Stuber Chapter 1

Question 1

Americanized

Answer 1

refers to the process by which cultural traditions like family names, language, food, and religion lose some of their original “flavor” and take on characteristics of American culture - within the US, this is a part of assimilation

Question 2

assimilation

Answer 2

the process by which cultural differences are incorporated into existing cultural patters, with the goal of achieving a single, cohesive culture

Question 3

confirmation bias

Answer 3

the tendency for people to notice and retain information that confirms an existing belief, while at the same time ignoring or rejecting information that challenges these beliefs

Question 4

diversity

Answer 4

refers to the statistical mix of social groups and cultures, especially in therms of religion, sexual expression, gender identity, disability, social class, and racial and ethnic identity

Question 5

English-only laws

Answer 5

these strive to make English the official language of the United States, illustrates the perception that the culture which “counts” is that of the largest population, which typically translates to those with the greatest political or social power - illustrates how pressures to assimilate remain

Question 6

essentialist perspective

Answer 6

views social phenomena as fixed and transhistorical - universally true regardless of social or historical context, a common theme is the assumption that social phenomena are rooted in underlying biological realities

Question 7

“the game”/macro-level

Answer 7

the structural level of society and the social institutions that comprise it - e.g. rules an policies, historical and cultural realities

Question 8

generalizations

Answer 8

statements that describe a general pattern or tendency of a group, using statistical rates or tendencies

Question 9

inclusion

Answer 9

how different groups get along or interact, this is relevant to the culture of the setting and the degree to which members of different groups are recognized and appreciated - diversity does not necessarily mean inclusive

Question 10

model minority myth

Answer 10

describes the stereotype that Asian Americans are intelligent and hardworking, with special talents in math and technical fields

Question 11

normative behaviors

Answer 11

social behaviors and cultural practices that are defined as normal and expected; other behaviors are judged in relation to this standard

Question 12

“the player”/micro-level

Answer 12

refers to the individual - ways the social phenomena reflect individual circumstances - e.g. financial ability, intelligence, support at home, etc.

Question 13

pluralism

Answer 13

occurs when different groups are able to maintain their cultural uniqueness within the context of a diverse society - diverse groups’ values and cultural practices are accepted - the US struggles to be truly pluralistic, but not to the extent of France

Question 14

schemas

Answer 14

mental structures or organized patters of thought or behavior that facilitate social interaction

Question 15

social identities

Answer 15

group memberships by which we define ourselves in relation to other social groups

Question 16

social location

Answer 16

refers to one’s position in the social structure - formed by the intersection of individual social identities, they differ in the degree of power or privilege associated with them

Question 17

social structure

Answer 17

refers to the large-scale social institutions that make up society (e.g. the family, religious authorities and organization, economic arrangements, the political order, mass media and communications, etc.

Question 18

socially constructed

Answer 18

draws attention to the fact that humans give meaning to their worlds - e.g. childhood (there is no biological definition), gender, sexuality, race, and social class

Question 19

sociological imagination

Answer 19

a term coined by Wright Mills - describes society’s unique emphasis on the macro- and micro- level dimensions of society

Question 20

sociology

Answer 20

the study of human society - it is systematic, meaning that it uses the scientific method

Question 21

stereotype

Answer 21

an overgeneralized belief that describes an entire group of people, typically based on partial or incomplete evidence, they are difficult to change because they are build from deeply embedded mental schemas

Question 22

What are the two consistent themes running through the field of sociology?

Answer 22

1) much of our world is socially constructed
2) many social phenomena can be understood by looking from a micro- and macro-level perspective

Question 23

How to humans socially construct concepts?

Answer 23

1) through face-to-face communication, co-constructions are built out of human interaction
2) meanings arise from the social structure

Question 24

Why is it important to consider the role of power in sociological thinking?

Answer 24

• minority groups struggle to gain recognition for their understandings of reality
• those who are disadvantaged in turn have limited power and resources to alter the systems

Question 25

What are some ramifications of the model minority myth, or other “positive” stereotypes?

Answer 25

1) places a large population in a narrow box
2) can conceal unpleasant historical realities by acting as a mechanism of power that that shapes our sense of history and ideas about how diverse groups fit into society (e.g. Native American history)

Question 26

What is an example of how France struggles to be pluralistic?

Answer 26

extreme separation of church and states - e.g. students are unable to wear cross necklaces

Question 27

How has the United States struggled with questions of diversity? What has changed, and what has stayed the same?

Answer 27

the US has changed which groups are considered outsiders (e.g. used to be Irish, but not anymore)
the existing culture is typically considered the “normal” and preferred culture, so that newcomers are expected to adapt to it, rather than retain their own cultural patterns

Question 28

________ ways of doing this are often defined as normative

Answer 28

men’s

Question 29

What is a consequence of the existence of cultural differences?

Answer 29

they are often transformed into a cultural hierarchy that suggests that some cultural practices are “better” than others

Question 30

According to the sociological perspective, why is labeling such an important part of the human experience?

Answer 30

the human brain demands labeling, and must create schemas to facilitate social interaction by providing a mental framework that guides our behaviors and interactions