Sociology Exam 1: Modules 1 & 2

Metaphysical Stage

people saw society as a natural rather than a supernatural system

Theological Stage

people took the religious view that society expressed God's will

Society

people who live in a defined territory and share a culture

Survey

research method in which information is obtained by asking many individuals a fixed set of questions

Manifest Functions

the recognized and intended consequences of any social pattern

Independent Variable

variable that is manipulated

Symbolic-Interaction Approach

a framework for building theory that sees society as the product of the everyday interactions of individuals

Concept

a mental construct that represents some part of the world in a simplified form

Dramaturgical Analysis

a technique sociologists use in which they view society through the metaphor of theatrical performance

Social Functions

the consequences of a social pattern for the operation of society as a whole

Structural-Functional Approach

a framework for building theory that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability; one of the theoretical approaches

Social-Conflict Approach

a framework for building theory that sees society as an arena of inequality that generates conflict and change

Theoretical Approach

a basic image of society that guides thinking and research

Macro-Level Orientation

a broad focus on social structures that shape society as a whole

Micro-Level Orientation

a close-up focus on social interaction in specific situations

Variable

a concept whose value changes from case to case

Measurement

a procedure for determining the value of a variable in a specific case

Experiment

a research method for investigating cause and effect under highly controlled conditions

Participant Observation

a research method in which investigators systematically observe people while joining them in their routine activities

Positivism

a scientific approach to knowledge based on "positive" facts as opposed to mere speculation

Stereotype

a simplified description applied to every person in some category

Hypothesis

a statement of a possible relationship between two or more variables

Theory

a statement of how and why specific facts are related

Research Method

a systematic plan for doing research

Dependent Variable

a variable (often denoted by y ) whose value depends on that of another.

Spurious Correlation

an apparent but false relationship between two (or more) variables that is caused by some other variable

Social Structure

any relatively stable pattern of social behavior

Social Dysfunction

any social pattern that may disrupt the operation of society

Androcentricity

approaching an issue from a male perspective

Auguste Comte

coined the term sociology; divided it into three historical stages - theological, metaphysical, and scientific

Scientific Stage

develop a social physics to understand human behavior

Empirical Evidence

information we can verify with our senses

Sociological Perspective

looking for general patterns in the behavior of particular people

Low-Income Countries

nations with a low standard of living in which most people are poor

Middle-Income Countries

nations with a standard of living about average for the world as a whole

Outsider

not being a part of the dominant category

Gynocentricity

seeing the world from a female perspective

Operationalizing Variables

specifying exactly what is to be measured before assigning a value to a variable

Feminism

support of social equality for women and men

Social Exchange Analysis

the idea that interaction is guided by what each person stands to gain and lose from others

High-Income Countries

the nations with the highest overall standards of living

Gender

the personal traits and social positions that members of a society attach to being female or male

Positivist Sociology

the study of society based on scientific observation of social behavior; also called empirical sociology

Race-Conflict Theory

the study of society that focuses on inequality and conflict between people of different racial and ethnic categories

Gender-Conflict Theory

the study of society that focuses on inequality and conflict between women and men

Interpretive Sociology

the study of society that focuses on the meanings people attach to their social world

Critical Sociology

the study of society that focuses on the need for social change

Global Perspective

the study of the larger world and our society's place in it

Sociology

the systematic study of human society

Latent Functions

the unrecognized and unintended consequences of any social pattern