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MCAT > Psychology/Sociology (Concepts 9A, 9B) > Flashcards

Psychology/Sociology (Concepts 9A, 9B) Flashcards

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1
Q

microsociology

A

a subset of sociology that deals with people and their daily societal interactions, including those in small groups

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2
Q

macrosociology

A

the study of the outside influences on human societies on a wide scale; focuses on the larger societies, communities, and organizations that individuals live in

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3
Q

functionalism

A

theory based on the premise that all aspects of a society—institutions, roles, norms, etc. —serve a purpose and that all are indispensable for the long-term survival of the society

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4
Q

conflict theory

A

theory that society is in a state of perpetual conflict because of competition for limited resources; social order is maintained by domination and power, rather than by consensus and conformity.

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5
Q

symbolic interactionism

A

theory that seeks to understand humans’ relationship with their society by focusing on the symbols that help us give meaning to the experiences in our lives; symbols are a way to make sense of our social world

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6
Q

social constructionism

A

theory of knowledge that holds that characteristics typically thought to be immutable and solely biological—such as gender, race, class, ability, and sexuality—are products of human definition and interpretation shaped by cultural and historical contexts

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7
Q

exchange rational choice

A

theory that studies the social behavior in the interaction of two parties that implement a cost-benefit analysis to determine risks and benefits

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8
Q

feminist theory

A

theory looks at society through the lens of gender inequality; posits that that women are not subordinate to men or only valuable in relationship to men

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9
Q

hidden curriculum

A

a set of lessons “which are learned but not openly intended” to be taught in school such as the norms, values, and beliefs conveyed in both the classroom and social environment.

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10
Q

teacher expectancy

A

the impact that a teacher’s expectations about a student’s performance may have on the student’s actual achievements

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11
Q

educational segregation

A

the unequal distribution of different groups of students in schools within a school system

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12
Q

educational stratification

A

the separation of students into groups on the basis of academic achievement

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13
Q

forms of kinship

A
  • consanguineal kinship: based on blood
  • social kinship: based on community
  • affinal: based on marriage
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14
Q

diversity in family forms

A

really diverse; single-parent families, stepfamilies, or same-sex families.

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15
Q

marriage

A

a socially approved way of starting a family and establishing a family of procreation

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16
Q

divorce

A

the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties

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17
Q

religiosity

A

strong religious feeling or belief

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18
Q

church

A

a large, bureaucratically organized religious organization that is closely integrated into the larger society

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19
Q

sect

A

a relatively small religious organization that is not closely integrated into the larger society and that often conflicts with at least some of its norms and values; typically has broken away from a larger denomination to restore what members of the sect regard as the original views of the denomination

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20
Q

cult

A

similar to sects but differ in at least three respects: 1. they generally have not broken away from a larger denomination, 2. they are often secretive and do not proselytize as much, 3. they are at least somewhat more likely than sects to rely on charismatic leadership based on the extraordinary personal qualities of the leader

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21
Q

modernization of religion

A

systematic challenges to religious institutions, beliefs, and practices, substituting for them those of reason and science

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22
Q

secularization of religion

A

a transition from a religious to a more worldly level; when something changes from being overly connected to religion to not being connected to religion

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23
Q

fundamentalism of religion

A

religious belief that maintains the literal truth of the world in a holy book; rejects the existence of commonalities with theologically related religious traditions; and follows a strict adherence to the tenets of a religion.

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24
Q

government and economy

A

governments influence the economy by changing the level and types of taxes, the extent and composition of spending, and the degree and form of borrowing

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25
comparative economics
the sub-classification of economics dealing with the comparative study of different systems of economic organization, such as capitalism, socialism, feudalism and the mixed economy.
26
political systems
the type of political organization that can be recognized, observed or otherwise declared by a state
27
division of labor
combines specialization and the partition of a complex production task into several, or many, sub-tasks
28
delivery of health care
the part of a health system where patients receive the treatment and supplies they are entitled to.
29
the sick role
someone suffering from sickness has their own set of rights and responsibilities; those who are sick have privileges as well as obligations associated with their illness
30
illness experience
the lived experience of the individual and family with chronic disease
31
medicalization
the process in which conditions and behaviors are labeled and treated as medical issues
32
social epidemiology
the study of how society and different forms of social organization influence the health and well-being of individuals and populations
33
elements of culture
beliefs, language, rituals, symbols, values, etc
34
material culture
the aspect of culture manifested by the physical objects and architecture of a society.
35
symbolic culture
the ability to learn and transmit behavioral traditions from one generation to the next by the invention of things that exist entirely in the symbolic realm
36
culture lag
a sociological phenomenon or theory that takes place when changes or advancements in material culture occur at a faster rate than changes in non-material culture
37
multiculturism
the state of a society or the world in which there exists numerous distinct ethnic and cultural groups seen to be politically relevant
37
culture shock
the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone who is suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture, way of life, or set of attitudes
38
assimilation
the process whereby individuals or groups of differing ethnic heritage are absorbed into the dominant culture of a society
39
subculture
a cultural group within a larger culture, often having beliefs or interests at variance with those of the larger culture
40
counter-culture
a way of life and set of attitudes opposed to or at variance with the prevailing social norm
41
mass media
the main means of mass communication, such as broadcasting, publishing, and the internet, considered collectively
42
popular culture
the set of practices, beliefs, and objects that embody the most broadly shared meanings of a social system
43
culture evolution
the development of one or more cultures from simpler to more complex forms
44
transmission of culture
the way a person learns about a new culture by engaging and immersing themselves in the culture and people around them
45
diffusion of culture
the spread of cultural trends across locations
46
aging and the life course
understanding the interplay between the development of human lives and changing social structures across the entire span of life.
47
age cohorts
a group of people born in the same generation
48
social significance of aging
depends on culture; in some cultures becoming an elder means that a person gains greater status and respect, in others youth and the appearance of youthfulness are highly valued
49
sex
the trait that determines whether a sexually reproducing organism produces male or female gametes
50
gender
the social, psychological, cultural and behavioral aspects of being a man, woman, or other gender identity
51
gender segregation
the physical, legal, or cultural separation of people according to their biological sex at any age
52
social construction of gender
it does not exist naturally, but is instead a concept that is created by cultural and societal norms
53
race
categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society.
53
ethnicity
a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of perceived shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups
54
social construct of race
race is a human invention and not a biological fact
55
racialization
the process of constructing racial meaning, including the creation of racial categories and the signification of these categories in relation to people, objects, and ideas
56
racial formation
an analytical tool in sociology used to look at race as a socially constructed identity, where the content and importance of racial categories are determined by social, economic, and political forces.
57
patterns of immigration
in the US, immigration has occurred in waves, with peaks followed by troughs
58
sexual orientation
about who you're attracted to and who you feel drawn to romantically, emotionally, and sexually
59
fertility rates
the global TFR is 2.3; the US fertility rate is 1.64
60
mortality rates
global = 8.72 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants; US = 1.043 deaths per 1000
61
patterns in fertility and mortality
rates vary between countries, especially between developing and developed countries; overall developing countries have higher rates of death and birth
62
push/pull factors in migration
pull factors describe the reasons that an individual might settle in a particular country push factors are commonly supposed to include higher wages, social services such as education or health care, or more nebulous concepts like equality or freedom.
63
organization of social movements
four kinds of social movements: alternative, redemptive, reformative, and revolutionary.
64
social movement strategies and tactics
most effective movements use both mainstream tactics—such as voting, lobbying, and drafting legislation—and nonviolent mobilization tactics—such as protests, boycotts, civil disobedience, strikes, sit-ins, and rallies.
65
relative deprivation
the idea that people are deprived (materially or in other ways) compared with others in society
66
globalization factors
communication technology, economic interdependence
67
globalization
a term used to describe how trade and technology have made the world into a more connected and interdependent place
68
civil unrest
situations when law enforcement struggle to maintain public order or tranquility
69
terrorism
the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims
70
industrialization
the development of industries in a country or region on a wide scale
71
urban growth
the spreading of urban developments on undeveloped land near a more or less densely populated city
72
suburbanization
establishment of residential communities on the outskirts of a city
73
urban decline
a process that includes population loss and the concentration in cities of major social, economic, and environmental problems
74
gentrification
the process whereby the character of a poor urban area is changed by wealthier people moving in, improving housing, and attracting new businesses, typically displacing current inhabitants in the process
75
urban renewal
program of land redevelopment often used to address urban decay in cities; involves the clearing out of blighted areas in inner cities to clear out slums and create opportunities for higher class housing, businesses, and other developments.

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