Sociology terms #2

the amish have neither the resources nor the desire to use prison as a sanction against

Meidung, or shunning, a process whereby no one within the community will associate

how is "hooking up" as a social system different from more traditional during patterns?

in "hook ups" physical intimacy comes before getting to know each other

why are doctors and parents so quick to see a surgical "fix" for babies born inter sexed

the prospect of an ambiguously gendered person seems threatening and disturbing

what is the goal of affirmative action

"help black people in education"

Which of the following describes how deviance can be explained from the functionalist perspective

Deviance clarifies moral boundaries and affirms norms

culture of poverty

a belief that the poor develop a unique value structure to deal with their lack of success entrenched attitudes that can develop among poor communities and lead the poor to accept their fate rather than attempt to improve their lot

pluralism

a cultural pattern of intergroup relationship that encourages racial and ethnic variation and acceptance within a society

caste system

a form of social stratification in which status is determined by family background and cannot be changed

how do sociologists define a minority group?

a group whose members suffer from unequal treatment

assimilation

a pattern of relation between ethnic racial groups in which the minor group is absorbed into mainstream or dominant group, making sociem more homogenous

ritual

a practice based on religious beliefs

what did C. Wright Mills mean by the term "power elite"

a small group of people who occupy key positions in political, economic, and military institutions

ethnic group

a socially defined category based on common language, religion, nationality, history, or another cultural factor

race

a socially defined category based on real or perceived biological differences between groups of people

Pluralist model of decision-making

a system of political power in which wide variety of individuals and groups have equal access to resources an the mechanisms of power

social class

a system of stratification based on access to such resources as wealth, poverty, power and prestige

social mobility

the movement of individuals or groups within the hereditial system of social classes

what general predictions can be made about a person's life chances if all that is known is her social class

all of the above

which of the following would be included on a list of the fiction of religion

all of the above

deterrence

an approach to punishment that relies on the threat of harsh penalties to discourage people from committing crimes

prejudice

an idea about the characteristics of a group that is applied to all members of that group and is unlikely to change regardless of the evidence against it

profane

the ordinary, mundane, or everyday

when does gender role socialization begin

before birth

what has modern sciences determined about racial categories

biologically there is no such thing as a pure race

sociologically what is the best way for scientists to approach the nature vs. nurture debate

by looking at the interaction between nature and nurture

immigrant minority

chose to enter the U.S. for the opportunities presented

when young people go away to college, its often the first time that they make friends with people of substantially different class statuses. sometimes this leads to tension when the wealthier member of a friendship is oblivious to his friends class status and suggests activities that are beyond the friend's means. This tension results from a lack of

class consciousness

because laws represent the interests of those in power, crimes committed by the upper classes are typically treated more leniently than crimes committed by the lowercases. the argument is consistent with

conflict theory

if an individual takes adult education classes, attends lectures and concerts, or travels to Europe, what might he be trying to gain more of?

culture capital

in order for a behavior, trait or belief to be considered deviant it must...

depart from a norm and generate a negative reaction

institutionalized discrimination

discrimination carried out systematically by institutions (political, economic, educational, and others) that affect all members of a group who come into contact with it

what is it callxedwhen a government bars an individual, either temporarily or permanently from voting?

disenfranchisement

what does a sociological perspective tell us about education in the U.S.

educational success often has as much to do with social stratification as it does with individual ability

stigma

examples of this include scars, a known record of mental illness, and membership in devalued groups

social influence

exerting group control over other's decisions

patriarchy

literally meaning "rule of the father", a male-dominated society

Demonic Perspective

oldest perspective on deviance, which many modern theories are based on

stereotype

over-generalized belief that a certain trait, behavior, or attitude characterizes all members of some identifiable group

which of the following is true regarding prison as a mechanism for punishing crime

prison was rarely used before the 19th century

what system of stratification is commonly used in capitalist societies

social class

minority

social group that is systematically denied the same access to power and resources available to society's dominant group though they are not necessarily fewer in number than the dominant groups

what is the relationship between social class and race, ethnicity, gender, and age in the U.S. today

strictly speaking, social class is determined by socioeconomic status, but there is often overlap between class and these other variables

plantation owners in american often argues that the africans they imported were better off as slaves because they didn't have the mental capacity to run their own lives. Today this seems racist and crazy, as clearly slaves had been fine when they lived in Africa. how could such racist beliefs flourish?

such beliefs justify social arrangements between dominant and minority groups that benefit those who accept them

social institutions

systems and structures within society that shape the activities of groups and individuals

power

the ability to impose one's will on others

deviance

the behavior, trait, belief or other characteristic that violates a norm and causes a negative reaction

feminization of poverty

the economy trend showing that women are more likely than men to live in poverty, caused in part by the gendered gap in the higher proportion of single mothers compared to....

sacred

the holy, divine, or supernatural

in the early 1900's native-born americans usually protestants did not consider irish, italian, or jewish immigrants to be white. what does that illustrate

the social construction of race

second shift

the unpaid housework and childcare often expected of women after they complete their day's paid labor

what do schools, churches, and governments all have in common

they are all social institutions

why don't girls, who tend to get better grades than boys, translate their advantage into material success after graduation

they are typically credited for hard work rather than intellectual ability

relative poverty

this type of poverty is based on comparison's of one's position to a given society's living standards

discrimination

unequal treatment of individuals based on their membership in a social group; usually motivated by prejudice

colonized minority

were exploited for land and/or labor