Understanding Sociology

Question 1

anomie

Answer 1

the loss of direction felt in a society when social control of individual behavior has become ineffective

Question 2

applied sociology

Answer 2

the use of the discipline of sociology with the specific intent of yielding practical applications for human behavior and organizations

Question 3

basic sociology

Answer 3

sociological inquiry conducted with the objective of gaining a more profound knowledge of the fundamental aspects of social phenomena. also known as pure sociology

Question 4

clinical sociology

Answer 4

the use of the discipline of sociology with the specific intent of altering social relationships or restructuring social institutions

Question 5

conflict perspective

Answer 5

a sociological approach that assumes that social behavior is best understood in terms of tension between groups over power or the allocation of resources, including housing, money, access to services, and political representation

Question 6

cultural capital

Answer 6

noneconomic goods, such as family background and education, which are reflected in a knowledge of language and the arts

Question 7

double consciousness

Answer 7

the division of an individual’s identity into two or more social realities

Question 8

dramaturgical approach

Answer 8

a view of social interaction in which people are seen as theatrical performers

Question 9

dysfunction

Answer 9

an element or process of a society that may disrupt the social system or reduce its stability

Question 10

feminist perspective

Answer 10

a sociological approach that views inequity in gender as central to all behavior and organization

Question 11

functionalist perspective

Answer 11

a sociological approach that emphasizes the way in which the parts of a society are structured to maintain its stability

Question 12

global sociology

Answer 12

a level of sociological analysis that makes comparisons between entire nations, using entire societies as units of analysis

Question 13

globalization

Answer 13

the worldwide integration of government policies, cultures, social movements, and financial markets through trade and the exchange of ideas

Question 14

ideal type

Answer 14

a construct or model for evaluating specific cases

Question 15

interactionist perspective

Answer 15

a sociological approach that generalizes about everyday forms of social interaction in order to explain society as a whole

Question 16

latent function

Answer 16

an unconscious or unintended function that may reflect hidden purposes

Question 17

macrosociology

Answer 17

sociological investigation that concentrates on large-scale phenomena or entire civilizations

Question 18

manifest function

Answer 18

an open, stated, and conscious function

Question 19

mesosociology

Answer 19

an intermediate level of sociological analysis that focuses on formal organizations and social movements

Question 20

microsociology

Answer 20

sociological investigation that stresses the study of small groups, often through experimental means

Question 21

natural science

Answer 21

the study of the physical features of nature and the ways in which they interact and change

Question 22

nonverbal communication

Answer 22

the sending of messages through the use of gestures, facial expressions, and postures

Question 23

queer theory

Answer 23

the study of society from the perspective of a broad spectrum of sexual identities, including heterosexuality, homosexuality, and bisexuality

Question 24

science

Answer 24

the body of knowledge obtained by methods based on systematic observation

Question 25

social capital

Answer 25

the collective benefit of social networks, which are built on reciprocal trust

Question 26

social inequality

Answer 26

a condition in which members of society have differing amounts of wealth, prestige, or power

Question 27

social science

Answer 27

the study of the social features of humans and the ways in which they interact and change

Question 28

sociological imagination

Answer 28

an awareness of the relationship between an individual and the wider society, both today and in the past

Question 29

sociology

Answer 29

the scientific study of social behavior and human groups

Question 30

theory

Answer 30

in sociology, a set of statements that seeks to explain problems, actions, or behavior

Question 31

verstehen

Answer 31

the German word for “understanding” or “insight”l used to stress the need for sociologists to take into account the subjective meanings people attach to their actions