Sociology 101 (Exam 1)
C. Wright Mills
coined the term "The sociological imagination" and allows us to comprehend the change happening around us.
Scientific Stage
develop a social physics to understand human behavior
ascribed status
race, age, sex (what you're born with)
social cohesion
refers to the way people form social bonds, relate to each other, and get along on a day-to-day basis
Embeddedness
the degree to which ties re reinforced through indirect paths within a social network
Hegemony
a condition by which a dominant group uses its power to elicit the voluntary "consent" of the masses. (ex: wealthy over the poor, gov't funding)
Historical methods
research that collects data from written reports, newspaper articles, journals, transcripts, television programs, diaries, artwork, and other artifacts that date to a prior time period under study
Reflection theory
the idea that culture is a projection of social structures and relationships into the public sphere, a screen onto which the film of underlying reality or social structures of our society is projected.
role conflict
the tension caused by competing demands between two or more roles pertaining to different statuses
informal social sanctions
the usually unexpressed by widely known rules of group membership the unspoken rules of social life
crime
the violation of laws enacted by society
Organizational structure
the ways in which power and authority are distributed within an organization
Sociological Imagination
Ability to see the connection between the larger world and our personal lives (C. Wright Mills)
Achieved status
Examples: Doctor, homeowner, married/single, drug dealer, parents, student
Agents of Socialization
Family - for most, family is primary School - not just reading and writing, but also etiquette Peers - can reinforce messages taught at home, but can also introduce entirely new information Media - shapes how we see ourselves in this world Adulthood - work, marriage, economics
Independent Variable
Measures a variable that, if changed, you predict will be associated with changes in the dependent variable.
small group
a group characterized by face-to-face interaction, a uni-focal perspective, lack of formal arrangements, and a certain level of equality
large group
a group characterized by the presence of a formal structure that mediates interaction and, consequently, status differentiation
Party
a group that is similar to a small group but multifocal
Ritualist
individual who rejects socially defined goals in order to live within his or her own means
Reliability
likelihood of obtaining consistent results using the same measure
Ethnomethodology
literally "the methods of the people" this approach to studying human interaction focuses on the ways in which we make sense of our world
formal social sanctions
mechanisms of social control by which rules or laws prohibit deviant criminal behavior
Qualitative methods
methods that attempt to collect information about the social world that cannot be readily converted to numeric form.
Experimental Methods
methods that seek to alter the social landscape in a very specific way for a given sample of individuals and then track what results that change yields; often involve comparisons to a control group that did not experience such an intervention
Cultural Scripts
modes of behavior and understanding that are not universal or natural
correlation or association
simultaneous variation in two variables
organic solidarity
social cohesion based on difference and interdependence of the parts
mechanical or segmental solidarity
social cohesion based on sameness
Innovator
social deviant who accepts socially acceptable goals but rejects socially acceptable means to achieve them
primary groups
social groups, such as family or friends, composed of intimate face-to-face relationships that strongly influence the attitudes and ideals of those involved.
Master status
status that stands out above all others Examples: Disabled, Serial Killer, President of the US
Emile Durkheim (1858-1917)
studied suicide and showed how individual acts are conditioned by social forces.
Anomic suicide
suicide that occurs as a result of too little social regulation
Cultural relativism
taking into account the differences across cultures without passing judgment or assigning value
egoistic suicide
that occurs when one is not well integrated into a social group
role
the duties and behaviors expected of someone who holds a particular status
Validity
the extent to which an instrument measures what it is intended to measure
Generalizability
the extent to which we can claim our findings inform us about a group larger than the one we studied
Ethnocentrism
the inability to accept, reference, or understand patterns of behavior or beliefs that are different from one's own ex) It was used to justify slavery and violence
role strain
the incompatibility among roles corresponding to a single status
strength of weak ties
the notion that often relatively weak ties turn out to be quite valuable because they yield new information
social regulation
the number of rules guiding your daily life and, more specifically, what you can reasonably expect from the world on a day to day basis
Socialization
the process by which individuals internalize the values, beliefs, and norms of a given society and learn to function as members of that society.
Resocialization
the process by which one's sense of social values, beliefs, and norms are rengineered, often deliberately through an intense social process that may take place in a total institution
Operationalization
the process of assigning a precise method for measuring a term being examined for use in a particular study.
Organizational culture
the shard beliefs and behaviors within a social group; often used interchangeably with corporate culture
social control
those mechanisms that create normative compliance in individuals
Anomie
too little social regulation; normlessness
nonmaterial culture
values, beliefs, behaviors, and social norms
fatalistic suicide
suicide that occurs as a result of too much social regulation
altruistic suicide
suicide that occurs when one experiences too much social integration
Quantitative Methods
uses statistical analysis to examine numerical data (data that can be converted to numerical form)
values
moral beliefs
Divide et impera
"divide and conquer" - a person who intentionally drives a wedge between the other 2 parties
Auguste Comte (1798-1857)
"Father of Sociology" - invented what he called "social physics" to understand the world. We could determine what is right and wrong without reference to higher powers or other religious concepts.
Tertius gaudens
"the 3rd that rejoices - a person that profits from the conflict of the other two, essentially plays the opposite of the mediator
Culture
1) a set of beliefs, traditions, and practices 2) culture is anything artificial
Sociology "cousins"
Psychology, anthropology, History, political science
Hypothesis
a proposed relationship between two variables
subculture
the distinct cultural values and behavioral patterns of a particular group in society
GOLDEN RULES OF RESEARCH
1. do not harm - don't harm the subjects 2. Informed consent - they have the right to know what you're doing 3. Voluntary participation - They can choose whether to leave or not 4. Protected Populations - additional approval for those at higher risk
Symbolic Interactionism
A micro-level theory in which shared means and assumptions form the basic motivations behind people's actions
Reverse Causality
A situation in which the researcher believes that A results in a change in B, but B in fact, is causing A
Social Institution
Any institution in a society that works to shape the behavior of the groups of people within it
Georg Simmel
Established a sociology of numbers, how people conduct themselves differently depending how many people are involved
Harriet Martineau (1802-1876)
In 1853 she translated Auguste Comte's work from French to English. *one of the earliest feminist social scientists
Generalized Other
Internalized attitudes, expectations, and viewpoints of society that we use to guide our behavior and reinforce our sense of self. For example, it sis the perception of the generalized other that keeps you from taking off your pants to more comfortably lounge in the park on hot summer days.. we continually updated our idea of generalized other.
strain theory
Merton's theory that deviance occurs when a society does not give all its members equal ability to achieve socially acceptable goals
Comparative research
Research that compares one set of findings on one society with the same type of findings on other societies. (There are similarities between the two usually)
Theoretical Stage
Society seemed to be the result of divine will "It was God's plan
Causality
The notion that a change in one factor results in a corresponding change in another
Dependent Variable
The outcome you are trying to explain
Sociology
The study of human society. The general goal of sociology is to allow us to see how our individual lives are intimately related to the social forces that exist beyond us
Triad
a group of three or more - the group is not dependent on anyone
Dyad
a group of two - the existence of the group depends on both parties and there is no third party to mediate or buffer the situation
reference group
a group that helps us understand or make sense of our position in society relative to other groups
mediator
a person in the group that tries to resolve conflict between the 2 others in the group, and is sometimes specifically brought in for that purpose
status
a recognizable social position that an individual occupies
Deductive approach
a research approach that starts with a theory, forms a hypothesis, makes empirical observations, and then analyzes the data to confirm, reject, or modify the original theory
Inductive approach
a research approach that starts with empirical observations and then works to form a theory.
social network
a set of relations-essentially, a set of dyads- held together by ties between individuals
Tie
a set of stories that explains our relationship to the other members of our network
Ideology
a system of concepts and relationships, an understanding of cause and effect
Content anaylsis
a systematic analysis of the content rather than the structure of a communications. such as written work, speech, or film
Total Institution
an institution in which one is totally immersed and that controls all the basics of day-to-day life; no barriers exist between the usual spheres of daily life, and all activity occurs in the same place and under the same single authority Example: Marine Corps
Reflexivity
analyzing and critically considering our own role in, and affect onm our research.
In-group
another term for powerful group, most often the the majority
out-group
another term for the stigmatized or less powerful group, the minority
Organization
any social network that is defined b a common purpose and has a boundary between its member ship and the rest of the social world
social deviance
any transgression of socially established norms
material culture
everything that is part of our constructed physical environment including technology ex) fashion, modern furniture, food, music, homes, cars
norms
expected behaviors
Max Weber (1864-1920)
first to use sociological imagination. created Verstehen ("understanding"). To truly understand why people act the way they do, a sociologist must understand the meanings people attach to their actions.
Media
formats or vehicles that carry, present, or communicate information
Karl Marx (1818-83)
founder of "Marxism" the ideological alternative to capitalism
secondary groups
groups marked by impersonal, instrumental relationships (those existing as a means to an end)
social integration
how well you are integrated into your social group or community
Metaphysical Stage
human behavior governed by natural, biological instincts
Conformist
individual who accepts both the goals and strategies to achieve them that are considered socially acceptable