts in childhood)(involves interaction)
Nature argument
being human is a natural instinct
Nurture argument
humanness is based on the way we are socialized by others
George Herbert Mead
America 1863-1931
The “self”
the ability that develops over time to take oneself as an object through a process called taking the role of the other
I
the part of the self that unconscious and creative
Me
the organized set of others attitude assumed by the individual
Initiation
cannot take the role of the other
Play
one other in one situation
Games
many others in one situation
Generalized other
many others in many situations
Erving Goffman
America 1922-1982
Dramaturgy
social life is a series of dramatic experiences
Impression Management
When people project a certain image while interacting with others
Front stage
the social performance is designed to define the situation for those observing it
Back stage
people express themselves in ways that are suppressed in the front
Agents of socialization
family, teachers, peers, gender, mass media
Organizations
collectives purposely constructed to achieve particular ends (colleges or corporations)
Bureaucracies
highly rational and efficient organizations
Rational-legal authority
grounded in rules that legitimate the office
traditional authority
Long standing traditions, God given right to hold power
Charismatic authority
devotion and faith of followers
The Informal organization
how the organization actually works as opposed to how it ideally works
Glass Ceiling
The invisible barrier by male management that prevents women from reaching top positions
Mcdonaldization core principles
efficiency, predictablility, calculability, and control
Deviance
anything that is considered a violation of social norms
criminology
the study of all aspects of crime
