Sociology

What are the 4 agents of socialization?

1. Family- 1st agent, mannerisms, relationships, core beliefs 2. School- 1st exposure to those different than you, gender roles, norms, labeling( how to act in secondary groups) 3. Peer group- develop relationships on own, bond with those with stuff in common 4. Mass media

What are the issues in collecting Data

1. the biggest is objectivity 2. value free research 3. bias in research 4. faulty sampling

Herbert Spencer (1820-1903)

2nd founder of sociology-disagreed with comte believed we should not interfere with evolution of society=hands off approach "survival of the fittest" like comte, he did not conduct scientific experiments, rather he just created ideas about society

Harriet Martineau (1802-1876)

Born in england- journalist and political economist She wrote "Society in america" and "metrospect of western travel" In 1835 she traveled to US to judge on her OWN standards US=hypocritical and flawed, books were critical of US precursors to naturalistic sociologists translated August comte "intro to philosophy" to english

Cooley's Looking Glass Self

Charles Horton Cooley's phrase to emphasize that the self is the product of our social interactions. The self results from an individual's "imagination" of how others view him or her. This can lead to negative views of one's self due to incorrect perceptions of how others see us. the looking glass process (E.g. The following process: (1) the teacher criticized me, (2) the teacher must think that I'm stupid, (3) I am stupid. self esteem is holy dependent on this looking glass self

What is the conflict theory and is it micro or macro?

Conflict theory(Macro)-Values and norms are part of dominant culture- protect those at the top ex.-womens success is dependant on males, men brag about hate ****ing, money=power

Sociologist like to focus on what kind of societies?

Contemporary

Karl Marx (1818-1883)

Criticized the society in which he lived concerned with the gap between the rich and poor economy determines structure of society false conscious-working class develops this HATED capitalism- owners of production were able to keep working class in their place + control values social class can occur if working class realizes they are being oppressed! (class consciousness) foundation-conflict perspective

What is hegemony?

Dominance of one group over another

who stressed values?

Durkheim.. she believed values created social bonds and regulate behavior not all values are agreed upon and change over time

What is the difference between primary and secondary groups

Primary groups- long lasting(family) Secondary groups-nonlasting, change throughout life (classmates,work)

What is a subculture?

a culture within a culture( thousands of these) these subcultures exist harmoniously within the dominant culture ex.-athletes, nerds, jocks, majors

what are norms?

norms are rules and guides for behavior- they tell us the way we are supposed to behave formal norms- laws

How is culture passed on?

passed on down from generation to generation and passed along from one to another

edward sapir and benjamin whorf are anthropologists who believed...

people see and understand the world through the cultural lens of language

total institutions

place where individuals are cut off from a larger society resocialization leads to dehumanizing rigidly controlled by some sort of administration(prisoner guards) Institutionalism can result from this institutionalism- deep sense of hopelessness, loss of initiative, deterioration of social skills, inability to function in larger society

What are examples of social boundaries?

race, class, gender, sexuality are social constructions

culture shock or the sense of disorientation that occurs when entering a...

radically new social or cultural environment

what are the 3 types of norms? describe

1. Folkways- loosely enforced norms ex.- way you dress/look, manners, where you live 2. Mores- strictly enforced norms-closely related to core values of society unlike folkways, we expect everyone to conform to our mores ex.-treason, theft, infidelity, cheating, vandalism, divorce, abortion 3. Taboos- a type of more;MOST powerful norm ex.-canobolism, incest the thought of violating a taboo invokes strong feeling of disgust Norms are specific to culture(not the same everywhere)

Sociological Methods...what are the 3 questions sociologist ask?

1. Learning or assertaining the facts 2. comparative 3. Historical- trends

What are the different levels of sociological analysis

1. Macrosociology- focuses on broad features of society from a macro perspective...if we understand human behavior we must understand social structures how and how social structures guid our behavior 2. Microsociology- examines social interation both levels are needed for fuller understanding of social life

what are the 2 major categories of culture?

1. Material- physical objectts in which we give social meaning ex. artifacts, tools, machines, weapons 2. Nonmaterial- also known as symbolic culture- reflects the ideas and beliefs of a group of people ex. customs, rules, type of government, (large scale social patterns(marriage))

what are the 3 stages of george herbert meads( baseball fan)

1. Prepatory- first 2 years of life- immitate mom,dad,siblings- do not realize their actions have meaning(funny faces) 2. Play Stage- age 3- take on roles of significant other(strongest influence)(parents or siblings)- play and act like, see selves from parents point of view-incorporate them in their personality 3. Game stage- age 4 or 5(when entering school)- take on role of the generalized other-learn to internalize values of society(empathy)

what are the 4 things we must see to develop a sociological perspective?

1. See the general in the particular (patterns) 2. See the strange in the familiar (media) 3. See society in our everyday lives 4. See sociologically

what are the sources of data for research

1. Survey research-limited 2. Experimental research- control/experiment, independent and dependent 3. observation 4. existing data-to test theories

The socialization of adults

1. anticipatory socialization- when an individual learns to assume a role in the future idealism tends to die out and is replaced by realism 2. Developmental socialization- people learn to be more competent in playing their currently assumed role the more simple the role you assume, the more likely you will value conformity 3. Resocialization- least common most don't go through this: forced to abandon old self and develop new ones take place in prisons, prisoner of war camps, military training, religious cults

what are the 2 types of statuses

1. ascribed status- involuntary: do not ask for or choose, you inherit at birth or related to life course(sex, toddler, adult) 2. achieved status- voluntary: you ear or accomplish (pos or neg) ex.- graduate,promotion, criminal statuses set limits on what we can and cannot do when pleased with our status we want to show it off- so we will use... status symbols-weddings rings, uniforms, badges master status= one that cuts across other statuses you hold(ascribed) Status inconsistency- contradiction between statuses ex.-(homeowner and unemployed, 14y/o and college student) when statuses mesh well we know what to expect from eachother, if they don't we become confused

What are 2 situations to show how society shapes individual lives?

1. living on the margins of society 2. living through social crisis or rapid social change

What are some of the problems with sociological perspective?

1. makes people feel uncomfortable-questions what we take for granted 2. looks how society really works-who has power, who benefits from existing social arrangements 3.Questions existing myths, stereotypes, and official dogma(beliefs)

what are the 3 types of interaction

1. oppositional-treating others as competitors or enemies 2. supportive- treating others as supporters or friends 3. symbolic-

how do we suspend our ethnocentrism?

1. sociological imagination 2. Cultural relativism

what are the elements of culture and describe

1. symbols/signs-anything that carries a particular meaning recognized by people who share a culture ex.-flashing red light, price tags, notes on music, logos 2. Language-MOST SIGNIFICANT component of culture. varies from culture but is a human universal and present in ALL societies. Language not only allows communication, but is also key to cultural transmission(the process by which one generation passes culture onto the next) language shapes our perspectives cause of-tone,opinions, word choice, accents, dialogue ex.- hopi tribe did not have words/language to express past, present, and future 3. Gestures- signs made with bodies ex.- clapping, nodding, facial expressions, middle finger gestures are not always universal

each of the 3 types of interaction correspond to our 3 sociological perspectives

FUNCTIONAL PERSPECTIVE-SUPPORTIVE INTERACTION 1. exchange: 2 individuals offer eachother something in order to obtain some type of award(can be material or nonmaterial) based on reciprocity 2. Cooperation: 2 or more individuals work together to achieve a common goal(other person is NEEDED to complete task)ex.- group project spontaneous cooperation is oldest and most predictable(see this during disaster)- customary forms of cooperation are referred to as tradition cooperation we rely on directed cooperation(based on those in authority) ex.- pay taxes= freedom contractual cooperation- contract(legally binding) CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE-OPPOSITIONAL INTERACTION 1. Competition- interaction where 2 individuals follow a set of agreed upon rules to achieve the same goal before the other does..sports stimulates economic growth 2. Conflicts- interaction where 2 individuals disregard the rules and strive to achieve their goal by defeating the other...gang violence can harm or help social structure, war can unify 1 country but harm another SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM-SUPPORTIVE INTERACTIONS supportive interactions- treating others as a supporter or friends erving goffman referred to this as "supportive interchanges", "mutual dealings", or "acts of indentificatory sympathy" ex.- flowers to neighbor, ask others about how their day was looks at hidden meanings behind expressed words or actions things can mean different things to different people oppositional interactions- involves people of different statuses higher people see lower people as less

Examples as to why socialization is sooo important to human development

Ferrel children- anna, found at age 6, expressionless, vacant eyes Children in institutions- suffered very noticeable affects( babies fed, but went untouched) On the other end of the spectrum- creating geniuses( 17 month old reading)

What does sociological imagination force us to see?

Forces us to see the fallacies in our way of thinking

August Comte (1798-1857)

Founder of sociology goal was to create a science free of religious arguments about human nature and society positivism believes our knowledge is based on experiment, systematic

what were Robert Mertons functions?

Manifest functions- recognized + intended consequences Latent functions- unrecognized + unintended consequences

Symbolic Interactionism

Micro max weber contributed people act according to their interpretations of the world interpretations + actions are fluid and always changing

What are the two levels of analysis?

Microsociology and Macrosociology

"body ritual among the nacirema"

Narcima isAMERICANS backwards going to the dentist shrines=bathrooms=mirrors services are not free, they require money/gifts couch=counseling

what are 2 models of society?

Order and Conflict

determine which model (order and conflict) is Micro and which is macro

Order- Micro Conflict- Macro

Functionalist---

Socialization as a function ex.- chores, taking care of old parents, taking care of younger siblings

Is society stable under structural functionalism?

Stable...if it undergoes change, change is gradual

what is status and status set

Status- position that an individual occupies that may or may not carry prestige Status set- all statuses or positions you occupy statuses serve as guides for our individual behavior ex.- my status set- I am a student, daughter, sister, niece, teammate, employee citizen status set changes as social status changes ex.- single to married

What is structural functionalism and is it macro or micro?

Structural functionalism(Macro)- values and norms are widely shared- contribute to social stability, society cannot survive without culture ex.- gender norm about women; beneficial to cartain people (men+music industry)

What is symbolic interactionism and is it micro or macro?

Symbolic interactionism (Micro)- Values and norms are social constructions ex.- we construct these, they can vary time+culture, maintained through our ongoing social interaction with one another

What is The Me and what is the I?

The Me- obeys the laws, follows the crowd, the me part of our personality is what represents society The I- cannot be invaded by society, spontaneous, unique, creative, impulsive I and Me are complementary and work together

What is the sociological imagination?

The ability to understand the "interaction between biography and history", or interplay of self and the world

Macrosociology

The study of large-scale groups, organizations, or social systems and how they affect small groups and individuals

What happens without the Me or I

Without Me- no social order Without I- no uniqueness

What is prizonization?

adopting prisons subculture(norms, rules, mores), code of ethics(snitching)

Conflict model

aka Social conflict theory society is an arena of conflict basic form of interaction is competition change= drastic, revolutionary Karl marx is the major contributer working class vs elite Marx believed capitalism was source of division and exploitation of workers those in power can protect their status by protecting and maintaining society as it is

what is the Order model?

aka Structural Functionalism dominant within sociology in min 20th century emile durkhiem is the central figure of this theory society is made of interdependent parts smaller less complex vs. larger modern societies Robert Merton

culture is..

always changing

Conflict---

aspects of socialization harmful ex.- child abuse, killing of newborns

Emile Durkheim (1858-1917)

created the rationale of sociology wrote "suicide"-who is most likely social facts-social factors can explain individual behavior she was interested in what holds society together labeling and consequences of labeling(deviant/nondeviant) interested in how traditions are like glue(how it holds us together

George Herbert Mead

developed the theory of social behaviorism to explain how social experience develops an individual's personality

Variations in culture can be...

differences between cultures OR differences within a culture

What is counterculture?

norms and values that are incompatible with or in direct opposition to mainstream culture ex.- Prisoners, KKK, hard core drug users, satanists

When and where did sociology emerge?

emerged in western europe in the late 18th century, during the enlightenment, age of reason

Dream World 3 video

female bodies everywhere women are presented as the aggressors( want sex all the time) women don't know how to function without men/ we depend on men The pornographic imagination-be at the service of mens desires womens bodies are there for mens needs credit card- money is used to buy and control women how black men are portrayed- lust filled, drunk, violent, criminal Whos fantasies are these? real issue=not enough diversity shows that women want to be watched and looked at by men, they do things deliberately to draw attention women are looked at as ass+boobs, not as REAL people

What is social control?

formal or informal mechanism used to elicit conformity- promote social bonds/cohesion these are more likely to be informal social control occurs through the process of social interaction-peer groups, those close to you(informal) Formal- law enforcement, boss, educators(more negative sanctions)

Symbolic Interactionism

how children develop a self sense

language plays an important role in..

how we construct our reality

social world is human...

it is created by people and people can be changed by people

culture is...

learned

how does an inmates identity change while incarcerated?

maintaining relationships from the outside, being able to find housing and jobs

culture helps us...

make sense of our social world

What are sanctions? pos and neg?

means of enforcing norms- we use this in our social control positive- rewards negative-punishments

what does cultural relativism mean?

means seeing different culture as simply that...different. not better or worse, right or wrong, but one its own terms ex- religious beliefs, gun laws

What is a social institution?

media, education,health care, governement

language structures thought...

need words to express what we perceive

what are some ways you have experienced culture shock?

rich vs poor small town to city (travel to other countries)

Benefits of sociological imagination

see things in a whole new way, causes us to reevaluate our opinions and place in the world, forces us to see fallacies

What are sociological theories?

set of ideas that explain a range of human behaviors and societal events theses theories do not provide whole explanations for problems

what are values?

set of shared beliefs the group believes to be good/worthwhile also are indicative of everything we consider to be important

Macrosociology

social structures-typical patterns of a group overrides personal feelings our location determines our behavior social class- based on income, education and occupational prestige, influence values and beliefs Status- position that an individual occupies that may or may not carry prestige Status set- all statuses or positions you occupy statuses serve as guides for our individual behavior ex.- my status set- I am a student, daughter, sister, niece, teammate, employee citizen status set changes

how does social tradition leave us and what are examples

social tradition leaves us free from choice and it is discomforting when we question it. Ex. religion, generation occupation

What is the connection between personal troubles and social issues?

something in society contributing to those person troubles...connection to wider society

what are moral holidays?

specified times when people are allowed to break norms ex.- Halloween(asking strangers for candy), bachelor parties, superbowl, mardi gras

Microsociology

study that looks at the smallest building blocks of society in order to understand it's large scale structure

sociologist cannot focus solely on culture but also on...

sub groups- looking at inequalities they face (overlook contribution of smaller groups)

values and norms are...

symbolic culture in thought and action

peer group

talk about things you wouldn't with family search for approval by friends peer groups have their own subcultures leadership, popularity, athletics their influence dwindles towards end of senior and college how to have romantic

School

teaches conformity(uniforms, assigned seats, codes of conduct, pledge, raising hand 2 Goals 1. teach curriculum 2. teach a hidden curriculum(obey laws)

mass media

teaches us what is socially acceptable, political beliefs, biggest enforcer of stereotypes screen vs face to face interaction news focuses more on the negative than positive has created a culture of fear

What is culture?

the entire way of life of a group of people

what is an example of a symbol and how do they get meaning?

the middle finger is a symbol, symbols don't become real until we assign a meaning to it

What is a Dominant culture?

the norms, values, and beliefs of the most powerful group is this this can produce Hemegony

definition of multiculturalism

the presence of several distinct cultural or ethnic groups within a society. US=melting pot policy in honoring diversity

What is ethnocentrism?

the principle of using ones own cultures as a means or a "standard" which we use to compare other groups or individuals- others are abnormal

social interaction

the process by which people act and react in relation to others

Howard Becker said that sociology can best be understood as...

the study of people "doing things together." This definition reminds us

What is sociology?

the systematic study of human society

Max Weber (1864-1920)

thought marx was too narrowly deterministic Basic structure of society come from 3 sources- political, economic, cultural Most famous work "The protestant ethic and spirit of capitalism" social class does not come from economic position, is determined by status, power, economic status people can earn political power by posessing expressive qualities- charisma

culture is used as a lens through which we...

view our social world- can allow us to see clearly or obscure our vision

why do social constructions exist?

we created them, they wouldn't exist if we hadn't