 | Term | Definition |
| |
Sociology |
the systematic study of human society or behavior |
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Applied Sociology |
takes theories and applies to the real world, works outside the academy |
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Positivism |
the idea that objectivity (idea that you seperate yourself from your biases) does exist |
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Social-Conflict |
the struggle between segments of society over valued resources |
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Symbolic Interactionism |
a framework for building theory that sees society as the product of the everyday interactions of individuals |
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Structural Functionalism |
a framework for building theory that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability |
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Macro-level |
a broad focus on social structures that shape society as a whole |
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Micro-level |
a close-up focus on social interaction in specific situations |
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Empirical Evidence |
information we can verify with our senses |
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Objectivity |
personal neutrality in conducting research |
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Concepts |
a mental construct that represents some part of the world in a simplified form |
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Variables |
a concept whose value changes from case to case |
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Measurement |
a procedure for determining the value of a variable in a specific case |
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Operationalize |
specifying exactly what is to be measured before assigning a value to a variable |
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Reliability |
consistency in measurement |
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Validity |
actually measuring exactly what you intend to measure |
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Independent Variables |
a variable that causes change in another variable |
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Dependent Variables |
a variable that is changed by another variable |
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Spurious |
an apparent but false realtionship between two (or more) variables that is caused by some other variable |
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Experiment |
a research method for investigating cause and effect under highly controlled conditions |
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Hypothesis |
a statement of a possible realtionship between two (or more) variables |
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Hawthorne Effect |
a change in subjects behavior cause simply by the awareness of being studied |
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Survey |
a research method in which subjects respond to a series of statements or questions in a questionnaire or an interview |
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Participant Observation |
a research method in which investigators systematically observe people while joining them in their routine activities |
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Secondary Analysis of Data |
researchers use data that someone else has previously collected, commonly used |
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Culture |
the values, beliefs, behaviors, and material objects that together form a people's way of life |
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Material Culture |
the physical things created by members of a society |
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Nonmaterial Culture |
the ideas created by members of a society |
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Social Artifacts |
"stuff" books, buildings with meaning |
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Culture Shock |
personal disorientation when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life |
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Symbols |
anything that carries a particular meaning recognized by people who share a culture |
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Language |
a system of symbols that allows people to communicate with one another |
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Cultural Transmission |
the process by which one generation passes culture to the next |
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Values |
culturally defined standards that people use to decide what is desireable, good and beautiful and serve as broad guidelines for social living |
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Norms |
rules and expectations by which a society guides the behavior of its members |
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Mores |
norms that are widely observed and have great moral significance |
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Folkways |
norms for routine or casual interaction |
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Subculture |
cultural patterns that set apart some segment of a society's population |
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High Culture |
cultural patterns that distinguishing a societys elite |
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Pop Culture |
cultural patterns that are widespread among a society's population |
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Ethnocentrism |
the practice of judging another culture by the standards of one's own culture |
| |
Sociological Perspective |
the special point of view of sociology that sees general patterns of society in the lives of particular people |
| |
Theory |
a statement of how and why specific facts are related |
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