Sociology 1

Class conflict

(Marx) a strong conflict between the bourgeoisie (those who own property) and the proletariat (those who are exploited)//struggle between the classes would end only when proletariat revolted; revolution will help people take control of society

Survival of the Fittest

(Spencer) fittest members (more intelligent) produce a more advanced society, unless people help the less fit survive//societies evolve over time as the fit members get adapted to their society

Sensorimotor stage

0-2//children only able to understand what's tangible to them//sucking, touching, listening, looking

Kohlberg's stages of moral development

1) amoral (0-7)- no right or wrong 2) pre-conventional(7-10)- follow rules to avoid punishment and gain rewards 3) conventional-determine by learned cultural norms and values 4) postconventional- reflection on abstract principles or right or wrong and judgement on others' based on those principles; most people do not reach this stage

Mead's development of self

1) imitation-mimicing others gestures and words 2) play (age 3)- pretend to take the roles of specific people (house or school) 3) games (elementary)- organized play//able to take multiple roles

Formal operational stage

12+//REASONING//capable of abstract thinking//can talk about concepts, come to conclusions based on general principles, and use rules to solve abstract problems//if shown photo of slave, we could say "that's wrong"

Total institution

a place in which people are cut off from the rest of society (jail, military)

Superego

conscience//values, norms//represents culture within us

Karl Marx

stated that the engine of human history is class conflict//result would be classless society//Marxism is not communism//thought of as sociologist because of his insights on social class//people should try to change society

Protestant ethic

the belief that working hard would please God

Cultural Relativsim

trying to appreciate another culture before judging it//recognizing it's different rather than better or worse

Latent Function

unintended consequences that help a system adjust

Gestures

using one's body to communicate//ex: middle finger

Value contradiction

values that contradict one another//to follow one means you will come into conflict with another

Socialization into emotions

we feel what society tells us to feel//follow expectations of family and friends//social mirror//ex: woman giving birth to girl in Zimbabwe

Self

your image of who you are

Preoperational stage

2-7//develop ability to use symbols//no understanding of speed or causation//learn to count but don't know what numbers mean

Concrete operational stage

7-12//understand numbers, size, speed, or causation//able to take role of the other//unless we have concrete examples, we are unable to talk about concepts such as truth, honesty, or justice//can explain why Jane's answer was a lie, but we cannot describe the truth

People from all walks of life, races, religions, and ethnic groups participate in the U.S. legislative process. In view of this, which term best describes American society?

America is a pluralistic society.

Arm Chair Philosophy

Auguste Compte//drawing conclusions from informal observations of social life (no research)

Scientific method

Auguste Compte//using objective, systematic observations to test theories

Professor Zale bases her self-concept as a professor on the interactions she has with students and the reactions she receives from them during class. In view of this, which process is Professor Zale utilizing?

Cooley's looking-glass self

The case study of Jack and Oskar provides support for what explanation of behavior?

Environment has a significant influence on behavior, regardless of gene complement.

Why did a number of sociologists think Laud Humphreys' research on tearooms was unethical

He did not identify himself as a researcher

Why did Mario Brajuha refuse to turn over his research notes to the authorities, even when subpoenaed?

He wanted to protect his respondents.

Two parts of self

I- the self as the subject "what am I going to do?" ME- the self as object "what is happening to me?"

Personality consists of three elements:

Id, ego, superego

How does the mass media influence gender roles in contemporary American society?

It reinforces gender roles considered appropriate for one's

Which sociological perspectives are best to use in developing an accurate understanding of society?

No single perspective is best, so all three must be utilized.

What is the difference between sociology and psychology?

Psychology=individual//Sociology=individuals in society

Psychoanalysis

Sigmund Freud//technique for treating emotional problems through long-term exploration of the subconscious mind

Why do many sociologists object to psychoanalysis as a valid explanation for human behavior?

Sociologists object to the view that inborn and subconscious motivations are the primary reasons for human behavior.

What are the three main theories sociologists use?

Symbolic Interactionism; Functional Analysis; Conflict Theory

Sociology

The scientific study of society and human behavior

Subculture

When a group has a distinctive way of looking at life, but at the same time its values and norms reflect the dominant culture of its society//ex: groups that immigrate to the U.S.

Theory

a general statement about how some parts of the world fit together and how they work//an explanation of how 2 or more facts (experiences) are related to one another

Non-material Culture

a group's way of thinking and doing//ex: waiting in line

Cultural leveling

a process in which cultures become similar to one another//ex: Japan and US

Value clusters

a series of interrelated values that together form a larger whole//values are not independent units

Counterculture

a subculture whose values place it's members in opposition to the values of the broader culture//and assault on core values is always met with resistance//ex: KKK, cults, FLDS, bikers

Language

a system of symbols that can be strung together in an infinite number of ways for the purpose of communicating

Values in US society

achievement and success// individualism//activity and work// efficiency and practicality// science and technology// progress//material comfort// humanitarianism//freedom//democracy//equality// racism and group superiority//education// religiosity// romantic love

What is the significance of language in culture?

allows human experience to be cumulative//provides a social or shared past//provides a social or shared future//allows shared perspectives//allows complex, shared, goal-directed behavior

Manifest Function

an action intended to help some part of a system

Degradation ceremony

an attempt to remake the self by stripping away the individual's current identity and stamping a new one in it's place

Ego

balancing force//balancing need for food with the need to stand in line

Gender

behaviors and attitudes considered appropriate for our sex; not just determined by male and female

How do we develop a self?

by interacting with others//we imagine how we appear to others//we interpret others' reactions//we develop a self-concept//defining moments shape who we are

In his book, Sick Societies, anthropologist Robert Edgerton proposed that cultures should be evaluated on their "quality of life" and not just automatically accepted. This is contrary to which of the following sociological concepts?

cultural relativism

The author's experience in Morocco, which included the absence of women from public positions, intense stares directed at him, pushing and shoving at the train station, and total disregard for sanitation by food vendors, left the author with a profound sense of ________.

culture shock

Conflict of self

develops between who we are or how we feel and how safe/validated we feel to be that person//if the self is not appreciated or accepted, we adapt to please others

Max Weber

did not believe economics was the force of social change, religion was key//coined phrase "protestant ethic"//emphasized value of free research//encouraged sociologists to look at the big picture

New technologies

emerging technologies that have a significant impact on social life

How are people influenced by their society?

external influences//experiences that influence thinking and motivation

Auguste Compte

father of sociology//applied scientific method to social world to uncover the laws that underlie society//coined phrase "sociology"//armchair philosophy//observe society to uncover fundamental laws

W.E.B. DuBois

first African American to earn a doctor at Harvard//studied race relations and published a book that remained unappreciated until recently//writer and teacher//helped found the NAACP//critic against racism//embraced revolutionary Marxism

If Alice came to class wearing a soiled and torn blouse, she would be violating a ________. But if Alice came to class not wearing a blouse (or any other garment), she would be violating a _______

folkway; more

Jane Adams

founder of social work//wanted to bridge the gap between powerful and powerless//co-founded the Hull House in Chicago. Applied sociology to social reform

Mark views society as a system of interrelated parts, while John views society as composed of groups competing for scarce resources. Mark would be considered a(n) ________ and John would be seen as a(n) ________.

functionalist; conflict theorist

The Smiths are going Christmas shopping for their two children, Dick and Jane. They plan to buy Dick a Tonka truck and Jane a Barbie doll. Their selection of toys for their children is an example of ________ by parents.

gender socialization

People all over the world, including college students, are breaking down national boundaries because of advances in communication, trade, and travel. This is referred to as ________.

globalization

Capitalism is becoming the world's dominant economic system. This is referred to as ________.

globalization of capitalism

Where did sociology come from?

grew out of upheaval during the Industrial Revolution, the American and French Revolutions encouraged new thought: freedom

Harriet Martineau

had to hide her early research for fear that she would be seen as masculine//a published sociologist long before the others were even born//best known for her translations of Comte's text to other English

Nature vs. Nurture

how many of our characteristics come from nature (heredity) and how many from nurture (social environment)//humans have no natural language

Sociological perspective

how people are influenced by society//understanding human behavior by placing it within its broader social context

Values

ideas of what's desirable in life//standards by which people define good and bad//feelings

Id

instant gratification//natural human needs//"red devil"//pleasure seeking

Based on studies of isolated and institutionalized children, what is the key variable in acquiring the basic "human" traits we take for granted?

intimate early social interaction

What did the Harlow experiment conclude as being the key to infant-mother bonding?

intimate social contact

What are some factors of social location?

jobs, income, education, gender roles, age, race, religion

Anthropologists Edward Sapir and Benjamin Whorf concluded that

language creates ways of thinking and perceiving

Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

language has embedded within it ways of looking at the world//thinking and perception are shaped by language//language affects the meaning we attach to things//we shape our language for different experiences (ex:wording used in an email to a teacher as opposed to language used in social media)

Resocialization

learning new norms, values, attitudes, and behaviors that match a new situation in life//occurs each time we learn something contrary to our previous experiences

What are some emerging values?

leisure//self-fulfillment//physical fitness//youthfulness//concern for the environment

Levels of Analysis

macro: large scale patterns of society micro: small scale social interactions

Symbolic culture

nonmaterial culture whose central components are symbols

Taboos

norms so strongly ingrained that even the thought of violation is greeted with revulsion//the unthinkable

Mores

norms that are considered essential to our core values//breaking means consequences//ex: cheating on a test; walking around street naked

Folkways

norms that are not strictly enforced//if someone does not follow a folkway, we may stare of shrug our shoulders//ex: walking on left side of sidewalk; not showering

Cultural lag

not all parts of a culture change at the same pace//material culture usually changes before nonmaterial culture//ex: googling symptoms but still going to doctor for diagnosis and medication

We receive gender messages from

our family, peers, mass media

Cooley's looking-glass self

our sense of self develops from interaction with others

Agents of socialization

people and groups that influence our self-concept, emotions, attitudes, and behavior//family, neighborhood, religion, day, school, work place

Mead's role taking

play is critical to the development of the self//children learn to take the role of others; they put themselves in someone else's shoes (empathy)//at first they take on the role of only significant others and then take on expectations of others as they develop

Sanctions

positive or negative reactions to the ways in which people follow norms//positive ex: following laws=acceptance//negative ex: losing job

Receiving the Medal of Honor and making the Dean's List are both examples of ________.

positive sanctions

Emile Durkheim

recognize sociology as an academic discipline//practical research//discovered social factors lead to suicide//social integration

According to the sociological perspective, what are key to shaping people's decisions and behaviors?

relationships//ex: Johnny's mom gets checks instead of having a job. When asked, Johnny says he'd rather have a check than a job.

Norms

rules of behavior that develop out of a group's values//expectations//ex:going to school, obeying parents

Herbert Spencer

second founder of sociology//believed no one should intervene in the evolution of society//societies evolve from lower to higher forms//coined the phrase "survival of the fittest"

Piaget's development stages

sensorimotor (0-2)//preoperational (2-7)//concrete operational (7-12)//formal operational stage (12+)

Technology

skills or procedures necessary to make or use tools//sets a framework for a group's nonmaterial culture

A young woman is contemplating a particular behavior, in this case, dropping out of college. She is also considering an awareness of the self in relationship to others to avoid feelings of shame and embarrassment. This is referred to as her

social mirror

Functional Analysis

society is a whole unit, made up of interrelated parts that work together//if society is to function smoothly, it's parts must work together in harmony

Conflict theory

society is composed of groups engaged in fierce competition for scarce resources//focus on fairness and equality//opposite of functionalist//opposing interests run through every layer of society

Debate over Basic vs. Applied sociology

some sociologists believe their role is to analyze society and publish results//others feel sociologists have an obligation to make society a better place

Symbol

something to which people attach meaning and which they use to communicate (gestures, language, values, norms, sanctions, folkways, mores, and taboos)

Symbolic Interactionism

symbol-things to which we attach meaning//studies how people use symbols to establish meaning, develop views of the world, and communicate//study face to face interactions and relationships

Feral

term used to describe children who are assumed to have been raised by animals in the wilderness and isolated from other children, such as the "wild boy of Aveyron"

Isolated children

the ability to develop intelligence and relations with others depends on early interaction//what we learn and how we learn comes from socialization

Social location

the corners in life that people occupy because of their place in a society; why people do what they do

Social integration

the degree to which people are tied to their social group (ex. more ties a person has, the less likely they are to commit suicide)//cannot study human behavior based on individuals; must study social forces that affect their lives

How does culture affect our lives?

the effects of our own culture generally remain imperceptible to us; becomes the lens through which we perceive and evaluate what is going on around us

Socialization

the knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, norms, and actions thought appropriate for people of a particular group//what makes us human

Culture

the language, beliefs, values, norms, behaviors, and material objects that are passed from one generation to the next//learned

Material Culture

the material objects that distinguish a group of people//ex: wedding ring, jewelry, art

Real Culture

the norms and values that people actually follow//ex: not everyone works hard or achieves academically

Cultural diffusion

the spread of cultural characteristics from one group to another//travel and communication unite us

Ethnocentrism

the tendency to use one's own culture as a yardstick for judging the ways of other societies//thinking our culture is better than another culture//imposing our own values on another culture

Applied sociology

the use of sociology to solve problems//ex: business firms solve problems in the work place; others investigate problems like porn, rape, pollution...

Ideal Culture

the values, norms, and goals that a group considers ideal, worth aspiring to//success//ex: academic progress, material possessions

Gender socialization

the ways in which society sets children onto different courses in life because they are male or female

What is the purpose of sociology?

to discover social principles and apply them to social reform//social world should be studied and the knowledge obtained should be applied