Sociology of the Family - Key Words - UNFINISHED Flashcards
Adolescence
The period following the onset of puberty during which a young person develops from a child into an adult
Agency of Socialisation
A combination of social groups and social institutions that provide the first experiences of socialization
Arranged marriage
A type of marital union where the bride and groom are selected by individuals other than the couple themselves
Bias
Inclination or prejudice for or against one person or group, especially in a way considered to be unfair
Bigamy
The offence of marrying someone whilst that person is married to another person
Canalization
The way in which parents channel the child’s interests in activities or toys in conjunction with gender as deemed appropriate.
Child rearing
The process of bringing up a child or children
Childhood
The state or period of being a child
Commune
A group of people living together and sharing possessions and responsibilities
Conjugal relationship
A relationship in which the two individuals have a marriage-like relationship but are not married and have not lived together for at least a year
Conjugal roles
The separation of roles within the household based on an individual’s sex/gender
Consensus
A general agreement
Continuity
The unbroken and consistent existence or operation of something over time
Conventional family
Nuclear families composed of legally married couples, voluntarily choosing parenthood of one or more children
Crisis of Masculinity
The shift in our societal structure that has changed what it means to be masculine and so traditional roles are no longer fufilled
Data
Facts and statistics collected together for reference and/or analysis
Dependent family members
Family members who depend on others within the family due to age or lack of money
Discrimination
The unfair treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, sex, or disability
Divorce
The legal dissolution of a marriage by a court or other competent body
Domestic division of labour
The division of domestic tasks within the household between partners
Double standards
A rule or principle which is unfairly applied in different ways to different people or groups
Dual career family
A family in which both heads of household pursue careers and at the same time maintain a family life together
Dysfunctional family
A family in which conflict, misbehavior, and often child neglect or abuse on the part of individual parents occur continuously and regularly, leading other members to accommodate such actions
Economy
The way in which goods and services are made, sold and used in a country or area
Egalitarian
Believing in or based on the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities
Empty nest family
A type of family in which the children are not living with the parents/guardians and they are left living alone in the family home
Empty shell marriage
A marriage which has lost, or never had the passion needed to make a marriage
Ethical considerations
A set of principles that guide your research designs and practices
Ethnic diversity
The existence of people from a variety of cultural and diverse backgrounds within a single area
Ethnic group
A social group or category of the population that, in a larger society, is set apart and bound together by common ties of race, language, nationality, or culture
Ethnic minority
A group within a community which has different national or cultural traditions from the main population
Ethnicity
The fact or state of belonging to a social group that has a common national or cultural tradition
Ethnography
The scientific description of peoples and cultures with their customs, habits, and mutual differences
Expectations
- A strong belief that something will happen or be the case
- A belief that someone will or should achieve something
Extended family
A family that includes in one household near relatives (such as grandparents, aunts, or uncles) in addition to a nuclear family
Family
A group of person tied together through marriage, birth or adoption
Family diversity
A broad range of characteristics or dimensions on which families vary, along with a recognition that there are multiple different family types that function effectively
Feminism
The advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of equality for the sexes
Focus group
A group of people assembled to participate in a discussion about a product before it is launched, or to provide feedback
Functionalism
The theory that all aspects of a society serve a function and are necessary for the survival of that society
Gender
The socially constructed roles, behaviours, expressions and identities of girls, women, boys, men, and gender diverse people
Gender roles
The roles or behaviours learnt by a person as appropriate to their gender, determined by the prevailing cultural norms
Glass ceiling (in relation to women in employment)
An unacknowledged barrier to advancement in a profession
Hypothesis
A proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation
Idealisation
The action of regarding or representing something as perfect or better than in reality
Immigrant
A person who comes to live permanently in a foreign country
Income
Money received, especially on a regular basis, for work or through investments
Informed consent
Permission granted in full knowledge of the possible consequences
Interactionism
A micro-sociological perspective that argues meaning to be produced through the interactions of individuals
Isolation (social and family)
An objective measure of the number of contacts and relationships that people have
Kibbutz
A communal settlement in Israel, typically a farm
Kin
One’s family and/or relations
Kinship
- blood relationship
- sharing characteristics and/or origins
Life chances
The opportunities an individual has to improve their life
Lifestyle
The way in which a person lives
Lone parent family
A family headed by a single person who has a child or children but no live-in partner or spouse
Male domination (of society)
A society in which men have most of the power and influence
Marriage
The legal and formal recognition of two people as partners in a relationship
Conformity
behaviour in accordance with socially accepted conventions
Marxism
A social, political and economical philosophy named after Karl Marx, which focuses on the class struggle, communism and capitalism.
Marxism
A social, political and economic philosophy named after Karl Marx
Cohabitation
The state of living together and having a sexual relationship without being married
Matriarchal family
A family in which a woman in the head of the family
Matriarch
A woman who is the head of the family or tribe
Middle class
the social group between the upper and working classes, including professional and business people and their families
Monogamy
The practice of marrying or state of being married to one person at a time
Neo-conservatism
A political ideology characterized by an emphasis on free-market capitalism and an interventionist foreign policy
Neoliberalism
A political approach that favours free-market capitalism, deregulation, and reduction in government spending
Norms
A standard or pattern, especially of social behaviour, that is typical or expected
Nuclear family
a couple and their dependent children
Observation
- the action or process of closely observing or monitoring something or someone.
- a statement based on something one has seen, heard, or noticed
Patriarchal family
A social system in which the father or a male elder has absolute authority over the family group
Patriarchy
A system of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it
Pluralism
A condition or system where two or more states, groups, principles, sources of authority, etc., coexist
Polyandry
Polygamy in which a woman has more than one husband
Polygamy
The practice of marrying multiple spouces
Polygyny
Polygamy in which a man has more than one wife
Population
All the inhabitants of a particular place
Primary socialisation
Socialisation which occurs from 0-5 years old and the children learn values and cultural norms of society through their parents and family members
Principle of stratified diffusion
The theory that what happens at the top of the stratification system today will diffuse downwards tomorrow
Propaganda
Information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view
Questionnaire
A series of questions used to gather information
Racial discrimination
Any discrimination against any individual on the basis of their skin color, or racial or ethnic origin
Racism
prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism by an individual, community, or institution against a person or people on the basis of their race or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized
Reconstituted (or blended) family
A family where one or both adults have children from previous relationships living with them
Reliability
The quality of being trustworthy or of performing consistently well
Role conflict
When there are contradictions between different roles that a person takes on or plays in their everyday life
Rural
In, relating to, or characteristic of the countryside rather than the town
Sample
A small part or quantity intended to show what the whole is like
Secondary socialisation
Socialisation which takes place when a child learns the values, beliefs and attitudes of their culture through those outside the family
Secularization
the action or process of converting something from religious to secular possession or use
Segregated conjugal roles
Where couples have separate roles
Serial monogamy
A person who moves from one romantic relationship to another very quickly, spending as little time single as possible
Sex (gender) discrimination
discrimination in employment and opportunity against a person on grounds of sex (gender)
Sex (Gender) equality
Sex/Gender equality is when all sexes/genders have the same rights, responsibilities and opportunities
Sexism
Prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination on the basis of sex
Social cohesion
the strength of relationships and the sense of solidarity among members of a community
Social construct
A concept that exists not in objective reality but as a result of human interaction
Social convention
A way of behaving that is considered to be correct or polite by society
Social exclusion
Exclusion from the prevailing social system and its rights and privileges, typically as a result of poverty or the fact of belonging to a minority social group
Social inequality
The condition of unequal access to the benefits of belonging to any society
Social Mobility
The link between a person’s occupation or income and the occupation or income of their parents
Social network
A network of social interactions and personal relationships
Social order
A system of social structures and institutions
Social stigma
The disapproval of, or discrimination against, an individual or group based on perceived characteristics that serve to distinguish them from other members of a society
Socially defined behaviour
All behavior that influences, or is influenced by, other members of the same species
Society
The aggregate of people living together in a more or less ordered community
Stereotype
A fixed, over-generalised belief about a particular group or class of people
Symmetrical family
A family which divides all jobs and roles equally
Technological change
The overall process of invention, innovation and diffusion of technology or processes
Urban
In, relating to, or characteristic of a town or city
Value consensus
The extent to which individuals within an interindividual structure share the same values
Values
The principles or standards of behaviour
Welfare state
A way of governing in which the state or an established group of social institutions provides basic economic security for its citizens
Work-life balance
The division of an individual’s time and focus between working and family or leisure activities
Working class
The social group consisting primarily of people who are employed in unskilled or semi-skilled manual or industrial work
World view
The attitudes, values, stories and expectations about the world around us, which inform our every thought and action
Youth culture
The societal norms of children, adolescents and young adults
Life expentancy
The number of years someone can expect to live
Social stratification
A society’s categorization of its people into groups based on socioeconomic factors like wealth, income, race and education
Intergenerational
relating to, involving or affecting several generations.
Paticularistic standards
Parents treat the child as their own, unique, special child, rather than judging him or her by universal standards that are applied to every individual
Status
relative social or professional position
New man
a man who rejects sexist attitudes and the traditional male role, especially in the context of domestic responsibilities and childcare
New right
right-wing political groups or policies in different countries during different periods
Universal standards
norms and values that relate to everyone within society or a particular group
Integrated conjugal roles
When both members of a relationship perform tasks interchangeably
Gender deal
Women should do domestic labour and give love and companionship to their husbands, in exchange for love and financial support
Double shift
the workload of people who work to earn money, but who are also responsible for significant amounts of unpaid domestic labor
Theoretical perspective
a set of assumptions about reality that inform the questions we ask and the kinds of answers we arrive at as a result
