Key Terms
What are social facts?
All those external and collective ways in which society shapes, structures, and constrains our behavior.
beliefs, tendencies, and practices of the group taken collectively
what sociologists study
Social change just occurs when individuals will it.
False: it has to be accomplished collectively in tune with collective forces (e.g., public opinion, economic transformation).
Durkheim considered sociology to be "the science of ___"
civilization
What are traditional societies/communities characterized by?
sameness (similarities that exist among people)
also: lack of specialization
also: social ties and relationships are more easily maintained (due to sameness)
What is the sacred v. the profane?
sacred: all things a society collectively sets apart as special, and requiring reverance
profane: ordinary, mundane, nonsacred things in society
What is structural functionalism?
Society is a complex system whose component parts and structures are interrelated, but also independent.
Social facts are statistical facts.
False: Stats contribute to shaping social behavior, but social facts include all social phenomena (all the ways in which social structures, social norms, and collective experiences constrain social behavior).
How should we scientifically study social facts? According to Durkheim, "the first and most basic rule is to consider social facts as __."
things
things that objectively exist in society
What are the defining characteristics of modern societies?
mobility (a social fact)
diversity (individual difference is the norm)
collective consciousness is less controlling of the individual, less forceful/encompassing
specialization
What are symbols and rituals?
symbols: any signs/images whose interpretation and meaning are socially shared
rituals: collectively shared, sacred rites and practices that affirm and strengthen social ties, and maintain social order
What is social solidarity?
emerges because social structures (social institutions) bind individuals to each other, and the larger society
"morality consists in solidarity with the group"
as a social species we have to account for others, so we learn to cooperate with others
Organic solidarity is produced by specialized division of labor.
True: Social cohesion results from the interdependence of individuals, each with their own specialty. Modern society requires individualism.
Physical density leads to ___.
(social or) moral density
The more social interactions we have to do, the more densely constrained we are by social-moral norms of reciprocity and cooperation.
What is division of labor (in modern societies)?
highly specialized division of labor creates social cohesion
division of labor in the economy (e.g. factory production), government, child socialization, education (e.g. different departments in schools), etc.
What is altruistic suicide?
results from tightly regulated social conditions in which the loss of close comrades, or an individual's loss of honor in the community, makes suicide obligatory
What is social interdependence?
ties among individuals
individualism required by the specialized division of of labor creates functional and social interdependence
The division of labor is antisocial/alienating.
False: it isn't antisocial "because it is a product of society"
it organically connects and integrates individuals
Contracts have legitimacy only because they __ the expectations and customs that we in society believe are necessary to maintaining and enforcing the norms of human reciprocity necessary to social life.
institutionalize (or legalize/formalize)
What is a collective conscience?
a society or community's collectively shared feelings, values, and ideals
(the objective "collective feeling" can frequently exclude those who aren't part of the dominant group)
What is egoistic suicide?
results from modern societal conditions in which individuals are excessively self-oriented and insufficiently integrated into social groups/society
What is sui generis reality?
Society has its own reality, which is a collective reality that exerts its own force independent of individuals.
translates to "of the group in and of itself"
Social problems are sociologically "normal".
True: Social facts are seen as objective things, making them "normal".
Society is not simply a collection of individuals. It is a collectivity with___.
... features and characteristics of its own.
Society isn't just individuals; it's also the social relationships, patterns, and organizations that independently regulate individual, group, and institutional behavior.
What is mechanical solidarity (in traditional societies)?
(structural/cultural sameness --> mechanical solidarity)
The creation and maintenance of social ties are fairly mechanical because they are built into the very structure of the community. The sameness in these communities naturally lead to social cohesion. This also makes families very replaceable, so their absence doesn't disrupt the overall functioning of the community.
What is anomic suicide?
results when society experiences a major disruption that uproots the established norms