Sociology Vocab

Sociology

Social science that studies human society and social behavior

Social interaction

How ppl relate 2 1 another & influence each other's behavior

Sociological imagination

Ability to see connection btw larger world and personal lives

Social Darwinism

Perspective that says societies evolve toward stability and perfection

Theory

Systematic explanation of the relationship among phenomena

Manifest function

Intended & recognized consequence of element of society

Latent Function

Unintended & unrecognized consequence of element of society

Symbol

Anything that stands for something else

Culture

Shared products of human groups (beliefs)

Society

Group of interdependent people who have organized in such a way to have unity

values

Shared beliefs about what is good or bad

norms

Shared rules of conduct that tell people how to act in specific situations

folkways

Norms that don't have moral significance attached to them

mores

Norms that have moral significance

laws

Written rules of conduct enforce by government

cultural universals

Common features found in all human cultures

ethnocentrism

Tendency to view one's own culture as superior to others'

cultural relativism

Belief that cultures should be judged by their own standards

subculture

Group with its own unique values, norms, behaviors that exists within a larger culture

counterculture

Group that rejects values of larger society and replace it with their own cultural patterns

Self-fulfillment

Commitment 2 full development of one's personalities/talents

narcissism

Extreme self-centeredness

sanctions

Rewards/punishments used to enforce conformity to norms

formal sanction

Rewards/punishments given by formal society (gov, cops)

informal sanction

Spontaneous expression of approval/disapproval given by individual

social control

Enforcing of norms through sanctions/internalization

ideology

System of belief/ideas that justifies social interest by society

social movement

Long term effort to promote social change

social structure

Network of interrelated statuses/roles that guides human interaction

status

Socially defines position in group or society

role

Behavior expected of someone in certain status

exchange

Individual interaction assumed in effort to receive reward in return for actions

reciprocity

If you do something for someone, they owe you

group

Set of 2+ who interact on the basis of shared expectations

urbanization

Concentration of the population in cities

primary group

Small group who interact over a long time personally

secondary group

Group in which interaction is impersonal and temporary

social network

Web of relationships formed by total of individuals' interaction with other people

formal organization

Large secondary group established to achieve certain goals

bureaucracy

Ranked authority structure that operates according to specific rules

personality

Sum total of behaviors that are characteristics of someone

heredity

Transmission of genetic characteristics from parents to kids

instinct

Unchanging biologically inherited behavior patterns

aptitude

Capacity to learn a skill or acquire certain knowledge

feral children

Wild or untamed children

socialization

Interactive process in which individuals learn basic skills of society

self

Conscious awareness of possessing a distinct identity that separates us from others in society

significant others

Specific ppl who have direct influence on our socialization

generalized other

Internalized attitudes of society we used to guide our behavior and reinforced our sense of self

total institution

Setting in which ppl are isolated from the rest of society for a set period of time (prisons)

deviance

Behavior that violates significant social norms

stigma

Mark of social disgrace that sets deviant from rest of society

labeling theory

Theory that focuses on how individuals come to be labeled as deviant

crime

Any act labeled as such by authority, prohibited by law

white collar crime

Crime committed by someone from high status

criminal justice system

The system of police, courts, and corrections

racial profiling

Assuming nonwhites are more likely to commit crime

plea bargaining

Legal negotiation that allows accused person to plead guilty to a lesser charge

recidivism

Repeated criminal behavior