Sociology- science which attempts the interpretive understanding of social action in order to arrive at a causal
explanation of its course and effects.”
Sociological Micro or Summary Key Terms
Sociologist Contribution
Symbolic how people use symbols in symbols, meaning,
interactionism
Auguste Comte (1798–1857)MICRO everyday
Founder life
of sociology interaction, labels,
Positivism - application of the scientific definition/language
method
Face-to-face
Herbert Spencer (1820–1903) 2nd founder of sociology - disagreed with Comte
Functional analysis Societies
society is a evolve overmade
whole unit time as
up the
of fittest people&adapt
functions to their
dysfunctions
MACRO environment
interrelated - SURVIVAL
parts OF THE FITTEST
that work together stability, equilibrium
Karl Marx (1818–1883) Society is made up of TWO social classes: capitalists and
Society is working Ex: Family, government, religion,
exploited workers
because they work healthcare
Conflict Theory - groups competing for scarce resources
together
Emile Durkheim (1858–1917) Human behavior cannot be understood only in terms of the
Conflict Perspective society is composed of groups who inequality, scarce
individual; we must always examine the social forces that affect
MACRO compete for scarce resources resources, power,
people’s lives;
Society is not working exploitation
SUICIDE STUDY - males, protestants, and unmarried are more
because there’s a Ex: Feminists, conflict theory,
likely to commit suicide; social factors underlie suicide; people with
scarcity of resources sexism, racism, poverty
weaker social ties are more likely to commit suicide - less socially
integrated
Max Weber (1864–1920) Religion - key factor to rise in capitalism (protestants/Catholics)
Jane Addams (1860–1935) Bridged the gap of the powerless and powerful
W.E.B. DuBois (1868–1963) Studied relationships between African Americans and whites
Research methods: one of seven procedures that sociologists use to collect data
List the 8 steps in the scientific research model:
1. Selection of a topic
2. Definition of the problem
3. Performance of a literature review
4. Formulation of a hypothesis and finalization of operational definitions
5. Identification of a research method
6. Collection of data
7. Analysis of data
8. Share the results
7 research methods:
1. Surveys - collection of data by having people answer a series of questions
2. Participant Observation - becoming a participant to observe what is happening in that setting
3. Case studies- an intensive analysis of a single event, situation or individual
4. Documents- data obtained from written sources
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, 5. Experiments - comparison of results under controlled variation of conditions
6. Unobtrusive methods- observations of people in a way that they do not know they are being observed
7. Secondary analysis- the analysis of data that have been collected by other researchers
Which research method allows the researcher to determine cause and effect? Experiments
What are the ethical guidelines that sociologists follow?
honesty, truth, and openness - forbid falsification of results; condemn plagiarism; informing people they are being studied;
protection of anonymity; misrepresentation…. To protect human - they need a consent
Provide an example of unethical research from your book. - Humphrey’s research
Culture: the language, beliefs, values, norms, behaviors, and even material objects that characterize a group
and are passed from one generation to the next
Definitions and Examples: Material Culture and Nonmaterial (symbolic) culture
Term Definition Example
Material Culture the material objects that items such as jewelry, art, buildings,
distinguish a group of weapons, clothing, hair, etc
people
Nonmaterial Culture a group’s way of thinking languages, gestures, forms of
and common patterns of interaction
language
Definitions and Examples: Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism
Term Definition Example
Ethnocentrism the use of one’s own culture as a everyone
yardstick for judging the ways of other
individuals or societies, generally leading
to a negative evaluation of their values,
norms, and behaviors
Cultural Relativism understanding and appreciating other bullfighting
groups’ ways of life without judging them
Why would sociologists want to practice cultural relativism? Cultural relativism is an attempt to refocus our
lens of perception so we can appreciate other ways of life rather than simply asserting, “Our way is right.”
Norms: expectations of “right” behavior
Term Definition Example
Folkway casual actions that are not strictly regulated by social a person blocking your way in a crowd
norms
More norms that are viewed as essential to a culture’s value actions that affect our core values
Taboo a norm so strange that it brings extreme sanctions, eating human flesh
even revulsion, if violated
Page 2 of 21
, Term Definition Example
Subculture groups whose values and related behaviors are motorcyclist clubs on the weekends
so distinct - form entity
Counterculture group whose values set their members in outlaw motorcyclists
opposition to the dominant culture
Define the following terms:
• Socialization: the process by which people learn the characteristics of their group - the knowledge,
skills, attitudes, values, norms, and actions thought appropriate for them
• Agents of socialization: people and groups that influence our behaviors, attitudes, emotions, and self-
concept
List the agents of socialization:
1. Family
2. Neighborhood
3. Religion
4. Workplace
5. Daycare
6. School
7. Peers
Theorist Theory
George Herbert Mead pointing out the importance of play in learning to take the role of the
(sociologist) other (“put yourself in their shoes”); generalized other - expectations of
people “in general”; 3 stages: imitation, play, games
Charles Horton Cooley producing a self is an essential part of how society makes us human
(sociologist) “Looking-glass self”
Jean Piaget (psychologist) 4 stages of development in reasoning
Sociologists object psychological view that inborn and subconscious motivations are the primary reasons
for human behavior; this denies the central principle of sociology - factors such as social class and people’s
roles in groups underlie behavior
Term Definition Example
Social structure typical patterns of a group usual relationships between men and
women
• Gender: the behaviors and attitudes that a society considers proper for its males and females;
masculinity/feminism
• Gender socialization: learning society’s “gender map”, the paths in life set out for us because we are
male or female; 1st learned within family
• Mass Media: has a powerful effect on society; TV, movies, video games, music groups/bands. Affects
how people perceived themselves because media reflects society’s view of itself
Gender Example of Gender Socialization Gender Expectations for Adulthood
Page 3 of 21
explanation of its course and effects.”
Sociological Micro or Summary Key Terms
Sociologist Contribution
Symbolic how people use symbols in symbols, meaning,
interactionism
Auguste Comte (1798–1857)MICRO everyday
Founder life
of sociology interaction, labels,
Positivism - application of the scientific definition/language
method
Face-to-face
Herbert Spencer (1820–1903) 2nd founder of sociology - disagreed with Comte
Functional analysis Societies
society is a evolve overmade
whole unit time as
up the
of fittest people&adapt
functions to their
dysfunctions
MACRO environment
interrelated - SURVIVAL
parts OF THE FITTEST
that work together stability, equilibrium
Karl Marx (1818–1883) Society is made up of TWO social classes: capitalists and
Society is working Ex: Family, government, religion,
exploited workers
because they work healthcare
Conflict Theory - groups competing for scarce resources
together
Emile Durkheim (1858–1917) Human behavior cannot be understood only in terms of the
Conflict Perspective society is composed of groups who inequality, scarce
individual; we must always examine the social forces that affect
MACRO compete for scarce resources resources, power,
people’s lives;
Society is not working exploitation
SUICIDE STUDY - males, protestants, and unmarried are more
because there’s a Ex: Feminists, conflict theory,
likely to commit suicide; social factors underlie suicide; people with
scarcity of resources sexism, racism, poverty
weaker social ties are more likely to commit suicide - less socially
integrated
Max Weber (1864–1920) Religion - key factor to rise in capitalism (protestants/Catholics)
Jane Addams (1860–1935) Bridged the gap of the powerless and powerful
W.E.B. DuBois (1868–1963) Studied relationships between African Americans and whites
Research methods: one of seven procedures that sociologists use to collect data
List the 8 steps in the scientific research model:
1. Selection of a topic
2. Definition of the problem
3. Performance of a literature review
4. Formulation of a hypothesis and finalization of operational definitions
5. Identification of a research method
6. Collection of data
7. Analysis of data
8. Share the results
7 research methods:
1. Surveys - collection of data by having people answer a series of questions
2. Participant Observation - becoming a participant to observe what is happening in that setting
3. Case studies- an intensive analysis of a single event, situation or individual
4. Documents- data obtained from written sources
Page 1 of 21
, 5. Experiments - comparison of results under controlled variation of conditions
6. Unobtrusive methods- observations of people in a way that they do not know they are being observed
7. Secondary analysis- the analysis of data that have been collected by other researchers
Which research method allows the researcher to determine cause and effect? Experiments
What are the ethical guidelines that sociologists follow?
honesty, truth, and openness - forbid falsification of results; condemn plagiarism; informing people they are being studied;
protection of anonymity; misrepresentation…. To protect human - they need a consent
Provide an example of unethical research from your book. - Humphrey’s research
Culture: the language, beliefs, values, norms, behaviors, and even material objects that characterize a group
and are passed from one generation to the next
Definitions and Examples: Material Culture and Nonmaterial (symbolic) culture
Term Definition Example
Material Culture the material objects that items such as jewelry, art, buildings,
distinguish a group of weapons, clothing, hair, etc
people
Nonmaterial Culture a group’s way of thinking languages, gestures, forms of
and common patterns of interaction
language
Definitions and Examples: Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism
Term Definition Example
Ethnocentrism the use of one’s own culture as a everyone
yardstick for judging the ways of other
individuals or societies, generally leading
to a negative evaluation of their values,
norms, and behaviors
Cultural Relativism understanding and appreciating other bullfighting
groups’ ways of life without judging them
Why would sociologists want to practice cultural relativism? Cultural relativism is an attempt to refocus our
lens of perception so we can appreciate other ways of life rather than simply asserting, “Our way is right.”
Norms: expectations of “right” behavior
Term Definition Example
Folkway casual actions that are not strictly regulated by social a person blocking your way in a crowd
norms
More norms that are viewed as essential to a culture’s value actions that affect our core values
Taboo a norm so strange that it brings extreme sanctions, eating human flesh
even revulsion, if violated
Page 2 of 21
, Term Definition Example
Subculture groups whose values and related behaviors are motorcyclist clubs on the weekends
so distinct - form entity
Counterculture group whose values set their members in outlaw motorcyclists
opposition to the dominant culture
Define the following terms:
• Socialization: the process by which people learn the characteristics of their group - the knowledge,
skills, attitudes, values, norms, and actions thought appropriate for them
• Agents of socialization: people and groups that influence our behaviors, attitudes, emotions, and self-
concept
List the agents of socialization:
1. Family
2. Neighborhood
3. Religion
4. Workplace
5. Daycare
6. School
7. Peers
Theorist Theory
George Herbert Mead pointing out the importance of play in learning to take the role of the
(sociologist) other (“put yourself in their shoes”); generalized other - expectations of
people “in general”; 3 stages: imitation, play, games
Charles Horton Cooley producing a self is an essential part of how society makes us human
(sociologist) “Looking-glass self”
Jean Piaget (psychologist) 4 stages of development in reasoning
Sociologists object psychological view that inborn and subconscious motivations are the primary reasons
for human behavior; this denies the central principle of sociology - factors such as social class and people’s
roles in groups underlie behavior
Term Definition Example
Social structure typical patterns of a group usual relationships between men and
women
• Gender: the behaviors and attitudes that a society considers proper for its males and females;
masculinity/feminism
• Gender socialization: learning society’s “gender map”, the paths in life set out for us because we are
male or female; 1st learned within family
• Mass Media: has a powerful effect on society; TV, movies, video games, music groups/bands. Affects
how people perceived themselves because media reflects society’s view of itself
Gender Example of Gender Socialization Gender Expectations for Adulthood
Page 3 of 21
