Introduction to Sociology
Define sociology
Sociology is the scientific study of social behavior in human groups
What is the difference between material and non-material culture?
Material culture are physical, tangible things. Non-material would be practices, ideas, religion, etc
Define social control
Enforcing norms through internal or external means
Define Ascribed status and Achieved status
Ascribed: Based on inherited traits or assigned automatically when a person reaches a certain age
Achieved: Acquired by individuals through their own direct efforts
what side of the nature vs nurture argument do sociologists explore?
Nurture
Herbert Spencer created ____ sociological concept after reading about Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.
Survival of the fittest
what is a folkway
Folkways are everyday customs
what's the difference between a positive and a negative sanction
A positive sanction is a form of enforcing a norm though positive reinforcement. A negative sanction is a form of enforcing a norm though negative reinforcement.
What is risky shift?
tendency for people to make more daring decisions when they are in groups
Briefly explain the nature vs nurture debate
It is the debate between how much the environment (nurture) impacts individuals Vs. how much genetics (nature) impacts individuals.
What are the 6 main ways sociologists study human behavior?
Surveys, interviews, experiments, case studies, secondary data analysis, and observing different cultures
What is a more
Mores are a societies morals, breaking one of these would likely mean serious consequences
internalizing a norm is when a norm becomes part of your identity
Define status
a socially defined position in a group or society
Describe what happened to Genie, the wild child, due to her lack of socialization?
She lacked an understanding of any norms, or language. She also had low emotional intelligence and lacked the typical body language.
What is sociological imagination?
Your ability to see the connection between yourself and the larger world
Name all 5 components of culture
Technology, symbols, language, values, norms
Define deviance
Behavior that defies significant social norms
What is role conflict vs. role strain
Conflict: when one role conflicts with another role
Strain: when there is strain within a role
Name the 4 agents of socialization
Family, Peers, School, and mass media
Who is known as the father of sociology due to his application of scientific thinking to social life
Auguste Comte
Explain the 3 components of a cultural diagram
Trait – tool, act, or belief related to a particular situation
Complex – combination of traits into an interrelated whole
Pattern – combination of complexes into an interrelated whole
How does deviance benefit society?
Provides jobs, clarifies norms, unifies groups, diffuses tension, and promotes social change
What is the iron law of oligarchy?
The tendency of large organizations to become increasingly dominated by small groups of people
Name or describe Piaget’s 4 Stages of Cognitive Development
1. Sensorimotor Stage - Babies do not understand object permanence.
2. Preoperational Stage - Able to develop language but were too young to perform mental operations involving concrete logic
3. Concrete Operational Stage - able to begin to understand conservation of mass & volume along with & mathematical transformations
4. Formal Operational Stage - Develops abstract thinking