Sociology

ethnicity

a group of people with a common cultural identification, based on a combination of language, religion, ancestral origin or traditional practices

intersex

a person's chromosomal composition doesn't correspond with his or her sexual anatomy, or the anatomy is not clearly male or female

racial-ethnicity

an ethnic group perceived to share physical characteristics

assimilation

gradual reduction of ethnic distinction between immigrants and the mainstream society

race

group of people believed to share common descent, based on perceived innate physical similarities

family

groups of related people, bound by connections that are biological, legal, or emotional.

stem family

household formed by one grown child remaining in the family home with his or her parents

survey

identical questions are asked of many different people and their answers gathered into one large data file

gender identity

identification with the social categories boy/man or girl/woman.

longitudinal surveys

interview the same people repeatedly over a period of time

endogamy

marriage and reproduction within a distinct group

intermarriage

marriage between members of different racial or ethnic groups

romantic relationships

mutually acknowledged, ongoing interactions featuring heightened affection and intensity

androgynous

neither exclusively masculine nor feminine

gender expression

one's pattern of outward behavior in relation to common standards of a gender category

conflict perspective

opposition and conflict define a given society, and are necessary for social evolution.

romantic love

passionate devotion and attraction one person feels for another

sexual orientation

pattern of romantic or sexual attraction to others, in relation to one's own gender identity

utilitarian love

practical, rational dedication of one person to another based on shared understandings and emotional commitment

consensus perspective

projects an image of society as the collective expression of shared norms and values

minority group

racial or ethnic group that occupies a subordinate status in society

symbolic interactionisim

revolves around humans' ability to see themselves through the eyes of others, and to enact social roles based on others' expectations

feminists theory

seeks to understand and ultimately reduce inequality between men and women

exchange theory

sees individuals or groups with different resources, strengths and weaknesses, entering into mutual relationships in order to maximize their own gains

stigma

undesirable quality that sets a person apart from others in his or her social category.

coverture

wives were incorporated into their husbands' citizenship

separate spheres

women were to make the home a haven, a sanctuary, from the harsh realities of the new industrial economy in which men worked for pay

dating

young adults spent time with a variety partners, without extensive commitments

personal family

the people to whom we feel related, and who we expect to define us as members of their family as well.

sexual double-standard

the practice of applying stricter moral or legal controls to women's sexual behavior than to men's

homophily

the principle by which similar people have more of a given kind of contact than dissimilar people

socialization

the process by which individuals internalize elements of the social structure in their own personalities

sexual identity

the recognition, or internalization, of a biological sex category

companionate marriage

a companionship, a friendship, and a romance, rather than being a practical platform for cooperation and survival

love

a deep affection and concern for another, with whom one feels a strong emotional bond

legal family

a group of individuals related by birth, marriage or adoption

life course perspective

Study the family trajectories of individuals and groups as they age through their lives

Baby Boom

births between 1946 and 1964

social script

commonly understood pattern of interaction that serves as a model of behavior in familiar situations

institutional arena

social space in which relations between people in common positions are governed by accepted rules of interaction

demographic perspective

study family and household structures that contribute to larger population processes.

acculturation

the acquisition of a new culture and language. For families, that acculturation may be consonant

family wage

the amount necessary for a male earner to provide subsistence for his wife and children without them having to work for pay

modernity theory

the emergence of the individual as an actor in society, and how individuality changed personal and institutional relations.

homophobia

the fear of or antipathy toward homosexuality in general, and gays and lesbians in particular

state

the institutional arena in which, through political means, behavior is legally regulated, violence is controlled, and resources are redistributed

market

the institutional arena where labor for pay, economic exchange, and wealth accumulation take place