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Sociology
Society, Social Structures, Social Interations
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Society | group of people who share a culture and live/interact with each other within a definable area |
| socialization | process through which people learn to be proficient and functional members of society |
| Norms | society's rules and expectations for the behavior of its members. Enforced by Sanctions |
| Formal norms | (ex. laws) are generally written down, clearly defined, and accompanied by strict penalties for those who violate them |
| Informal norms | (ex how to behave at a funeral) are generally understood by all but are less clearly defined, and carry no specific punishments for those who violate them |
| mores | norms that are highly important for the benefit of society and are often strictly enforced |
| Folkways | norms that are less important but shape everyday behavior (ex style of dress) |
| taboos | norms that are so strong that their violation is considered forbidden and oftentimes punishable through formal or informal methods |
| non-normative behavior | challenges shared values and institutions, threatening social structure and cohesion. These behaviors are seen as abnormal and thus discouraged. |
| deviance | describes actions that violate dominant social norms, either formal or informal |
| assimilation | occurs when an individual forsakes aspected of his or her own cultural tradition to adopt those of a different culture |
| amalgamation | occurs when majority and minority groups combine to form a new group |
| functionalism | a view that conceptualizes society as a living organism with many different parts and organs, each with a distinct purpose |
| Conflict theory | views society as a competition for limited resources which results in inequality |
| symbolic interactionism | starts at the micro (close up) level and sees society as the buildup of every-day typical interactions; this theory focuses on communication, the exchange of information through language and symbols |
| social contructionism | argues that people actively shape their reality through social interactions; it is therefore something that is constructed, not inherent |
| feminist theory | concerned with the differing social experiences of men and women, including how social structures contribute to gender differences (macro-level) and the effects of gender differences on indivifual interactions (micro-level) |
| rational-choice and social-exchange theory | both suggest that behavior is driven by a desire to maximize benefit and minimize loss |
| social loafing | tendency for people to exert less effort in a group than if they were individually accountable |
| group polarization | phenomenon in which the average view of a member of a group is accentuated after like-minded group members confer |
| groupthink | phenomenon in which group members value harmony and agreement over a careful consideration of the problem/issue and therefore come to a faulty consensus decision |
| conformity | behavior in accordance with what others are doing |
| obedience | action in accordance with the explicit instructions of an authority figure |
| impression management | conscious or unconscious attempt to manage ones own image by influencing the perception of others |
| dramaturgical perspective | within symbolic interactionism, a theory that posits that we imagine ourselves playing certain roles when interacting with others, like actors on a stage |
| the mere exposure effect | suggests that people prefer things that they have been repeatedly exposed to |
| Inclusive fitness | suggests that altruism among organisms who share genes increase the chances those genes will be passed on to subsequent generations |
| status | a broad term that refers to all socially defined positions within a society |
| ascribed status | status assigned to a person by society regardless of the person's own efforts |
| achieved status | status due largely to individual efforts |
| social roles | expectations for people of a given social status |
| role conflict | conflict in society's expectations for multiple statuses held by the same person |
| role strain | phenomenon in which a single status results in conflicting expectations |
| role exit | phenomenon in which disengaging from a role that has become closely tied to one's self identity to take on another |
| social stratification | the subdivision of society by status according to wealth education, power, or some status marker |
| caste system | a closed stratification in which people can do nothing to change the category they are born into |
| class system | a type of stratification that considers both social variables and individual initiative; classes are open, meaning that people can strive to reach a higher or lower class |
| social mobility | the ability to move up or down in social class |
| socioeconomic status (SES) | can be defined in terms of power (influence over others), property (possessions and income), and prestige (reputation in society) |
| social reproduction | refers to the structures and activities in a place in a society that serve to transmit and reinforce social inequality form one generation to the next |
| cultural capital | the non-financial social assets that promote upward social mobility (eg education, credentials) |
| social capital | social networks that promote upward social mobility |
| attribution theory | rooted in social psychology and attempts to explain how individuals view behavior, both our own behavior and the behavior of others; this can lead to many biases |
| prejudice | thoughts feelings, and atitudes about another group that are not based on actual experience |
| discrimination | bias actions, usually negatively, toward a group |
| group | a collection of people (two or more) who regularly interact and identify with each other, sharing similar norms, values and expectations |
| primary groups | (ex families) groups that play a more important role in an individual's life; these groups are usually smaller, more intimate, and longer-term. They serve expressive functions by meeting emotional needs |
| secondary groups | (ex classmates) groups that are usually larger and more impersonal, and may interact for specific reasons for shorter periods of time |
| reference groups | those which one compares themselves to |
| social network | a web of social relationships, including direct links and indirect connections |
| organization | large, less personal collections of individuals that come together to pursue specific goals; tend to be complex and hierarchally structured |
| utilitarian organization | organization in which members are paid or otherwise compensated for their efforts |
| normative organization | organization that members join because of shared moral goals |
| coercive organization | organization that members are forced to join |
| bureacracy | organization designed to specifically accomplish work tasks. They include division of labor, management, structure, and are designed to be very efficient |
| McDonaldization | social phenomenon in which a culture or geographic area adopts characteristics and values of a fast-food restaurant |
| Iron Law of Oligarchy | tendency of all social structures to develop systemic inequality and other characteristics of oligarchy as they evolve over time |
| social facilitation | tendency of people to perform simple, well learned tasks better in front of other people, and more complex task more poorly |
| deindividuation | tendency that when situations are highly arousing and individuals feel a low sense of responsibility, people are more likely to lose their sense of restraint and their individual identity in exchange for mob mentality |
| bystander effect | phenomenon in social psychology that a person is less likely to provide help when there are other bystanders |
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