L1 - Power and Hierachy

Question 1

Define hierarchy

Answer 1

rank ordering of individuals and/or groups based on some valued dimensions within societies and/or organisations

Question 2

Define power

Answer 2

asymmetric control over valued resources

Question 3

define status

Answer 3

esteem, respect, admiration and value

Question 4

define authority

Answer 4

legitimacy, tights or formal claim to control

Question 5

what are cultural values?

Answer 5

collective values and meaning systems

Question 6

How does the focus of sociology differ from social psychology?

Answer 6

Sociology –> focuses on society at large + Social, economic, political, cultural factors

Social psychology –> focuses on the individual within the context of their social/ cultural situation + their interpretations of the world

Question 7

What do sociology and social psychology question (they’re different)?

Answer 7

Sociology –> Why do members of a particular society/ group behave as they do?

Social psychology –> Are there universal properties of human nature that lead people to behave in certain ways?

Question 8

What is the realistic group conflict theory?

Answer 8

conflict + prejudice can stem from competition over scarce resources (sherif 1967)

Perceived threat from another social group can lead to prejudice and conflict.

Question 9

Who proposed Social Dominance Theory I?

Answer 9

Sidanius and Pratto (1999)

Question 10

What is the aim of SDT I?

Answer 10

To explain the creation, maintenance and stability of group-based social hierarchies

Question 11

What does SDT I assume?

Answer 11

That group-based hierarchy is universal with 3 types:

Age-based –> adults have more power than children

Gender –> patriarchy

Arbitrary-set –> socially constructed e.g., race

Question 12

What is the parental investment theory and how does it relate to SDT I?

Answer 12

the idea that the minimal investment (time, energy + resources that a parent provides for their child) leads to different mating strategies for males and females

Question 13

Who proposed Social Dominance Theory II

Answer 13

Sidanius and Pratto (2004)

Question 14

What are the 3 key assumptions of SDT II?

Answer 14

1) Age and gender hierarchies exist in all social systems + arbitrary set hierarchies only exist in systems with economic surplus

2) Most group conflicts and oppression stem from the same manifestations of the same basic human predisposition to form a group-based social hierarchy

3) People react to hierarchy either with hierarchy-enhancing or hierarchy-attenuating behaviour

Question 15

Define Hierarchy-enhancing (HE) behaviour

Answer 15

Ideologies that contributes to greater levels of group-based inequality e.g., racism

Question 16

Define Hierarchy-attenuating (HA) behaviour

Answer 16

Ideologies that work to reduce group-based inequality and “level the playing field” between groups at the top and the bottom of a social hierarchy.

Question 17

What is Social Dominance Orientation?

Answer 17

How much someone leans towards HE or HA behaviour

Question 18

How is SDO measured?

Answer 18

using an individual difference variable that captures HE vs HA preferences

High SDO = HE
Low SDO = HA

Question 19

What are the 2 sub-dimensions of SDO?

Answer 19

(Anti-)egalitarianism –>SDO-E
Dominance –> SDO-D

Question 20

What is SDO-E?

Answer 20

A dimension of SDO measures how much a person supports or opposes equality among different social groups. Someone with low SDO-E strongly favours equality, while someone with high SDO-E is more likely to support inequality between groups

Question 21

What is SDO-D?

Answer 21

Another dimension of SDO that’s associated with overt racism and aggression towards other groups and preferences for human dominance over nature.

Question 22

What is social dominance theory III?

Answer 22

Explains how societies maintains social inequality through group-based hierarchies , which are based on factors like age, gender and social identity

Question 23

How does social dominance theory III differ from social dominance theory II?

Answer 23

more focus on interaction –> emphasises how individual behaviour interacts with social institutions to maintain or challenge hierarchies

Greater emphasis on gender

Better explains hierarchy-enhancing and hierarchy-attenuating beliefs

Highlights how different forms of inequality (race, gender, class) overlap and influence each other

Incorporates more recent data and research making the theory more applicable.

Question 24

What is Social Dominance Orientation II

Answer 24

part of social dominance theory that measure how much a person supports or opposes group-based hierarchies.

highlights 2 main attitudes:
1) preference for inequality - support for some groups having more power than others

2) justification of dominance - belief that it’s natural or right for some groups to dominate

Question 25

How does Social Dominance Orientation I differ from Social Dominance Orientation II?

Answer 25

SDO I: single, broad measure of how much a person supports or opposes group-based inequality and social dominance SDO II: more structured, clearer measure of attitudes towards group based inequality

Question 26

What's Social Dominance Orientation III?

Answer 26

measures a person's preference of social hierarchies and inequality between groups 2 key dimensions: 1) Support for group-based dominance - favouring power and control of dominant groups over others 2) Opposition to equality - resisting policies and ideas that promote equality between different social groups

Question 27

How does Social Dominance Orientation II differ from Social Dominance Orientation III?

Answer 27

SDO II: Focuses broadly on whether a person supports or opposes group-based inequality, measuring their overall preference for dominance of some groups over others. SDO III: breaks into 2 specific dimensions

Question 28

What is a strength of dominance-based approaches?

Answer 28

Research evidence of hunter-gatherer societies that oscillates between hierarchy and egalitarianism (belief in equality for all people, especially in social, political and economic affairs)

Question 29

What is a weakness of Social Dominance Theory?

Answer 29

Classic Social Dominance Theory doesn’t address social change

Question 30

What is an arguable weakness of SDO?

Answer 30

Social Dominance Orientation moved from a focus on universality of social dominance to individual differences approach (focus in more detail (+) but may not be very replicable)

Question 31

What is System Justification Theory II and how is it achieved?

Answer 31

The process by which the existing social systems are legitimised, even at the expense of personal and group interest. SJT states that this leads to an unconscious motivation to defend and rationalise the current state of society in those who are disadvantaged by it. achieved by: - Being “adaptive” which acts as a coping mechanism - Ideological dissonance reduction --> the process of reducing the negative emotions that arise from cognitive conflict between one’s belief and ideology. Due to the individual being powerless.

Question 32

What is System Justification Theory I and what is it motivated by?

Answer 32

a social psychological theory that attempts to explain why members of disadvantaged groups may defend and justify existing systems, even if they’re flawed motivated by: Ourselves Our groups Society and systems within For people who benefit from the existing societal order, motives are aligned. For people who don’t benefit, there is a gap between positive regard for the self/ group and the need to see society as fair/ just/ equal.

Question 33

What's System Justification Theory III?

Answer 33

explains how people are motivated to defend and justify the status quo, even if it’s unfair or harmful to them or others key ideas: 1) System justification motivation: People want to see the current system as fair and legitimate, even if it creates inequality. 2) Self, group, and system interests: People balance their own personal interests, their group's interests, and the desire to maintain the system. 3) Resistance to change: This theory helps explain why people often resist social change, even when it would benefit them.

Question 34

How does System justification I, II, and III differ from each other?

Answer 34

SJT I lays the foundation of system justification. SJT II expands the theory to show it's a universal motivation and explores competing interests. SJT III refines and deepens the understanding of how people balance self, group, and system interests in defending the status quo.