SOCIO 1111
What is Durkheim's sociological explanation of suicide? Why is it a sociological, not a psychological theory? How does it apply to the difference in the rates of suicide in youth and married people?
- suicide is more than just an individual act of desperation that results from a psychological disorder - understood that people's lives were externally ruled through social integration with other humans. This view caused him to push aside the stigma of suicide being an individual, personal act, and put the focus on the exterior, social affiliations of a person's life -Youth has increased the most in acts of suicide. -early adulthood is a period in which social ties to family and society are strained. It is often a confusing period in which teenagers break away from their childhood roles in the family group and establish their independence -Married people are the least likely to commit suicide -Adolescents are less integrated into society, which puts them at a higher risk for suicide than married people who are more integrated.
Chapter 1 describes how structural functionalism, symbolic interactionism, and critical sociology might apply to the problem of food production. How do you understand your own relationship to food? Does the discussion about the sociological approaches to food provide any useful insights into your own experience? Why or why not? What does sociological theory get right or wrong?
-A structural-functional approach to the topic of food consumption might be interested in the role of the agriculture industry within the nation's economy and the social system as a whole. the structural-functionalist would be interested in the potential for disequilibrium in the human/ environment relationship that has resulted from increases in population and the intensification of agricultural production from the early days of manual-labour farming to modern mechanized agribusiness. In many respects the concerns of environmentalists and others with respect to the destructive relationship between industrial agriculture and the ecosystem are the results of a dysfunctional system of adaptation. -a symbolic interactionist lens would be more interested in micro-level topics of the shared meaning of food, such as the attitudes towards food in fast food restaurants, or the role it plays in the social interaction of a family dinner. This perspective might also study the interactions among group members who identify themselves based on their sharing a particular diet, such as vegans (people who do not eat meat or dairy products) or locavores (people who strive to eat locally produced food). -A critical sociologist might be interested in the power differentials present in the regulation of the food industry, exploring where people's right to information intersects with corporations' drive for profit and how the government mediates those interests. Critical sociologist might also be interested in the power and powerlessness experienced by local farmers versus large farming conglomerates.
According to Chomsky and Herman, what are the three mechanisms that produce bias in the media?
-Advertising: most revenue earned by TV, etc comes from advertising by large cooperations. Seek to influence news so it will reflect well on them. -Sourcing: Most news agencies heavily rely for information on press releases etc by large cooperations or the government. These sources slant information to reflect favorable on their policies. -Flak: Governments and big corporations attack journalists who depart from official and corporate points of view.
What do The Truman Show (1998), The Matrix (1999), and American Psycho (2000) have in common?
-American Psycho- mass media have so completely emptied him of genuine emotion he even has trouble remembering his victims names. At the same time the mass media have infused him with consumer values so he can debscribe his victims apparral. Killer and killed are both victims of consumerism and mass media. -These movies suggest that fantasy worlds created by the mass media are increasingly the only realities we know, and they are every bit as pervasive and influent as religion was 500 or 600 years ago. -Much of your reality is media generated
UNIT 1- Required chapter readings
-Chapter 1 "An Introduction to Sociology" -Chapter 2 "Sociological Research"
What happens when children are not socialized or are "socially deprived" during childhood?
-Even when the self is alone for extended periods of time (hermits, prisoners in isolation, etc.), an internal conversation goes on that would not be possible if the individual had not been socialized already. -Wild or feral children often cannot use language, they cannot form intimate relationships, and they cannot play games. Socialization is not simply the process through which people learn the norms and rules of a society, it also is the process by which people become aware of themselves as they interact with others. It is the process through which people are able to become people in the first place.
What research methodology was used to study the effectiveness of the safe-injection site (In-Site) on harm reduction in Vancouver? What elements of intravenous or addictive drug use can be captured with this type of methodology? What elements of drug use would be overlooked?
-For this experiment, scientists wanted "hard" (i.e., quantitative) evidence of high reliability, which would come from an experimental model in which a control group can be compared with an experimental group using quantitative measures. -researchers compared the risky usage of drugs in populations before and after the opening of the facility and geographically near and distant to the facility. The results from the studies have shown that InSite has reduced both deaths from overdose and risky behaviours, such as the sharing of needles, without increasing the levels of crime associated with drug use and addiction. -Elements of drugs use that would be overlooked would be the reasons why individuals in the crack smoking subculture engage in the risky activity of sharing pipes.
Outline the difference between functionalist, critical, and interpretive approaches to the mass media.
-Functionalism identifies the main social effects of mass media as coordination, socialization, social control and entertainment. By performing these functions the mass media help make social order possible. -Interpretative approaches remind us that audience members are people, not programmable robots. We filter, interpret, resist, and sometimes reject media messages according to our own interests and values.
How do functionalist, critical, and interpretive approaches to the mass media apply to the Internet?
-Functionalism stresses that the mass media act to coordinate society, exercise social control and socialize and entertain people. -Conflict theory (critical?) stresses that the mass media control reinforces social inequality. They do this by acting as a source of profit and by promoting core values and help legitimize the existing social order. -Interpretive approaches stress that audiences actively filter, interpret and sometimes even resist and reject media messages according to their interests and values.
What are the steps involved in the "resocialization" of total institutions? What does this process say about the malleability of human identity?
-In the process of resocialization, old behaviours that were helpful in a previous role are removed because they are no longer of use. Resocialization is necessary when a person moves to a senior care centre, goes to boarding school, or serves time in jail. In the new environment, the old rules no longer apply. The process of resocialization is typically more stressful than normal socialization because people have to unlearn behaviours that have become customary to them. Total institutions: . Once the person learns what it is like to be defined by society as not having a viable self, this threatens definition — the threat that helps attach to the self society accords them — is weakened. The patient seems to gain a new plateau when he learns that he can survive while acting in a way that society sees as destructive of him.
What is the relationship between variables, operationalizations, and hypotheses? Why is falsifiability key to this relationship?
-Karl Popper (1963) described the formulation of scientific propositions in terms of the concept of falsifiability -argued that the key demarcation between scientific and non-scientific propositions was not ultimately their truth, nor their empirical verification, but whether or not they were stated in such a way as to be falsifiable (whether a possible empirical observation could prove them wrong.) EX: If one claimed that evil spirits were the source of criminal behaviour, this would not be a scientific proposition because there is no possible way to definitively disprove it. Evil spirits cannot be observed. However, if one claimed that higher unemployment rates are the source of higher crime rates, this would be a scientific proposition because it would be theoretically possible to find an instance where unemployment rates were not correlated to crime rates. -Once a proposition is formulated in a way that would permit it to be falsified, the variables to be observed need to be operationalized. -When forming these basic research questions, sociologists develop an operational definition; that is, they define the concept in terms of the physical or concrete steps it takes to objectively measure it. The concept is translated into an observable variable, a measure that has different values. The operational definition identifies an observable condition of the concept. EX: Asking the question, "how many traffic violations has a driver received?" turns the concept of "good drivers" and "bad drivers" into a variable which might be measured by the number of traffic violations a driver has received
How would sociologists use the sociological imagination to understand the problem of obesity?
-Obesity: widely shared social issue that puts people at risk for chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. It also creates significant social costs for the medical system. -A private trouble that has become so common and widespread it has turned into a public issue of social structure that needs to be dealt with collectively.
What is socialization and what does it have to do with roles?
-Socialization is the process through which people are taught to be proficient members of a society. It describes the ways that people come to understand societal norms and expectations, to accept society's beliefs, and to be aware of societal values. It also describes the way people come to be aware of themselves and able to reflect on the suitability of their behaviour in their interactions with others. -Socialization occurs as people engage and disengage in a series of roles through the life course. Each role, like the role of son or daughter, student, friend, or employee, etc., is defined by the behaviour expected of a person who occupies a particular position.
How is scientific thinking distinguished from non-scientific thinking?
-The basic distinction between scientific and common non-scientific claims about the world is that in science "seeing is believing" whereas in everyday life "believing is seeing" -Only on the basis of observation (or "seeing") can the scientist believe that their proposition about the nature of the world is correct. Research methodologies are designed to reduce the chance that their conclusions will be based on error. In everyday life, the order is typically reversed. People "see" what they already expect to see or what they already believe to be true. Their prior intellectual commitments or biases predetermine what they observe and the conclusions they draw.
Distinguish between the two modes of culture: innovation and restriction. How do postmodern culture, subculture, and global culture represent processes of cultural innovation? How do processes of rationalization and consumerism constrain culture?
-The cultural fabric of shared meanings and orientations that allows individuals to make sense of the world and their place within it can either change with contact with other cultures or with changes in the socioeconomic formation (innovation) , allowing people to reinvision and reinvent themselves, or it can remain rigid and restrict change. (restriction)
Why is "meaning" central to the understanding of culture and cultural diversity?
-The cultural fabric of shared meanings and orientations that allows individuals to make sense of the world and their place within it can either change with contact with other cultures or with changes in the socioeconomic formation, allowing people to reinvision and reinvent themselves, or it can remain rigid and restrict change. - human social life is essentially meaningful, and therefore has to be understood first through an analysis of the cultural practices and institutions that produce meaning.
Globalization vs. diffusion of culture
-While globalization refers to the integration of markets, diffusion relates a similar process to the integration of global cultures. -The increasing flows of global migration and movement also facilitate the diffusion of cultural ideas and artifacts as people from around the world spread out into global diasporas: the dispersions of a people from their original homeland. EX: More people than ever before seem to imagine routinely the possibility that they or their children will live and work in places other than where they were born This changes the way people think and view the world.
Is the Internet a source of conformism and corporate domination or authentic self-expression and a democratization of culture?
-Yes, but Corporate domination of Internet based mass media is continuously challenged by the creative contributions individuals and groups of content producers.
What is the difference between psychological and sociological approaches to the self and its development?
-both disciplines are interested in human behaviour, psychologists are focused on how the mind influences that behaviour, while sociologists study the role of society in shaping both behaviour and the mind. -psychologists tend to look inward to qualities of individuals (mental health, emotional processes, cognitive processing), while sociologists tend to look outward to qualities of social context (social institutions, cultural norms, interactions with others) to understand human behaviour.
symbolic interactionism
-centred on the notion that communication—or the exchange of meaning through language and symbols—is how people make sense of their social worlds -Humans act toward things on the basis of the meanings they ascribe to those things. -The meaning of such things is derived from, or arises out of, the social interaction that one has with others and the society. -These meanings are handled in, and modified through, an interpretative process used by the person in dealing with the things he or she encounters - emphasizes that groups of individuals have the freedom and agency to define their situations in potentially numerous different ways.
historical materialism
-concentrates on the study of how our everyday lives are structured by the connection between relations of power and economic processes -The elements that make up a culture—a society's shared practices, values, beliefs, and artifacts—are structured by the society's economic mode of production: the way human societies act upon their environment and its resources in order to use them to meet their needs. Hunter-gatherer, agrarian, feudal, and capitalist modes of production have been the economic basis for very different types of society throughout world history.
The issue of the distinctiveness of Canadian culture is discussed in a few different places in Chapter 3: Canadian multiculturalism, Canadian bilingualism, and Canadian differences from the United States. What are the arguments for a unique Canadian identity in the era of global culture?
-ethnic diversity has been shown to erode levels of trust and social capital in other countries, there appears to be a "Canadian exceptionalism" in this regard" because Canadians are more likely to say that immigration is beneficial and less likely to have prejudiced views of Muslims. -So while the cultural identity of Canadians is diverse, the cultural paradigm in which their coexistence is conceptualized—multiculturalism—has come to be equated with Canadian cultural identity. -the American "melting pot" paradigm- mingling of races was thought to be able to produce a super race with the best qualities of all races intermingled, which caused strict exclusion or deportation of races seen to be "unsuited" to Canadian social and environmental conditions.. then the Canadian "mosaic" that advocated for the separation and compartmentalization of races
Define how science is understood in Chapter 1. How did science unite the different philosophical traditions of rationalism and empiricism?
-focus of knowledge shifted from intuiting the intentions of spirits and gods to systematically observing and testing the world of things through science and technology. -new scientific worldview combined the clear and logically coherent propositions from rationalism with an empirical method of inquiry based on observation through the senses.
Feminism
-focused on the power relationships and inequalities between women and men
What is a self?
-self refers to a person's distinct sense of identity. It is who we are for ourselves and who we are for others. It has consistency and continuity through time and a coherence that distinguishes us as persons.
What is a "level of analysis"? What is the distinction between the micro, macro, and global levels of analysis in sociology?
-society and culture can be studied at different levels of analysis, from the detailed study of face-to-face interactions to the examination of large-scale historical processes affecting entire civilizations. It is common to divide these levels of analysis into different gradations based on the scale of interaction involved. -MICRO LEVEL of analysis- focus is on the social dynamics of intimate, face-to-face interactions. Research conducted with specific set of individuals- such as -family members, work associates, or friendship groups. (EX: how loyalty to criminal gangs is established.) -MACRO LEVEL- focuses on large-scale, society-wide social interactions that extend beyond individual interactions: dynamics of institutions, class structures, gender relations or whole populations. -examples of macro-level research include examining why women are far less likely than men to reach positions of power in society GLOBAL LEVEL- focus is on structures and processes that extend beyond the boundaries of states or specific societies. -EX: Issues of climate change, the introduction of new technologies, the investment and disinvestment of capital, the images of popular culture, or the tensions of cross- cultural conflict, etc. increasingly involve our daily life in the affairs of the entire globe
structural functionalism
-society is seen as a system -sees society as composed of structures—regular patterns of behaviour and organized social arrangements that persist through time (eg. like the institutions of the family or the occupational structure)-and the functions they serve: the biological and social needs of individuals who make up that society -just as the various organs in the body work together to keep the entire system functioning and regulated, the various parts of society work together to keep the entire society functioning and regulated (ex. economy, political systems, health care, education, media, and religion.) -conservative viewpoint because it relies on an essentially static model of society (very difficult to understand why change occurs at all if society is functioning as a system)
Why is systematic social research important for making social policy decisions?
-sociological researchers use empirical evidence (that is, evidence corroborated by direct experience and/or observation) combined with the scientific method to deliver sound sociological research. - The political controversies that surround the question of how best to respond to terrorism and violent crime are difficult to resolve at the level of political rhetoric. Often, in the news and public discourse, the issue is framed in moral terms and therefore, for example, the policy alternatives get narrowed to the option of either being "tough" on crime or "soft" on crime. "Tough" and "soft" are moral categories that reflect a moral characterization of the issue. A question framed by these types of moral categories cannot be resolved using evidence-based procedures. Posing the debate in these terms narrows the range of options available and undermines the ability to raise questions about what responses to crime actually work. -from a sociological point of view, it is crucial to think systematically about who commits violent acts and why.
What is the sociological imagination?
-sometimes also referred to as the "sociological lens" or "sociological perspective." -how individuals understand their own and others' lives in relation to history and social structure -It is the capacity to see an individual's private troubles in the context of the broader social processes that structure them.
What is the social?
-the "ongoing concerting and coordinating of individuals' activities" -Why does the person move to the right on the sidewalk? What collective process lead to the decision that moving to the right rather than the left is normal? -These are the type of questions that point to the unique domain and puzzles of the social that sociology seeks to explore and understand.
How does sociology frame the relationship between the individual and society? Use the example of aboriginal gang members to illustrate this relationship.
-there is no society without the individuals that make it up, and there are also no individuals who are not affected by the society in which they live -interested in the experiences of individuals and how those experiences are shaped by interactions with social groups and society as a whole. -To a sociologist, the personal decisions an individual makes do not exist in a vacuum. Cultural patterns and social forces put pressure on people to select one choice over another. Sociologists try to identify these general patterns by examining the behaviour of large groups of people living in the same society and experiencing the same societal pressures. -the high rate of incarceration for aboriginal peoples has been linked to systemic discrimination and attitudes based on racial or cultural prejudice, as well as economic and social disadvantage, substance abuse and intergenerational loss, violence and trauma
I and Me
-two components or "phases," the "I" and the "me." -The "me" represents the part of the self in which one recognizes the "organized sets of attitudes" of others toward the self. It is who we are in other's eyes: our roles, our "personalities," our public personas. The "I," on the other hand, represents the part of the self that acts on its own initiative or responds to the organized attitudes of others. It is the novel, spontaneous, unpredictable part of the self: the part of the self that embodies the possibility of change or undetermined action.
What are the four types of sociological research? What are their strengths and weaknesses?
1. Surveys- collects data from subjects who respond to a series of questions about behaviours and opinions, often in the form of a written questionnaire. (most widely used sociological research form) Strengths: great method for discovering how people feel and think—or at least how they say they feel and think. Weaknesses: surveys are not great at capturing the ways people really behave in social situations and they are artificial. In real life there are rarely any unambiguously yes-or-no answers. 2. Experiments- researchers investigate relationships to test a hypothesis—a scientific approach. Either proven or disproven. Lab based experiment: The experimental group is exposed to the independent variable(s) and the control group is not. Strengths: Tests cause and effect relationships Weaknesses: Stanford Prison Experiment (stimulated a fake prison environment on campus to test the effects prison has on prisoners. Had to be shut down after only 6 days because abuse got out of hand. ) serves as an example of the ethical issues that emerge when experimenting on human subjects. 3. Field Research- refers to gathering primary data from a natural environment without doing a lab experiment or a survey. Sociologists steps into environments to observe, participate and experience in these new environments. Strengths: The research takes place in the subject's natural environment. The sociologists, rather than the subjects, are the ones out of their element. Different then most other forms of research. Weaknesses: there are difficulties in gaining an objective distance from research subjects. It is difficult to know whether another researcher would see the same things or record the same data. 4. The Case Study- a researcher examines existing sources like documents and archival records, conducts interviews, engages in direct observation, and even participant observation. Strengths: useful when the single case is unique. In these instances, a single case study can add tremendous knowledge to a certain discipline. (EX: Feral children (children who grow up isolated from human beings) provide unique information about child development because they have grown up outside of the parameters of "normal" child development.) Weaknesses: it is difficult to make universal claims based on just one person, since one person does not verify a pattern. This is why most sociologists do not use case studies as a primary research method.
Why does the rise of the mass media have its origins in Protestantism, democracy, and capitalism?
1. The Protestant Reformation: in the 16th century, Catholics relied on priests to tell them what was in the bible. Martin Luther wanted to develop a more personal relationship with the Bible. Within 40 years, Luther's new form of Christianity- protestantism- was established in half of Europe. The bible became the first mass media product in the West and by far the best- selling book. The printing revolution also allowed for the widespread diffusion and exchange of ideas, and gave rise to modern science. 2. Democratic Movements: Citizens in France, US, etc. demanded and achieved representation in Government (Democracy) Democratic Governments, in turn, depended on informed citizenry and encouraged popular literacy and growth of a free press. Today, the mass media and TV mould our entire outlook on politics. EX: First TV presidential debate (Nixon vs Kennedy) 3. Capitalist Industrialization: Modern industries required a literate and numerate work force. They also needed means of communication to do business effectively.
Four stages of child socialization
1. preparatory stage, children are only capable of imitation: they have no ability to imagine how others see things. They copy the actions of people with whom they regularly interact, such as their mothers and fathers. 2. play stage, during which children begin to imitate and take on roles that another person might have. Thus, children might try on a parent's point of view by acting out "grownup" behaviour, like playing "dress up" and acting out the mom role, or talking on a toy cell phone the way they see their father do. 3. game stage, children learn to consider several specific roles at the same time and how those roles interact with each other. They learn to understand interactions involving different people with a variety of purposes. 4. learn the idea of generalized order, the common behavioural expectations of general society
What are the scientific, democratic, and industrial revolutions? When did they occur and what is their connection to the emergence of sociology in the work of Comte, Marx, Martineau, Durkheim, Weber, and Simmel?
19th century SCIENTIFIC- focus of knowledge shifted from intuiting the intentions of spirits and gods to systematically observing and testing the world of things through science and technology. -Modern science abandoned the medieval view of the world in which God, "the unmoved mover," defined the natural and social world as a changeless, cyclical creation ordered and given purpose by divine will. -new scientific worldview therefore combined the clear and logically coherent propositions from rationalism with an empirical method of inquiry based on observation through the senses. DEMOCRATIC- demonstrated that humans had the capacity to change the world. -The rigid hierarchy of medieval society was not a God-given eternal order, but a human order that could be challenged and improved upon through human intervention. INDUSTRIAL- introduction of industrial machinery, and the organization of labour to serve new manufacturing systems. -massive transformation of human life brought about by the creation of wage labour, capitalist competition, increased mobility, urbanization, individualism.. also caused social issues such as poverty, dangerous working conditions..etc. -Millions of people were moving into cities and many people were turning away from their traditional religious beliefs.
What do the "ambivalent and sometimes contradictory attitudes" (Brym et al., 2013, p. 468) of women toward the issue of abortion on television shows demonstrate with regard to television viewership?
3 of the 4 categories of women audience members were highly skeptical of TV portrayals of abortion issue. Moreover, 3 of the 4 categories rejected the simple pro-choice vs pro-life choice. Many pro-choice women expressed ambivalence about abortion and even rejected it as an option for themselves. -Must conclude that real women are typically more complicated than the stereotype promoted in the mass media, and that women in the audience typically know that.
What is adolescence (i.e., in terms of the sociological model of socialization)?
Adolescence is a period stretching from puberty to about 18 years old, characterized by the role adjustment from childhood to adulthood. It is a stage of development in which the self is redefined through a more or less arduous process of "socialized anxiety
What is the logic of biological explanations of human behaviour and why do sociologists argue that they are misguided?
Biological determinism which states that traits and behaviours are fixed or "hard wired" into the biological structure of the species and are therefore very difficult to change, is misguided. -the forms of human association do vary extensively -difficult to account for the variability of social phenomena by using a universal biological mechanism to explain them. Even something like the aggressive tendency in males, which on the surface has an intuitive appeal, does not account for the multitude of different forms and practices of aggression, let alone the different social circumstances in which aggression is manifested or provoked. It does not account for why some men are aggressive sometimes and not at other times, or why some men are not aggressive at all.
What are the five-multimedia corporations that own the media in Canada?
CTV globemedia, Owned by Bell Canada Rogers Communications, owned by the Roger family Shaw Communications, Controlled by the shaw family of Calgary CBC/ Radio Canada, publicly owned Quebecor Inc
How do the concepts of reliability and validity apply to the four types of research methodology?
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In the functionalist framework, what are the four functions performed by the media?
Coordination: mass media coordinates the operation of industrial and postindustrial societies. Socialization: Families have handed over their right to transmit norms, values, etc. Mass media has taken over that role They informed shared ideals of democracy, competition, justice, and so forth. Social Control: mass media help ensure conformist. By exposing deviants, and showcasing law enforcement officials and model citizens, they mass media reinforces ideas about what kinds of people deserve punishments and what kinds of people deserve rewards. Entertainment: TV, movies, etc give us pleasure realization and momentary escape from the tension and tedium of everyday life.
What is culture? In what ways is culture understood to be a "tool" that enables human problem solving and adaptation? Why do a diversity of cultures exist?
Culture- the beliefs and behaviours that a social group shares -Culture provides the ongoing stability that enables human existence. This means, however, that the human environment is not nature per se but culture itself. This has lead to an incredible diversity in how humans have imagined and lived life on earth -almost every human behaviour, from shopping to marriage to expressions of feelings, is learned. -Culture is therefore key to the way humans, as a species, have successfully adapted to their environment. The existence of different cultures refers to the different means by which humans use innovation to free themselves from biological and environmental constraints.
What is sociology?
Dictionary Definition: the systematic study of society and social interaction. -Sociology is the systematic study of all those aspects of life designated by the adjective "social." They concern relationships. They concern what happens when more than one person is involved. These aspects of social life never simply occur; they are organized processes.
What is the relationship between ethnocentrism, androcentrism, and cultural relativism?
Ethnocentrism- evaluating and judging another culture based on how it compares to one's own cultural norms Androcentricism- perspective in which male concerns, male attitudes, and male practices are presented as "normal" or define what is significant and valued in a culture. Women's experiences, activities, and contributions to society and history are ignored, devalued, or marginalized. Cultural Relativism- the practice of assessing a culture by its own standards rather than viewing it through the lens of one's own culture. Ethnocentrism and Cultual Relativism are contrasting beliefs. Androcentrism is similar to ethnocentrism where it is a belief that one viewpoint is better then another.
Describe the importance and unique contributions of the following agents of socialization: families, peer groups, schools, workplaces, religion, government, media.
Families: Mothers and fathers, siblings and grandparents, plus members of an extended family, all teach a child what he or she needs to know. For example, they show the child how to use objects and how the world works. However, families do not socialize children in a Vacuum. Peer Groups: Peer group socialization begins in the earliest years, such as when kids on a playground teach younger children the norms about taking turns or the rules of a game or how to shoot a basket. Continues into adolescence, as they begin to develop an identity separate from their parents and exert independence. Schools: Schools also serve a latent function in society by socializing children into behaviours like teamwork, following a schedule, and using textbooks, sense of competition. Workplaces: workers require new socialization into a workplace, both in terms of material culture (such as how to operate the copy machine) and nonmaterial culture (such as whether it is okay to speak directly to the boss or how the refrigerator is shared). Religion: these places teach participants how to interact with the religion's material culture (like a mezuzah, a prayer rug, or a communion wafer). For some people, important ceremonies related to family structure—like marriage and birth—are connected to religious celebrations. Government: To be defined as an "adult" usually means being 18 years old, the age at which a person becomes legally responsible for themselves. And 65 is the start of "old age" since most people become eligible for senior benefits at that point. Each time we embark on one of these new categories—senior, adult, taxpayer—we must be socialized into this new role. Media: People learn about objects of material culture (like new technology, transportation and consumer options), as well as nonmaterial culture—what is true (beliefs), what is important (values), and what is expected (norms).
High culture vs. popular culture
High culture- to describe a form of cultural experience characterized by formal complexity, eternal values or intrinsic authenticity such as those provided by the Greek classics, Beethoven's symphonies, Sergei Diaghilev's ballets or James Joyce's Ulysses. People often associate high culture with intellectualism, aesthetic taste, elitism, wealth and prestige. Popular Culture- refers to the pattern of cultural experiences and attitudes that exist in mainstream society: cultural experiences well liked by "the people." Popular culture events might include a parade, a baseball game, or a rock concert. Rock and pop music—"pop" short for "popular"—are part of popular culture.
How is the mass media defined? What is the significance of "mass" and "media" in the usage of the term?
Mass media- refers to print, radio, TV and other communication technologies. mass- implies media reaches many people media- signifies that communication via the mass media is usually one-way, or at least one sided. There are few senders (producers) and many receivers (audience). This creates an issue where viewers cannot influence mass media, only choose to tune in or out.
How do the three levels of social structure (micro, macro, and global) apply to personal experience? Apply these concepts to an example of your own personal experience.
Micro- why in my high school there everyone was separated into certain cliques that each had an assigned level of worth Macro- Why am I treated differently then my brother when I distant family friends? Gender inequality in the sense that people make small assumptions my brother is better at business and public speaking then I am. Global- Will my kids be affecting by climate change? How will I have to adapt in the next 50 years to greenhouse gases and rising temps?
What is the difference between the four types of field research described in Chapter 2: participant observation, ethnography, institutional ethnography, and case study? Which would be best for studying the reasons why crack users continue to share pipes despite the known health risks?
Participation Observation: researchers join people and participate in a group's routine activities for the purpose of observing them within that context. This method lets researchers study a naturally occurring social activity without imposing artificial research devices, like fixed questionnaire questions, onto the situation. Ethnography: involves participant observation, but the focus is the systematic observation of an entire community. The heart of an ethnographic study focuses on how subjects view their own social standing and how they understand themselves in relation to a community. Institutional Ethnography: focuses on the study of the way everyday life is coordinated through "textually mediated" practices: the use of written documents, standardized bureaucratic categories, and formalized relationships Case Study- a researcher examines existing sources like documents and archival records, conducts interviews, engages in direct observation, and even participant observation. Fieldwork (Case Study) would be the best for studying the reasons. -A student from UVic met crack smokers in their typical setting downtown and used an unstructured interview method to try to draw out the informal norms that lead to sharing pipes
What is the relationship between "private troubles of milieu" and "public issues of social structure"?
Private troubles- being unemployed, having marital difficulties, or feeling purposeless or depressed can be purely personal in nature However, if private troubles are widely shared with others, they indicate that there is a common social problem that has its source in the way social life is structured. (eg. Obesity) At this level, the issues are not adequately understood as simply private troubles. They are best addressed as public issues that require a collective response to resolve.
Outline the pros and cons of multiculturalism as a solution to the problem of diversity.
Pros- 1. Immigrants in Canada are more likely to become citizens, to vote and to run for office, and to be elected to office than immigrants in other Western democracies, in part because voters in Canada do not discriminate against such candidates. 2. Compared to residents of other Western democracies, Canadians are more likely to say that immigration is beneficial and less likely to have prejudiced views of Muslims Cons- 1. Multiculturalism only superficially accepts the equality of all cultures while continuing to limit and prohibit actual equality, participation and cultural expression. One key element of this criticism is that there are only two official languages in Canada-English and French-which limits the full participation of non-Anglophone/Francophone groups. 2. Multiculturalism causes fragmentation and disunity in Canadian society. Minorities do not integrate into existing Canadian society but demand that Canadians adopt or accommodate their way of life, even when they espouse controversial values, laws and customs Multiculturalism is based on recognizing group rights which undermines constitutional protections of individual rights.
How does the focus on qualitative or quantitative data affect the formulation of the research question and the choice of the basic research approach?
Quantitative data-EX: translating a social phenomenon like "health" into a quantifiable or numerically measurable variable like "number of visits to the hospital." -Scientists can then present research findings in graphs and tables, and to perform mathematical or statistical techniques to demonstrate the validity of relationships. On the other hand.. Qualitative data- research the meanings that guide people's behaviour. -Rather than relying on quantitative instruments like fixed questionnaires or experiments, which can be artificial, the interpretive approach attempts to find ways to get closer to the informants' lived experience and perceptions. -Using qualitative data is usually more descriptive or narrative in its findings than positivist research (Using Quantitative data)
What is the distinction between reliability and validity?
Reliability: -how likely research results are to be replicated if the study is reproduced (scientists want to maximize this) -Reliability increases the likelihood that what is true of one person will be true of all people in a group Validity: how well the study measures what it was designed to measure (scientists want to maximize this as well) Difference: consistency of results vs accuracy of results EX: The reliability of a study of radicalization would reflect how well the social factors unearthed by the research represent the actual experience of political radicals. Validity would ensure that the study's design accurately examined what it was designed to study.
What are the six steps of sociological research (the research cycle)?
The Scientific Method: 1. Ask a question 2. Research Existing Sources 3. Formulate a Hypothesis 4. Design and Conduct a study 5. Draw Conclusions 6. Report results
Distinguish between a theory and a paradigm.
Theory- a way to explain different aspects of social interactions and create testable propositions about society EX: Durkheim's proposition that differences in suicide rate can be explained by differences in the degree of social integration in different communities Paradigm- philosophical and theoretical frameworks used within a discipline to formulate theories, generalizations, and the research performed in support of them. EX: Talcott Parsons' reformulation of Durkheim's and others work as structural functionalism in the 1950s is an example of a paradigm because it provided a general model of analysis suited to an unlimited number of research topics.
Explain the role of norms and values in culture. What do breaching experiments tell us about the norms that govern social life?
Values- a culture's standard for discerning desirable states in society (what is true, good, just or beautiful). Values are deeply embedded and critical for transmitting and teaching a culture's beliefs. Norm- a generally accepted way of doing things. Norms define how to behave in accordance with what a society has defined as good, right, and important, and most members of the society adhere to them because their violation invokes some degree of sanction. They define the rules that govern behaviour. Breaching Experiments: had students go into local shops and begin to barter with the sales clerks for fixed price goods. "This says $14.99, but I'll give you $10 for it." Often the clerks were shocked or flustered. This breach reveals the unspoken convention in North America that amount given on the price tag is the price.
Gender Schema
a rudimentary image of gender differences that enables them to make decisions about appropriate styles of play and behaviour
Moral career
a standard sequence of changes in a persons moral capacity to be answerable for their actions
Critical Sociology
a theoretical perspective that focuses on inequality and power relations in society in order to achieve social justice and emancipation through their transformation
How do sociologists account for individual variations in socialization?
agency- the ability to choose and act independently of external constraints -sociologists argue that individuals vary because the social environments to which they adapt vary. - Individual variation and individual agency are possible because "society" itself varies in each social situation.
Total institution
an institution in which members are required to live in isolation from the rest of society
Breaching experiments
deliberately disrupting social norms in order to learn about them EX: call ahead for reservations, ask the cashier detailed questions about the food's ingredients or how it is prepared, barter over the price of the burgers
How do sociologists explain how children learn to "do gender"?
doing gender -performing tasks based upon the gender assigned by society-is learned through interaction with others Children learn gender through direct feedback from others, particularly when they are censured for violating gender norms. Gender is in this sense an accomplishment rather than an innate trait. It takes place through the child's developing awareness of self.
What is the difference between an independent and a dependent variable?
independent variables- are the cause of the change. dependent variable- is the effect, or thing that is changed.
What is the difference between positivism, interpretative sociology, and critical sociology? What are their strengths and weaknesses? How do the three different types of knowledge they generate serve three distinct practical purposes or social goals in society?
positivist sociology- focuses on generating types of knowledge useful for controlling or administering social life. -positivism relies on translating human phenomena into quantifiable units of measurement -2 forms of positivism are: quantitative sociology and structural functionalism. interpretive sociology- types of knowledge useful for promoting greater mutual understanding and consensus among members of society critical sociology- types of knowledge useful for changing and improving the world, for emancipating people from conditions of servitude.
Modernism / Postmodernism
postmodern culture-the form of culture that comes after modern culture-this distinction begins to break down and it becomes more common to find various sorts of "mash ups" of high and low: serious literature combined with zombie themes, pop music constructed from recycled samples of original "hooks" and melodies, symphony orchestras performing the soundtracks of cartoons, architecture that "playfully" borrows and blends historical styles
quantitative sociology
quantitative sociology: Quantitative sociology uses statistical methods such as surveys with large numbers of participants. Researchers analyze data using statistical techniques to see if they can uncover patterns of human behaviour -based on four main "rules" that define what constitutes valid knowledge and what types of questions may be reasonably asked: 1. 1. The rule of empiricism: We can only know about things that are actually given in experience. We cannot validly make claims about things that are invisible, unobservable, or supersensible like metaphysical, spiritual, or moral truths. 2. The rule of value neutrality: Scientists should remain value-neutral in their research because it follows from the rule of empiricism that "values" have no empirical content that would allow their validity to be scientifically tested. 3. The unity of the scientific method: All sciences have the same basic principles and practices whether their object is natural or human. 4. Law-like statements: The type of explanation sought by scientific inquiry is the formulation of general laws (like the law of gravity) to explain specific phenomena (like the falling of a stone).
Society and Culture
society- a group of people whose members interact, reside in a definable area, and share a culture. culture- includes the group's shared practices, values, beliefs, norms and artifacts.
Subculture vs. counterculture
subculture—a smaller cultural group within a larger culture; people of a subculture are part of the larger culture, but also share a specific identity within a smaller group countercultures- a type of subculture that explicitly reject the larger culture's norms and values. In contrast to subcultures, which operate relatively smoothly within the larger society, countercultures might actively defy larger society by developing their own set of rules and norms to live by, sometimes even creating communities that operate outside of greater society
Anticipatory socialization
when we prepare for future life roles
