soc 200 test 1
what is the worst stat ever?
"Every year since 1950, the number of American children gunned down has doubled"
Watts did a study on how social influence impacts perceptions about music - which artists are great, which are not so great. What did he find? How does this relate to his statements about Madona, the Mona Lisa, etc.
*Social influence matters more than quality of music. ...popular songs are more popular -giving the people what they want, what they are familiar with -"rich get richer" phenomenon -difference between madonna and another artist could be random fluctuations early on in their career (butterfly effect)
the authors ask 2 questions about surplus that represent a "starting point" for Marx's thinking. What are the 2 questions?
-2 questions about inequality -who takes possession of this surplus? -what means do they use to do?
Zimbardo prison experiment
-24 Stanford undergraduate men were recruited to live in a mock prison -randomly assigned roles as prisoners or guards -out of 75 volunteers, the 24 were selected for being the most psychologically stable -the guards humiliated their prisoners, forcing them to go naked and limiting their urination -at first, prisoners rebelled but then eventually submitted to the abuse -had emotional breakdowns and 1/3 had negative psychological effects -became radically dependent on the guards even though it was a mock -Zimbardo had to shut down the experiment after 6 days even though it was supposed to last 14 -well being of the prisoners was harmful...shows how far people will go to conform
how does max weber's book the protestant and the spirit of capitalism illustrate comparative/historical research. What were his findings?
-Advanced regions were more densely populated by protestants.....Weber wanted to know why it was that capitalism as an economic system was thriving in some parts of Europe but not others -he noticed that the advanced regions tended to be areas where protestants were dominant -this is an example of comparative historical research because he explores the long history of religion in European history -he concluded that a critical aspect of Calvin's form of protestantism was this: being economically successful was a way of demonstrating your worthiness to God, whereas consuming whatever you have was a sign that you were not one of the select who would be sent to Heaven
Max Atkinson argues that even a presumably spontaneous thing like applause is social and that a good speaker knows how to work a crowd. What does he mean?
-Atkinson recorded speeches by British politicians at party rallies -learned that applause happens in bursts, lasting 1 second before leveling off -clapping alone is embarrassing -talented speech makers provides the audience with cues when to applaud -effective orators speed in 3s "of the people, by the people, for the people"
-Perrin discussed the Comte and Durkheim in the history of sociology. What role did they play?
-Comte coined the term sociology -social statistics are the study of societies as they are -social dynamics are the process of social change -Durkheim is the "father of sociology" -concept of social facts -analysis of the roots of social solidarity -analysis of religion as a force of modern life -combines theory with research
while studying for this test your friend says, "remember when learned in class that the death penalty deters homicide?" Knowing he clearly missed the point, explain to him what we can and can't conclude about the -.74 correlation
-Correlation is not a cause!! The annual aggregate data is problematic because we cannot simplify a very very complicated empirical question. Overall the evidence is not compelling
back in the day because of slavery and later racial segregation, most people assumed that black people were "inferior" to white people. How did DuBois respond?
-DuBois responded and said that the social structure of American Society was both the culprit and cause of the appearance of inferiority in the black community
what is epistemology and how is it relevant to social research?
-Epistemology is the approach/ study of knowledge -this is relevant to sociology because it can be used to understand how humans or the society acquire knowledge and function. -e.g... epistemology is the search for facts or "truth" and this is important when finding what society believes to be their "truth" vs what is actually truth
what is the point for the "fact vs. feeling" video clip we watched from John Oliver? What has the homicide rate done since 1990?
-Homicide rate has declined since 1990 -Shows us how and why media outlets so often report untrue or incomplete information as a science "facts have taken a backseat to feelings" for example Average American doesn't think Crime has decreased and they do not feel safe..in truth we are safer and the crime rate has decreased. The first part is a feeling, the second part is a fact.
what do the wedding photos illustrate? What is the point?
-How can he live in a state with racial diversity and have a wedding that is predominantly white? Friendship patterns Using your imagination How diverse is the neighborhood you grew up in? Where do you work? School? How does this illustrate sociological imagination? What forces get us there? Early life factors play a large part in social development. It is easy to forget the things that we do not see right in front of us
How is Marx right? How is he wrong?
-Marx is right that the conflict between classes in history of the world (class struggle) is relevant and that an early theorist of globalization is true -Marx is wrong that capitalist societies created "socialism" and "capitalists" have not always exploited the worker
how is patriarchy defined on page 44? How is this definition different from the one found in the glossary.
-Pg.44 Patriarchy: the idea that societies are set up to ensure that women are systematically controlled (and devalued) -Glossary Patriarchy: A gender system in which men have substantially more power than women in politics, the economy, and the family. -The glossary specifically states that the system is set up to help men succeed over women and list in what.
how do structural functionalists see the world? How do conflict theorists see the world?
-Structural functionalism (a macro theory) -society as a stable system of parts... each serves a function to ensure stability -instability in one part impacts all other parts -to restore stability, parts adapt or change -"dysfunctions" de-stabilize the whole -Conflict theory (a macro theory) -society is competing groups that are engaged in an ongoing struggle for control of scarce resources -they don't necessarily compete.. they can both be "correct"
Page 41, what is the difference between the me and the I according to symbolic interactionists?
-The me represents the objective dimension of the self--which is interpreted by others -The I represents the subjective dimension of the self--which is interpreting how others will see us and that decides how to act based on how our actions will appear to others
in the conflict section, we read ab C. Wright Mills who argued that power isn't shared, but instead sits in the hand of the "power elite". Who are the "power elite" according to Mills?
-The power elite consisted of the top ranks of the leading political, economic, and military institutions in American society -The power elite could exclude ordinary citizens from exerting much influence over government policies
what are the 3 conditions of cause?
-There must be an association between X and Y. -X must occur before Y. (time-order) -The relationship between X and Y cannot be spurious... or accidental.
what do we mean when we say "social context matters" what is social context?
-We are saying that the environment in which they were raised has a great effect on the outcome and subsequent behaviors of an individual. To one group of people what is considered common sense may not be the same in another group. (Eg. The un cleanliness of the left hand in arabian culture.) -Social Context: The Social environments, including economic and cultural conditions that influence people's lives. -(the state of the world one is born to shapes the opportunities available to him or her); -how we identify ourselves and behave depends largely on the social context we are within
what is weber's most famous book, and what does weber argue in the book?
-Weber's most famous book is Economy and Society -Weber argues that sociology is a science concerning itself with the interpretative understanding of social action
How does the Kingsley Davis article on prostitution illustrate functionalism? What functions does functionalism provide?
-a great example of how a functionalist thinks -both marriage and prostitution might provide gratification -sex, flirting etc is okay, even good, as long as it is connected to marriage and reproduction -we might be missing the important function of prostitution -bottom line...family functionally important -sex outside is typically seen as threat to marriage...so we try to stamp it out -maybe we shouldn't stamp it out -sexual desire is not going anywhere -prostitution serves a function...it protects the marital relationship and the family
what is a hypothesis? Independent variable? Dependent variable?
-a hypothesis is a tentative prediction we have about what we are going to discover before we begin the research -independent variable are factors which we think influence or cause a particular outcome -dependent variable is the variable that changes based on the independent variable
in sociological terms, what is the difference between a role model and a significant other? How they do they each impact our social development?
-a significant other can motivate behavior, but a role model influences us to imitate how they carry out life
what is a spurious finding? How does Coleman Report illustrate a spurious finding?
-a spurious finding is when two factors seem to move in the same direction but both are themselves caused by something else (third factor) -Coleman report explored how student background and school characteristics were related to rest score performance -it looked like one caused the other, but other factors including family background and the racial compositions of the schools were behind the relationship -it was cross-sectional and they needed longitudinal data instead to address the questions more productively
what is a stereotype, what is discrimination and how are they related?
-a stereotype is making faulty generalizations about individuals based on what we think we know about groups they are members of -discrimination is any behavior, practice or policy that harms, excludes or disadvantages individuals on the basis of their group membership -a stereotype is related to active discrimination
what do symbolic interactionists mean when they use terms/phrases like "impression management" "dramaturgical" "all the worlds a stage"
-all the world's a stage compares social life to theater, arguing that our behaviors are similar to performances of actors -dramaturgical argues that we are constantly seeking influence how people interpret our behaviors -impression management is strategically organizing our behavior to communicate certain ideas about who we are
Point of Lofland and Stark research on the Unification Church?... adherents were not brainwashed, they were resocialized; people are drawn to the commitments of their intimate attachments
-attachment to others (and conformity that results) explains ideology/theology -unattached "seekers" -something traumatic in life..turning point -only people who developed strong ties within the group converted -people who converted could not neutralize outside group ties did not -beliefs/faith came later -converts say ideology is "the" key factor -lofland and stark found otherwise -replaces a brainwashed argument -not so easy to believe the unbelievable -but if people to whom we are attached believe... -people are drawn to the commitments, beliefs and convictions of others -and also, socialization is a life long process!!
-why is sociology harder to define than other disciplines?
-because it is working with such a broad spectrum of topics -get perplexed looks when they say they study the "social world" Sociology is concerned with the entire social domain and how every social institution mutually affect one another. It cannot be pinpointed into general topics because that'd limit its effective reach
is Brainwashing a legitimate concept?
-brainwashed means that someone could forcibly turn you into a cult member -brainwashing suggests that you can absent their volition to make someone something they never would be -we don't call the military brainwashing -substitute word=re-socialized
what is effect of poverty and violence on performance?
-children who witnessed a shooting performed worse on their assessments -the kids take the issues and the cognitive impact of these issues, and take it to school Monday morningSugarcane farmers before and after harvest IQ test before and after. When there is money they are smarter, because they are less stressed?
How can the research study Perrin did on the relationship between religious commitment and honesty illustrate the Research Process?
-choose a topic: christianity and honesty -create a hypothesis: people who have a religious commitment are more honest -IV: christianity DV: honesty -measured and gathered data that supported or disapproved their hypothesis
study of the lines
-conformity experiment -solomon asch's experiment -had research collaborators mixed in with the random people and had the research collaborators sometimes choose the wrong line that matched and the naiive people went along with the research collaborators 1/3 of the time and 75% conformed to the research collaborator's wrong answer at least once
What does Berger mean when he says that a "debunking motif is inherent in sociological consciousness?" Same idea occurs later in the reading.. "unrespectable motif". What the heck is he talking about?
-debunking motif is methodological and it is the imperative to unmask the pretensions and propaganda by which men cloak their actions with each other -unrespectable motif is that sociology sees only through the illusions of the status quo and the illusion and concern of future possibilities
what does DuBois mean by "double consciousness?"
-double consciousness when people have to live multiple lives -one as a black person and one as an American -the black people only see themselves through the revelation of the other world -always looking at oneself through the eyes of others
What is an ethnography? What is the relevance of the term "thick descriptions?"
-ethnographers—researchers who enter the everyday lives of those they study in hopes of understanding how people navigate and give meaning to their worlds -ethnography has been prominent and widely used method for conducting sociological research -thick descriptions provide detailed description and. describes what the ethnographers do and saw it as an asset of the method for social scientists to have "understanding of understanding".
what is free will? determinism?
-free will is where humans can act on their own decision -determinism is when human actions are determined by factors the individual cannot control
What is the difference between "Front Stage" and "Back Stage"
-front stage is how people act in the immediate presence of others and the impression they try to give off -backstage is how people act when they are in private
Top of page 40, we read how a functionalist and conflict theorist differ in their understanding of inequality. Summarize the difference.
-functional theorists argue that economic inequality is a necessary component of society in order to encourage the most talented individuals to pursue careers that would be the most useful to society as a whole -conflict theorists argue that inequalities of wealth and power are not natural outcomes but rather their privileges persist because powerful individuals and groups go to great lengths to protect them. -conflict theorists argue that inequality inevitably produces tensions between groups and individuals over who gets what
what is globalization?
-globalization is the increased flow of goods, money, ideas and people across nations
What can we learn about ourselves by studying conformity?
-group pressures can change people's behavior -easier to "go against the world" if you have a companion -saying things you don't believe is conforming -people go along to get along -we follow rules (norms)
Bourdieu argues that social class advantage can be obvious..but it can also be more subtle and hard to identify. Describe these more subtle forms of class advantage.
-how we carry ourselves when talking to people to different kinds of music or food that we like, how we interact with authority figures -our habituses causes us to act in certain ways in certain situations -cultural capital -social capital—resources based on who you know and can call upon for help when you need it -symbolic capital—your reputation
what historical events/changes were influential in the rise of sociology?
-industrial revolution -french revolution -urbanization
Comte was a "positivist" what does this mean?
-information is derived from sensory, interpreted through reason and logic -understanding the world is done through empirical research
what about DARE? Or the effects of child abuse? Can these things be studied experimentally?
-is experimental design feasible? -so, does it work? -DARE doesn't work -in data we trust -are we open to evidence that contradicts what we think/want to believe? -it is hard to critique the findings of an experiment
check out the social theory timeline on p. 25. Who are key players? And while I do not want you to memorize dates, I want you to know in general about when this was all going on and what was going on at the time.
-late 19th and early 20th centuries -economy rooted in farming and agriculture to an economy based on industry and factory work (industrial revolution) -rural areas to cities (urbanization) -monarchies to democracies -Marx, Durkheim, DeBois, Weber, Mead, Goffman1810-1850 - Industrial Revolution 1850 - 1880 - Karl Marx "The Communist Manifesto" + American Civil War Late 19th Century and Early 20th Century - Classical Social Theory Emile Durkheim -> W.E.B. Du Bois -> Max Weber Mid 20th Century - Structural Functionalism/Conflict Theory/Symbolic Interactionism Herbert Mead -> Talcott Parsons -> C. Wright Mills -> Ralf Dahrendorf -> Erving Goffman Late 1960's to Present - Neo-Marxism + Analytical Sociology Herbert Blumer -> Michel Foucault 1970's to Present - Feminist Social Theory James Coleman
sharkey research on violent neighborhoods
-link between neighborhood violence and children's school performance -within a week of homicide in their neighborhood, children in Chicago scored significantly lower on reading and vocabulary than the week prior to the homicide
concerning the sociological imagination...even personal troubles happen in social context. What does this mean?
-personal trouble versus public issues -unemployment, financial troubles and divorce are all personal troubles with a specific social context -many personal troubles are widely shared by others because of social structures
who are sociology's academic siblings?
-political scientists -economists -psychologists -anthropology -philosophy
what is the difference between power, authority, and legitimacy?
-power: a person's ability to achieve his or her objective even if someone else wants to try to prevent it -authority: the capacity to get people to do things because they think that they should abide by the commands of people above them -legitimacy: what authority figures have...we obey them not because of threat but bc we believe obeying them is correct
Who the heck is Preedy?
-preedy is a vacationing Englishman who makes his first appearance on the beach of his summer hotel in spain -avoided catching anyone's eye -looked around dazed -smiled at himself not at other people -gave anyone a chance to see his book—a spanish translation of Homer -give big splashes in the water to show he could swim further if he wanted to -preedy acted a certain way merely to give off a certain impression, a false impression -his actions defined the situation
age matters, even in schools...what solution does Gladwell suggest?
-put January- April kids in one class -put may-august kids in another class -put september- december in another class -this allows students to learn with students of the same maturity
what is the difference between quantitative and qualitative research?
-quantitative research relies upon data that are statistical in nature (census or gov data) -any information that can be put into numerical form -qualitative research relies on words or detailed interviews with informants, direct observations, historical records or even pictures as data -analysis of large amounts of textual material
how does rational choice theory solve the free will vs. determinism dilemma?
-rational choice theory solves the free will vs determinism dilemma because human behavior can be seen as both free and predictable. -we are guided by our preferences and tastes because they are associated with less risk and humans tend to maximize
what are reliability and validity and why are they important in sociological research?
-reliability is wondering if you use the same measurements technique in an additional study if you would end up with similar results - if the results can be replicated then they are reliable -validity captures whether the measurement of a researcher is using is actually accurate -If the measurement reflects what the researcher is hoping to understand about the social world, we say the results are valid
what kinds of things can and can't be studied with an experimental design?
-religious affiliation (christianity and honesty) cannot be studied because you cannot manipulate religion -red wine and heart disease cannot be studied because the relationship between red wine and heart disease is spurious -smoking and cancer cannot be studied because it is unethical to manipulate smoking -spanking and antisocial behavior in children cannot be studied because you cant tell certain parents to spank their kids randomly
Durkheim's understanding of religion focuses on the sacred—how is sacred defined, and how is it important in holding societies together?
-sacred is defined as those objects, places and symbols that set apart from daily life and elicit awe and reverence sustained by myths and rituals -sacred is important in holding societies together because it provides individuals with a common set of beliefs and makes individuals and societies stronger
identify and understand the 4 sociology methods typically used by sociologists
-scientific method -formulate a hypothesis, predict independent dependent relationship, find existing data and collect new data, analyze data, draw conclusions -quantitative versus qualitative data -comparative-historical research is a qualitative method -survey and interview methods -ethnographic methods
in sociological terms, what is the self? How does group membership contribute to the development of the self?
-self is one's own identity and social position -group membership contributes to the development of self because we are motivated by the approval of others
don't bother memorizing definitions, but do know what these terms convey: significant other, reference group, generalized other, roles, role conflict
-significant other—individuals close enough to have a strong capacity to motivate our behavior -reference group—groups that influence our behavior -generalized other—social control exercised by commonsense understandings of what is appropriate in a specific time and place -role models—people with disproportionate influence as we imitate how they move, dress, and carry out life
Expect a couple of questions from Stevenson... just to see if you read it.
-sitting in his car when the SWAT car came up and he got out of his car... the police yelled move and ill blow your head off -first time he had a gun pointed at his head -starting to feel afraid and nervous, like the people he did cases for -police officer was illegally looking through his papers and glove compartment -moment that bothered him the most was when the cop pointed the gun at him and his instinct was to run -inspired to talk to young black men and sensitize this to them -"beat the drum for justice" -the man in the wheelchair asked him "do you know what you're doing?" and then showed the scars he got fighting for civil rights in 1964 and then another scar for demanding civil rights... he sees his scars as medals of honor. -She watched her dad strangle a dog to death because it wouldn't stop barking -Trina's twin sisters taught her how to play "invisible" so that when there dad was drunk she wouldn't get hurt -set herself on fire @ age 5 by accident -1976 Trina snuck into a boys house and lit it on fire by accident after climbing through the window -correctional officer raped Trina and she became pregnant -Ian and two boys attempted to rob a couple -ian shot Debbie when she resisted to give up her money -debbie lived and ian's first phone call in prison was to Debbie -he was in solitary confinement -he attempted suicide multiple times -every time he acted out his time in isolation was extended -Antonio was shot in the stomach when coming home from school one day -Antonio became the youngest person in the U.S condemned to die in prison for a crime where no one was physically hurt
what is social interaction?
-social interaction is the way people act together, including how they modify and alter their behavior in response to the presence of others
what holds societies together according to durkehim?
-social solidarity-Awareness of shared interest, objectives, standards & sympathies. Ties in society that bind people together. -social forces- Those regularities and rules of everyday life that every human community has -pre modern societies were held together because people were engaged in much of the same or similar activities and therefore share a worldview -modern societies, despite growing diversity and complexity, are held together because of widely shared sacred beliefs
what is social structure? Describe the 2 components of social structure (hierarchies and institutions)
-social structure describes the many diverse ways in which the rules and norms of everyday life become enduring patterns that shape and govern social interactions -social hierarchies is a set of important social positions that often grant some individuals and groups higher status and more power than others -social institutions are longstanding and important practices
what are limitations of concluding that a problem like homelessness is only a problem of "bad choices"?
-sociological imagination encourages us to look beyond the individualistic Like look at their story, factors, environments that led up to them making those bad decisions -when you look at the biography of the homeless person you see they weren't born on 3rd base -the homeless have different basis for making choices and different alternatives from which to choose
what is sociology imagination, who coined the term, and what kind of motorized vehicle did he like?
-sociological imagination is the capacity to think systematically about how things we experience, such as personal problems are really social issues that are shared by others living in a similar time and social location as us -ability to see the interplay between self and society, history and biography -C. Wright Mills coined the term -he liked a motorcycle
what does it mean to say sociology is an empirical discipline?
-sociology asks empirical questions and is based on research developed through experimentsEmpirical discipline: observe, study, collect numbers, other method to observe Empirical Discipline -is it possible to find an answer to these questions? Does the death penalty deter homocide? -empirical question. -answering is complicated
What does Watts mean when he says sociology can be "hard?"
-sociology is hard because you have to analyze groups, etc over multiple scales simultaneously -already familiar to us, so answers are "obvious" -humans are...complicated...and answers are not always as obvious as we think they are
Chapter 1 from Berger is mostly about what sociology is not. What is on the list?
-sociology is not a practice, but is an attempt to understand -not a social reformer or social worker -not a compiler of numbers -i want to work for people
what is sociology?
-sociology is the study of society and social worlds that individuals inhabit within them -the study of how we live together -sociology is the study of diverse contexts within which individuals' lives unfold and the social world is created
how do stereotypes contribute to discrimination?
-stereotypes contribute to discrimination because stereotypes we make lead to discrimination against groups of people.
looking glass self and the effects of solitary confinement
-termed by Charles Horton Cooley in 1902 -comparing babies in an orphanage versus babies in a nursery -looking glass self—our own self understanding depends on how others see us -babies in an orphanage lived in solitary confinement and died at a much higher rate...there is a need for social contact
why does the American sociological association have a code of ethics? What impact does it have on sociological researchers?
-the American sociological association has a code of ethics so that all scientists have a set of guidelines for what is considered moral and acceptable behavior -this impacts sociological researchers to help them foresee any potential dangers and to safeguard the ethical standards of their work
Concerning the proletariat and the bourgeoisie, what did Marx predict would happen over time?
-the bourgeoise—possess special resources called capital -proletariat—the working class -proletariat must seek paid employment in order to meet the basic needs -Marx predicted that these intermediate groups would shrink as small producers were driven into bankruptcy and forced to join the ranks of the proletariat -modern capitalist societies would increasingly be polarized between a very small bourgeoise and a large working class -Marx believes a social revolution is likely to occur...had the theory of class struggle
summarize the code of ethics that we social scientists agree to
-the code of ethics is a set of guidelines that outline what is considered moral and acceptable behavior... it requires us to obtain informed consent from our subjects and also to maintain confidentiality
what is "randomized controlled trials?" (experimental design)
-the mercedes of research -random assignment of research participants into 2 or more groups -manipulation of the independent variable
how can suicide, which is a very personal and private act, be analyzed sociologically?
-the more connected you were with society, the less likely you are to commit suicide -religion denomination=protestant vs. catholic -male vs. female -single vs. married
What is the self? And what does Manza mean "the self is not a thing, but a process of interaction?"
-the self is the vehicle through which we take our actions -interpret everything that comes our way, including other people -the self is not a thing, but a process of interaction means that an individual's personality, preferences and ideas are constructed and shaped through communication with others and self
what does Irving Hoffman mean "life is a stage?" What is the "backstage"
-the show must go on and the show is our life -we all think differently about what aspects of our life we are willing to show and how -no one has the same set of social interactions -we constantly alter our identity over time -the "backstage" is where we set up our presentation of self -the bathroom is part of the backstage
what is the role of the industrial revolution and urbanization in the development of sociology?
-the spread of factory labor in the period of industrialization created jobs that were concentrated in urban areas -the social changes from industrialization were immense -it was possible to meet and discuss problems with dozens or hundreds of people in proximity -sociology found its place as part of a broader effort to understand the sources of these emerging social challenges. -Urbanization: Growth of cities -Urban Areas: Area with a population density of at least 1,000 people per square mile and surrounding areas that have an overall density of at least 500 people. -Urbanization and industrialization created these urban areas that created immense potential for social changes which included large amounts of poor and rich, including mass influxes of immigrants from the 1850s-1920s. -. "In the face of these new conditions and challenges, sociology found its place as part of a broader effort to understand the sources of these emerging social challenges."
what is the traditional, charismatic and legal-rational authority?
-traditional authority: legitimacy arising out of tradition (common in societies with rigid social structures like aristocratic Europe in the middle ages) -charismatic authority: legitimacy that arises out of the perception that a leader is endowed with special powers or gifts -legal-rational authority: legitimacy based on explicit rules. (bureaucracy)
Milgram obedience to authority study
-wanted to learn the conditions that might cause otherwise respectable individuals to harm one another, just because they were asked to -experiment post world war II -Milgram induced his subjects to deliver painful electrical shocks to a stranger who had given the wrong answer in some kind of learning training -60% of subjects eventually delivered, 3x in a row, the last-stage shock 450 volts
What does Perrin mean when he says that we are "pathetically social"?
-we are pathetically social because by nature we are "social" (we look to others for affirmation, acceptance, etc) -we are self reflective -we "maximize" -there are costs when we do not conform
-How does rational choice theory explain our "pathetically social" behavior?
-we follow rules (norms) -society becomes possible -new settings and situations -we watch -we try to fit in
Goffman..what is the presentation of self?
-when in immediate presence of others, people's self has a promissory character -we live by inference -in the presence of others, the individual will mobilize their activity to convey an impression to others -humans are constantly trying to please others and are self-judgmental, -Self reflects how others see them
best ends chapter 1 with 3 questions. What are these questions and why are they important?
1. Who created the statistic? 2. Why was the statistic created? 3. How was this statistic created? -these questions are important to ensure that the statistics are reliable information because bad statistics stir up public outrage and fear, distort our understanding of the world, and lead us to poor policy choices
how does what you wear to class illustrate the tension between free will and determinism?
Because the trade offs of wearing something outside of social norms Is looks of judgement. These looks of judgment and the choice to wear something that is not socially normal sends messages that people could perceive and relate to another unrelated aspect of life. Eg. Adam wears girls clothes, therefore he will not be a successful person in the work area and we should not hire him. -The tension is between wearing absolutely whatever you want and what you want within social bounds.
what is the point of the "sex in marriage" Newsweek article we looked at?
Lay to rest the stereotype that married couples dont have sex.. But also to realize the effect sample size and demographic & fake reporting
was the Perrin study on honesty a randomized controlled trial? Why or why not?
No because he was not able to manipulate the independent variable
why does experimental design solve the causation problem? How does it "prove" causation?
Randomization proves causation...
what does it mean to "manipulate" the independent variable?
This just means that the researcher can impose the independent variable on experimental group.
bottom of page 27..the authors suggest that capitalism changed in ways Marx did not anticipate. What were these changes?
capitalist societies have developed large government-funded and operated social programs such as social security, unemployment insurance, free/low-cost health insurance, educational systems designed to reduce poverty -economic systems are far more versatile than Marx envisioned -Marx also underestimated capitalists willingness to pay decent wages to workers
what is civil inattention?
civil inattention: ignoring each other to an appropriate degree although noticing each other is present
correlation ≠ cause... be sure to understand this!
correlation" refers to a specific set of techniques used to measure associations between two or more variables
what is an "institutional review board" what is informed consent?
institutional review board reviews researchers proposals before any work can begin in order to assess their potential harm and the benefits of the research for participants -informed consent is making the subjects participation voluntary and based on a full understanding of possible risks and benefits involved
how can a label lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy
labeling can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy, which is when something becomes true because people say it is, because people begin to become what people label them
what do we mean when we say that social problems are "socially constructed?"
social problems are problems of what people do and that is how they are "socially constructed"
Does Altruism exist? Did Mother Teresa "Maximize?"
the principle or practice of unselfish concern for or devotion to welfare of others? -not selfish
From Berger, why would the sociologist make a poor police officer?
the sociologist would make a poor police officer because sociology always tends to relativize the claim to absolute rightness upon which such minds like to rest
what is middle range theory?
theories that make specific, researchable propositions about particular aspects of society that consciously connect social structure with individual action
in the introductory story about the "dirty war" in argentina, the author argues the journalist misses the point. What questions should we be asking?
we should be asking questions about the nature of the individual and how the individual acts in context of society, "On what evidence was it based?" "What motivated him to make this sweeping claim?"
is Canadian hockey a meritocracy?
yes
Does spanking do more harm than good? Perrin suggests the answer is yes, but he is hesitant to call the evidence "proof". Why?
you're are unable to manipulate the variable and the time order. when you do the study is a problem too, for example a child could be having an off day not due to being spanked