SOC1013 Exam 1
106 flashcards · Other · by Alyssa Andrew
Chapter 1: Introduction to Sociology in the Global Age
3 Ps of Learning
Perception, perspective, position
Sociology
scientific study of social behavior and human groups (systematic study of the social world)
Butterfly Effect
a small change in a specific location that has far-ranging effects
Globalization
increase in fluid global flows, and the structures that expedite and impede those flows
Benefits of globalization
technology, sharing cultures, job opportunities
Cons of globalization
McDonaldization, disease, drugs
Consumption
process of obtaining goods and services
McDonaldization
fast food industry principles dominating other sectors of society
Rationalization (later called McDonaldization)
substitution of logically consistent rules for illogical rules
Characteristics of McDonaldization
Efficiency: quick & cheap Calculability: quantity > quality Predictability: identical process Control: technology's influence on people
Sociology and The Digital World
Mediated Technology
social interaction with technology
Sociological Imagination
ability to connect personal challenges to larger social issues
Agency-Structure Relationship
individuals have the power to make their own choices and be creative
Chapter 2: Thinking Sociologically
Theories
set of interrelated ideas that have a wide range of applications, deal with centrally important issues, and have stood the test of time
Social Learning Theory
suggests that social behavior is learned by observing and imitating the behavior of others
Auguste Comte
invented term "sociology"
Herbert Spencer
focused on social change, specifically evolution
Karl Marx - Capitalism
pessimistic view of an economic system in which a group of people own what is needed for production (factories, machines tools, etc.)
Captialists
the beneficiaries of capitalism who do little labor while receiving greater income
Proletariat
Marxist idea in which workers whom only own their capacity for labor, being the main source of production while earning little income
Alienation
Marxist idea in which the proletariat is estranged from their natural human capabilities (interaction with others, thinking) through capitalist practices
False consciousness
Marxist theory of the proletariat's lack of understanding the harms of capitalism
Class consciousness
Marxist theory of the proletariat's realization of the harms of capitalism
Max Weber
pessimistic view in which the economy and religion are intertwined
Protestant ethic
Weber observation in which hard work and good works increase chance of going to heaven
Rationalization
Weber theory in which social structures are increasingly characterized by the most direct and efficient means to their ends
Iron cage
Weber idea to describe the increasing difficulty for people to escape the "process"
Émile Durkheim
optimistic view of macro structures in which people and their passions are the issue
Social facts
Durkheim idea of macro-level phenomena that stand apart from and impose themselves on people
Collective consciousness
Durkheim theory of a set of beliefs shared by people throughout society
Anomie
Durkheim theory in which people feel as they do not know what is expected of them in society
Mechanical solidarity
Durkheim idea of cohesion in a group because they essentially do the same tasks
Organic solidarity
Durkheim idea of cohesion in a group because they essentially do different tasks
Georg Simmel
micro theorist of how individuals interact with each other
W.E.B. Du Bois
race
Double consciousness
"twoness" of being black and American
Color line
Du Bois theory Physically black by skin color and facial features Politically not "true" Americans Psychologically see themselves the way white Americans saw them
Thorstein Veblen
conspicuous leisure (publicly not working to appear rich by wasting money)
Structural-Functionalism Theory
macro perspective of functions and dysfunctions of social structures
Functions
observable, positive consequences of a structure
Manifest functions
intended positive consequences brought about consciously and purposely
Latent functions
unintended positive consequences
Dysfunctions
observable, negative consequences of a structure
Unanticipated functions
unexpected consequences that can be positive or negative (can crossover with latent)
Conflict Theory
Marxist perspective in which society is held together by coercion and focuses on its negative aspects
Critical Theory
conflict theory from a cultural perspective
Feminist Theory
conflict theory narrowed down to feminism, such as nature vs. nurture when looking at gender differences
Queer Theory
conflict theory narrowed down to LGBTQ issues
Critical Theories of Race and Racism
conflict theory in how the concept of race has adverse effects on people of color
Intersectionality
interconnectedness of social structures
Postmodern Theory
opposition to modern theory
Hyperconsumption
aspect of postmodern theory in which people consumes more than they need or can afford
Interactionist Theory
social process emerge from human interaction
Symbolic Interaction
perspective in which humans interact by attaching meanings to things that can change over time and vary from person to person
Ethnomethodology
social order in conversation
Aspects of Ethnomethodology
vocal cues stable and orderly properties (taking turns to speak) Actions
Exchange Theory
rewards/costs assigned to human behavior; indicator of healthy relationships
Exchange relationships
stable bonds formed because of rewarding interactions
Rational Choice Theory
people are rational and achieve their goals
Aspects of Rational Choice Theory
access to scarce resources requirements of social structures
Chapter 3: Researching the Social World
Empiricism
gathering information/evidence using senses
The Scientific Method
structured way of finding answers to questions about the world
Steps of The Scientific Method
Uncover questions Review relevant literature Develop of hypothesis Choose research method Collect data Observe data/develop conclusion
Paradigm
general model accepted by most practitioners in the world
Quantitive research
analysis of numerical data from surveys or experiments
Statistics
mathematical method used in quantitive research to analyze numerical data
Descriptive statistics
used to observe trends over time or compare differences between groups
Inferential statistics
data used from a smaller group to make generalizations about larger groups
Experiments
manipulation of one of more characteristics to examine the effect of manipulation on research subjects
Laboratory experiments
controlled setting (leads to artificial yet more accurate results)
Natural experiments
effect of natural occurring events on dependent variables
Field experiments
some control
Qualitative research
studies done in natural settings producing in-depth descriptive information
Types of qualitative research
observation, interview, survery
Observation
systematically watching, listening to, and recording what takes place over an extended period of time
Dimensions of observation
degree to which participants know they're being observed the effect of the observer's presence on actions of participants structure of process
Participant observation
researcher plays a role in group or the setting being observed
Nonparticipant observation
researcher plays no role in group or the setting being observed
Ethnography
detailed account of how a group lives
Interviews
information sought from participants through series of questions before research is conducted
Unstructured interviews
open-ended questions
Pre-structured interviews
Behave the same in each interview Ask the same questions in the exact same way Closed-ended questions Same explanations when asked for clarification Show no reactions
Issues with pre-structured interviews
can't avoid reacting using different intonation changing wording or order of questions participant lying
Interview Process
Gain access to setting being studied Locate a key informat (person with intimate knowledge of group being studied who can help interview gain access to participants and verify information) Understand the language and culture Gain trust of respondents (may need to over and over again)
Surveys
research method that collects data from respondents through a series of questions by interview or questionnaire
Questionnaires
self-administered written set of questions
Descriptive survey
gathers accurate information about group members, people of a geographical area, or people in an organization
Explanatory survey
uncovers potential causes
Sample
representative portion of overall population
Random sample
every member of the group has equal possibility of being included (avoids bias)
Stratified sample
large group divided into subgroups and random samples are taken within each group
Convenience sample
participants are readily available
Secondary Data Analysis
reanalyze data collected by others
Historical-Comparative Method
contrasts how different historical conditions or events in various societies have lead to different societal outcomes
Ideal type
Marxist idea of exaggeratedly rational model is used to study real-world phenomena
Content analysis
relies on systematic and objective analysis on content of cultural artifacts in print, visual, audio, and digital media