Sociology Exam (Unit 1)

structural functionalism

Society is viewed as an ordered system of interrelated parts, or structures, which are the social institutions that make up society (family, education, politics, the economy)

existentialism

Karl Marx believed that most people accept the status quo of society & deny the truths that perpetuate inequality. What is the term that he used to describe this concept?

praxis

Karl Marx thought intellectuals should not just theorize about the social world but also attempt to improve it. What is the term he used to describe this idea?

large-scale institutions; individual interactions

Sociology can be defined as the systematic & scientific study of human society & social behavior from ____ to ____

it can help people become aware of the connections between their own lives & the larger course of history

Why is it beneficial for everyone, even people who will never take a sociology class, to develop a sociological imagination?

modernism

a paradigm that trusts in the power of science & technology to create progress

paradigm

a set of assumptions, theories, & perspectives that make up a way of understanding social reality

Harriet Martineau

a social activist who traveled the US & wrote about social changes that were radical for this time period

everyday actor

approaches the world using knowledge that's practical or taken for granted

social analyst

approaches the world using reasoning and questions for deeper insights

dramaturgy (coined by Erving Goffman)

describes the way people strategically present themselves to others

macrosociology

examines large-scale social structures to determine how they impact groups & individuals

microsociology

examines small-group interactions to see how they impact larger institutions in society. (the part of sociology that can likens to a zoom lens on a camera)

Herbert Spencer

first great English-speaking sociologist. (coined term "survival of the fittest")

anomie

normlessness or a loss of connections to the social world

her translation of the work of Auguste Comte into English

of the following options, which was probably Harriet Martineau's most important contribution to the development of sociology as a discipline

beginner's mind

oppositive of expert's mind, we need to focus on our minds of stereotypes, expectations & opinions so we are more receptive to our experiences

queer theory

proposes that categories of sexual identity are social constructs & no sexual category is fundamentally either deviant or normal

symbolic interactionism

sees interaction & meaning as central to society & assumes that meanings are not inherent but rather are created through interaction

conflict theory

sees social conflict as the basis of society & social change

the French revolution & the instability that followed it

which of the following historical events influenced Auguste Comte's concerns that society needed to be guided by thinkers who understood social laws

Hebert Blumer

which theorist gave symbolic interactionism its name?

Emile Durkheim

worked to establish sociology as an important academic discipline

dramaturgy

A dishonest judge must pretend to be an honest judge, but even an honest judge must play the role of "honest judge" for an audience in order to interact & work with others effectively. This performance is an example of what theoretical perspective?

modernist

An individual believes the advancement of science & technology will solve problems & improve everyone's life. Based on this belief, they can best be described as a...

it is focused on the imbalance of power related to race that is embedded in American institutions

Critical race theory emerged out of legal scholarship in the 1970s and '80s. Why is this theory viewed as an offshoot of conflict theory?

anomie

Emile Durkheim's study on suicide found that not only did suicide rates increase when the economy slumped, they also increased when the economy boomed. Which of Durkheim's concepts explains why both positive & negative economic conditions could increase suicide rates?

Karl Marx

German philosopher & political activists who contributed significantly to sociology's conflict theory

macrosociology

Researcher Christine Williams studied patterns of occupational sex segregation by examining the ways large-scale social structurers create the constraints within which individuals live their lives. Which type of analysis would this research fall under?

conflict between social groups

What did Karl Marx state is the catalyst for social change?

the self is shaped by society, but society is also shaped by the self

What is the relationship between the self & society according to symbolic interactionism?

sociology

a social science - a discipline examining the human, or social world

sociological perspective

a way of looking at the world through a sociological lens

sociological imagination (coined by C. Wright Mills)

a way of thinking that allows us to understand the relationships between our particular situation in life & what is happening at a social level outside of us

Auguste Comte

laid the groundwork for future sociologists & helped establish the discipline

feminist theory

looks at both gender inequalities in society & the way that gender structures the social world & considers remedies to these inequalities

institutions

structures in our society (ex; family, education, economy)

Max Weber

studied how society was becoming industrialized

Erving Goffman

studied how the "self" is developed through interactions with others in society

George Herbert Mead

studied the connection between thought & action - or between the individual & society. (gave symbolic interactionism its name)

postmodernist theory

suggests that social reality is diverse, pluralistic, & constantly changing

the Chicago school of sociology

symbolic interactionism was established by

critical race theory

the study of the relationship among race, racism, & power