Download Chapter 1 Sociology and the Real World | SOC - Sociology 1 - Introduction and more Quizzes Introduction to Sociology in PDF only on Docsity!
Structural
Functionalism
A paradigm based on the assumption that society is a unified whole that functions because of the contributions of its separate structures. TERM 2
Conflict Theory
DEFINITION 2 A paradigm that sees social conflict as the basis of society and social change, and emphasizes a materialist view of society, a critical view of the status quo, and a dynamic model of historical change. TERM 3
Symbolic Interactionism
DEFINITION 3 A paradigm that sees interaction and meaning as central to society and assumes that meanings are not inherent but are created through interaction. TERM 4
Dramaturgy
DEFINITION 4 A theoretical paradigm that uses the metaphor of the theater to understand how individuals present themselves to others. TERM 5
Praxis
DEFINITION 5 Practical action that is taken on the basis of intellectual or theoretical understanding.
Sociology
The systematic or scientific study of human society and social behavior, from large-scale institutions and mass culture to small groups and individual interactions. TERM 7
Society
DEFINITION 7 A group of people who shape their lives in aggregated and patterned ways that distinguish their group from other groups. TERM 8
Sociological Perspective
DEFINITION 8 A way of looking at the world through a sociological lens. TERM 9
Sociological Imagination
DEFINITION 9 A quality of the mind that allows us to understand the relationship between our individual circumstances and larger social forces. TERM 10
Microsociology
DEFINITION 10 The level of analysis that studies face-to-face and small group interactions in order to understand how they affect the larger patterns and institutions of society.
Conflict
Generated by the competition among different class groups for scarce resources and the source of all social change, according to Karl Marx. TERM 17
Mechanical Solidarity
DEFINITION 17 Term developed by Emile Durkheim to describe the type of social bonds present in premodern, agrarian societies, in which shared traditions and beliefs created a sense of social cohesion. TERM 18
Organic Solidarity
DEFINITION 18 Term developed by Emile Durkheim to describe the social bonds present in modern societies, based on difference, interdependence, and individual rights. TERM 19
Solidarity
DEFINITION 19 The degree of integration or unity within a particular society; the extend to which individuals feel connected to other members of their group. TERM 20
Structure
DEFINITION 20 A social institution that is relatively stable over time and meets the needs of society by performing functions necessary to maintain social order and stability.
Pragmatism
A theoretical perspective that assumes organisms (including humans) make practical adaptations to their environments; humans do this through cognition, interpretation, and interaction. TERM 22
Social Inequality
DEFINITION 22 The unequal distribution of wealth, power, or prestige among members of a society. TERM 23
Socialism
DEFINITION 23 A political system based on state ownership or control of principal elements of the economy in order to reduce levels of social inequality.
