"The Real World" (Wake Tech.) Introduction to Sociology. Exam 1-Study Guide. Professor Wallingford. Lessons 1-6.

Culture and Power

issues of power: cultural diffusion = exchange leveling Imperialism = invasion, no military

Open-ended interviews

-Qualitative research that involves "conversations" about an issue or topic -Strengths = data closely reflects reality -Weaknesses = lack of generalizability, time-consuming

Survey

-Quantitative method of responding to a series of established questions or statements -Locations (in-person, mailed, phone, online) -Strengths = generalizability, accessing a significant number of people -Weaknesses= questions and statements might not reflect people's reality or perceptions

Types of Statuses

1. Ascribed Status: An inborn status, usually difficult or impossible to change. (Uncontrollable) Ex. Income, Family, Where you live, Diseases 2. Achieved Status: A status earned through individual effort or imposed by others. (Controlled) Ex. If you go college and get a degree. If you get married or have kids. 3. Master Status: a status that is always relevant and affects all other statuses we possess. (Most Important) Ex. What's in your Heart, Your identity.

Variables

1. Dependent variable: is the outcome that a researcher is trying to explain 2. Independent variable: is a measured factor that the researcher believes has a causal impact on the dependent variable

Positivism

A theory developed by Comte, that sense perceptions are the only valid source of knowledge.

Total Institution

An institution in which one individuals are cut off from the rest of society so that their lives can be controlled and regulated for the purpose of systematically stripping away previous roles and identities in order to create new ones.

Roles

Are the duties and behaviors expected based on status Is the recognizable social position that an individual occupies

Causality

Change in one factor (variable) results in corresponding change in another factor (variable)

Thomas Theorem

Classic formulas of the way individuals define situations, whereby "If people define situations as real, they are real in their consequences."

Operational Def

Clear and precise definition of a variable that facilitates measurement. -"and your variable is what?"

Culture

Entire way of life of a group of people

Hypothesis

Is a proposed relationship between two variables.

Cultural Scripts

Modes of behavior are not universal and natural.

Stigma

Physical or social attribute that devalues a person or group's identity and that may exclude those who are devalued from normal social interaction.

The Macro-Mirco Continuum

Society Culture Social Institutions Social inequality Groups Roles Socialization Interactions Self

Emile Durkheim

Structural Functionalist -positivist sociologist -industrialization caused radical changes in the existing order = dysfunctions -traditional life was disrupted resulted in anomie, which is a lack of norms, purpose and social order -society created a new social order = division of labor (organic solidarity) provides social purpose and order equilibrium was reestablished

Resocialization

The Process of replacing previously learned norms with new ones during a radical transition in life - Drastic form of adult socialization often occurs in a 'total institution'

Validity

The extent to which an instrument measures the concept example: unemployment rates

Generalizability

The extent to which we can claim our findings inform us about a group can you generalize from your sample to a bigger population

Socialization

The lifelong process of learning and internalizing social values, beliefs and norms. -crucial to learning to function in society -all behaviors are influenced [not determined] by socialization -through socialization, we learn our status and roles

Groffman's Dramaturgy

We are like actors on stage whose performance strategies aid in impression management.

Multiculturalism

"a policy that values diverse racial, ethnic, national, and linguistic backgrounds and so encourages the retention of cultural differences within society rather than assimilation."

Cultural Norms

"a rule or guidelines regarding what kinds of behavior are acceptable and appropriate within a culture."

Primary Deviance

"in labeling theory, the initial act or attitude that causes one to be labeled deviant."

Secondary Deviance

"in labeling theory, the subsequent deviant identity or career that developes as a result of being labeled deviant."

Social Control

"the formal and informal mechanics used to elicit conformity to values and norms and thus increases social cohesion."

Symbolic Culture

-"The ideas associated with a cultural group, of including ways of thinking (beliefs, values, and assumptions) and ways of behaving (norms, communication, and interactions)." values = abstract beliefs about the world norms = expectations based on beliefs

Deviance

-"a behavior, trait, belief, or other characteristics that violates a norm and causes a negative reaction."

Structural Functionalism

-"a paradigm based on the assumption that society is a unified whole that functions because of the contributions of its separate structures." -structures serve important, necessary functions -The analogy of an organism differentiation -Each structure provides a different function but works together for the whole system, need consensus and cooperation problems due to systems failing to function - Durkhiem

Symbolic Interactionism

-"a paradigm that sees interaction and meaning as central to society and assumes that meanings are not inherent but are created through interaction." -Everyday behaviors + interactions convey patterns and reveal broader social meaning -Explores the meaning embedded in language, symbols and identity Examples: 1. Thomas theory - "if men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences" 2. Social constructionism: social reality is not predetermined but is created and sustained through processes

Conflict Theory

-"a paradigm that sees social conflict as a basis of society and social change, and emphasizes a materialist view of society, a critiacal view of the status quo, and a dynamic model of historical change." -assumes that conflict and change are constant in all societies -All societies have limited resources differentiation (groups are created to limit access to resources) -Power is central in all social relations and structures

Sociological Imagination

-"a quality of the mind that allows us to understand the relationship between our individual circumstances and larger social forces" -reveals causal relationships between society and personal experiences -connects our personal experiences to larger social + historical forces

Feminism/ Gender Theory

-"a theoretical approach that looks at gender inequalities in society and the way that gender structures the social world." -assumes that gender is central to all social structures and relations -everyone is affected by gender -gender differences are due to social convention and structures of power -micro or macro analysis may be integrated with other theories

Material Culture

-"the objects associated with a cultural group, such as tools, machines, utensils, buildings, and artwork; any physical object to which we give social meaning." -Constructed environment (buildings, technology, etc)

Ethnocentrism

-"the principle of using one's own culture as a means or standards by which to evaluate another group or individual, leading to the view that cultures other than one's own are abnormal or inferior." -the tendency to view all other cultures from the perspective of one's own cultural beliefs and values. -assumption that other cultures are abnormal or inferior.

Cultural Relativism

-"the principles of understanding other cultures on their own terms, rather than judging or evaluating according to one's own culture." -recognizing differences across cultures without passing judgment on or assigning value to those differences.

Sociology

-"the systematic study of human society and social behaviors from a large scale instructions and mass culture to small groups and individual interactions." -specific research methods and theories are utilized for understanding society

Karl Marx

-Conflict theorist -advocated critical sociology (purpose of social science research is to solve social inequalities) -theory of historical materialism -economic structure = social structure -Class structure of bourgeoisie (owners) and proletariats (workers) -Class conflict as the primary cause of social change -Class conflict emerges from inequality and class consciousness -Crisis and failure of capitalism is inevitable -Absence of conflict is based on false consciousness

Du Bios

-Double consciousness -Relationship between anomie and criminal activity

C. Wright Mills

-Example of sociological imagination -examined post-WWII America -concepts: sociological imagination and power elite -power elite: group of interchangeable elites that control military-industrial complex

Jane Addams

-Hull house -Activism as a 'social worker'

Auguste Comte

-Positivism = understanding the scientific laws governing human behavior -Focus on proof and predictions -Coined the term sociology (1842)

History of the Discipline

-Scientific, democratic and industrial revolutions focus on inquiry, proof and challenging structures of power -Dramatic changes in work and living

Two levels of Analysis of S.I.

1. Microsociology: the level of analysis that studies face-to-face and small-scale interactions in order to understand how they affect the larger patterns and institutions of society. 2. Macrosociology: the level of analysis that studies large-scale social structures in order to determine how they affect the lives of groups and individuals.

Theories of Deviance

1. Structural Strain Theory: An individuals position in the social structure will affect his experience of deviance and conformity. 2. Differential Association Theory: Asserts that we learn to be deviant through our interactions with others who break the rule." -We learn to be deviant through our peers. Ex. When parents tell kids to not hang out with bad kids. 3. Labeling Theory: Deviance is a consequence of external judgments, or labels, that modify the individual's self-concept and change the way others respond to the labeled person.

Critical Theory

A contemporary form of conflict that criticizes many diff systems and ideologies of domination and oppression.

Status

A position in a social hierarchy that carries a particular set of experiences

Cooley's Looking-Glass Self

How we imagine others see us, and the feelings about ourselves based on the percieved judgments of others.

Ethnography

Qualitative methods that seeks to observe processes in the natural setting -participant observation = legitimate role in the setting -detached = role of researcher is obvious Strengths = in-depth analysis Weaknesses = time-consuming, problems with objectivity, lack of generalizability

Experiment

Qualitative or quantitative data based on altering the social environment or key variables -experimental group = experiences the alteration or key variable -control group = does not experience the intervention Strengths = identification of causal variables Weaknesses = problems with altering the environment or artificially introducing social factors

Historical & Comparative

Qualitative or quantitative data of existing sources (statistics, life experiences, cultural artifacts, etc.) -historical research tracks patterns over time -comparative research compares and contrasts social life in different cultures, nations or groups Strengths = examining trends over time or by location Weaknesses = problems with reliability

Hawthorne Effect

Research subjects will alter their behavior if it is known that they are being observed consider: Is the role of the researcher obvious? How might the Hawthorne Effect be prevented?

Correlation

Simultaneous variation in two variables (factors)

Real Culture

the norms, values, and patterns of behavior that actually exists within a society.

Ideal Culture

the norms, values, and patterns of behaviors that members of a society believe should be observed in principle.