EXAM 1 SOC 1
What defines a subculture?
A subset of norms/values - skaters Counterculture- sees values as critique/opposition of mass culture Group can be ascribed or achieved Ex. goth is subculture, while punk is counterculture
What defines a group? How are primary groups and secondary groups different from one another? What is the challenge of "triads"?
A group is a set of people who interact more or less regularly with one another and who are conscious of their identity as a group (tutoring group) A primary group is small and personal. In it just because. (Family, close friends) A secondary group , in contrast, is much more formal and temporary. Task oriented, to get something done. (Class for this semester) Challenge of triads: Two people can gang up against the third Compromise becomes difficult Likelihood of two of the three forming a coalition
How do sociologists define the word "society"?
A population living in the same geographic area who share a cultural and common identity and whose members are subject to the same political authority This is a definition that is constantly being disputed amongst sociologist but is just the current working definition → tons of different ideals
Be able to construct links between the terms: theory, hypothesis, variables, dependent and independent variables and spurious relationship and how they are connected to one another.
A theory is a set of statements or propositions that seeks to explain or predict a particular aspect of social life. To test theories sociologists must translate abstract propositions into testable hypotheses. A hypothesis is a researchable prediction that specifies the relationship between two or more variables. A variable is any characteristic, attitude, behavior, or event that can take on two or more values or attributes. The independent variable is the factor presumed to influence or create changes in another variable. The dependent variable is the one assumed to depend on, be influenced by, or change as a result of the change in the independent variable. When two variables that may not be related at all but merely seem to be associated with each other due to the effect of some third variable, this misleading relationship is called a spurious relationship.
Be able to provide an example of values and norms that demonstrates how these are different concepts
A value is a standard of judgement by which people decide on desirable goals and outcomes; abstract ideals Ex. laws against theft clearly reflect the value we place on personal property Success, independence, individual achievement are emphasized values in U.S Norms are culturally defined rules of conduct; behavioral rules Ex. greeting norms: handshakes
Be familiar with the race/gender/youth suicide trends in Exhibit 1.1 page 12
Among young people the most suicide rates in order were: White males, then black males, then white females, then black females The suicide rate is probably from increasing pressure to compete in traditionally white-dominated professions and social environments.
Know the main hypothesis and findings of Milgram's obedience experiment
An experiment focused on testing obedience towards authority figures Supposedly to try to figure out why German people bent to the Nazi's commands Many still followed through with the experiment when the accountability is taken off of them
What is a moral entrepreneur?
An individual or group that work to have their moral concerns (ethos) translated into law
What does your text mean by the idea that there is an "economics" of reality? What role do the media play in constructing reality? What is the idea behind Sociologists encouraging us to "read the silences" in mass media?
Baby artist- art is valued. How do we decide what is valuable? Why million dollar painting? FAFSA - construction of family unit affects if student is approved/denied financial aid Set of agreements can change over time- art can change How we ascribe value to any material thing How do we decide the cost of labor? People collectively construct reality Protecting people with disabilities
How are cultural relativism and ethnocentrism different?
Cultural relativism: the principle that people's beliefs and activities should be interpreted in terms of their own culture. Thinking about other cultures when thinking about their cultures. Ex. genital mutilation. Take into account cultural practices Ethnocentrism: the tendency for people to evaluate other cultures in comparison to their own.
1) What is culture? Know the difference between the material and non-material dimensions of culture.
Culture : beliefs, values, objects, and roles that are shared between people and guide their lives Nonmaterial culture refers to all the nonphysical products of society that are created over time and shared: knowledge, beliefs, customs, values, morals, and so on. Material culture includes the physical artifacts and objects that shape or reflect the lives of members of a particular society: distinctive clothing and architecture, inventions, food, artwork, music, and so on.
Know Laud Humphreys famous study "Tearoom Trade" and why it is often held up as a cautionary tale about ethics and research.
Ethical study Observed men who partook in homosexual relationships in public toilets Although the goal was to destigmatize the act, it risked the men's protection
Know the different forms of sociological research methodologies: experiment, field research and surveys.
Experiment: a research technique designed to elicit some sort of behavior under closely controlled laboratory circumstances. Field research: when qualitative sociologists observe events as they actually occur, without selecting experimental and control groups or purposely introducing any changes into the subjects' environment. Surveys: require that the researcher pose a series of questions to respondents orally, electronically, or on paper.
What is an example of an institutionalized norm?
How actual institutions affect people. The discourse of how to do things in the world The institutionalized (culturally acceptable) way of becoming financially successful in most developed societies is to earn a college degree, get a job in an entry-level position somewhere, and eventually work your way to the top.
What is the difference between qualitative and quantitative research?
In a nutshell, qualitative research generates "textual data" (non-numerical). Quantitative research, on the contrary, produces "numerical data" or information that can be converted into numbers.
What defines an organization?
Institutions (education) ↓ Organizations (BCC, peralta unified school district) ↓ Groups (primary or secondary) (Soc 1 class, BCC students, study group) ↓ Statuses and Roles (student. Do my hw, come to class, get good grades) ↓ Individuals (me) - formal A large and complex network of positions created for a specific purpose and characterized by a hierarchical division of labor Made of multiple groups, larger than groups, have goal/mission trying to accomplish Ex. BCC, DMV
Know the general position (key concepts and main assumptions) of the perspective of structural functionalism. Be able to recognize in an example the difference between a manifest and latent function
Key Concepts: -Manifest and latent functions - Dysfunctions -social stability Main Assumption: Social institutions are structured to maintain stability and order in society Macro level Society is like a machine. Every piece helps it function. Everything in society contributes to the structure of society, serves a purpose. if it doesn't help, it will disappear. Ex. women must stay home/ or work to help society Function: manifest that serves whole (is good): Manifest is stated/explicit : college will give you skills for jobs, credentialing Latent is unstated/implicit: college will help you network, be independent, how to "get things done" Dysfunction: negative latent: college debt Rape Shield Laws dehumanized victims causing an unexpected decline in convictions (latent dysfunction) Functionalists are critiqued for being slow, cautious about social change. They say "What function is this serving?" They look at problematic things and see how they can be useful
Know the general position (key concepts and main assumptions) of the symbolic interactionist perspective
Key Concepts: -Symbolic communication - Social interaction -Subjective meaning Main Assumption: Society is structured and maintained through everyday interactions and people's subjective definitions of their worlds Micro level People interact through symbolic communication Things only have value because we give it value (diamonds) Nothing in society is real, except the meaning we give it Micro Level theory Know how society is ordered, look at the vast potential of humans to make things real through interpersonal interaction. How is meaning created?
Know the general position (key concepts and main assumptions) of the conflict perspective and the feminist perspective
Key Concepts: Power Inequality Conflict Dominance Main Assumption: The various institutions in society promote inequality and conflict among groups of people Macro level Theoretical perspective that views the structure of society as a source of inequality that always benefits some groups at the expense of other groups Conflict perspective/theory: Look at power dynamics and who benefits from institutions People at top benefit from people at bottom, people in power take advantage of working class, get glory ex. Women need to go to work BC people in power need them Society is seen in terms of conflict and struggle, and how its elements promote divisions and inequalities Social order arises from dominance and coercion The family, gov, religion, and other institutions foster and legitimate the power and privilege of some individuals or groups at the expense of others Those who control the wealth control the systems in a society Those who benefit from inequality are motivated to act in ways that maintain it Feminist: roles of men and women and how they shape social function. Ex. women are able to work as men Conflict theory is a broad paradigm Feminist perspective: theoretical perspective that focuses on gender as the most important source of conflict and inequality in social life Grows out of conflict lens- conflict factor from inequalities
Be able to recognize and provide an example for all of the components of the social structure (Exhibit 2.1 in your text, page 34)
Like a russian nesting doll, every level includes what came before it Institutions (health, public health, track) ↓ Organizations (national running association, school team ↓ Groups -primary and secondary (track team, friends on team) ↓ Statuses and Roles (Runner, stay in shape, keep grades up to stay on team, practice ↓ Individuals (Athlete)
What do we study when we do a macro level inquiry/analysis? What do we study if we undertake a micro level inquiry/ analysis?
Macrolevel: Effect of institutions and organizations on daily life. Ex. Changes in politics, natural disasters. Microlevel: Effects of personal interactions. Statuses and roles Ex. Friend ignores me, Micro: what conversation did we have that made them upset? Macro: They're transfering next year, and they're getting pressure from BCC.
What is the risk of reactivity? What kinds of research techniques are considered "unobtrusive" research?
Risk: intruding into people's lives can possibly change the behavior of the people and groups being studied; produce inaccurate data, and threaten the credibility of the research Unobtrusive research: requires no contact with people at all; an examination of the evidence of social behavior that people create or leave behind. Different types: Analysis of existing data: relies on data gathered earlier by someone else for some other purpose Content analysis: the study of documented communications- books, speeches, poems, song lyrics, television commercials, websites, and so forth Historical analysis: relies on existing historical documents as a source of research information Visual sociology: is a method of studying society through photographs, video recordings, and film.
What is the role of language in the social construction of reality? What is a euphemism? In the "Language of War" excerpt, what are some typical military euphemisms and why might euphemistic language be used so prevalently here?
Role of language: Language as a key tool in the construction of reality Euphemism: an innocuous expression substituted for one that may be offensive Words can imply status, politics Collateral damage (civilian deaths during military combat), surgical strikes (attacks intended to destroy a specific target and minimize collateral damage), friendly fire (accidental shooting at fellow soldiers) Euphemistic language used so as not to evoke terror
How are role conflict and role strain different from one another?
Role strain is when one role is too much to handle role conflict is when two or more different roles come in conflict, such as being a student and an employee
How is being sick in the United States different from being sick in other parts of the world?
Roles of a sick person: Not blamed Freed/ given break Not linger and try to get well Get doctor's note Wear mask In Japan, young boys play video games inside and don't go to school - seen as an illness Overtime, some illnesses exist and don't exist Sick role conflict - if sick but have to do errands
Know the relationship between population density and suicide rate (Exhibit 1.2b page 17) Why might we have more suicides in rural communities in the United States than in urban communities?
Rural communities: Lower density, higher suicide rates Higher rate of gun ownership Less likely for someone to interrupt Less relationship building due to isolation
What is the concept of a WEIRD sample and why is this an important consideration?
Sample bias
What are sanctions? How are mores and folkways different from one another?
Sanction: a direct social response to some behavior; a negative sanction is one that punishes or otherwise discourages violations of social norms and symbolically reinforces the culture's values and morals. Mores: norms, sometimes codified into laws, that are taken very seriously by society. Folkways: violations of relatively minor everyday norms, that carry much less serious punishment
How can sleep - a biological need - be examined from the sociological perspective?
Siesta (nap) built in cultural practice Sleep deprivation pride- amount of sleep shows your productivity People sleep based on a clock, not on biological need: "Im sleepy, but Its not 10pm yet."
Be familiar with examples of "social influence" given in the chapter
Social influence: the impact of a person, group or organization to produce changes in an individual's thoughts, feelings or behaviors. The way our emotions affect our behaviors Ex. Obedience and Conformity in Milgram's experiment, pressured by authority Eating with someone who eats a lot, possibility that you will eat a lot too (peer pressure) Even normal things affect your behavior
In the excerpt on the "Economics and Politics of Food" what are "pouring rights" and what institutions are interacting in the dynamics of pouring rights?
Soda companies pay schools to let them have their product in schools
What are the concerns about globalization and culture loss?
Some countries struggle to maintain their own cultures in a global environment dominated by U.S media Introducing more fast food restaurants in Europe and Japan - increase in health problems Disappearance of a culture's language
How is a status different from a role? What is an achieved status? What is an ascribed status?
Status is any named social position that people can occupy role is the set of expectations associated with a particular status Student (status) study (role) Achieved status is earned (student) Ascribed status is given to us (aunt)
What does the field of sociology study?
Studies the system of human societies. Sociology is the relationship between individuals and social forces.
In the excerpt "I've Got a Feeling", what is "emotional labor"?
Suppressing true emotional reactions to have the reaction the business wants you to have. Working ones emotion.
What is the "sociological imagination"?
The ability to see the impact of social forces on our motives and personal/private lives. Our experiences are always products of society-wide forces.
From the insert "Plagiarism and the College Subculture", what has influenced a cultural divide between professors and students?
The disconnect between students' academic expectations and those of their (older) professors. Professors come from a generation with a clear sense of intellectual ownership, while students don't consider using someone else's words or ideas stealing (communal).
What is a social institution? What are some examples of major social institutions?
The total set of roles, statuses, groups and organizations that provide a foundation for some major area of social life Ex. political system, healthcare, family, education, religion, mass media, military, economy
Know Durkheim's work on suicide. What was his methodology?
To test whether rates of suicide are influenced by the structure of society, Durkheim used the comparative method. ( borrowing data set for own research, use death certificates)
What are the elements of the "sick role" in American society?
Usually the blame is not on the person Excused from have to follow norms
Why would Newman discuss sex and gender in a chapter on culture? What is the sexual dichotomy?
We view our bodies through Our entire culture is built around the sexual dichotomy. Sexual dichotomy: set of beliefs that the two sex categories, male and female, are usually assumed to be biologically determined, permanent, universal, exhaustive, and mutually exclusive. Babies have genders only because we tell them they have genders
Anomic Suicide:
suicide that occurs when the structure of society is weakened or disrupted (economic depressions, wars, famines) and people feel hopeless and disillusioned.
What is heteronormative culture?
book definition: culture in which heterosexuality is accepted as the norm(taken-for-granted mode of sexual expression) Straight couples shown in media
What is the relationship between concepts and indicators?
concepts- big abstract ideas (Happiness, Sexism) Indicators- the measurement of concepts. Events, characteristics, or behaviors that can be observed or quantified Religiosity: asking if go to Church on Sundays doesn't capture other interpretations of religiosity Strong, and multiple indicators are better Overtime, as societies change, indicators can be pulled out and changed
What is empiricism? What do sociologists mean when they state that sociological findings are "probabilistic"?
empiricism: any kind of science that can be deeply affected by sociology Probabilistic: capable of identifying only those forces that have a high likelihood, but not a certainty, of influencing human action
What is an example of a self-fulfilling prophecy? What is an incorrigible proposition?
self-fulfilling prophecy →When you think somethings gonna happen and it happens ,when you have a belief that adjusts your behaviors so something happens Incorrigible proposition → the belief that can't be proven untrue (bc of how strongly the belief is held) Ex. aggressive women
Egoistic Suicide:
suicide that occurs in settings where the individual is emphasized over group or community connections.
Altruistic Suicide:
suicide when there is too strong of ties: where ties to the group or community are considered more important than individual identity.
Fatalistic Suicide (harsh conditions) :
suicide when they see no possible way to improve their oppressive circumstances.
What do we mean when we say that there is a "social construction of reality"?
the way that we find meaning and affirm meaning Ex. Mom teaches us a cat is a cat, and we tell others our knowledge