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MCAT Psychology + Sociology > Chapter 8 > Flashcards

Chapter 8 Flashcards

(75 cards)

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1
Q

Society

A

Group of people who share a culture and live/interact with each other within a definable area

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2
Q

Sociology

A

Attempts to understand the behaviour of groups

How people are shaped by the society they live in

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3
Q

Macro-sociologists

A

Large-scale structural considerations
Effects on structures on individual actions
How structures explain patterns of information

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4
Q

Micro-sociologists

A

Small-scae individual considerations

Effects of individuals on social structure

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5
Q

Functionalism

A

Each part of society/person has a distinct purpose

Emile Durkheim

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6
Q

Dynamic equilibrium

A

All parts of society work together to maintain stability

Emile Durkheim

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7
Q

Manifest functions

A

Intended and obvious consequences of a structure

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8
Q

Latent functions

A

Unintended or less recognized consequences of a structure

Can be beneficial, harmful or neutral

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9
Q

Conflict theory

A

Society as a competition for limited resources

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10
Q

Criticisms of conflict theory (3)

A
  1. Ignores the non-forceful ways in which epople and groups reach agreement
  2. Approaches society more from the perspective of those who lack power
  3. Focuses on economic factors almost exclusively as the sole issue for conflict within society
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11
Q

Symbolic interactionism

A

Interested in the symbols that people use to contribute values and beliefs to others
Subjective means people impose on objects, events and behaviours

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12
Q

Dramaturgical approach

A

People are theatrical performers and that everyday life is a stage

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13
Q

Rational choice theory

A

Decisions made between multiple courses of action

Choosing things that provide greatest reward at lowest cost

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14
Q

Social exchange theory

A

We assign different values to different interactions and prefer the action with the greatest personal benefit

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15
Q

Methodological individualism

A

All social realities are the result of individual actions and interactions

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16
Q

Social constructionism

A

People actively shape their reality through social interactions
It is something that is constructed, not inherent

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17
Q

Social construct

A

Concept or practice that is a construct of a group

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18
Q

Social institutions

A

Complexes of roles, norms, and values organized into a relatively stable form that contribute to social order by governing the behaviour of people

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19
Q

Nuclear family

A

Direct blood relations

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20
Q

Polygyny

A

One man, multiple wives

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21
Q

Polyandry

A

One women, multiple husbands

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22
Q

Endogamy

A

Practice of marrying within a particular group

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23
Q

Exogamy

A

Marrying outside of a particular group

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24
Q

Kinship

A

Cultural group, not related
Bilateral descent: includes maternal and paternal relations
VS. patrilineal or matrilineal descent

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25
Educational segregation
Disparities between education afforded to those of different socioeconomic classes
26
Teacher expectancy theory
Once a teacher has formed an opinion of a student, and students will agree and act in accordance
27
Educational stratification
Differences becoming entrenched through educational segregation, persisting through generations, so that children's education mirrors that of their parents
28
Ecclesia
Dominant religious organization that includes most members of society National or official religion
29
Church
Type of religious organization that is well integrated into the larger society Usually occurs by birth
30
Sect
A religious organization that is distinct from that of the larger society Often formed from breaking away from larger religious institutions
31
Cult/new religious movement
Religious organization that is far outside society's norms and often involves a very different lifestyle Can be judged
32
Secularization
Process in which religious looses its social significance in modern societies
33
Fundamentalism
Response to modern societies - strong attachment to traditional religious beliefs and practices
34
Religiosity
Extent religion influences an individuals life
35
Rational-legal authority
Legal rules and regulations are stipulated in a document
36
Traditional authority
Power due to custom, tradition or accepted practice
37
Charismatic authority
Power of their persuasion
38
Meritocracy
Rules by meritorious, those with record of meaningful social contributions
39
Fascist government
Ruled by a small group of leaders
40
Authoritarian governments
Unelected leaders
41
Totalitarianism
Unelected leaders regulate both public and private life
42
Command economies
Planned economies Economic decisions are based on a plan of production and the mean of production are often public Communism, socialism
43
Market economies
Economic decisions are based on the market and the means of production are often private
44
Mixed economies
Have mix of command and market economies
45
Traditional economies
Consider social customs in economic decisions | Most commonly in rural areas and often involving bartering and trading
46
Welfare capitalism
Most of the economy is private, except for extensive social welfare programs to serve certain needs
47
State capitalism
Companies are privately run, but work closely with state to come up with rules and regulations
48
Mechanical solidarity
Society remains integrated because individuals have common beliefs that lead to each person having the same fundamental experience
49
Collective conscious
Shared by individuals, that presumes that the existence of a greater social order that guides individual actions through shared beliefs, moral and values
50
Organic solidarity
Society integrates through division of labor, which leads to each person having a different personal experience Each movement is distinguishable and separate
51
Medical model of disease
Emphasis on physical or medical factors as being the cause of all illness
52
Social model of disease
Emphasis on the effect of one's social class, employment status, neighbourhood, exposure to environmental toxins, diet, and many other factors
53
Sick role
Talcott Parsons Excepting someone from social roles and making up for their deviance Legitimizing their illness, and they must play the roll of an ill person
54
Illness experience
Take the patient's subjective experience of illness as its main concern
55
Symbolic culture
Symbols that are recognized by people of the same culture
56
Whorf hypothesis
People understand their world through language, and that language in turn shapes how we experience the world
57
Sociobiology
Study of how biology and evolution have affected human social behaviour
58
Cultural competence
Effective interactions between people of different cultures
59
Cultural transmission
Process in which cultural understanding is spread across generations
60
Cultural lag
Societal rules lag behind new technological advancements
61
Transition shock
Experiencing changes, that need a period of adjustment
62
Sociocultural evolution
Theories describing the processes through which societies and cultures have progressed over time
63
Class consciousness
Individuals active awareness in their membership in a social class
64
False consciousness
Individuals not recognizing the state of class relations under their social system
65
Social reproduction
Structures and activities in place in a society that serve to transmit and reinforce social inequality
66
Cultural capital
Non-financial social assets that promote social motility
67
Social capital
Potential for social networks to allow for upward social motility
68
Power
Ability to get other people to do things
69
Prestige
Reputation in society
70
Privilege
Set of unearned benefits one receives because of some attribute
71
Intersectionality
The ways different identities intersect within individuals and social groups to produce unique social positions
72
Relative poverty
Inability to meet the average standard of living within a society
73
Absolute poverty
Inability to meet a bare minimum of basic necessities
74
Social epidemiology
Study of distribution of health and disease across a population
75
Health-care disparities
Population-specific differences int he presence of disease, health outcomes, and quality of health care across different social groups

MCAT Psychology + Sociology (5 decks)

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