Sociology Final

Define: Structural Social Mobility

A shift in the social position of large numbers of people due more to changes in society itself than to individual efforts.

Define: Caste System

A social system that lacks any possibility of mobility. It's based on ascription or birth.

Define: Meritocracy

A system based on ones personal achievements and ability.

Define: Social Stratification

A system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy.

Four basic principles of social stratification

1) Social stratification is a trait of society, not simply a reflection of individual differences. --Neither the rich nor the poor are responsible for creating social stratification, yet this system shapes the lives of us all. 2) Social Stratification carries over from generation to generation. -- The social standing of most people remains much the same over their lifetime and this social standing is given to us by our parents. 3) Social stratification is universal but variable -- Social stratification is found everywhere. Yet what is unequal and how unequal it is vary from one society to another. 4) Social stratification involves not just inequality but beliefs as well. --Any system of inequality not only gives some people more than others but also defines these arrangements as fair. Like the what of social inequality, the explanation of why people should be unequal differ from society to society.

Six facts that help to explain the severe and widespread poverty in the world.

1) Technology : About one quarter of people in low income countries farm the land using human muscles or animal power. With such limited energy sources, agricultural production is modest. 2) Population growth. The poorest countries have the highest birth rates and population growth. 3) Cultural patterns. Poor societies are usually traditional, people who hold to long-established ways of life resist change -- even change that promises a richer material life. 4) Social stratification. Low-income nations distribute their wealth very unequally. Few people own most of the wealth. 5) Gender inequality. Extreme gender inequality in poor societies keeps women from holding jobs, which typically means they have many children. 6) Global power relationships. A final cause of global poverty lies in the relationships between the nations of the world. Historically wealth flowed from poor countries to rich through colonialism.

Define: Matriarchy

A form of social organization in which descent and relationship are reckoned through the female line

Define: Patriarchy

A form of social organization in which descent and relationship are reckoned through the male line

What theory is related to: Rechless and Dinitz

Containment theory - the idea that good people are good because they contain their deviance.

Define: Ideology

Cultural beliefs that justify particular social arrangements, including patterns of inequality.

What was Edwin Sutherland's Theory?

Differential association

Mens Rea

Guilty Mind - The idea that crime requires intent.

Where does most violence against women occur?

Home

Define: Secondary Deviance

If the label from the initial act itself sticks, primary deviance may become secondary. Thus, labelling and transforming the life of the deviant. This is the difference between a person getting a single DUI as a "mistake" and a person getting multiple DUI's as a "alcoholic". The taking on a deviant identity by talking, acting, or dressing in a different way, rejecting the people who are critical, and repeatedly breaking the rules.

Define: Second World Countries

Less industrialized countries

What theory is related to: Max Weber

Modernization Theory

What factors affect social class in the us?

Money and power

Number of us couples dependant on two incomes?

More then half of all married couples depend on two incomes.

Define: Ritualism (Merton)

People who adhere strictly to social norms in order to retain respect.

Define: Retreatism (Merton)

People who drop out and retreat from society. I.e. Drug Addicts

Define: Rebellion (Merton)

People who reject both cultural means and goals in favor of some alternative system.

Define: Innovation (Merton)

People who resort to street crime, drug dealing, stealing or other deviant ways in order to make money. They innovate to survive.

Define: Relative Poverty

Poverty in relation to those around you.

What theory is related to: E. Lemert

Primary and Secondary deviance

Difference between primary and secondary deviance.

Primary deviance is the act itself. Secondary deviance occurs if the label from primary deviance sticks. The taking on a deviant identity by talking, acting, or dressing in a different way, rejecting the people who are critical, and repeatedly breaking the rules.

Factors that account for differences in the earnings of women and men?

Primary: Differences are great among older workers. - Older women typically have less education and seniority. Culture still thinks less important jobs as "women's work" Secondary : Societies view of family. U.S. Culture gives more of the responsibility of parenting to women. Pregnancy and raising small children keep many younger women out of the labor force. So they get less experience. Third factor is discrimination.

Define: First World Countries

Rich industrialized countries

What was Merton's THeory?

Strain Theory

What theory is related to: Emile Durkheim

That deviance is a normal part of society.

What two elements make up Crime?

The act and criminal intent.

What theory is related to: Immanuel Wallerstein

The core of the world economy is composed of the rich countries. Low income countries are the periphery of the global economy. Remaining countries are in the semi-periphery.

What is Labeling Theory?

The idea that deviance and conformity result not so much from what people do as from how others respond to those actions

What is differential association theory?

The idea that someone's likeliness to be deviant is largely influenced by who they associate with. People who hang out with good people will be good. People who hang out with bad people will be bad. The theory states that we respond to how those around us respond to our deviance.

What is strain Theory?

The idea that too much deviance results from particular cultural arrangements. Specifically the extend and kind of deviance depend on whether a society provides the means to achieve cultural goals. Essentially, deviance is the result of weather or not people have the ability to achieve their goals. Block their goals and deviance will result allowing people to adapt. This theory included: Conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion.

Define: Primary Deviance

The initial act of deviance itself.

Define: Deviance

The recognized violation of cultural norms.

Define: Retrospective labelling

The reinterpretation of someone's past in light of recent deviance.

Define: Absolute Poverty

The very bottom of society struggling for life.

What are the rates of race and poor in the uS?

Two thirds of the poor are white. While 22.1% of African American and 21.2% Latino are in poverty, in relation to population numbers they are three times as likely to be poor.

Define: Crime

Violation of an enacted law.

Compared to US poverty, low-income nations differ how?

We have relative poverty, low income nations have true life threatening poverty. US people in poverty are much better off.

What is Modernization Theory?

a model of economic and social development that explains global inequality in terms of technological and cultural differences between nations.

Define: Third World Countries

poor non industrialized countries

What theory is related to: Cloward and Ohlin

relative opportunity structure -stated that deviance was also related to opportunity to be deviant. Also the idea of conflict subcultures such as armed street gangs, or gangsters in Al Capone's time.