sociology
the systematic study of human society.
sociological perspective
the special point of view of sociology that sees general patterns of society in the lives of particular people. Seeing the general in the particular. (behavior).
global perspective
the study of the larger world and our society's place in it.
high-income countries
the nations with the highest overall standards of living.
middle-income countries
nations with a standard of living about average for the world as a whole.
low-income countries
nations with a low standard of living in which most people are poor.
positivism
a scientific approach to knowledge based on "positive" facts as opposed to mere speculation.
theory
a statement of how and why specific facts are related.
theoretical approach
a basic image of society that guides thinking and research.
structural-functional approach
a framework for building theory that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability. (August Comte, Emile Durkheim, and Herbert Spencer)
social structure
any relatively stable pattern of social behavior.
social functions
the consequences of a social pattern for the operation of society as a whole.
manifest functions
the recognized and intended consequences of any social pattern.
latent functions
the unrecognized and unintended consequences of any social pattern.
social dysfunction
any social pattern that may disrupt the operation of society.
social-conflict approach
a framework for building theory that sees society as an arena of inequality that generates conflict and change. (Karl Marx)
gender-conflict approach
a point of view that focuses on inequality and conflict between women and men.
feminism
support of social equality for women and men.
race-conflict approach
a point of view that focuses on inequality and conflict between people of different racial and ethnic categories.
macro-level orientation
a broad focus on social structures that shape society as a whole.
micro-level orientation
a close-up focus on social interaction in specific situations.
symbolic-interaction approach
a framework for building theory that sees society as the product of the everyday interactions of individuals.
structural-functional approach and social conflict approach
Macro- level view (2)
symbolic-interaction approach
Micro-level view (1)
positivist sociology
the study of society based on systematic observation of social behavior.
science
a logical system that develops knowledge from direct, systematic observation.
empirical evidence
information we can verify with our senses.
concept
a mental construct that represents some aspect of the world in a simplified form
variable
a concept whose value changes from case to case.
measurement
a procedure for determining the value of a variable in a specific case.
reliability
consistency in measurement
validity
actually measuring exactly what you intend to measure
correlation
a relationship in which two (or more) variables change together.
cause and effect
a relationship in which change in one variable (the independent variable) causes change in another (the dependent variable).
interpretive sociology
the study of society that focuses on discovering the meanings people attach to their social world.
critical sociology
the study of society that focuses on the need for social change
gender
the personal traits and social positions that members of a society attach to being female or male.
social perspective
____________ reveals the power of society to shape individual lives.
helping us understand the barriers and opportunities in our lives, giving us an advantage in our careers, guiding public policy.
when applying the sociological perspective what are a few of the benefits? (3)
TRUE
T/F Global awareness is an important part of the sociological perspective because our society's place in the world affects us all.
Rapid social change
___________ helped trigger the development of sociology.
Rise of an industrial economy, explosive growth of cities, new political ideas.
What rapid social changes helped trigger the development of sociology? (3)
Auguste Comte
____________named sociology in 1838.
Karl Marx
___________ and many later sociologists used sociology to try to make society better.
TRUE
T/F The countries that experienced the most rapid social change were those in which sociology developed first.
Structural-functional approach
The ______________ explores how social structures work together to help society operate.
Auguste Comte, Emile Durkheim, and Herbert Spencer
_________, _____________, and __________ helped develop the structural-functional approach.
Social-conflict approach
The _______ shows how inequality creates conflict and causes change.
Gender-conflict approach and race-conflict approach
two important types of conflict analysis are the ________ and the ____________.
Karl Marx
___________ helped develop the social-conflict approach.
symbolic-interaction approach
The _________ studies how people, in everyday interaction, construct reality.
Max Weber and George Herbert Mead
_____________and ___________ helped develop the symbolic-interaction approach.
Positivist Sociology
______________ uses the logic of science to understand how variables are related, tries to establish cause and effect, and demands that researchers try to be objective.
Interpretive sociology
_______________ focuses on the meanings that people attach to behavior.
TRUE
T/F According to interpretive sociology, people construct reality in their everyday lives.
Critical sociology
_______ uses research to bring about social change, focuses on inequality, and rejects the principle of objectivity, claiming that all research is political.
TRUE
T/F Gender, involving both researcher and subjects, can effect all research.
TRUE
T/F All researchers must follow professional ethical guidelines for conducting research.
research method
a systematic plan for doing research
experiment
a research method for investigating cause and effect under highly controlled conditions.
survey
a research method in which subjects respond to a series of statements or questions on a questionnaire or in an interview.
participant observation
a research method in which investigators systematically observe people while joining them in their routine activities.
stereotype
a simplified description applied to every person in some category.
experiment
The ________ allows researchers to study cause and effect between two or more variables in a controlled setting.
Survey
___________ research uses questionnaires or interviews to gather subjects' responses to a series of questions.
participant observation
Through _________, researchers join with people in a social setting for an extended period of time.
Existing sources
Researchers use data collected by others from _____________ to save time and money.
C) The operation of society guides many of our personal choices
What does the sociological perspective show us about whom any individual chooses to marry? A) there is no explaining personal feelings like love B) People's actions reflect human free will C) The operation of society guides many of our personal choices D) In the case of love, opposites attract.
D) All of the above are correct
The personal value of studying sociology includes: A) seeing the opportunities and constraints in our lives. B) the fact that it is good preparation for a number of careers. C) becoming more active participants in society. D) All of the above are correct.
A) countries experiencing rapid social change
The discipline of sociology first developed in: A) countries experiencing rapid social change B) countries with strong traditions. C) countries with a history of warfare. D) the world's poorest countries.
B) Auguste Comte
Which early sociologists coined the term sociology in 1838? A) Karl Marx B) Auguste Comte C) Adam Smith D) Herbert Spencer
C) patterns of social inequality
Sociology's social-conflict approach draws attention to: A) how structure contributes to the overall operation of society B) how people construct meaning through interaction C) patterns of social inequality D) the stable aspects of society
C) information we can verify with our senses
Empirical evidence refers to: A) quantitative rather than qualitative data B) what people consider "common sense" C) information we can verify with our senses D) patterns found in every known society.
B) there are several ways to operationalize this variable.
When trying to measure people's "social class," you would have to keep in mind that: A) your measurement can never be both reliable and valid B) there are several ways to operationalize this variable C) there is no way to measure "social class" D) in the United States, everyone agrees on what "social class" means.
D) focuses on the meanings people attach to behavior
Interpretive sociology is a research orientation that: A) focuses on people's actions B) sees an objective reality "out there." C) seeks to increase social justice D) focuses on the meanings people attach to behavior.
A) key informant
In participant observation, the problem of "breaking in" to a setting is often solved with the help of a: A) key informant B) research assistant C) bigger budget D) All of the above are correct.
B) social-conflict approach
The critical sociology research orientation is linked most closely to which theoretical approach? A) structural-functional approach B) social-conflict approach C) symbolic-interaction approach D) None of the above is correct
Racial segregation, school busing, and divorce
The laws and regulations that guide how people in communities live and work: (3)
To explain social behavior in the real world
Job of sociological theory:
What issues should we study? & How should we connect the facts?
Two basic questions in building theory:
Structural-functional approach, Social-conflict approach, Symbolic-interaction approach
Three theoretical approaches:
Structural-functional approach
This approach looks for each structure's social patterns function to keep society going, at least in its present form.
Auguste Comte
Structural- function owes much to ______________.
Robert K. Merton
_______________ expanded understanding of social function.
Robert K. Merton
_____________ pointed out that any social structure probably has many functions and he distinguished between manifest functions and latent functions.
Social-conflict approach
highlights how the following factors are linked to inequality: Class, race, ethnicity, gender, and age.
Social-conflict approach
________________ is used to look at ongoing conflict between dominant and disadvantaged categories of people.
Symbolic-interaction approach
this approach: society is the reality people construct for themselves as they interact with one another.
Micro-level
___________ sociology shows how individuals construct and experience society.
Micro-level sociology
this risks overlooking widespread influence of culture. Factors such as: class, gender, and race.