1. Sociology Test 1 Study Guide

2. Ch. 1, Section 1 Ch. 1, Section 1: Vocab Words:
Social Sciences: disciplines that study human social behavior or institutions and the functions of human society in a scientific manner.
Sociology: the study of human society and social behavior
social interaction: How people relate to one another and influence each other’s behavior
social phenomena: observable facts or events that involve human society
The social sciences are: anthropology, psychology, social psychology, economics, political science, history
sociological perspective: a point of view
sociological imagination: The capacity to range from the most impersonal and remote topics to the most intimate features of human self and to see the relation between the two.

3. Ch. 1, section 2
August Comte: The first to apply the methods of physical science to the study of society, created the term sociology, founder of the subject
Harriet Martineau: Sociological studies in the US and Britain, Scholars
should try to improve society, translated Comte’s works into English
Herbert Spencer: “survival of the fittest”, Applied biology to society
Karl Marx: Emphasized how conflict plays a role in social change, revolution to speed up change, development of conflict perspective
Emile Durkheim: Society is a set of interdependent parts, each serves a specific function, sociologists should focus on social phenomena, development of functionalist perspective

4. Ch. 1, section 2
Max Weber: Developed the concept of the ideal type, model against which social reality can be measured, sociology should attempt to understand meanings individuals attach to their actions
Jane Addams: developed Hull House, helped social work in the US take off
W.E.B. Du Bois: Studied the significance of race in the US, Sociologists should be involved in social reform and academic study

5. Ch. 1, Section 3
Functionalist Perspective: View society as a set of interrelated parts that work together to produce a stable social system.
Conflict Perspective: Focuses on the forces in society which promote competition and change. Looks at how those with power exercise control over those without power.
Feminist Perspective: falls under conflict, looks at how men dominate women and anything considered masculine is more highly valued
Interactionist Perspective: Focuses on how individuals interact with one another in society

6. The Scientific Method/ The Research Process:
Ch. 1, Section 4
The Scientific Method/ The Research Process:
Define the Problem
Review the literature
Form a hypothesis
Choose Research design
Collect data
Analyze the data
Present conclusions

7. Ch. 1, Section 4 Causation and Correlation:
Scientists and sociologists usually try to find patterns or cause and effect within events. The way they do this is by looking at variables (characteristic that differs from group to group, and can vary in quantity). There are two types of variables, independent and dependent. Independent variables are is a variable that causes change in another variable. Dependent variables are variables that are changed.
The first step is to see whether a correlation exists between variables. A correlation is when a change in one variable is regularly associated with another variable

8. Ch. 2, Section 1 Culture is all the shared products of human groups
Material culture: physical objects that people create and use. Examples are clothing, cars, buildings, cooking utensils
Nonmaterial culture: abstract human creations. Examples are beliefs, family patterns, rules, work practices
Components of Culture:
Technology
Symbols
Language
Values
Norms

9. Ch. 2, Section 2
Cultural Universals are features common to all cultures
Arts and leisure
Basic Needs
Beliefs
Communication and Education
Family
Government and Economy
Technology
Cultural Variation is the differences between societies and groups within societies.
Ethnocentrism is the belief that one’s own group is superior to all others
Cultural Relativism: the belief that cultures should be judged by their own standards rather than by applying the standards of another culture

10. Ch. 2, Section 2
Cultural diffusion is when cultural ideas spread from one society to another.
Spreading of language by people who come from other countries would be an example.

11. Ch. 2, Section 3 American Values Personal Achievement
Progress and Material Comfort
Work
Individualism
Efficiency and Practicality
Morality and Humanitarianism
Freedom
Equality and Democracy
Values change over time. Self fulfillment is a current value. It is all about bettering one’s self. Often times, it can lead to narcissism. An example of values, in general, changing over time is how preservation of nature is highly valued. In the past, it was not.

12. Ch. 3, Section 1 Ascribed and Achieved status:
Ascribed status is a status you inherit. It is beyond your control, things like brown eyes, your race, family heritage
Achieved status: Status achieved through one’s own effort. Things like special skills, knowledge, etc
Master Status: one’s greatest role in life, shapes his or her identity.
Can change over time
Teenager’s status is usually student

13. You play a role and occupy a status
Roles
You play a role and occupy a status
Roles are the behaviors expected with your status
Role expectations: socially expected behaviors
Role set: groups of roles attached to a status
Each person holds more than one role
Role Conflict: when fulfilling one role and the accepted behaviors contradicts another role’s behaviors
Think of the parent/employee example.

14. Role Strain
Occurs when one is unable to meet the expectations of a single status
Think of a student struggling to maintain good grades in all of their classes, struggling to be a student
Role Exit
Process to detach from a role
Steps:
1.disillusionment with current role
2. Start to search for new role
3. Reach a turning point and depart from old role
Think of ex convicts.
Conflict occurs with role exit because the “ex” is still expected to live up to their old behaviors.

15. Social Institutions
How statuses and roles are organized to satisfy one or more of the basic needs of society
The family: most universal institution
The economic Institution: organized the production, consumption of goods and services
The political institution: the system of norms that governs the exercise and distribution of power
Education: the transmission of values, patterns of behaviors, certain skills and knowledge
Religion: provides a shared, collective explanation of the meaning of life

16. Ch, 3, Section 2
Exchange theory: People are motivated by their own self- interest in their interactions with other people. Behavior that is rewarded is repeated.
Theorists believe most of social life can be explained by people attempting to maximize their rewards while minimizing costs.
Weaknesses: fails to explain why people join certain organizations, counters some social norms (altruism)
Competition
When two or more groups oppose one another
Cornerstone of Western societies
Generally seen as a positive thing
But can lead to stress, lack of cooperation in social relationships and conflict
Cooperation
When a group works together to achieve a goal
Social process to get things done

17. A state of balance between cooperation and conflict
Accommodation
A state of balance between cooperation and conflict
Think of the motel example
Types of accommodation
Compromise
Truce
Mediation
Arbitration

18. Ch. 3, Section 3
Group: set of people who interact on the basis of shared expectations and who possess some degree of common identity.
Preindustrial vs. Postindustrial
Preindustrial: main economic activity is food production
Postindustrial: economic emphasis is on provision of information and services rather than manufacturing.
Types of Societies:
Hunter-gather
Pastoral
Horticultural
Agricultural

19. Groups have four major features:
Ch. 4, Section 4
Groups have four major features:
They must consist of two or more people
There must be interaction among members
Group members must have shared expectations
Members must all possess some sense of common identity.

20. Ch. 3, Section 4 Ch. 3, Section 4 Aggregate vs. social group
Aggregate: no organization or patterns of interaction. Think of people at a Tigers game
Social Group
Types of groups: dyad, triad
Factors in groups: Size, Organization, time
Primary Vs. secondary group
Primary: Small group who interacts over long period of time, think of family
Secondary: group whose interaction is impersonal, temporary in nature, classroom, factory

21. Reference group: A group with whom an individual aligns their attitudes and values with
In-Group/ Out Group
In group: group a person identifies with and any group they do not is called an out group
Characteristics of in groups: believe they are superior, view out groups negatively, separate themselves through others through symbols
Electronic communities/social networks: how are they different from other groups? How are they similar?
No sense of community like in a face to face community, in some online communities people act as they would in real life
What is needed for groups to function? Goals assigning tasks, making decisions, conformity
Leaders: two kinds, instrumental and expressive
Need to perform functions such as assigning tasks, making decisions, setting goals
Groups need to have a goal. No goal, no sense in group existing

22. Ch. 3, Section 5
Ch. 3, Section 5
Weber’s Model of Bureaucracies: What it is and be able to define the 5 characteristics
Division of labor
Ranking of Authority
Employment based on formal qualifications
Written rules and regulations
Specific lines of promotion and advancement