E.T. Chap 1: Study of Minorities

Symbols

-our spoken language, expressions, body language, tone of voice, appearance, and mass media- are what constitute our social worlds

Afrocentrism

Emphasizes African culture and its influence on American Blacks

Social Construction of Reality

How ppl define their reality; individuals create a background against which to understand their separate actions and interactions with othersE

Mapmaking

In other times and lands: China, Eastern countries- places the Americas on the right side of the map, putting Asia in the center, placing greater emphasis on the Pacific rim not the Atlantic ocean

British Victorians

In other times and lands: believed their way of life superior; concluded they were obliged to carry the "white man's burden" of cultural and intellectual superiority in colonizing and "civilizing" the non-western world

Greeks

In other times and lands: considered all those around them as distinctly inferior and called them barbarians bc they couldnt speak their language

Religious Crusades

In other times and lands:spurred by their beliefs, considered it their duty to free the Holy Land from the control of "infidels"

group identity

Minority Group characteristics: group feels a sense of ___ ____, that each of them shares something in common with other members

Ascribed Status

Minority Group characteristics: one is born in to it

distinguishing physical or cultural characteristics

Minority Group characteristics: the group is easily identifiable b/c of _______ _______ (or) ______ ______ that are held in low esteem

unequal treatment

Minority Group characteristics: the group recieves ______ ____ from the larger society

Endogamy

Minority Group characteristics: they tend to marry within their group, either by choice or by necessity bc of their social isolation

Dsyfunctions

Social Structure: temporary maladjustment's to an otherwise interdependent and relatively harmonious society

Latent functions

Social Structure: the hidden and unexpected results of the manifest function

Manifest functions

Social Structure: the obvious and intended results

Interaction

Stranger as a social Phenomenon: Alfred Schutz; the stranger lacks "intersubjective understanding" meaning people from the same social world mutually "know" the language, customs, beliefs, symbols, and everyday behavior patterns.

Similarity and Attraction

Stranger as a social Phenomenon: people feel more comfortable and open to conversations, relationships, with those who share common interests, age, religion, free, etc i.e. strangers who became friends at the same gym

Perceptions

Stranger as a social Phenomenon: ppl perceive the stranger in an abstract, typified way and so the individual becomes the totality or stereotype of the entire group

Social Distance

Stranger as a social Phenomenon: the degree of *closeness/remoteness* individuals prefer in interaction with members of other groups; tested by how one group will accept another , from "would accept marrying into family" --> "would bar from country"

Functionalist

Theory's Interaction results: societal dysfunction results from temporary maladjustment's or disorganization

Functionalist

Theory's interaction processes: societal elements function together to maintain order, stability, and equilibrium

Functionalist

Theory's view of society: focus on a cooperative social system of interrelated parts that is relatively stable

Sociological Imagination

Wright Mills; explained the intricate CONNECTION exists between the PATTERNS OF INDIVIDUALS' LIVES AND THE LARGER HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF SOCIETY; used to combat ethnocentrism and subjectivity

Racism Ideology

____ is an _____ - a set of generalized beliefs used to explain and justify the interests of those who hold him

Ethnocentrism

a "view of things in which ONE'S OWN GROUP IS THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING and all others are scaled and rated with reference to it *Refers to ppl's tendency to identify with their own ethnic or national group as a means of fulfilling their needs for group BELONGINGNESS AND SECURITY

Reference Group

an outgroup may become a positive example; it may serve as an exemplary model- if members of the ingroup think it has a conspicuous advantage over them

outgroup

consists of all ppl who are not members of one's ingroup

Eurocentrism

content and/or emphasis in history, literature and other social humanities primarily concern western culture; emphasizes the western world

Ethnicity

encompasses shared cultural traits, religion, language, natl origin.

Cultural Relativism

evaluates beliefs and behavior in the context of that culture

Interactionist theory

examines the microsocial world of personal interaction patterns in everyday life

Migration

general term; refers to the movement of ppl into/out of a specified area (could be within a country)

Ingroup

group to which individuals belong and feel loyal, everyone, whether a minority or majority is a part of some ______

False Consciousness

holding attitudes that do not accurately reflect the objective facts of the situation; it impels workers to adopt attitudes that run counter to their own real interests

Social Identity Theory

holds that ingroup members almost automatically think of their group as being better than outgroups b/c doing so enhances their own social status or social identity and thus raises the value of their personal identity or self-image

Scientific Method

involves: repeated observation precise measurement careful description formulation of theories base on the best possible explanation 'and gathering of additional information

Race

is a categorization in which ppl sharing VISIBLE BIOLOGICAL characteristics traits, regard themselves or are regarded by others as a single group on that basis

Racism

is linking the biological conditions with ALLEGED ABILITIES AND BEHAVIOR to assert the superiority of our race

Emigration

narrower term; refers to the movement of ppl OUT OF A COUNTRY.

Objectification

ppl see the world by virtue of its "objective" existence: ____ - overtime ppl lose awareness of having created their own social and cultural environment

Internalization

ppl see the world by virtue of its "objective" existence: ______-subsequently they learn these supposedly objective facts of reality through the socialization process

Externalization

ppl see the world by virtue of its "objective" existence: ____-ppl create cultural products like material artifacts, social institutions, and ideologies

Minority Group

refers to a group's relative power and status in a society (not numerical representation) biological, physical traits and national and cultural traits. prejudice, discrimination, and oppression

Dillingham Flaw

refers to any inaccurate comparison based on simplistic categorations and anachronistic judgements; "It is thus Faulty Logic on understanding immigrants in making incorrect assumptions about the past and applying stereotypes to the present to compare two groups

Immigration

refers to the movement of ppl INTO a new country

values

socially shared conceptions of what is good, desirable, and proper- and bad, unproper, and undesirable

Categoric Knowing

the classification of others on the basis of limited info obtained visually and perhaps verbally; USE OF INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS AS GROUP CHARACTERISTICS; status of stranger is consistent, they are both near physically but remote bc they react differently to their immediate situation

Symbolic Interaction

the shared symbols and definitions ppl use when communicating with one another- provides the focus for understanding how individuals create and interpret the life situations they experience

Functionalist

theory's how to improve society: Necessary adjustments will restore the social system to equilibrium

Interactionist

theory's how to improve society: better intercultural awareness will improve interaction patterns

Conflict

theory's interaction processes: fighting is inevitable since there is always a societal elite and an oppressed group

Interactionist

theory's interaction processes: shared symbols and definitions provide the basis for interpreting life experiences

Interactionist

theory's interaction results: an internalized social construction of reality makes it seem to be objective fact

Conflict

theory's interaction results: disequilibrium and change are the norm bc of societal inequalities

Functionalist

theory's reason for problem: Rapid social change is the most frequent cause of loss of societal equilibrium

Conflict

theory's reason for problems: false consciousness allows the ruling elite to maintain power and benefit from exploitation

Interactionist

theory's reason for problems: shared expectations and understanding or their absence, explain intergroup relations

Conflict

theory's view of society: focus on society as continually engaged in a series of disagreements, tensions, and clashes

Interactionist

theory's view of society: focus on the microsocial world of personal interaction patterns in everyday life

Conflict

theory;s how to improve society: group struggle against oppression is necessary to effect social change

Manifest Destiny

there was a time that our leaders described their expantionist goals as if it was a divine providence had ordained specific boundaries for the U.S.

Functionalist theory

varios "parts of society have functions, (or positve effects) that promote solidarity and maintain the stability of the whole;

Conflict theory

view society as being continually engaged in a series of conflicts, disagreements, tensions and clashes as different groups compete for limited resources; Those with power to maintain