Sociology CLEP Test
Roberts Michels Iron Law of Oligarchy
Democracy is antithetical to bureaucracy; people at the top of organization increase their power; people at the top become more interested in maintain power than interests of organization
Conflict Theory
Disagreement over distribution and power/resources
division of labor
Division of work into a number of separate tasks to be performed by different workers
George Herbert Mead
Each person has two sides: The "I" represents a person's individuality; the "me" side represents expectations an attitudes of others
George Simmel
"Formal Sociology": Led to research into ""Social Types"
cultural capital
"Proper" attitudes toward education, socially approved dress and manners, knowledge about books, art, music, and other forms of high and popular culture are all examples of
preoperational stage
, in Piaget's theory, the stage (from about 2 to 6 or 7 years of age) during which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic
positive stage
Final stage in the development of a science where scientists search for general ideas or laws.
lower middle class
median income for us; white collar sales and clerical; some college; 33%
communication
members communicate information
interlocking directorships
members of one board of directors of a corporation sit on boards of other corporations
acculturation
minority accepts dominant culture but still experiences segregation
language
most important system of symbols
Herbert Spencer
most of his work has been discredited
migration
movement into out of an area
gestures
movements of body with socially agreed-upon meaning
mesomorphic
muscular and most prone to crime
labeling theory
no act is inherently deviant; deviance results from labeling specific act or person
cultural relativism
no cultural practice is inherently good or bad; each understood in terms of its place in larger cultural configuration
obstructive research
no interaction takes place between the researcher and subject under study. the research in no way attempts to influence the behavior or response of the subject.
laws
norms established and enforced by the political authority of the society
status
position within social system
rational-legal authority
power made legitimate by law
prejudice
prejudging according to race or ethnic group
total institution
prison or mental hospital, all aspects of an individual's life are controlled in order to strip down an rebuild the self.
comparative function
provide model to imitate
subordinate status
refer to the statuses one occupied that are not the master status.
patrilineal
relating to a social system in which family descent & inheritance rights are traced through the father
qualitative method
relaying on a personal observation and description of social life in order to explain behavior
Max Weber
religion powerful in creating economic system
signs
representations that stand for something else
democratic
representing or appealing to or adapted for the benefit of the people at large
quantitative methods
research in which the emphasis is placed on measurement, the use of statistics, and numbers
participant observation
researcher is active participant in study
detached observation
researcher remains outside what is being observed
Laboratory experiments
results may not work in the "real World"
step two
reviewing the literature
survey
sample population questioned
Sapir-Whorf hypothesis
says that people think through language. language helps shape our thoughts
Sociology
scientific study of humans social behavior and human association, and results of social activities.
Sociology
scientific study of social behavior and arrangement.
structural functionalism
sees society as structure made out of pieces that function for the good of society
questionnaire
series of questions to respond to for study
stereotype
set of characteristics define entire group
culture
shared beliefs or values
density of social networks
shown to be health promoting, both mentally and physically, and a positive influence on self-concept. People reporting numerous friends that have better subjective and health ratings.
sampling
small cross-section of population for study
primary group
small, intimate endure groups (family, peer group)
endomorphic
soft and fat
kinship
state of relatedness or connection by blood or marriage or adoption
status hierarchies
statuses not always equal
altrustic suicide
strong attachments to group
social stratification
structured inequality is so vital to understand because every aspect of our lives is influenced by where we fall in the hierarchical system.
field experiments
study people in real-life situations
Emile Durkheim
suicide studies show suicide as function of social integration
genocide
systematic killing of one racial and or ethic group
controls
techniques to eliminate confusing factors
personality
the complex of all the attributes--behavioral, temperamental, emotional and mental--that characterize a unique individual
Conflict Theory
Constant change and conflict due to inequality among different groups
Structural Function
Society very stable and change occurs gradually
theodicy
a vindication of divine justice in the face of the existence of evil
power
ability to direct someone elses behavior
non material culture
abstract creations of society that are transmitted across generations
assimilation
accept minority into dominate culture; "melting pot"
crime
acts contrary to lefal code or laws
Edwin H sutherland
differential association
Positive Correlation
if two values increase.decrease simultaneously
group marriage
marriage in which several men and women have sexual access to one another; also called co-marriage
exogamy
marriage outside the tribe, caste, or social group
endogamy
marriage within one's own tribe or group as required by custom or law
socialism
means of production collectively owned and regulated by government
Max Weber
Bureaucracy - division of labor-specialization -
poverty
13% of the US
August Comte
1798-1857
Karl Marx
1818-1883
Herbert Spencer
1820-1903
Emile Durkheim
1855-1917
George Simmel
1858-1918
Max Weber
1864-1920
C. Wright Mills
1959
extended family.
A family unit that is composed of relatives in addition to parents and children who live in the same household is
communism
A political and economic system where factors of production are collectively owned and directed by the state.
master status
A status that has special importance for social identity, often shaping a person's entire life
class relationships involve inequality and exploitation
According to Karl Marx's theory of class relations
They own the means of production
According to Karl Marx, which of the following statements about capitalists is NOT true
Charismatic
According to Max Weber, power legitimized on the basis of a leader's exceptional personal qualities is what kind of authority
Structural Function
All society's parts are interdependent and function as an organism
capitalism
An economic system in which the factors of production are privately owned and supply and demand answer the economic questions of what, when, why, and how to produce.
tracking
Assignment of students to specific courses and educational programs based on their test scores, previous grades, or both is
Symbolic Interaction
Attach meanings to behavior and actions and reactions influence behavior
inductive theory
Based on observations
monotheism
Belief in a single supreme being or God who is responsible for significant events such as the creation of the world
August Comte
Belief- need to understand society as it was, rather than what ought to be
Emile Durkheim
Bonds/functions hold society together (social integration)
Structural Function
Consensus among members on norms and values
theological stage
First stage in the development of a science where scientists look toward the supernatural realm of ideas for an explanation of what they observed.
Symbolic Interaction
Focus on identify issues, particularity the sense of self, which is a social product
Emile Durkheim
Groups influence our behavior
Karl Marx
Historical change occurs through class conflict between owners and workers
Exchange Theory
Interaction proceeds on a cost/benefit analysis
Ethnomethodology
Key proponents: Alfred Schutz
Symbolic Interaction
Key proponents: Erving Goofman
Structural Function
Key proponents: Talcott Parsons
Ethnomethodology
Key proponents:Harold Garkinkel
Symbolic Interaction
Key proponents:Herbert Blumer
Conflict Theory
Key proponents:Lewis Coser
Conflict Theory
Key proponents:Ralf Dahrendorf
Structural Function
Key proponents:Robert Merton
information technology
Large computer software corporations are representative of twenty-first century capitalism, which increasingly is based on
George Simmel
Society is an "intricate web of multiple relations between individuals who are in constant interactions with one another
Robert Michels
Oligarchy
Conflict Theory
Parts exist in tension/competition with each other
Positivism
Path to understanding world based on science
August Comte
Positivism- Path to understanding world based on science
authority
Power that people accept as legitimate rather than coercive is known as
Symbolic Interaction
Society is based on the ongoing interaction between people
Max Weber
Rationally more persuasive through development of bureaucratic structures
George Simmel
Rejected the organix analogy of Spencer
"Hawthorne Effect"
Research influenced by perception of subjects
Methodology
Review literature already researched
metaphysical stage
Second stage in the development of a science where scientists begin to look to the real world for an explanation of what they have observed.
Micro-sociology
Small group behavior
Herbert Spencer
Social Dwarinsium - Survival of the fittest - most intelligent, ambitious people rise to top
Exchange Theory
Social life is a process of bargaining and negotiation
Emile Durkheim
Society held together by mechanical solidarity (a social.moral consensus) and by organic solidarity (a dependency of roles among people)
robery K merton
Strain Theory
conflicts
Struggle between opposing forces
Ethnomethodology
Study processes by which meanings are created and shared
Social Dwarinsium
Survival of the fittest - most intelligent, ambitious people rise to top
goods
Tangible objects that are necessary or desired are referred to as
social stratification
The hierarchical arrangement of large social groups based on their control over basic resources
Karl Marx
The means of production/economic sector is most important in any society
the military
The means through which power is acquired and exercised by some people and groups
infant mortality rate
The number of deaths per 1,000 live births under one year of age
crude death rate
The number of deaths per year per 1,000 people.
fertility rate
The number of live births per 1000 women of the childbearing age group (15-44).
crude birth rate
The number of live births per year per 1,000 people.
endogamy
The practice of marrying within one's own social group or category is
credentialist orientation
The type of social arrangement in which people are able to gain higher positions based on their intellectual and educational credentials rather than through the influence of personal contacts is
convergence theory
Theory stating that crowds are formed by people who deliberately congregate with like-minded others
emergent-norm theory
Theory stating that norms develop to guide crowd behavior
August Comte
Used "sociology" - Greek/Latin: Study of Science
C. Wright Mills
Utility perceptive; Individuals understand the general by abstracting specific
Max Weber
Verstenhem or insight is important to understanding behavior
Social control
Which of the following is NOT a manifest function of education
separation of powers
Which of the following provides U.S. citizens a voice in their government through elected representatives who serve as bridges between the citizenry and the government
gesellschaft
a community, often urban, that is large and impersonal, with little commitment to the group or consensus on values
nuclear family
a family consisting of parents and their children and grandparents of a marital partner
shared monopolies
a few firms control over half marker share
matriarchy
a form of social organization in which a female is the family head and title is traced through the female line
patriarchy
a form of social organization in which a male is the family head and title is traced through the male line
authoritarian
a person behaves in an tyrannical manner
peter principle
a principle of organizational life according to which every employee within a hierarchy tends to rise to his or her level of incompetence
functionalism
a psychology based on the assumption that all mental process are useful to an organism in adapting to the environment
patrilocality
a residential pattern where a married couple lives with or near the husband's family
random sample
a sample in which every element in the population has an equal chance of being selected
achieved status
a social position based largely on one's merit
postindustrial society
a society whose economic system is engaged primarily in the processing and control of information
correlation
a statistic representing how closely two variables co-vary
religion
a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
research method
a systematic plan for doing research
grand theory
a theory designed to describe and explain all aspects of a given phenomenon
gemeinschaft
a type of society in which life is intimate; a community in which everyone knows everyone else and people share a sense of togetherness
material culture
all tangible concrete creations if society
charismatic authority
authority based on an individual's outstanding traits, which attract followers
traditional authority
authority based on custom
Bureaucracy
based ob rationality and efficiency
matrilineal
based on or tracing descent through the female line
deductive theory
based on prior knowledge
ID
basic drivers (sex, food)
role
behaviors or norms attached to specific status
mores
behaviors that deal with moral standards
Durkheim
believed that anomic suicide resulted from normalessness. When the norms of society are suddenly altered, it may result in people's being confused about the boundaries of their society.
reference groups
belonging to a non-important group
William sheldon
body types
values
central beliefs about accountable or unacceptable, good or bad desirable or undesirable
ascribed
characteristics over which there is little or no control (sex race)
achieved
characteristics which involve person choice and achievement
totalitarian
characterized by a government in which the political authority exercises absolute and centralized control
step five
choosing research design
step six
collect & analyze data
status set
collection of all statuses (student, child, sibling)
contagion theory
collective action, individuals who joined a crowd become infected by mob mentality and lose the ability to reason
similarity
common ground between individuals
role conflict
competition between difference roles
nuclear family
composed of parent(s) and children only
step four
considering ethical issues involved
cultural transmission theory
contends that crime is learned through cultural and subcultural norms - Lawyer is afraid his client will learn more about crime in prison
interviews
conversations
differential association
criminal behavior learned through interaction
groupthink
decision making by a group (especially in a manner that discourages creativity or individual responsibility)
normative function
define appropriate behavior
Step one
defining the problem to study
cohesiveness
degree members bound to each other
secondary deviance
develops as a result of labeling
net migration rate
difference between number entering (immigrants) and leaving (emigrants) an area per 1,000
role strain
difficulty adjusting to competing demands
Methodology
directs sociological investigations and provides a way to verify results
step seven
drawing conclusions
upper middle class
earned, salaried income; professionals; extensive education; 10-15%
democratic socialism
elements of both market and centrally controlled ecomic resource social inequalities
suicide
emile durkheim
observation
enter field of subject as participant or observer
audience function
evaluate person's behavior
systematic sampling
every n th member of the population is selected
experimental method
experimental group versus control group
conformity
experiments show a willingness to conform to group
Oligarchy
few at the top are in charge
expulsion
forcing minority to leave area
step three
formulate the hypothesis
linguistic relativity hypotheses
formulated by Edward Sapir (1929) and Lee Whorf (1956)
proximity
geographical closeness influences involvement
counterculture
group with behavior contrary to the dominant culture
subculture
group with distinctive lifestyle within a society
stratuses/roles
groups have interlocking statuses with corresponding roles
polyandry
having more than one husband at a time
polygamy
having more than one spouse at a time
polygyny
having more than one wife at a time
monogamy
having only one spouse at a time
Max Weber
hierarchy of authority-centralization, rules and regulations, impersonal relationships amount workers with clients, employment decisions based on technical competence
low growth
high birth rate and high death rate
rapid growth
high birth rate and low death rate
prestige
honor or respect
working class
hourly wage; blue collar laborers; high school 33%
self concept
how we think others perceive us as (more important than reality)
causal
implying a cause-and-effect relationship
Strain Theory or Theory of Opportunity Structures
importance of financial success; not everyone has equal opportunity to achieve success; which creates deviant behavior
significant others
important role in development of "me" (parents)
concrete operation stage
in Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (from about 6 or 7 to 11 years of age) during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events
formal operational stage
in Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (normally beginning about age 12) during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts
privilege
income wealth or property
feminization of poverty
increasingly, women disproportional among poor
C. Wright Mills
individuals belong to groups; sociology focuses on social forces, "the sociology imagination"
dependent variable
influenced by independent variable - topic studied
independent variable
influences depended variables - cause; sex age race
interaction process
initial reaction is determined by a blend of personal RED: Requirements, expectations, desires
multinational corporations
international branches
Exchange Theory
introduced by George Homans in 1950
boundaries
mark off members from nonmembers
humanistic
marked by humanistic values and devotion to human welfare
Ethnocentric
judge another culture by the standards of one's own.
ethnocentrism
judge another culture by the standards of your own and to place yours as superior.
spurious correlation
just coincidental
secondary group
lack of emotional bonding or sharing of common values and endurance (occupational roles)
linguistic relativity hypotheses
language directs society's attention to certain features
Sapir-Whorf
language influences perception
generalized others
larger community or society
folkways
less significant
conflict
letha/scanzoni 1976
egnostic suicide
limited connections to group
stable growth
low birth rate and low death rate
sacred
made or declared or believed to be holy
symbols
objects with agreed-upon meaning
upper class
often inherited wealth; corporation ownership; elite education; 3-5%
Negative correlation
one value increases/decreases the other value does not
ethnocentrism
opposite of cultural relativism the tendency to view one's own culture as morally superior to others and to judge other cultures by the standards of one's own
primary deviance
original deviant act
institutionalized discrimination
patterns of discrimination part of social structure
social categories/aggregates
people who share common characteristics
sherif
perceptual test of light movement
ingroups
person belongs sense of identity
outgroups
person does not belong, no sense of loyalty
cognitive development
the growth of the person's ability to learn
conflict paradigm
the idea that groups in society have fundamental differences and that those in power control societal elements, including law
charles horton cooley
the looking glass self
linguistic relativity hypotheses
the nature of language affects our perception of the world
parkinson's law
the observation that "work expands to fill the time available for its completion"
primary sector
the part of the economy that draws raw materials from the natural environment
tertiary Sector
the part of the economy that involves services rather than goods
secondary sector
the part of the economy that transforms raw materials into manufactured goods
superego
the part of the personality in Freud's theory that is responsible for making moral choices
social structure
the people in a society considered as a system organized by a characteristic pattern of relationships
interpretative
the perceptive of symbolic interaction
representative sample
the population is divided into strata and a random sample is taken from each stratum
stratified sampling
the population is divided into subpopulations (strata) and random samples are taken of each stratum
Polyandry
the practice of one woman marrying more than one man
sociometry
the quantitative study of social relationships
code of ethics
the standards of acceptable behavior developed by and for members of a profession
conflict theory
the view that human behavior is shaped by interpersonal conflict and that those who maintain social power will use it to further their own ends
Iron Law of Oligarchy
theory that power increasingly becomes concentrated in the hands of a few members of any organization
Ethnomethodology
there is no ordered social world unless participants agree upon it
ectomorphic
thin and fragile
triad
three people considered as a unit
Macrosociology
totality of society
cultural universals
traits that are part of every known culture
discrimination
treating groups of people unequally
pluralism
two groups remain distinct but equal
dyad
two items of the same kind
anomic suicide
uncertain of which group belong to (rapid social change)
cultural variability
used to explain cultural differences in behavior
secondary analysis
using data already collected
experiments
variables are controlled
lower class
very low income, if at all; unskilled or unemployed; semi-illiterate; 20%
conflict perspective
views the society as being unequal in terms of power.
profane
violate the sacred character of a place or language
neolocality
when a married couple lives apart from both sets of parents
matrilocality
when a married couple lives with or near the wife's family
ego
your consciousness of your own identity