UARK Sociology Exam 1 |100 Questions and
Answers
Sociology - -The systematic study of social interaction at a variety of levels;
Interaction between individuals, groups, and nations.
- Common Sense - -Subjective
Ignores facts
Is contradictory
Varies across groups and cultures
- Sociological Imagination - -According to C. Wright Mills, the sociological
imagination is seeing the connection between individual lives and larger
social influences.
- Personal troubles (biography)
- Structural issues ( historical)
- Origins of Sociological Theory - -Sociological thinking is based on theory
and empirical information.
- Theory - -Set of statements that explains why a phenomenon occurs.
- Empirical Information - -Info based on observation, experiments, or
experiences (ex. Divorce rate, birth rate, statistics, etc).
- Aguste Comte - -The "father of sociology".
Argues for the empirical study of society.
So basically instead of elaborating on all of these theories, we need to collect
data and statistics in order to support these theories.
- Emile Durkheim - -Analyzed social facts, social solidarity and division of
labor. Also conducted a study on suicide and social integration.
(People more socially connected are less likely to commit suicide, and people
socially isolated are more likely to commit suicide).
- Social Facts - -External aspects to life of an individual.
- Example: currency, language.
- Social Solidarity - -Cohesion (uniting) and harmony (agreeing).
- Division of Labor - -Interdependence of different tasks and occupations.
- Karl Marx - -Analyzed Industrial Revolution and studied Capitalism, Class
Conflict and Alienation.
, - Capitalism - -An economic system in which ownership of the means of
production is in private hands.
- (Bourgeoisie = owners)
- (Proletariat = laborers/ workers)
- Class Conflict - -Between capitalists and proletariat.
- Alienation - -Feelings of separation.
Example: McDonald's workers
No intimate tie with their work
Monotonous and mechanized
- Max Weber - -Argued for the importance of ideas and ideologies.
Argued for value free sociology.
Objective.
- Functionalism - -Society is a complex system of interdependent parts that
work together to ensure a society's survival.
- Functions - -Purposes and activities to meet different needs that
contribute to a society's stability.
- Manifest Functions - -Are intended and recognized
- Latent functions - -Are unintended and unrecognized.
- Dysfunctions - -Have negative impacts.
- Conflict Theory - -Conflict theory examines the ways in which groups
disagree, struggle over power, and compete for scarce resources.
- Conflict and Functionalism - -Are two different ways to look at society.
Almost* opposites.
- Feminist Theories - -Feminist theories explain the social, economic, and
political position of women in society.
They maintain that women suffer injustice because of their sex.
- Symbolic Interactionism - -- Looks at individuals' everyday behavior and
communication through symbols and shared meanings.
- It is a micro-level perspective.
- See society as socially constructed.
- Social Research - -- Examines human behavior
- Is guided by rules and procedures
- Involves the objective gathering of data
Answers
Sociology - -The systematic study of social interaction at a variety of levels;
Interaction between individuals, groups, and nations.
- Common Sense - -Subjective
Ignores facts
Is contradictory
Varies across groups and cultures
- Sociological Imagination - -According to C. Wright Mills, the sociological
imagination is seeing the connection between individual lives and larger
social influences.
- Personal troubles (biography)
- Structural issues ( historical)
- Origins of Sociological Theory - -Sociological thinking is based on theory
and empirical information.
- Theory - -Set of statements that explains why a phenomenon occurs.
- Empirical Information - -Info based on observation, experiments, or
experiences (ex. Divorce rate, birth rate, statistics, etc).
- Aguste Comte - -The "father of sociology".
Argues for the empirical study of society.
So basically instead of elaborating on all of these theories, we need to collect
data and statistics in order to support these theories.
- Emile Durkheim - -Analyzed social facts, social solidarity and division of
labor. Also conducted a study on suicide and social integration.
(People more socially connected are less likely to commit suicide, and people
socially isolated are more likely to commit suicide).
- Social Facts - -External aspects to life of an individual.
- Example: currency, language.
- Social Solidarity - -Cohesion (uniting) and harmony (agreeing).
- Division of Labor - -Interdependence of different tasks and occupations.
- Karl Marx - -Analyzed Industrial Revolution and studied Capitalism, Class
Conflict and Alienation.
, - Capitalism - -An economic system in which ownership of the means of
production is in private hands.
- (Bourgeoisie = owners)
- (Proletariat = laborers/ workers)
- Class Conflict - -Between capitalists and proletariat.
- Alienation - -Feelings of separation.
Example: McDonald's workers
No intimate tie with their work
Monotonous and mechanized
- Max Weber - -Argued for the importance of ideas and ideologies.
Argued for value free sociology.
Objective.
- Functionalism - -Society is a complex system of interdependent parts that
work together to ensure a society's survival.
- Functions - -Purposes and activities to meet different needs that
contribute to a society's stability.
- Manifest Functions - -Are intended and recognized
- Latent functions - -Are unintended and unrecognized.
- Dysfunctions - -Have negative impacts.
- Conflict Theory - -Conflict theory examines the ways in which groups
disagree, struggle over power, and compete for scarce resources.
- Conflict and Functionalism - -Are two different ways to look at society.
Almost* opposites.
- Feminist Theories - -Feminist theories explain the social, economic, and
political position of women in society.
They maintain that women suffer injustice because of their sex.
- Symbolic Interactionism - -- Looks at individuals' everyday behavior and
communication through symbols and shared meanings.
- It is a micro-level perspective.
- See society as socially constructed.
- Social Research - -- Examines human behavior
- Is guided by rules and procedures
- Involves the objective gathering of data
