SOC 210 Chapter 3 & 4 Vocab

Sociobiology

a branch of science that uses biological and evolutionary explanations for social behavior

Subculture

a group within society that is differentiated by its distinctive values, norms, and lifestyles

Counterculture

a group within society that openly rejects or actively opposes society's values and norms

Taboo

a norm ingrained so deeply that even thinking about violating it evokes strong feelings of disgust, horror, or revulsion type of mores cannibalism

Multiculturalism

a policy that values diverse racial, ethnic, national, and linguistic backgrounds and so encourages the retention of cultural differences within the larger society

Status

a position in a social hierarchy that carries a particular set of expectations

Culture Shock

a sense of disorientation that occurs when entering a radically new social or cultural environment

Moral Holiday

a specified time period during which some norm violations are allowed "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" ex: The Purge

Achieved Status

a status earned through individual effort or imposed by others

Embodied Status

a status generated by physical characteristics - what you would be described as

Master Status

a status that is always relevant and affects all other statuses we possess - total identity; overrides all others; always relevant - ex: I will always be a daughter

Ascribed Status

a status that is inborn; usually difficult or impossible to change

Language

a system of communication using vocal sounds, gestures, or written symbols; the basis of symbolic culture and the primary means through which we communicate with one another and perpetuate our culture "probably the most significant component of culture" not only shapes our communication but our perception

Definition of The Situation

an agreement with others about "what is going on" in a given circumstance; this consensus allows us to coordinate our actions with other and realize goals - lends itself to a different approach and the consequences are real

Dramaturgy

an approach pioneered by Erving Goffman in which social life is analyzed in terms of its similarities to theatrical performance also known as Impression Management

Cooling the Mark Out

behaviors that help others to save face or avoid embarrassment often referred to as civility or tact

Cultural Wars

clashes within mainstream society over the values and norms that should be upheld ex: transgender rights

Role Stain

experienced when there are contradictory expectations within one role - a student with multiple classes and due dates

Role Conflict

experienced when we occupy two or more roles with contradictory expectations - someone who is a parent and a teacher that has a sick kid

Expressions Given

expressions that are intentional and usually verbal, such as utterances - typically verbal and intended (most of speech)

Copresence

face-to-face interaction or being in the presence of others - physical company

Values

ideas about what is right or wrong, good or bad, desirable or worthy in a particular group; they express what the group cherishes and honors

Feral children

in myths and rare real-world cases, children who have had little human contact and may have lived in social isolation from a young age

Front

in the dramaturgical perspective, the setting or scene of performances that helps establish the definition of the situation

Total Institutions

intuitions in which individuals are cut off from the rest of society so that they can be controlled and regulated for the purpose of systematically stripping away previous roles and identities in order to create new ones - cults - jails - boarding schools - etc.

Role Exit

leaving a role that you no longer occupy - graduation/retirement

Folkways

loosely enforced norms involving common customs, practices, or procedures that ensure smooth social interaction and acceptance informal/customs

Technology

material artifacts and the knowledge and techniques required to use them

Mores

norms that carry great moral significance, and closely related to the core values of a cultural group, and often involve severe repercussions for violators informal/cultural laws

Expressions Given Off

observable expressions that can be either intended or unintended and are usually nonverbal - ex: eye rolls and the nod - usually nonverbal and may be intended and unintended

Self

our experience of a distinct, real, personal identity that is separate and different from all other people

Sanctions

positive or negative reactions to the ways that people follow or disobey norms, including rewards for conformity and punishments for violations means of enforcing norms POS: express approval - handshakes, smiles, praise, awards NEG: express disapproval - frowns, harsh words, fines/jail time

Norms

rules or guidelines regarding what kinds of behavior are acceptable and appropriate within a particular culture; these typically emanate from the group's values

Expressions of Behavior

small actions such as an eye roll or head nod that serve as an interactional tool to help project our definition of the situation to others - tools we use to project our definitions of the situations to others

Agents of Socialization

social groups, institutions, and individuals (especially the family, school, peers, and the mass media) that provide structured situations in which socialization takes place family: the single most significant agent of socialization in all societies - socialization differs from family to family - not all aspects of socialization are deliberate - the family is our world but is also IN our world school: schools have gradually taken on greater responsibilities than merely teaching curriculum - attending school may be the first significant experience away from home - school helps children become less dependent on the family and builds a bridge to other social groups - judged on both behavior and academic performance peers: as children become older, peers often become more important than parents as agents of socialization - influence of peers increase, the influence of parents decrease - family has the longest lasting impact and peers have the most intense and immediate impact - both a source of enjoyment and pain - may even betray own values media: one of the most significant sources of socialization - may have usurped some of the functions of the family in teaching basic norms and values and giving advice on common problems - glamorizing or promoting risky behaviors

Thomas Theorem

states that "if" people define situations as real, they are real in their consequences - classic formulation of the way individuals determine reality we encounter ambiguous situations every day, many meanings are possible

Signs

symbols that stand for or convey an idea

Hegemony

term developed by Antonio Gramsci to describe the cultural aspects of social control, whereby the ideas of the dominant group are accepted by all

Agency

the ability of the individual to act freely and independently - free-will; reciprocal; independence - you shape society as society shapes you

Region

the context in which the performance tactics we use to present ourselves to others, including appearance, costume, and manner - you act differently at home than you do at school

Cultural Diffusion

the dissemination of material and symbolic culture from one group to another

Impression Management

the effort to control the impressions we make on others so that they form the desired view of us and the situation; the use of self-presentation and performance tactics

Culture

the entire way of life of a group of people that acts as a lens through which one views the world and that is passed from one generation to the next

Preparatory Stage

the first stage in Mead's theory of the development of self wherein children mimic or imitate others prep = imitation - peekaboo - imitating others and what they're doing

Social Control

the formal and informal mechanisms used to elicit conformity to values and norms and thus promote social cohesion ensures that people behave to some degree

Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

the idea that language structures thought and that ways of looking at the world are embedded in language sometimes referred to as "the principle of linguistic relativity" language shapes perception - think about the different cliques and their stereotypes

Dual Nature of The Self

the idea that we experience the self as both subject and object, the "I" and the "me" I: self-centered; experience of creative, less socialized self, spontaneous, ID - "I want it all, but THEY won't let ME have it." me: norm-binding; more reliant on others, socialized - "what would THEY think of ME? both are inseparable and are united to form a single self in each of us

Symbolic/Nonmaterial Culture

the ideas associated with a cultural group, including ways of thinking (beliefs, values, and assumptions) and ways of behaving (norms, interactions, and communications) Reflects the ideas and beliefs of a group of people

Cultural Imperialism

the imposition of one culture's beliefs and practices on another culture through media and consumer products rather than by military force

Real Culture

the norms, values, and patterns of behavior that actually exist within a society (which may or may not correspond to the society's ideals)

Ideal Culture

the norms, values, and patterns of behavior that members of a society believe should be observed in principle

Looking-glass self

the notion that the self develops through our perception of others' evaluations and appraisals of us - we act like mirrors to each other, reflecting back to one another an image of ourselves 1) we imagine how we look to others 2) we imagine other people's judgement of us 3) we experience some kind of feeling about ourselves based on our perception of other people's judgements

Material Culture

the objects associated with a cultural group, such as tools, machines, utensils, buildings, and artwork; any physical object to which we give social meaning any physical object that we give social meaning

Nature vs. Nurture Debate

the ongoing discussion of the respective roles of genetics and socialization in determining individual behaviors and traits both nurture and nature are right

Superego

the part of personality that, according to Freud, represents internalized ideals and provides standards for judgment (the conscience) and for future aspirations

Personal Front

the performance tactics we use to present ourselves to others, including appearance, costume, and manner - also includes gender, race, and age

Generalized Other

the perspectives and expectations of a network of others (or of society in general) that a children learns and then takes into account when shaping their own behavior - perspective and expectation of others

Frontstage

the places where we deliver our performances to an audience of others - we play a particular role and perform for an "audience" of others - we behave and present ourselves differently

Backstage

the places where we rehearse and prepare for our performances

Cultural Relativism

the principle of understanding other cultures on their own terms, rather than judging or evaluating according to one's own culture

Ethnocentrism

the principle of using one's own culture as a means of standard by which to evaluate another group or individual, leading to the view that cultures other than one's own are abnormal or inferior

Social Construction

the process by which a concept or practice is created and maintained by participants who collectively agree that it exists - the self is a social construct

Cultural Leveling

the process by which cultures that were once unique and distinct become increasingly similar

Socialization

the process of learning and internalizing the values, beliefs, and norms of our social group, by which we become functioning members of society begins at birth both individual and a social level

Resocialization

the process of replacing previously learned norms and values with new ones as part of a transition in life life is continually presenting us with new situations and new roles with unfamiliar norms and values

Play Stage

the second stage in Mead's theory of the development of self wherein children pretend to play the role of the particular or significant other play = particular/significant other - pretending to be firefighter/mommy/princess/etc - play "house" - playing games w mom significant: people significant to our socialization

Roles

the set of behaviors expected of someone because of their status

Game Stage

the third stage in Mead's theory of the development of self wherein children play organized games and take on the perspective of the generalized other game = other generalized others - plays organized games and takes on roles of significant other - understands rules

Dominant Culture

the values, norms, and practices of the group within society that is most powerful (in terms of wealth, prestige, status, influence, etc)

Gestures

the ways in which people use their bodies to communicate without words; actions that have symbolic meaning body language/nonverbal communication

Laws

types of norms that are formally codified to provide an explicit statement about what is permissible or forbidden, legal or illegal in a given society

Hidden Curriculum

values or behaviors that students learn indirectly over the course of their schooling - being on time