Intro To Sociology Flashcards
(24 cards)
What is sociology?
A systematic research-based scientific discipline that focuses on human society and group behavior.
What does sociology primarily focus on?
How group behavior influences individual behavior and vice versa.
What is the primary study phenomena of sociology?
Understanding the social experience in a country.
What does sociology measure in terms of behavior?
The influence of group thought on a person’s behavior.
What is a society according to sociologists?
A group of people who live in a defined geographic area, interact with one another, and share a common culture.
What is micro-level sociology?
The study of small groups and individual interactions.
What is macro-level sociology?
The analysis of trends among and between large groups and societies.
How might sociologists study accepted rules of behavior?
By examining various groups such as youth or business professionals.
What does culture refer to in sociology?
The shared practices, values, and beliefs of a group.
What is sociocultural evolution?
Theories describing how societies and cultures change over time.
Who is considered the father of sociology?
Auguste Comte.
What are the three stages of Comte’s theory of social evolutionism?
- Theological Stage
- Metaphysical Stage
- Positive/Scientific Stage
What is Norbert Elias’s concept of figuration?
The simultaneous analysis of individual behavior and the society that shapes that behavior.
What is a sociological paradigm?
A set of assumptions that guides thinking.
What does social structure refer to?
The organization of people in social relationships.
What does C. Wright Mills’ sociological imagination refer to?
The ability to see the relationship between individual behavior and larger social forces.
What are the three benefits of studying sociological imagination?
- Tracing interconnections between individual behavior and larger patterns
- Identifying behavior generated by social forces
- Understanding social forces influencing individual behavior
What does ‘seeing the general in the particular’ mean in sociology?
Understanding social behavior by placing it in its broader context.
What is social location?
Classification of where an individual fits within a society.
What is marginalization in sociology?
Occupying a position outside the centers of power.
What is the significance of power and inequality in sociology?
To study inequalities and seek possible solutions.
Fill in the blank: Sociology helps to measure the influence of group thought on a person’s _______.
[behavior]
Fill in the blank: Culture encompasses a group’s way of life, including _______ and _______.
[practices], [beliefs]
True or False: Micro concepts can often be understood in terms of macro concepts.
True
