soc chapter 4-6

Question 1

Define culture

Answer 1

is everything from ideas and practices through to material objects. It is what we learn and the objects we create, those elements of our world and behavior that are not natural or instinctual

Question 2

Aspects of culture

Answer 2

• Includes learned practices ex. How to board transit properly
• Includes items like branded clothing, foods, etc
• Sociologists study those of the same culture
• It’s constantly changing - human made
• Its plural - there are many cultures in any given environment

Question 3

Ethnocentrism

Answer 3

refers to the tendency to negatively judge other cultures based on the standards of your own culture.
–> Viewing one’s own culture as superior relative to another
–> Closes them off from true understanding of other cultures

Question 4

Cultural relativism

Answer 4

It is the practice of assessing the components of a culture in the context of that culture itself, and not compared to another culture
–> All cultures must be evaluated on their own basis, not comparatively to another culture
–> Taking an insider’s view leads to a deeper understanding of the culture
–> Doesn’t decide what is moral or immoral

Question 5

Cultural appropriation

Answer 5

The act of adopting an aspect of another culture without understanding and respecting the cultural context behind it, especially when you are a part of the dominant culture.
- Monetizing another culture

Question 5

Multiculturalism/cultural pluralism

Answer 5

Multiculturalism is the policy and practice of respecting and promoting cultural diversity
- Contrasts assimilation - which is the process by which an individual takes on the values, norms, and practices of the dominant culture
–>Those not in the dominant culture are expected to assimilate
–> An aspect of colonization is the forced assimilation of the non-dominant cultures

Question 6

High culture/highbrow culture

Answer 6

Elements of a culture that are high status and are therefore associated with a society’s elite
–> Includes things like classical music, attendance at opera, museums, etc

Question 7

Subculture

Answer 7

Denotes a group embedded within the dominant culture with their own distinct values, behaviors, symbols, and material objects.
–> Can be based in anything

Question 8

Mass culture

Answer 8

Defined in opposition to high culture and refers to the cultural practices and goods associated with the majority.
–> More pervasive and accessible to everyone
–> The divide between high culture and mass culture has become less sharp over time, as producers and consumers sample from both
–> Although high culture that mirrors the look of mass culture is usually only accessible to participants of high culture

Question 9

Dominant culture

Answer 9

Refers to the values, behaviors, customs, symbols, and objects of the majority

Question 10

Counterculture

Answer 10

Is a type of subculture that is in opposition to dominant culture
–> Ex. hippies during WW2

Question 11

Rites of passage

Answer 11

A ceremony/ritual that symbolizes the transition from one life stage to the next

Question 12

Material culture

Answer 12

is the tangible objects and technologies of a culture.
–> Includes homes, places we visit, foods, etc

Question 13

Non-material culture

Answer 13

The intangible values, norms, and symbols of a culture.
–> Examples of non-material culture are ceremonies, language, and our expectations for all types of behavior, from how to enter and exit public transit through to our laws.

Question 14

Consumerism

Answer 14

The tendency for people’s activities and identities to revolve around the purchasing of material goods.
–> Sociologists study how what we buy influences our daily lives and our identities

Question 14

values, norms and symbols

Answer 14

Made up of value, norms, and symbols
- Values are generally accepted ideas about what is good, right, important, and desirable. Norms are generally accepted standards for behavior.
–> Norms are essentially the manifestation of cultural values
- Symbols are objects and gestures that carry meaning to those within a shared culture

Question 15

Folkways

Answer 15

Relate to the commonly-accepted way of doing things in a particular culture.
- unconscious habits of individuals and the customs of groups - routine
- Breaking folkways produces a weak reaction in others - slight annoyance usually

Question 16

Language

Answer 16

Considered a symbol of a culture
When spoken, language is a verbal gesture that carries meaning to those within a shared culture.
- Language can also include non verbal communication like gestures and expressions
- Is subject to change over time, ex. How people express laughing over text

Question 16

Mores

Answer 16

Norms related to behavior that is seen as crucial to maintain decency in a culture
- More of a reaction when violated
- Sense of morality in a culture
- Some mores are enforced by law

Question 17

Taboos

Answer 17

behaviors that are so strongly prohibited for social or sacred cultural reasons that any violation of a taboo is met with the strongest condemnation and punishment
- Ex. cannibalism, beastiality, etc
- Most taboos overlap with the law

Question 18

Sociological study of culture

Answer 18

Nations, ethnicity
Dominant culture, subculture, counter culture
–> Ethnocentrism, cultural relativism, multiculturalism
Status and identity (such as social class)
- High culture/mass culture

Question 19

In what way is culture written into Canadian federal policy?

Answer 19

Official policy of multiculturalism → because of that attitudes are more positive about multiculturalism

Question 20

Cultural omnivore

Answer 20

• consume a wider range of culture, highbrow and popular
  –> People who have the resources to participate in both

Related to consumerism - clothes/material objects represent something we want to portray about our identity/social class

Question 21

Looking glass self

Answer 21

• that our sense of self is rooted in how we think others see us.
• : I am not what I think I am, and I am not what you think I am. I am what I think you think I am

1. The imagination of our appearance to the other person
2. The imagination of [the other person’s] judgement of that appearance
3. Some sort of self-feeling, such as pride or mortification

Question 22

Stages of the development of self

Answer 22

1. Imitation - The stage where children below the age of three begin imitating the actions of those closest to them (referred to as the child’s significant others) 2. Role-taking - The stage where children from ages three to five begin engaging in games where they role-play different people one at a time 3. Game - The stage where children over the age of seven engage in complex games where they are required to take on several roles at once 4. The generalized other- The point where children begin to understand themselves outside of their family and understand societal expectations

Question 23

Types of agents of socialization (those who socialize others)

Answer 23

- Primary socialization: Family -->“they are the conduit through which children are exposed to and adopt macro-level forces like religion, culture, and social class.” --> Language is taught by family - Secondary socialization: Schools, peers, media

Question 24

Affect of Peers

Answer 24

Peers can have alot of influence on a teen's life --> Conformity Positive - Self esteem, Positive relationships → and how to end negative ones, Cooperation, empathy, altruism, Community behavior, Socialization Negative - Engagement in risky behaviour - largest predictor for teenage drinking --> protective factors can prevent this such as family and religion

Question 25

Socialization

Answer 25

The process by which people learn the norms and behaviors of their culture --> Unleashing human potential!!!!!

Question 26

Media and youth

Answer 26

- it is especially influential for young people as the influence of the family wanes and they seek independence through socialization outside of the family - cultivate identity through media -Echo chamber → Confirmation bias

Question 27

self-socialization

Answer 27

- the process of shaping our own social development --> Self-socialization is a form of self-reflection where people develop an idea about their identity and set goals, pursue interests, and take actions to create or alter their identity. --> Internet can be a good tool for self-socialization

Question 28

anticipatory socialization

Answer 28

is the process of adopting norms and behaviours in preparation for future roles we aspire to

Question 29

total institutions

Answer 29

- where resocialization takes place - ex. prisons, boarding schools, militaries, etc Four aspects 1. all aspects of life are carried out in the same place and under the same authority 2. daily activities are carried out in a large group of others, all of whom are required to do the same thing; 3. day-to-day routines are tightly regulated and scheduled 4. All activities aim to fulfil the goals of the institution

Question 30

the self

Answer 30

your sense of who you are based on your view of yourself, your interaction with others, and your place in society

Question 31

wjat are Social Scripts

Answer 31

Families, religions, cultures, education, and other institutions provide scripts that help shape not only our identity and sense of self but also the myriad norms and expectations guiding our behaviour - makes interactions predictable

Question 32

Aspects of social scripts

Answer 32

- First, the multiple positions in multiple social structures that we occupy, across a diverse array of roles, groups, networks, and institutions, shape our experiences - Second, social life is characterized by both freedom and constraint. We exist and interact within structural constraints like culture and class-based scripts that influence who we are and what we can become, yet we also have the freedom of action and personal agency to make choices about our life - Third, we rely on scripts to help us make sense of interaction

Question 33

Status

Answer 33

refers to the social position you occupy in a particular context. --> Status can be based on social class, race, occupation, fame, or attractiveness, but it can also refer to other positions like father, student, pianist, or judo player

Question 34

status set

Answer 34

. All of us possess a collection of social statuses

Question 35

master status

Answer 35

it comes to overpower all other statuses in most social interactions, becoming a central feature of a person’s identity - can be stymatizing like a prisoner

Question 36

roles

Answer 36

the behaviours expected of people who occupy a particular status.

Question 37

role strain

Answer 37

occurs within a single role. Role strain is the difficulties people experience in fulfilling the obligations of a single role. - ex. responsibilities of being student, going to classes, school clubs and other commitments overlap

Question 37

role distancing

Answer 37

It’s also the case that people sometimes distance themselves from a role, advertising a lack of commitment or attachment to it --> seperating identity from their role

Question 37

role conflict

Answer 37

Occasionally, the various statuses we occupy and their accompanying roles create incompatible demands on us - Ex a mother has to miss her daughter's recital for a business meeting

Question 38

Understanding social actors

Answer 38

- acknowledging how we are social actors brings attention to our agency in social interactions. - Overall, our identity is as much a social creation as it is a product of social scripts - First, social life is the product of collective activities - Second, humans are social actors and social life is not entirely scripted. - Third, people’s understanding and definition of social facts are important - if people define a situation as real, its real in its consequences

Question 39

Core identity

Answer 39

- Symbolic interactionism argues it’s real, stable traits across versions of yourself in different interactions - Postmodernism argues the self is a series of fleeting surface performances that fluctuate based on interactions

Question 40

Modern identity

Answer 40

- Not tied to traditional institutions --> More about self expression - Online identity --> Can enhance certain aspects of your identity or portray something vastly different from offline identity

Question 41

Halo effect

Answer 41

Pretty privilege, seeing people as more favourable versions of themselves based on their status and attractiveness

Question 42

ethnomethodology

Answer 42

Ethnomethodology is the study of how people produce social order through interaction

Question 43

Breaching experiments

Answer 43

involve the deliberate violation of commonly held norms, rules, sequences, or background expectations, an observation of the types of social reactions that result, and an analysis of the social structure that makes these reactions possible

Question 44

Conversation analysis

Answer 44

looks at talk and other forms of non-verbal communication to understand the meanings, rules, and conventions that underlie talk.

Question 45

“current-selects” rule

Answer 45

(that the person speaking has the power to select their successor in the conversation by directing the conversation toward them) --> can be overriden by someone of higher authority

Question 46

“adjacency” rule

Answer 46

(what happens moments before in a conversation constrains what happens next)

Question 47

fundamental attribution error

Answer 47

blaming behaviour on personal factors, like their personality, while ignoring situational or environmental factors that influence behaviour

Question 48

“six degrees of separation,”

Answer 48

the idea that every person in the world is linked to one another by just six acquaintances. In other words, you are a mere six introductions away from pretty much anyone on earth

Question 49

social network

Answer 49

social ties that link us with others - People “invest” in their network, providing social support because they stand to benefit from reciprocal obligations or because they wish to promote social solidarity

Question 50

Nodes

Answer 50

People/organizations/groups in a social network

Question 51

Links

Answer 51

Ties between nodes --> can be strong or weak --> weighted ties - strength of ties Weak ties - aquaintances, coworkers etc Strong ties - friends and families - online links can be useful but offline reinforcement makes them more affective

Question 52

distance

Answer 52

The amount of nodes between two specific nodes --> do they have direct links or communicate between a common person

Question 53

social group

Answer 53

is one where members interact regularly and share expectations about behaviour

Question 54

Social categories

Answer 54

- groups based on a common feature, like whether or not you are a coffee or tea drinker -

Question 55

Social capital

Answer 55

Social capital is the resources an individual accrues through connection with other people or a social network

Question 55

Social support

Answer 55

is the protective factors that buffer or cushion an individual from the consequences of exposure to stress ex. money, family, social capital

Question 56

Social aggregates

Answer 56

groups of people at a particular place, such as the crowd at a mall or movie theatre. - we have few expectations about their values and norms

Question 57

primary social group

Answer 57

more closely tied together, like your family. Primary groups are small groups with intense emotional and intimate ties and enduring interactions, not unlike strong ties.

Question 58

secondary group

Answer 58

like classmates working on a sociology project or coworkers and acquaintances. Secondary groups are similar to your weak ties

Question 59

in-group

Answer 59

as people who belong to an exclusive group with a shared identity

Question 60

out-group

Answer 60

people who are excluded from the in-group.

Question 61

reference group

Answer 61

is any group to whom a person compares themselves. - shaping identity based off the group

Question 62

groupthink

Answer 62

the pressure to conform to the group in order not to appear different or because you believe the group is correct, despite your own misgivings.

Question 63

rationalization

Answer 63

the pursuit of goals in systematic and ordered manner.

Question 63

Organizations

Answer 63

structures composed of people working together to acheive specific goals

Question 64

Collective behavior

Answer 64

- Fear of ridicule - Loyalty - Status - Diffusion of moral responsibility

Question 65

Formal rationality

Answer 65

a way of thinking that involves the most efficient and effective means by which to achieve goals. - commonly used bureaucracy

Question 66

substantive rationality

Answer 66

or the achievement of goals and ideals based on custom, tradition, piety, or personal devotion. --> Organizing based on friendship, cultural traditions, and religious value systems would be an example of substantive rationality.

Question 67

Bureaucracies

Answer 67

rational systems—rules, procedures, structures, methods—for running complex organizations

Question 68

Types of authority

Answer 68

- traditional, where authority is derived from long-established customs and traditions, ex. kings - charismatic, where authority derives from a person’s character, ability, or magnetism, ex. heros - rational-legal, where authority is derived from legal orders, like the rules and laws

Question 69

iron cage of rationality

Answer 69

refers to the tendency for rationalization to trap us in systems of efficiency and calculation that may ultimately strip us of our individuality and humanity.

Question 70

red tape

Answer 70

refers to excessively bureaucratic and complex rules and formalities that can lead to adverse outcomes.

Question 71

Bureaucratic inertia

Answer 71

describes the tendency of organizations to perpetuate established procedures, rules, and routines even if they prove to be ineffective or opposed to the organization’s goals

Question 72

McDonaldization

Answer 72

some scholars believe that society more generally is coming to adopt the characteristics of fast-food restaurants - ex. efficiency and predictability

Question 73

differentiation

Answer 73

organizations aim to provide a unique product or service.

Question 74

Organizational culture

Answer 74

is the beliefs, norms, and values that are shared within an organization - informal fabric of an organization

Question 75

Unit cohesion

Answer 75

is the bonding together of soldiers that reinforces their commitment to each other, the unit, and the mission, despite psychological stress

Question 76

Human capital

Answer 76

the economic value of a worker's experience and skills including education, training, intelligence, health, etc