Sociology Chapter 3, 4, 5
anomie
"normlessness"term used to describe the alienation and loss of purpose that result from weaker social bonds and an increased pace of change
gender and sexuality
According to the book, drag shows determine____ and _____. However, drag is based on one of these, not the other
Asch Experiment
Asked to look at a set of 4 straight lines and to match the length of the fourth line to one of the other three. After the first couple rounds, the confederates began to give the same consistently wrong answer. Most subjects felt pressure to comply with the rest of the group. 33% gave in half the time 40% gave wrong answers less frequently 25% refused to give the wrong answer
looking-glass self
Cooley's theory of the self concept as derived from how we imagine others see us, and the feelings about ourselves based on the perceived judgements of others
psychoanalysis
Freud's theory of the unconscious mind as composed of an interrelated system (id, ego, superego) that underlies human behavior; personality develops through psychosexual stages
McDonaldization
George Ritzer's term describing the spread of bureaucratic rationalization and the accompanying increases in efficiency and dehumanization *McDonald's in Japan
Dramaturgy
Goffman's theory of the presentation of self; we are like actors on a stage whose performance strategies aid in impression management
mind self and society
Mead's theory of the self that develops through three stages (preparatory, play, and game); in role taking the particular or generalized other, we learn to see ourselves as others do
Durkheim
This man argued that you need limits otherwise you would want many things you could never have, and the lengths to which we would go in search of our unattainable desires would be boundless (suicide). *coined the term anomie
Max Weber
This man identified three different types of authority that may be found in social organizations. They include: traditional, legal-rational, and charismatic authority
Milgram Experiemnt
Used a laboratory setting to test the lengths to which ordinary people would follow orders from a legitimate authority. Used the roles experimenter, teacher, and learner" Used shock to determine wether people would resist authority *65% administered max voltage
aggregate
a collection of people who share a physical location but do not have lasting social relations *collections of people such as crowds, audiences
group
a collection of people who share some attribute, identify with one another, and interact with each other *ex: family
in group
a group that one identifies with and feels loyalty toward *"us" **comes from family, ethnicity, professional, athletic, etc
reference group
a group that provides a standard of comparison against which we evaluate ourselves *family-- when we try to live up to the standards of our parents, siblings, etc.
subculture
a group within society that is differentiated by its distinctive values, norms, and lifestyle *a culture within a culture **can be based on ethnicity, age, interests, or anything else that draws individuals together
counterculture
a group within society that openly rejects and/or actively opposes society's values and norms *ex: political or activist groups
Folkway
a loosely enforced norm involving common customs, practices, or procedures that ensure smooth social interaction and acceptance *standards of dress and social etiquette **picking nose in public setting
Taboo
a norm ingrained so deeply that even thinking about violating it evokes strong feelings of disgust, horror, or revulsion *a forbidden subject **cannibalism, incest, things you must NOT do
More
a norm that carries great moral significance, is closely related to the core values of a cultural group, and often involves severe repercussions for violators *norms we are all expected to perform **ex: prohibition of theft, rape, and murder; cheating on a spouse
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
status
a position in a social hierarchy that carries a particular set of expectations *professor, president, parent
saturated self
a postmodern idea that the self is now developed by multiple influences chosen from a wide-range of media sources
Norm
a rule or guideline regarding what kinds of behavior are acceptable and appropriate within a culture *tell us what we should/should not do in a certain situation
achieved status
a status earned through individual effort or imposed by others *occupation, hobby, drug addiction, mental illness
embodied status
a status generated by physical characteristics *beauty or disability
master status
a status that is always relevant and affects all other statuses we possess *context specific, at any moment it may change
Signs
a symbol that stands for or conveys an idea; something that meaningfully represents something else. *ex: traffic signal, price tag, sheet of music, product logo
Language
a system of communication using vocal sounds, gestures, or written symbols; the basis of symbolic culture and the primary means through which we communicate with one another and perpetuate our culture. *varies from culture to culture but is a human universal and present in all societies
crowd
a temporary gathering of people in a public place; members might interact but do not identify with each other and will not remain in contact *throngs of sightseers at a tourist attraction
social identity theory
a theory of group formation and maintenance that stresses the need of individual members to feel a sense of belonging
triad
a three person social group which helps make the group more stable so that conflicts between two members can be refereed by the third
dyad
a two person social group *romantic couple, two best friends, two siblings
Laws
a type of formal norm; provides an explicit statement about what is permissible and what is illegal in a given society
bureacracy
a type of secondary group designed to perform tasks efficiently, characterized by specialization, technical competence, hierarchy, rules and regulation, impersonality, and formal written communication
id
according to Freud, an interrelated part that make up the mind: consists of basic inborn drives that are the source of instinctive psychic energy *selfish and unrealistic part of the mind
superego
according to Freud, an interrelated part that make up the mind: has two components (the conscience and the ego-ideal) and represents the internalized demands of society *keeps us from engaging in socially undesirable behavior and upholds our vision of who we believe we should be
ego
according to Freud, an interrelated part that make up the mind:the realistic aspect of the mind that balances the forces of the id and the superego *operates on the basis of reason and helps to mediate and integrate the demands of the id and superego
Symbolic interactionism
aka social interactionism; a theory that sees interaction and meaning as central to society and assumes that meanings are not inherent but are created through interaction *an understanding of self based off social interactionism
definition of the situation
an agreement with others about "what is going on" in a given circumstance; this consensus allows us to coordinate our actions with those of others and realize goals
dramaturgy
an approach pioneered by Erving Goffman in which social life is analyzed in terms of its similarities to theatrical performance *we have a backstage/frontstage. We prepare our backstage for our front-stage. Applying the theory of theater to our daily life
ascribed status
an inborn status; usually difficult or impossible to change *gender or race
total institution
an institution in which 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
formal norm
an officially encoded norm
out group
any group an individual feels opposition, rivalry, hostility toward *"them" **comes from family, ethnicity, professional, athletic groups
Traditional authority
authority based in custom, birthright, or divine right (usually associated with monarchies and dynasties) *kings and queens inherit the throne
Legal-rational authority
authority based in laws, rules, and procedures, not in the heredity or personality of any individual leader *modern presidencies and parliaments
charismatic authority
authority based int he perception of remarkable personal qualities in a leader. The leader can be revolutionary, breaking rules and defying traditions *Jesus Christ
cooling the mark out
behaviors that help others to save face or avoid embarrassment, often referred to as civility or tact
Culture wars
clashes within mainstream society over the values and norms that should be upheld *often occur over values and morality and the solutions to social problems (liberals and conservatives)
Thomas theorem
classic formulation of the way individuals define situations, whereby "if people define situations as real, they are real in their consequences" *because we encounter ambiguous situations every day, many meanings are possible
social ties
connections between individuals *ties between you and a friend, or ties between you and your friend's cousin
human nature
culture and society that make us human
Antonio Gramsci
developed the idea that when an idea becomes hegemonic, it becomes dominant, or naturalized
role taking emotions
emotions like sympathy, embarrassment, or shame that require that we assume the perspective of another person or many other people and respond from that person or group's point of view
autoethnography
ethnographic description that focuses on the feelings and reactions of the ethnographer
Stanford Prison Experiemnt
examined the power of authority by giving college students the role of guard or prisoner. Students quickly inhabited their roles, but soon exceeded the experimenter's expectations, resulting in an abusive and potentially dangerous situation. Experiment was shut down after 5 days
social influence
exerting group control over others' decisions *peer pressure **you can convince others to act in a certain way
role conflict
experienced when we occupy two or more roles with contradictory expectations *two different roles conflict with eachother
expressions given
expressions that are intentional and usually verbal, such as utterances
copresence
face-to-face interaction or being in the presence of others
psychosexual stages of development
four distinct stages of the development of the self between birth and adulthood, according to Freud; personality quirks are as a result of being fixated, or stuck, at any stage
Values
ideas about what is desirable or contemptible and right or wrong in a particular group; they articulate the essence of everything that a cultural group cherishes and honors *driving force behind norms
Thomas theorem
if one believes a thing is real, it will be real in its consequences. *the interpretation of a situation causes the action. (a teenager who is defined as deviant might begin to act deviant) **A process of social construction
informal norm
implied or unspoken norms. "the way things are done"
backstage
in the dramaturgical perspective, places in which we rehearse and prepare for our performances
region
in the dramaturgical perspective, the context or setting in which the performance takes place *location, scenery, and props
frontstage
in the dramaturgical perspective, the region in which we deliver our public performances
front
in the dramaturgical perspective, the setting or scene of performances that helps establish the definition of the situation
groupthink
in very cohesive groups, the tendency to enforce a high degree of conformity among members, creating a demand for unanimous agreement *can lead to hazing
stereotyping
judging others based on preconceived generalizations about groups or categories of people
secondary groups
larger and less intimate than primary groups; members' relationships are usually organized around a specific goal and are often temporary *college classes, athletic organizations
expressive leadership
leadership concerned with maintaining emotional and relational harmony within the group
instrumental leadership
leadership that is task or goal oriented *less concerned with peoples feelings and more concerned with getting the job done
technology
material artifacts and the knowledge and techniques required to use them *hi-tech electronic and digital devices that are shaping our culture
expressions given off
observable expressions that can be either intended or unintended and are usually nonverbal
behavioral economics
people react to certain situations based on emotion rather than reason
category
people who share one or more attributes but who lack a sense of common identity or belonging *everyone 18 years of age
sanction
positive or negative reactions to the ways that people follow or disobey norms, including rewards for conformity and punishments for violations *positive: express approval (handshake, smile) *negative: express disapproval (frown, harsh words)
coercive power
power is backed by the threat of force
influential power
power that is supported by persuasion
expressions of behavior
small actions such as an eye roll or head nod that serve as an interactional tool to help project our definition of the situation to others
virtual communities
social groups whose interactions are mediated through information technologies particularly the internet
agents of socialization
social groups, institutions, and individuals (especially the family, schools, peers, and the mass media) that provide structured situations in which socialization takes place
feeling rules
socially constructed norms regarding the expression and display of emotions; expectations about the acceptable or desirable feelings in a given situation
norms
specific to a time, place, and culture that tell us how to act in a certain situation
hegemony
term developed by Antonio Gramsci to describe the cultural aspects of social control, whereby the ideas of the dominant social group are accepted by all of society
agency
the ability of the individual to act freely and independently
power
the ability to control the actions of others
Rationalization
the application of economic logic to human activity; the use of formal rules and regulations in order to maximize efficiency without consideration of subjective or individual concerns
sociobiology
the branch of science that uses biological and evolutionary explanations for social behavior *evolutionary drive meet with social patterns
cultural diffusion
the dissemination of material and symbolic culture (tools and technology, beliefs and behavior) from one group to another *cultures share their culture with each other
impression management
the effort to control the impressions we make on others so that they form a desired view of us and the situation; the use of self presentation and performance tactics
Culture
the entire way of life of a group of people (including both material and symbolic elements) that acts as a lens through which one views the world and is passed from one generation to the next. *learned, rather than innate **defined as a "toolkit for living" -Ann Swidler
personal front
the expressive equipment we consciously or unconsciously use as we present ourselves to others, including appearance and manner, to help establish the definition of the situation
preparatory stage
the first stage in Mead's theory of the development of self wherein children mimic or imitate others
social control
the formal and informal mechanisms used to elicit conformity to values and norms and thus increase social cohesion
Sapir Whorf hypothesis
the idea that language structures thought and that ways of looking at the world are embedded in language *words help create perceptions (ex: jocks, cheerleaders, preppies, goths, etc)
Dual nature of the self
the idea that we experience the self as both subject and object, the "I" and the "me"
Symbolic Culture
the ideas associated with a cultural group, including ways of thinking (beliefs, values, and assumptions) and ways of behaving (norms, interactions, and communication) *values, beliefs **can be social interactionism
cultural imperialism
the imposition of one culture's beliefs and practices on another culture through mass media and consumer products rather than by military force *[media is] a kind of invading force that enters a country and takes it over
self
the individual's conscious, reflexive experience of a personal identity separate and distinct from other individuals
authority
the legitimate right to apply or wield power
honor killing
the murder of a family member-who is usually female- who is believed to have brought dishonor to her family
real culture
the norms, values, and patterns of behavior that actually exist within a society (which may or may not correspond to the society's ideals)
ideal culture
the norms, values, and patterns of behavior that members of a society believe should be observed in principle
technological determinism
the notion that developments in technology provide the primary driving force behind social change *computers, cell phones, etc. are defining who we become and how we think, feel, and act in the world
looking glass self
the notion that the self develops through our perception of others' evaluations and appraisals of us *we imagine how we look to others, we imagine other people's judgement of us, and we experience some kind of feeling about ourselves based on our perception of other people's judgements
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. *ex: book, pen, etc. **can be social interactionism
nature vs nurture
the ongoing discussion of the respective roles of genetics and socialization in determining individual behaviors and traits *how much of our behavior comes from what we are naturally inclined to and what we are raised to do
group dynamics
the patterns of interaction between groups and individuals *how groups form, change, disintegrate, achieve great goals, or commit horrendous wrongs
primary groups
the people who are most important to our sense of self; members' relationships are typically characterized by face to face interaction, high levels of cooperation, and intense feelings of belonging *families and close friends
generalized other
the perspectives and expectations of a network of others (or of society in general) that a child learns and then takes into account when shaping his or her own behavior *process of having a view of what general society may have on us. Reactions of who we are make us who we are
Particular or significant other
the perspectives and expectations of a particular role that a child learns and internalizes
social loafing
the phenomenon in which as more individuals are added to a task, each individual contributes a little less; a source of inefficiency when working in teams *tug of war
Cultural relativism
the principle of understanding other cultures on their own terms, rather than judging or evaluating according to one's own culture
ethnocentrism
the principle of using one's own culture as a means or standard by which to evaluate another group or individual, leading to the view that cultures other than one's own are abnormal or inferior *our own culture is the "normal one"
social construction
the process by which a concept or practice is created and maintained by participants who collectively agree that it exists *never ending process
cultural leveling
the process by which cultures that were once unique and distinct become increasingly similar *cultures begin to blend, new mixes emerge
Emotion work (emotional labor)
the process of evoking, suppressing, or otherwise managing feelings to create a publicly observable display of emotion
decode
the process of interpreting a message; however, it may not be interpreted in the way that it is being presented
socialization
the process of learning and internalizing the values, beliefs, and norms of our social group, by which we become functioning members of society *way that we allow culture to travel so we all understand the norms and behaviors in society which never stops
Role exit
the process of leaving a role that we will no longer occupy
signification
the process of putting a sign to use; process of using a sign -> encode and decode *encode= give sign meaning; decode= process of interpreting a message **when we signify things we encode our message, but that doesn't mean it will be decoded in the way we intend
resocialization
the process of replacing previously learned norms and values with new ones as a part of a transition in life
play stage
the second stage of Mead's theory of the development of self wherein children pretend to play the role of the particular or significant other
group cohesion
the sense of solidarity or loyalty that individuals feel toward a group to which they belong *team spirit **fraternity brothers are more cohesive than random classmates
role
the set of behaviors expected of someone because of his or her status
role strain
the tension experienced when there are contradictory expectations within one role *internal conflict with a certain role that comes from a single role
game stage
the third stage of Mead's theory of the development of self wherein children play organized games and take on the perspective of the generalized other
dominant culture
the values, norms, and practices of the group within society that is most powerful (in terms of wealth, prestige, status, influence, etc.) *culture that most of the society follows
Gestures
the ways in which people use their bodies to communicate without words; actions that have symbolic meaning *body language or nonverbal communication that can be subtle or obvious
social network
the web of direct and indirect ties connecting an individual to other people who may also affect the individual *family, friends, peers, colleagues
encode
to give sign meaning
Conflict theory (approach to culture)
values and norms are part of the dominant culture and tend to represent and protect the interests of the most powerful groups in society
symbolic interactionism (approach to culture)
values and norms are social constructions; meaning is created, maintained, and changed through ongoing social interaction
Structure functionalism (approach to culture)
values and norms are widely shared and agreed upon; they contribute to social stability by reinforcing common bonds and constraining individual behavior
hidden curriculum
values or behaviors that students learn indirectly over the course of their schooling because of the structure of the educational system and the teaching methods used *punctuality, discipline, neatness, hard work, competition, etc.
socialization
way that we allow culture to travel so we all understand the norms and behaviors in society which is a CONSTANTLY OCCURRING PROCESS
Naturalized
when people begin to think certain laws are natural because they are hegemonic
signification
when we use signs to communicate
