sociology exam #3

gender inequality in classroom

- Boys and girls treated differently by teachers - Different expectations for behavior and performance - Textbooks and other materials often reinforce gender stereotypes

multiculturalism (pluralism)

A characteristic of a society that has many different ethnic or national cultures mingling freely. It can also refer to political or social policies which support or encourage such a coexistence. Important in this is the idea that cultural practices, no matter how unusual, should be tolerated as a measure of respect. Pluralism is a social philosophy that seeks to allow many different viewpoints to coexist within a larger structure.

sexuality as a master status

A master status-comsumes our selfhood

prejudice

A negative attitude toward an entire category of people, often an ethnic or racial minority. Involves negative thoughts and feelings about an ethnic or racial group

Affirmative Action

A policy or program providing advantages for people of a minority group who are seen to have traditionally been discriminated against, with the aim of creating a more egalitarian society through preferential access to education, employment, healthcare, social welfare, etc.

class system of stratification

A system of stratification that includes several social classes and permits social mobility

race and wealth trends

A wealthy gap exists between whites and minorty groups Has historical roots and that cannot be overcome simply through achieving income equality Public policies have not addressed this If we were to say "the way we could get rid of this gap is to pay equally" but that wouldnt fix it..wealth isnt just about money bringing in now, but what you already have White families can pass on wealth and invest and then buy off from that and then pass on again because whites started doing this much earlier than other minorities How to solve? When you die, all of your wealth gets put into a public system

absolute poverty

Absolute poverty- a lack of basic necessities, such as food, shelter, and income

Feminist perspective on gender

All emphasize women's subordination Liberal feminisim--civil rights and equal opportunities Radical feminism--patriarchy is the reason for womens oppression Mutiracial feminism--gender, race, and social class intertwine Sex or gender as the root of inequality Hegemonic masculinity

Melting Pot Theory

American culture is a blend of many different cultures language-everyone should speak english customs values-hard work, you ca do anything you want education-citizenship, cultural values

Gender Continuum

An extension of the gender spectrum to include additional gender identities other than just 100% female or 100% male Realistically, we are not 100% feminine or 100% masculine "Male" and "female" characteristics can overlap We also vary in different circumstances (work, home, alone)

compulsory

Compulsory hetersexuality: the assumption that the default sexual orientation is heterosexual...assume that someone is heterosexual until they prove otherwise

Essentialism

Essentialism- explaining social phenomena in terms of natural ones the view that categories of people, such as women and men, or heterosexuals and homosexuals, or members of ethnic groups, have intrinsically different and characteristic natures or dispositions a belief that things have a set of characteristics which make them what they are, and that the task of science and philosophy is their discovery and expression

importance of gender as a sociological concept

Establishes expectations for people---women expected to cook, clean, stay at home while men expected to work, bring money home, manual labor... Orders our daily lives Fundamental aspect of social institutions We impose boundaries to maintain gender order Roles are learned during socialization Crucial part of how we define ourselves

Eugenics

Eugenics is the practice or advocacy of improving the human species by selectively mating people with specific desirable hereditary traits. It aims to reduce human suffering by "breeding out" disease, disabilities and so-called undesirable characteristics from the human population

Racial/ethnic groups in the U.S

European american's (white, caucasian, their ability to hold status and power and how maintain it overtime, but group is shrinking in population) latinos/hispanic americans (fastest growing group and surpassed as african americans as being laregst minority in us, most residentially segregated group) African americans (slavery and how it has impacted social positions today, residentially segregated, high poverty, make 63% of what white's make, tendency to take all people who have those physical characteristics and put them into a group and assume that they're african american) Asian americans (model minority term which is idea that they have assimilated so well that they have been able to have high wealth and high education in relation to whites, but ignores some of the population which is an issue because we say "oh we dont have to worry about them because they are doing well") American indians (another group where they are considered in a very singular way, blanket term, "everyone who is american indian has same characteristics", but this isn't true because there is much diversity within this group, high poverty rates, high unemployment) Middle eastern americans (racialization after 9/11 particularly, discriminated against physical characteristics, not as bad as it used to be but still not great)

Equality of outcome

Everyone in a society should end up with the same "rewards" regardless of starting point, opportunities, or contributions Most controversial Here, youre distrubuting resources no matter how much a person has contributed Freerider problem--we would not be giving any incentive for people to do any work to make society better

Ontological equality

Everyone is equal in the eyes of God, used to justify material inequality because it doesnt matter if youre rich or poor, god doesnt care what you have in your lifetime

Equality of condition

Everyone should have an equal starting point from which to pursue his or her goals How do we compensate for the difference in early position? Maybe when people in society start out at a disadvantage, we have food stamps, financial aid, etc... In US, a combo of equality of opportunity and equality of condition

views on inequality- ferguson and miller

FERGUSON AND MILLER: Ferguson and millar added this is good because it means that some people are creating assets/wealth Inequality was good, or necessary-Arises when private property emerges (emerges when resources can be preserved)

Symbolic interaction on gender

Focuses on the everyday processes that producce and reinforce gender roles Our view of reality, including gender, is a social construction Inequality results from learning gender roles and learning sexuality "Doing gender"

gender roles

Gender roles are sets of behavioral norms assumed to accompany one's status as a female or male Evidence shows that gendr roles have more to do with social status than biology

gender

Gender: is a social construct that consists of a set of social arrangements that are built around sex. Study of gender onvolves looking very closely at the relationship between nature and nurture

Social construction of the ways that boys and girls play together

Girls and boys together...but mostly apart-construction angle Patterns of same sex and cross sex play Space---control Cooties Crossing boundaries Girls tend to stay closer to buildings Boys tend to take up much larger spaces

Inequality in the workplace

Glass ceiling---invisible limit on women's climb up the occupational ladder. cant reach very top as can men more easily. Motherhood penalty---idea when women take time off during peak earning years, it can be detrimental..mothers are less likely to be promoted than men Sexual harassment--refers to illegal form of discrimination...women are much more likely to experience than men Glass escalators-The glass escalator refers to the way men, namely heterosexual white men, are put on a fast track to higher up positions when entering women dominated sex-segregated professions.

Assimilation

Gradual adoption of the patterns of the dominant culture by a social group Can be either forced or voluntary Often paints minorities as the ones with a "problem" they need to change

Homosexuality (construction as a social problem)

Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to people of the same sex.

teen sexuality trends

Hooking up---as dating substitute....creates new patterns Overall delay in marriage timing Virginity pledging No lasting effect Associated with lower condom use Policy related to response to hookup culture Agree not to enagage in sexual relationships until marriage Found that it decreased # of sexual partners But, also found that it was associated with lower condom use....a group of kids takes virginity pledge, so have no reason to have condoms, but if they have a situation in which they engage with a partner, they are more likely to have risky behaviors Have seen that when young adults do date, it's more likely to lead to monogomous relationships than in the past

horizontal mobility

Horizontal mobility refers to switching from one position to another without a change in social status. In order words, it's when we change our positions within our same level of social status, and we do not move up or down the social hierarchy. ex) An example of horizontal mobility is a factory worker who finds a new job as a construction worker

Ethnicity

Identity with a group of people that share distinct physical and mental traits as a product of common heredity and cultural traditions Ethnicity is voluntary, self-defined, non-hierarchical, fluid, cultural, and not so cloesly linked with power differences....you cant tell someone's ethnicity by looking at someone...someone may associate with being russian but that is voluntary, person may like certain things associated with being russian...we get to choose the pieces that we incorporate the peices we want in our identity includes ancestry, language, religion, customs-more about cultural traits .

property

Income--what is earned Wealth is cumulative, passed on to the next generation and produces income Income inequality is increasing in the US because of the way we can pass on wealth Where you start off with impacts where you go

Functionalist view:

Inequality exists because it is built into the roles and the problem associated with filling them...if everyone wanted to be a doctor, we wouldnt have surgical nurses who also play a huge role

Equality of opportunity

Inequality is acceptable if everyone has the same opportunites for advancement and is judged by the same standards Inequality in this light is against capatalist idea of "if you work hard you will succeed and reach goals" If everyone has the same tools for success, than that's equality BUT not everyone gets to play by the same rules because some are at an advantage ex) monopoly game...everyone starts at same place, with the same amount of money and chance...but at end of game someone wins...outcome is seen as a result of luck and skill even though they started the same

Intersex

Intersex: a condition in which an individual is born with ambiguous genitalia

Discrimination

Is harmful or negtive actions against people deemed inferior on the basis of their ethnic or racial category Individual-person to person (slurs, threats) legal/institutional-denial of lawful access that is embodied in social institutions (housing, jobs, health care)

Views of Inequality: Thomas Malthus

MALTHUS: Viewed inequality favorably, but only as a means to control population growth, if we had equalty, we would strip our food supply, if we have inequality it can control the population...people who have less are ensuring the growth of people who have more, people who have less may have lower life spans Thought that equal distribution of resources would increase the world's population to unsustainable levels and create mass starvation and conflict...by trying to help other's in less fortunate positions, you are giving up your own resources for yourself

Structural molbility

Mobility that is inevitable from changes in the economy Expansion of high tech jobs in the past 20 years Hole needs to be filled in society, so people will move to that hole For example historical circumstances or labor market changes may lead to the rise of decline of an occupational group within the social hierarchy. An influx of immigrants may also alter class alignments -especially if the new arrivals are disproportionately highly skilled or unskilled.

Views on Inequality-hegel

Most social relationships were based on a master-slave model...mutual dependency, where slave needs master and master needs slave Over time, society would have more free people and the master-slave model would die out as the primary social relationship Still have two way relationships whee two people need eachother to survive...people in upper class have chef cook for them every night---person relies on chef to cook every meal and needs them, and the chef needs the person for a job The way we define this sytem has changed, but the base relationship has stayed the same

Nativism

Nativism refers to the restoration of a native culture particularly in antithesis to acculturation. ... It is a form of ethnic individuality which tries to dismiss those who are not a part of the regional or native ethnic groups living or serving in a region as the individuals are not indigenous to the area or country

middle class

No clear definition of this term between sociologists, economists, and political officials Roughly 90% of american's self identify as middle class Good proxies: Owning your own home Being able to send your children to college

lower middle class (34%)

Non-manual, semi-professional occupations, rely on two incomes to maintain a comfortable lifestyle 60,000 range High school and college graduates

Exchange mobility

Occurs when people essentially trade positions The # of jobs stays the same, with some people moving up into better jobs and others moving down into worse ones Justified based on talent When one leaves, opens up space for new person for that job

bureau of labor statistics on gender inequality

Overall, women earn 82.3% of the weekly earnings of men Under the age of 35: 88 to 91 percent Ages 35 and older: 77 to 81 percent Historially, the gap has shrunk For 25 to 34 year olds, the ratio increased from 68 percent in 1979 to 88 percent For 35 to 44 year old, rose from 58 to 81 percent For 45 to 54 year olds, rose from 57 to 78 percent

Under class (5%)

Persistently poor, segregated residentially, realtively isolated, chronically unemployed, lack skills and education Welfare Under $12,000

Views on Inequality- rousseau

ROUSSEAU: Rousseau argued that private property created social inequality...ultimately leads to social conflict. Social equality: a condition in which no differences in wealth, power, and prestige exist...authorized by consent of men, not a natural process Physical: difference in age, health, bodily strength, and qualities of the mind Social: result of privileges and uneven access to resources

race

Race can be defined as a group of people who share a set of characteristics, usually physical ones, and are said to share a common bloodline

relative poverty

Relative poverty- able to afford basic necessities, but not able to maintaian the "average" standard of living (more common)

Prestige

Respect, recognition, or regard Based on wealth, family background, fame, occupation, and leadership Prestigious occupations requre education, pay more, incolve mental activity, and offer autonomy

conflict view on class

Ruling classes created ideology to justify current system. Those who have social and economic power are wantng to create and reinforce system in which they keep the social and economic power, want systems who favor them even if it is detrimental to others, also from this perspective it is in best interst of working class to einforce narratives (to convince people that it is all about hard work and people who are poor just haven't worked hard enough)

sex

Sex: biological differences that distinguish males from females

Forms of discrimination

Sexism: discrimination based on sex Homophobia Heterosexism---heterosexual privilege---privilege based on heterosexuality (if someone talks about just their husband, its no big surprise. But if someone starts talking about how they have a partner, people spend their time thinking if that person is a lesbian) Gender stratification: people's unequal access to wealth, power, status, prestige, and other valued resources

sexuality components

Sexuality also is a social construct....has changed over time Defining sexuality Behaviors How do you demonstrate your sexuality? Kissing, etc...that display potential attraction Attraction Emotional component...attracted to women Identity/orientation Gay, straight,/hetero, lesbian, queer, asexual, etc...how we veiw ourselves Someone may identify as something other than heterosexual, and may engage in different behaviors, or maybe not attracted to anyone

sexuality

Sexuality: refers to desire, sexual preference, sexual identity, and behavior

Working/lower class (30%)

Skilled and semi-skilled laborers, high school education, paycheck to paycheck Downturn-vulnerable- when there are problems in the economy, these people are most likely to lose their jobs. Example: construction workers..when economy is good, they have jobs...when economy is bad and people arent building as much, they lose their jobs High school education $36,000 range

Symbolic interactionism

Social inequality impacts and is displayed and reinforced and interactions. Status symbols are displayed, every class has symbols associated to it and how you let others konw you are part of it (middle class uses kids to demonstrate status and success of family)

the future of race

The 2000 Census created separate categories for race and ethnicity and for the first time allowed people to check off more than one box for racial identity. These changes have given us a better idea of the diversity of the American population.

Power

The ability of individuals to achieve goals, control events, and maintain influence over others despite common opposition Power elite- hold resources in society and by way of holding those resources, they prevent other people from realizing their interests, to forward their own position

class system

The class system is an economically based system of stratification with somewhat loose social mobility based on roles in the production process rather than individual characteristics...people can occupy positions on a spectrum

Federal Poverty Level (FPL)

The income qualification threshold established by the federal government for certain government entitlement programs Three times a low-cost food budget-2019 12.3% of US population at or below FPL (39.7 million) $12,490 for individuals (money you need to survive-one person) $25,750 for a family of 4(money a family of 4 needs to survive)

Social mobility

The movement between different postiions within a system of social stratification in any given society, can be either horizontal or vertical and can take place on the individual or group level Therapists marries CEO of company...upward mobility Horizontal is more common than vertical, even though we strive for vertical movement

social construction of gender

The social processes that create and sustain gender differences and gender inequality.

transgender

Transgender (transpeople): a person whose sense of personal identity and gendr does not correspond with their birth sex

US traditional views of sex and gender

Two sexes and two corresponding genders We socially construct them as different/opposites Cultural assumptions about "natural" differences Emotion, aggressiveness, etc.. "Boys will be boys"

vertical mobility

Vertical mobility refers to a person or group's movement up or down a status hierarchy. This is commonly referred to as social mobility, yet vertical mobility can also refer to any movement up or down a hierarchy of any kind, not necessarily related to social status in the same way that social mobility is. ex) An example of vertical mobility is a factory worker who enrolls in college and becomes an international businessman or An example of vertical mobility is a high school dropout who becomes a self-made millionaire.

Conflict perspective on gender

Views gender inequality as built into the social structure Capitalism explains complementary roles Gendered power differences Women as economically dependent Look at struggle for access/rights

Functionalist viewpoint on gender

Views the division of gender roles as functional for society--associate it with certain occupations Sex role theory---suggests that men and women have roles because the nuclear family is traditional and they have traditional roles that create good workers Orderly sexuality is critical for reproduction in society Differences result in inequalities, but there is a purpose for these inequalities

Working poor(15%)

Work at least 27 weeks a year but live in poverty, politically alienated (a group who is putting in the work, but still not able to make ends meet, and can't effect change because they don't have the power or means to do so) General laborers and service workers High school or some high school $19,000 range (minimum wage range)

socioeconomic status (SES)

a measure of social class that is based on income, education, and occupation Can feel like people who are living in upper class of spectrum can be living in a completely different lifestyle/society

estate system

a politically based system of stratification characterized by limited social mobility

Caste System

a social structure in which classes are determined by heredity, remain in same status your whole life

functionalist view on racism

argues that newcomers must assimilate by adopting the dominant groups ways racial ethnic inequality provides a large pool of cheap labor it also maintains the dominant groups current status

Cisgender

describes people whose gender corresponds to birth sex

forms of stratification

estate system, caste system, class system system in which human groups are ranked in a hierarchy based on a social dimension

one-drop rule

evolved from U.S. laws forbidding miscegenation, was the belief that "one drop" of black blood makes a person black. Application of this rule kept the white population "pure" and lumped anyone with black blood into one category.

symbolic ethnicity

is ethnicity that is individualistic in nature and without real social cost for the individual In sociology, symbolic ethnicity is a nostalgic allegiance to, love for, and pride in a cultural tradition that can be felt and lived without having to be incorporated to the person's everyday behavior; as such, a symbolic ethnic identity usually is composed of images from mass communications media

colorblind racism

is the belief that racism is no longer a problem and that we all have equal opportunities. People who subscribe to colorblind explanations claim they do not see the color of people's skin and believe everyone to be equal

androgynous

neither masculine nor feminine

cross-dressing

one who wears clothing commonly associated with the opposite sex

conflict perspective on racism

ongoing self between dominant and minority groups dominant groups protect their power and privilege economic inequality perpetuates racial hierarchies economic stratification puts minorities against each other and low income whites

Segregation

physical and social separation of a category of people also creates a social distance american's had legalized segregation translates into a second class citizenship

gendered work roles

sexual stereotypes are underlying causes of job segregation. paralegals (86%women) are expected to be deferential, caring, and even motherly toward the trial lawyers for whom they work...this is an issue because they SHOULD be sticking up for themselves not opposite when women joins the higher ranks of trial lawyering, she's likely to face exclusion from informal socializing with colleagues, being mistaken for her job status, and difficulty bringing clients into firm when presenting same noble behaviors of male lawyers, females when doing so will be called bitches or obnoxious

upper middle class (15%)

social class that consists of high income members of society who are well educated but do not belong to the elite membership of the super wealthy college /university with postgraduate degrees Having the money to create your own lifestyle What you buy says a lot about your class in society There are certain items that are considered to be "upper class tools" and if you know how to use them, it shows your class Live on earned income, professional and upper managerial occupations

Meritocracy

social stratification based on personal merit

symbolic interactionism on racism

stresses that the labels we learn and assign to groups impact the way we view the world we can come to view all members of a social category as alike in far more respects than they actually are alike in reality think about the difference between being a "definer" vs "being defined"

Racism

the belief that members of separate races possess different and unequal traits key beliefs: humans are divided into distinct bloodlines bloodlines are related to certain social characteristics certain groups are superior to other

hegemonic masculinity

the condition in which men are dominant and privileged, and this dominance and privilege is invisible

Racialization

the formation of a new racial identity by drawing ideological boundaries of difference around a formerly unnoticed group of people

nature/nurture relationship

the inquiry into how heredity (nature) and environment (nurture) influence behavior and mental processes. nurture reflects that identity is molded by environmental influences and people are telling them what is right, wrong...Sociologists believe more in NURTURE approach Establishes expectations for people---women expected to cook, clean, stay at home while men expected to work, bring money home, manual labor...

gender socialization

the learning of gender roles through social factors such as schooling, the media, and family Gendered teaching and learning Agents of socialization

social construction of race

the process by which people come to define a group as a race based in part on physical characteristics, but also on historical, cultural, and economic factors No genetic test is given, appearance becoms the 'on the spot" evidence and basis for labeling...because of these beliefs of the people that belong to these groups, we think we can make assumptions Race is a social construct that changes over time and acorss different contexts Race is both a myth and not a myth

food insecurity

the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food Food insecurity- a situation where members of a family dont have enough food for an active and healthy lifestyle (difference between ramen noodles and fruits and veggies), or not knowing where your food will come from next 13% of families considered food insecure (2015)

model minority

the stereotype applied to a minority group that is seen as reaching higher educational, professional, and socioeconomic levels without protest against the majority establishment (asian americans in contrast with african americans and hispanic americans )

stratification

the uneven distribution of resources and privileges among participants in a group or culture social stratification can manifest as the ability to make rules, decisions, and establish notions of right and wrong. Additionally, this power can be manifested as the capacity to control the distribution of resources and determine the opportunities, rights, and obligations of others. trait of societies, not individuals universal but variable always has a reason based on social position of a person, not quality of them economic background puts you at an advantage persists over generations

capitalist class

those who control major capital and own the means of production High income, wealth, assets Prestige, power and influence Comes from family money, then they use that money to invest and money they get come from a return on an investment Higher likelihood of entering prestigous universities Top 1% of earners own 40% of the wealth, which is more than bottom 90% combined CEO's are often part of this class

Non-binary

umbrella term for anyone whose gender identity doesn't fit within the gender binary