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Sociology 101
Key sociology concepts including social structure, culture, inequality, and major theoretical perspectives.
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Sociology
The scientific study of human society, social behavior, and social structures
Sociological Imagination
C. Wright Mills; ability to see the connection between personal troubles and larger social issues
Functionalism
Society is a system of interconnected parts that work together; each institution serves a function; Durkheim, Parsons
Conflict Theory
Society is characterized by inequality and competition for resources; power dynamics shape social life; Karl Marx
Symbolic Interactionism
Society is constructed through everyday interactions and shared meanings; micro-level analysis; Mead, Blumer
Culture
Shared beliefs, values, norms, and material objects of a group; learned, not biological; shapes behavior
Ethnocentrism
Judging another culture by the standards of your own; believing your culture is superior
Cultural Relativism
Understanding a culture on its own terms; not judging other cultures by your own standards
Socialization
The lifelong process of learning social norms, values, and behaviors; primary agents: family, school, peers, media
Social Stratification
System by which society ranks people in a hierarchy; based on wealth, power, prestige; can be open or closed
Social Mobility
Movement between social classes; upward, downward, or horizontal; intergenerational vs intragenerational
Social Class
Group of people with similar levels of wealth, power, and prestige; upper, middle, working, lower class
Deviance
Behavior that violates social norms; can be criminal or non-criminal; defined by society, not inherent
Labeling Theory
Being labeled as deviant leads to more deviance; self-fulfilling prophecy; Becker; 'the label becomes the identity'
Gender Roles
Socially constructed expectations for behavior based on gender; vary across cultures and time periods
Patriarchy
Social system in which men hold primary power and authority; affects politics, property, family, social roles
Race vs Ethnicity
Race: socially constructed category based on physical traits. Ethnicity: shared cultural heritage, language, traditions
Prejudice
Preconceived opinion not based on reason or experience; attitude; can be positive or negative
Discrimination
Unequal treatment based on group membership; action/behavior; individual vs institutional
Institutional Racism
Racial inequality embedded in social institutions (education, justice, housing); systemic, not just individual
Anomie
Durkheim; breakdown of social norms and values; feeling of disconnection; common during rapid social change
Bureaucracy
Weber; formal organization with hierarchy, rules, specialization, impersonality; efficient but can be rigid
Social Institution
Organized pattern of beliefs and behaviors focused on meeting social needs: family, education, religion, government, economy
Primary Group
Small, close-knit group with intimate relationships; family, close friends; provides emotional support
Secondary Group
Larger, more impersonal group; goal-oriented; coworkers, classmates; less emotional connection
Groupthink
Tendency for group members to conform to consensus; suppresses critical thinking; leads to poor decisions
Urbanization
Movement of populations from rural to urban areas; driven by industrialization; creates density, diversity
Globalization
Increasing interconnection of world's economies, cultures, and populations; spread of ideas, goods, and technology
Social Control
Mechanisms society uses to enforce norms; formal (laws, police) and informal (shaming, gossip, peer pressure)
Verstehen
Weber; empathetic understanding; researchers should try to understand the meaning people attach to their actions
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