Chapter 1 - Thinking of Social Problems Flashcards
(33 cards)
sociological imagination
The ability to see the connections between our personal lives and the social world in which we live.
objective element of a social problem
Awareness of social conditions through one’s own life experiences and through reports in the media.
subjective element of a social problem
The belief that a particular social condition is harmful to society, or to a segment of society, and that it should and can be changed.
independent variable
The variable that is expected to explain change in the dependent variable.
Field research
Research that involves observing and studying social behavior in settings in which it occurs naturally
Norms
Socially defined rules of behavior, including folkways, mores, and laws.
Sample
A portion of the population, selected to be representative so that the information from the sample can be generalized to a larger population.
Beliefs
Definitions and explanations about what is assumed to be true.
Roles
The set of rights, obligations, and expectations associated with a status.
Symbol
Something that represents something else.
theory
A set of interrelated propositions or principles designed to answer a question or explain a particular phenomenon.
Experiments
Research methods that involve manipulating the independent variable to determine how it affects the dependent variable.
alienation
A sense of powerlessness and meaninglessness in people’s lives.
Social movement
An organized group of individuals with a common purpose to either promote or resist social change through collective action.
Primary groups
Usually small numbers of individuals characterized by intimate and informal interaction.
Variable
Any measurable event, characteristic, or property that varies or is subject to change.
Values
Social agreements about what is considered good and bad, right and wrong, desirable and undesirable.
Structure
The way society is organized including institutions, social groups, statuses, and roles.
Secondary groups
Involving small or large numbers of individuals, groups that are task-oriented and are characterized by impersonal and formal interaction.
Latent functions
Consequences that are unintended and often hidden.
institution
An established and enduring pattern of social relationships.
achieved status
A status that society assigns to an individual on the basis of factors over which the individual has some control (e.g., high school graduate).
Manifest functions
Consequences that are intended and commonly recognized.
social problem
A social condition that a segment of society views as harmful to members of society and in need of remedy.
