Sociology Chapter 1
theoretical approach
a basic image of society that guides thinking and research. The three major ones are: the structural-functional approach, the social-conflict approach, and the symbolic-interaction approach.
micro-level orientation
a close up focus on social interaction in specific situations
variable
a concept whose value changes from case to case.
structural-functional approach
a framework for building theory that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability.
social conflict approach
a framework for building theory that sees society as an arena of inequality that generates conflict and change.
symbolic-interaction approach
a framework for building theory that sees society as the product of everyday interactions of individuals
science
a logical system that develops knowledge from direct, systematic observation.
concept
a mental construct that represents some part of the world in a simplified form.
measurement
a procedure for determining the values of a variable in a specific case.
cause & effect
a relationship in which change in one variable causes change in another.
experiment
a research method for investigation cause and effect under highly controlled conditions.
positivism
a scientific approach to knowledge based on "positive" facts as opposed to mere speculation.
theory
a statement of how and why specific facts are related.
research method
a systematic plan for doing research.
validity
actually measuring exactly what you intend to measure.
social structure
any relatively stable pattern of social behavior.
social dysfunction
any social pattern that may disrupt the operation of society.
empirical evidence
information we can verify with our senses.
critical sociology
is the study of society that focuses on the need for social change.
macro-level orientation
meaning a board focus on social structures that shape society as a whole.
low-income countries
nations with a low standard of living in which most people are poor, an example would be people in Africa and a few in Asia.
Middle-income countries
nations with a standard of living about average for the world as a whole, many of the countries of Eastern Europe, South Africa and some other African nations, and almost all Latin America and Asia.
High-income countries
nations with the highest overall standards of living, ex: US, Canada, Argentina, the nations of Western Europe, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and Australia.
gender
personal traits and social positions that members of a society attach to being female or male.
reliability
refers to the consistency in measurement.
correlation
relationship in which to or more variable change together.
participant observation
research method in which investigators systematically observe people while joining them in their routine activities.
survey
research method in which subjects respond to a series of statements or questions on a questionnaire or in an interview.
Sociological Perspective
seeing the general in the particular, seeing general patters in the behavior of particular people
stereotype
simplified description applied to every person in some category.
feminism
support of social equality for men and women.
social functions
the consequences of social pattern for the operation of society as a whole.
manifest functions
the recognized and intended consequences of any social pattern.
Global Perspective
the study of larger world and our society's place in it.
positivist sociology
the study of society based on scientific observation of social behavior.
interpretive sociology
the study of society that focuses on discovering the meanings people attach to their social world.
gender-conflict theory
the study of society that focuses on inequality and conflict between men and women.
race-conflict theory
the study of society that focuses on inequality and conflict between people of different racial and ethnic categories.
latent functions
the unrecognized and unintended consequences of any social pattern
