Sociology Terms

ecology

the study of how living organisms interact with the natural environment. -the ultimate cause of environmental problems is people itself. -sociologist observe how people waste or conserve natural resources. They track public opinion on issues such as global warming and identify what categories of people support one side or the other of environmental issues.

Rationalization of society

the historical change from tradition to rationality and efficiency as the typical way people think about the world

Carry capacity

the number of species that a particular ecosystem can support without suffering irreversible deterioration

temporary jobs

these jobs typically pay low wages, give workers little to say about their job, and provide no guarantees that their job will be there next year or even next month

Liberals view of The workplace

they see a need for some government regulation to protect the interests of everyone, especially minorities. Without regulation, the market would be at the mercy of the rich, resulting in such problems as low wages, loss of pensions and other benefits.

2 aspects of work that are high importance to an individual

-To provide an income they need to live -An important source of identity and self esteem

Dual Labor Market

-primary labor market-includes jobs that provide good pay and extensive benefits to workers. Jobs in this labor market are challenging and rewarding. they have benefits, pay well, and are secure and provide a chance to move ahead, they are thought of as careers. -Secondary Labor Market-jobs that provide low pay and few benefits to workers. jobs in this labor work are service jobs such as restaurant workers, retail sales, telemarketing and building maintenance. This work is low paying, carries high risk layoffs, offers little opportunity for advancements

globalization

-the expansion of economic activity around the world with little regard for national borders -outsourcing of industrial jobs -many blue collar and white collar jobs moved to low income countries -many workers are willing to work for less, this allows for more money to go to the buildings and aquire technology for raising profits and stock holders

Robert Malthus' Principle of population

He was a neo malthusian who was pessimistic about the future of humanity. he predicted the population would increase according to what mathmeticians called geometric progression. Evenutally the population would soar out of control. Food production would increase, but only in arithmetic prgression. because no matter what new technology people invent, there is only so much farmland. people would reproduce beyond what the planet could feed. Some of his predictions partly came true. good land, clean air and wate are limited resources. But birth control and new technologies have been invented. but humanity must work out ways to controls its own numbers.

the richest nations make up what percent of the world?

22 percent

How many people are in the world

8 billion

Social Functionalist on Enviromental problems

Because society's technology and culture affect its environmental impact these forces can adapt, there by reducing envirnmental problems. in short, technolgy and cutlure can cause problems but provide solutions

Greenhouse Effect

CO2 building up in the atmosphere, it behaves much like the glass roof of a greenhouse, letting heat from the sun pass to the earths surface, while preventing much of it from radiating back away from the planet

Social confict approach on Environmental problems

Capitalism demand for economic growth and profit is the key source of environmental problems, which are most serious for minorities and the poor. The solution to these problems lies in greater equality at home and redistiribution of resources from the over developed nations to underdeveloped nations

Social confict approach on Environmental problems

Capitalism places industrial technology under the control of a small elite who exploit human labor

Conservatives view of the work place

They believe that every able bodied person should work. They believe that the market offers a lot of opportunities and it is up to the individual to prepare themselves and take advantage of it. Favor limited government regulation of the economy--They believe that this generates the greatest good for a number of people.

Weber definition of Alienation

a rational focus on efficience, which causes depersonalization throughout society, including the work place

Mark believes what is the cause of alientation?

capitalism

Social Functionalist on Enviromental problems

complex technology raises the threat of damage to the environments, as do cutlural values that encourage technological development, materialism and economic growth

Mcdonalization

defining works in terms of the principles of efficiency, predictability, uniformity, and automation.

Social Functionalist on Enviromental Problems

highlights links between the operation of society and the stress it puts on the natural enviroment

Symbolic Interaction view of work and workplace

highlights the ways in which people attach meaning to the surrounding world, constructing the reality of their everyday lives. in the case of work this approach leads us to focus on the meaning people attach to the jobs they hold and the work they perform.

Social confict approach on Environmental problems

links technology and the environment to social inequality,

McJobs

people performing a series of simple tasks (oftern involving pushing buttons on a computer or other machines) that the worker repeats over and over. workers find little satisfaction in such jobs, and worker turnover rates are high. McJobs do not encourage employees to think nor do they stimulate human creativity and imagination.

liberals view on environmental problems

pessimistic-Deeply concerned about problems like population increase, resource consumption, and various types of polution. They openly predict catastrophe if humanity does not change its ways (unequal distribution of resources)

Radical Left view on environmental problems

pessimistic-they support the liberal view but doubt that liberal reforms will solve the problem. They believe the key to solving environmental problems is replacing the capitalist economy

Conspicuous consumption by Thorsten veblen

-Our culture is materialistic that we look to materialistic things as a source of happiness and comfort -conspicuous consumption leads us to purchase and display things not because we really need them but simply as a way to show off our social position

Industrial Revolution and Information Revolution

-Primary Sector-producing raw materials by farming, fishing, ranching, mining, or clearing forests -Secondary Sector-(The industrial Revolution) Transformed raw materials into finished products. Wood to furniture, steel to railroads, then later automobiles -Primary Sector-before industrial revolution -secondary sector-during industrial revolution -tertiary sector-(Now)information revolution (office jobs, service work, white collar jobs)

Deindustrialization

-The decline of industrial production that occurred in the unites states after about the 1950 -the economy created new service jobs and lost old industrial jobs. assembly line/machine workers found their plants closing down. they eventuall became clerical workers, delivery personnel, maintence workers and fast food employees with little benefits.

Conflict Theory of Work

Puts emphasis on social inequality. In the case of work, this approach highlights how opportunities and the benefits provided by work are very different for advantaged and disadvantaged categories of people.

Weber believed what causes alienation?

Rationalization

Environmental Deficit

Serious long term harm to the environment caused by humanity's focus on short term material affluence

rachel carson

She was a nature lover who wrote a book explaining the dangers of pesticided to lakes, rivers, and streams. She challenged the belief that science was always used for good

Structural functionalist view of work and workplace problems

Suggests that the disruption of past economic patterns eventually brings new social order. Although the decline of industry caused the elimination of many factory jobs, other institutions (schools) responded by developing new courses of study to prepare workers for new types of work.

Global Warming

The average temperature throughout the world continues to rise as technology continues to develop the amount of carbon dioxide released by factories factories and automobiles into the atmosphere has soared

The Radical Left View of the Workplace

The believe that people should eliminate private enterprise completely. The believe that the entire government should regulate all the economy. They believe that free market causes problems. They believe that placing the economy in private hands benefits few rather than many.

Conservative view on environmental problems

optimistic-society is able to recognize environmental problems and take actions to solve them. They disagree with the prediction of malthus. They believe society will fix itself

3 Important factors of ecological degradation

population-humans are living longer and some of the poorest nations in the world are growing faster than ever affluence-as the population grows, this increases productivity, as a result living standards stay the same. poor people have little choice to consume the resources they have without thinking of long term consequences technology-the industrial revolution replaced muscle power with combustion engines that burn fossil fuels such as coal and oil. humans can bend nature to their will, but also release more pollutants to the atmosphere

Marx's defintion of alienation

powerlessness in the work place resulting in the experience of isolation and misery