Social Structure and Demographics

Question 1

Social structure

Answer 1

A system of people within a society organized by a characteristic pattern of relationships

Question 2

Functionalism

Answer 2

Study of the structure and function of each part of society

-society is in a normal state if all parts are fulfilling their functions

Question 3

Function - definition

Answer 3

Later theorist defined it as the beneficial consequences of people’s actions
-help keep society in balance

Question 4

Dysfunctions

Answer 4

Harmful consequences of peoples actions as they undermine a social system’s equilibrium

Question 5

Manifest function

Answer 5

Action is intended to help some part of a system

Question 6

Latent functions

Answer 6

Manifest functions that have unintended positive consequences on other parts of society

Question 7

Conflict theory

Answer 7

Based on the works of Karl Marx

Focuses on the power differentials: how they are created and how they contribute to the maintenance of social order

Question 8

Symbolic interactionism

Answer 8

study of the way individuals interact through a shared understanding of words, gestures, and other symbols

Question 9

Social constructionism theory

Answer 9

Focuses on how individuals put together their social reality

Question 10

Social constructs

Answer 10

arise from humans communicating and working together to agree on the significance of a concept or principle
-ex: work ethic, dress code, gender roles

Question 11

Rational choice theory

Answer 11

Focuses on decision making in an individual
-attempts to reduce this process to a careful consideration of benefits and harms

In any given social situation the individual chooses the action that has the highest benefit to harm ratio

Question 12

Exchange theory

Answer 12

Extension of rational choice theory - focuses on interactions in groups

• behaviour that is met with approval will be reinforced
• behaviour that is met with disapproval is punished which discourages its continuation

Question 13

Feminist theory

Answer 13

Attempts to explain social inequalities that exist on the basis of gender
-focus on the subordination of women through social structures and institutional discrimination

Question 14

Social Institutions

Answer 14

well-established social structures that dictate certain patterns of behaviour and are accepted as fundamental part of culture
-ex: family, education

Question 15

Social Institution: Family

Answer 15

Influences by a number of factors like gender, age, race, beliefs, practices, etc.

Patterns of kinship reflected by different terms that are not conserved across cultures (mother, cousins, brother..)

Sociologists look at stages of coupling, relationships between spouses, parenting etc.

Question 16

Divorce rates in the US have been…?

Answer 16

Increasing significantly in the later 20th century but have started to drop in the past 2 decades

Question 17

Domestic violence

Answer 17

1 cause of injury to american women

Seen across all social classes

Most common in families with drug abuse (especially alcoholism)

Question 18

Elder abuse

Answer 18

Usually manifests itself as neglect of an older relative

caretaker of the individual is most often the source of abuse

Question 19

Child abuse

Answer 19

Most commonly manifests as neglect

-physical, sexual, and psychological abuse are also common

Question 20

Hidden curriculum

Answer 20

Education not only includes information and cognitive skills but also is a methods of transmitting social norms, attitudes and beliefs

Question 21

Teacher expectancy

Answer 21

Refers to the fact that teachers tend to get what they expect from students
-ones who places high demand AND believes the students can succeed tend to see more student success

Question 22

Religion

Answer 22

pattern of social activities organized around a set of beliefs and practices that seek to address the meaning of existence

Question 23

6 social institutions

Answer 23

1. Education
2. Family
3. Religion
4. Government
5. Economy
6. Medicine/Heathcare

Question 24

Healthcare and Medicine

Answer 24

Institutions aimed at maintaining or improving the health status of the individual, family, community
-increase access with decreased cost

Question 25

4 tenants of medical ethics

Answer 25

1. Beneficence: the physician had a responsibility to act in the patients best interest
2. Nonmaleficence: “do no harm” - responsibility to avoid treatments in which the potential for harm outweighs the good
3. Respect for patient autonomy: physician has a responsibility to respect the wishes of the patient
4. Justice: responsibility to treat all patients with the same standard of care and to distribute resources fairly

Question 26

Material culture

Answer 26

Meaning of objects within a given society

• can be studied by looking at the artifacts of a population
• often very visible during ceremonies, birthdays, funerals, weddings, etc.

Often the tangible embodiment of symbolic culture

Question 27

Symbolic culture

Answer 27

aka. nonmaterial culture is focused on the ideas that represent a group of people

Has a behavioural and cognitive component
-informs values and beliefs as well as norms and communication styles

Question 28

Culture lag

Answer 28

Symbolic culture is often “slower” than material culture

Question 29

Demographics

Answer 29

statistics of populations and the mathematical applications of sociology

Question 30

Gender inequality

Answer 30

intentional or unintentional empowerment of one gender to the detriment of the other

Question 31

Race

Answer 31

Social construct based on phenotypic differences between groups of people
-can be real or perceived differences

Question 32

Racialization

Answer 32

Definition or establishment of a group as a particular race

Question 33

Racial formation theory

Answer 33

Posits that racial identity is fluid and dependent on concurrent political, economic, and social factors
*racial identities are always on display

Question 34

Ethnicity

Answer 34

Social construct that organizes people based on cultural factors including race, nationality, religion…
*ethnic identities are not always on display

Question 35

Symbolic ethnicity

Answer 35

Specific connection to one;s ethnicity in which ethnic symbols and identity remain important even when ethnic identity does not play a significant role in everyday life

Question 36

Kinsey scale

Answer 36

Ranks sexual orientation from 0-6 with 0 = only heterosexual and 6 = only homosexual

Question 37

Intersectionality

Answer 37

The interplay between multiple demographic factors that can lead to discrimination and oppression

Question 38

Fertility rate

Answer 38

children per woman per lifetime

•primary driver of population expansion in many countries

Question 39

Birth rate

Answer 39

children born per 1000 people per year

Question 40

Mortality rate

Answer 40

Deaths per 1000 people per year

Question 41

Migration rate

Answer 41

Immigration rate - emigration rate

Question 42

Demographic transition

Answer 42

specific kind of demographic shift referring to changes in birth and death rates in a country

Question 43

Demographic shift

Answer 43

changes in population makeup over time

Question 44

Stage 1

Answer 44

preindustrial society

-birth and death rates are both high

Question 45

Stage 2

Answer 45

Improvements in health care, nutrition, sanitation

• birth rate = high
• death rate = starts to drop

Question 46

Stage 3

Answer 46

Improvements in contraception, women’s rights and a shift from agriculture to industry

• birth rates drop
• families have fewer children as children spend more time in school

Question 47

Stage 4

Answer 47

An industrialized society

-both birth and death rates are low

Question 48

Malthusian theory

Answer 48

focuses on how the exponential growth of population can outpace growth of the food supply and lead to social degradation

Question 49

Social movements

Answer 49

either promote (proactive) or resist social change (reactive)
-motivated by perceived relative deprivation

Question 50

Globalization

Answer 50

process of integrating the global economy with free trade and the tapping of foreign markets

Question 51

Urbanization

Answer 51

dense areas of population creating a pul for migration

-more than half the world’s population lives in urban areas

Question 52

Slum

Answer 52

densely populated area of a city with low-quality, often informal housing and poor sanitation

Question 53

Ghetto

Answer 53

areas where specific racial, ethnic, or religious minorities are concentrated
-usually due to social or economic inequities