Sociology Chapter 4

What is the definition of the concept 'role'?

A set of behavioral expectations associated with a given status.

What is definition of 'social interaction'?

A set of organized and rules that established how a society will attempt to meet its basic social needs.

What is the definition of the concept 'status'?

A socially defined position in a group or society characterized by certain expectations, rights, and duties.

What is meant by 'the sociology of emotions' are what are some of its key concepts? interaction?

Applies sociological theorems and techniques to the study of human emotions. As sociology emerged primarily as a reaction to the negative effects of modernity, many normative theories deal in some sense with emotion without forming a part of any specific subdiscipline

What is the 'dramaturgical approach' and what are its key concepts?

Dramaturgical Analysis- Erving Goffman's term for the study of social interaction that compares everyday life to a theatrical presentation. Social Script Impression Management (Presentation of Self)

What is meant by 'ethnomethodology' and what are its main concepts?

Ethnomethodology- The study of the commonsense knowledge that people use to understand the situations in which they find themselves.

What is 'personal space' and what are its four dimensions?

Personal Space- The immediate area surrounding a person that the person claims as private. 1) Intimate space, 2) Personal space, 3) Social space 4) Public space.

What is a 'social institution' and what are its characteristics

Social institution- A set of organized and rules that established how a society will attempt to meet its basic social needs. Conflict Views Functionalist Views

What are the 'major stages' of sociocultural evolution, and what are some of the 'chief characteristics' of each stage?

Sociocultural Evolution-Is an umbrella term for theories of cultural evolution and social evolution, describing how cultures and societies have developed over time.

What is the definition of the following terms that are based in status and role: status set, ascribed status, achieved status, master status, role set, role conflict, role strain, role ambiguity, role exit?

Status set- All the statuses that a person occupies at a given time. Ascribed status- A social position conferred at birth or received involuntarily later in life, based on attributes over which the individual has little or no control, such as race/ethnicity, age and gender. Achieved status- A social position that a person assumes voluntary as a result of personal choice, merit, or direct effort. Master status- The most important status that a person occupies. Role set- A set of behavioral expectations associated with a given status. Role conflict- A situation in which incompatible demands are placed on a person by two or more statuses held at the same time. Role strain- A condition that occurs when incompatible demands are built into a single status that a person occupies. Role ambiguity- Role ambiguity is a confusing situation that emerges because of a vague job description where responsibilities and boundaries are not clearly defined. It is a circumstance where an individual doesn't understand adequately what his job actually is. Role exit- A situation in which people disengage from social roles the have been central to their self-identity.

What are the major characteristics of a social structure?

Statuses, roles, social networks, groups and organizations, social institutions, and society.

What is the definition of 'social structure'?

The complex framework of societal institutions (such as the economy, politics, and religion) and the social practices (such as rules and social roles) that make up a society and that organize and establish limits on people's behavior.

What is meant by 'definition of the situation' and 'self-fulfilling prophecy'?

The definition of the situation- Is what people use to know what is expected of them and what is expected of others in any given situation. Through the definition of the situation, people obtain a sense of the statuses and roles of those involved in the situation so that they know how to behave. Self-Fulfilling Prophecy- A situation in which a false belief or prediction produces behavior that makes the originally false belief come true.

What is meant by 'the social construction of reality'?

The process by which our perception of reality is largely shaped by the subjective meaning that we give to an experience.

What is the definition of 'nonverbal communication' and what are some of its key dimensions and concepts?

The transfer of information between persons without the use of words, Functions of Nonverbal Communication, Facial Expressions, Eye Contact, Touching, and Personal Space

What is the 'theory of sociocultural evolution' and what are its key elements?

Theory of sociocultural evolution- Theories of cultural evolution and social evolution, describing how cultures and societies have developed over time. ... Modern approaches to sociocultural evolution include neoevolutionism, sociobiology, theory of modernization and theory of postindustrial society.

What is 'the Thomas Theorem' and why is it important to social interaction?

Thomas stressed societal problems such as intimacy, family, or education as fundamental to the role of the situation when detecting a social world "in which subjective impressions can be projected on to life and thereby become real to projectors.

What is the definition of 'social group' and what are its types?

social group- A group that consists of two or more people who interact frequently and share a common identity and a feeling of interdependence. Primary group- Small, less specialized group in which members engage in face-to-face, emotion-based interactions over an extended period of time. Secondary group- A larger, more specialized group in which members engage in more impersonal, goal-oriented relationships for a limited period of time.