Sociology Pt. 1 Flashcards
(31 cards)
Sociology
The study of social behaviour, the intentions of human groups, and the structure + function of human society.
Who is the father of sociology?
Auguste Comte: a French philosopher that wanted there to be a systematic science for studying society, a way to investigate + solve its basic problems.
A Company
A grouping of individuals - social group.
The Sociological Perspective
- Seeing the general in particular
- Seeing the strange in the familiar
Social Location
A way of classifying yourself (race, religion, etc.). Important b/c a person’s life + choices made on it.
Social Marginalization
If a social group is marginalized it means that it occupies a position outside the centers of power.
Values
- General ideas of what is desirable, correct, + good according to the majority of society
- Provide ultimate meaning + legitimacy for social arrangements + social behvaiour
- Abstract sentiments or ideals
Norms
- Accepted pattern of group behaviour in diff. social situations
- Offer participants in a society a way they can orient themselves w/ relation to others
- Can change over time + location
What will happen without norms?
Behaviour in society becomes unpredictable + cannot function smoothly.
Rules
When norms + values are formalized + codified by social institutions to regulate behaviour for the protection of society.
Deviance
- Behaviour that fails to conform to societal norms + deemed “unacceptable”
- Can vary from eccentricities/quirks in behaviour all the way to criminal activity which disrupts social rules
- Behaviour disrupts social equilibrium
Social Institution
A institution that designates a social structure. Plays an important role in modelling values + beliefs, & maintaining order.
- Changes happen very slowly
Structural Functionalism
- Various segments of society serve a purpose for the society as a whole
- Criticism is that it doesn’t account for destructive forces w/in a society/overlook social issues (poverty, racism)
Conflict Theory
- Studies competition between diff. groups of power
- Believes that it is power, not structure, holding society together
- Competition/conflict may erupt to bring about more conflict, and thus change
Conflict Theory & Karl Marx
Theorized that conflict arose b/c of wealth inequality –> wealthy tried to keep power & poor tried to take it –> also applies to race & gender.
Marginalized Voices/Feminist Theory
- Focuses on examining women & gender inequality in society
- Emphasizes the social roles that these groups have in specific cultures + how they have been treated as diff.
- Believes raising awareness can bring about change
Symbolic Interactionism
- Each individual is placed at the centre of understanding society bc social values + roles are shaped by individual interpretations
- We accept specific roles to fit w/in the society that we live in + we react certain way in situations to fit these “roles”— similar to actors or “roles” in a play
Social Behaviour
The interaction amongst members of the same group responding to external & internal stimuli.
Internal Stimuli
Remembering what you’ve learned about dining etiquette w/ your family or seen on TV.
External Stimuli
Other guests of the restaurant who are behaving similarly.
Socialization
Process through which an individual acquires self-identity & social skills to survive –> learned by interacting w/ other ppl.
How does socialization happen?
- Begins in early childhood + lasts until adulthood
- Strongly influences the type of person you become
- Social influence - the effect of other ppl on a person’s thoughts, actions, perspectives
Primary Agent of Socialization
Family: the 1st force while socially influences an individual. Responsible for teaching basic norms + values of a society + survival skills.
Secondary Agents of Socialization: School
Manifest function: obvious + clear teaching
Latent function: teaching in a less obvious + unconscious way (punctuality, respect, accountability, etc.)
