Contemporary Sociological Theory Flashcards

Social theorists theorize in a more disciplined manner, base theories on past knowledge, rely on data, and seek to publish their theories.

Large effort to explain the story of most, or all, of the world.

Set of interrelated ideas that allow for systematization of knowledge, explanation, and predictions about the social world.

<p>Set of theorists, theories, ideas, and texts considered most important to sociology.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Focuses on perspectives that highlight experiences of people not in the mainstream.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Theories that focus on everyday, mundane activities.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Idea that primitive society is held together by the fact that there is little division of labor.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Idea that solidarity comes from differences due to division of labor in modern society.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Number of people and their frequency of interaction; an increase leads to transformation from mechanical to organic solidarity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Ideas shared by members of a collectivity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Characteristic of mechanical solidarity; offenders are severely punished for offenses against collective conscience.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Characteristic of organic solidarity; offenders are asked to obey law or repay those they harmed.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Subject matter of sociology that are treated as external and coercive over individuals.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Material social facts take a physical form, while nonmaterial social facts are external but do not have a material existence.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A sense of not knowing what one is expected to do, being adrift in society.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Occurs when individuals do not know what is expected of them and act aimlessly.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Occurs when individuals are not integrated into collectivity and feel meaningless.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Occurs when individuals are too well integrated into a group and are led to take their own lives.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Occurs when people are distressed by excessive regulation and lack freedom.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Ability to link consciousness into action.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Breakdown of natural interconnection between people and their productive activities.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Economic system composed of capitalists and proletariats, where exploitation occurs.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Things needed for production to take place, like tools and machinery.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Those who own the means of production under capitalism.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Those who must sell their labor time to have access to means.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Wage paid by capitalists to proletariats just enough to support themselves and their families.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The theory that all value comes from labor and is traceable to the proletariat.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Difference between the value of a product sold and the value of elements consumed in production.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Capitalists receive the lion's share of rewards while the proletariat are left to subsist.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>An inaccurate sense of self and relationship to capitalism held by both capitalists and proletariats.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Ability of a class to overcome false consciousness and attain understanding of capitalism.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The idea that people must take concrete action to overcome capitalism.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A social system that permits the expression of full human potential.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Things that people do that require little or no thought.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Things that people do that result from conscious processes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Study of behavior, largely associated with psychology.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Nonrational action that is a result of emotion.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Action based on the way things have habitually been done.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Action that reflects the actor's values, regardless of objective rationality.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Pursuit of ends chosen by the actor, influenced by their view of the environment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The most expedient and practical way to achieve goals.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To attain rational understanding of the world.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Choice of action guided by larger values rather than daily experiences.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Choice of expedient action based on rules, regulations, and laws.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Belief of a Calvinist sect that emphasized hard work and asceticism.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Methodological technique focused on understanding actor's thought processes and motives.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Motivation for economic success based on rationality, frugality, and fairness.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Belief that certain individuals have authority based on family or lineage.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Authority legitimated by belief in a charismatic leader's qualities.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Definition by others that a person has extraordinary qualities.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Efforts to recast the qualities of a charismatic leader.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>One-sided, exaggerated concept used to analyze social phenomena.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Hierarchical system ruled by regulations, where job roles are specific to individuals.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Leaders whose authority arises from established rules and regulations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Relationships among people, or interaction.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Patterns imposed on events, actions, and interactions by social actors.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Patterns imposed on actors to categorize them into limited categories.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Condition in which one person intends to hide something while another seeks to reveal it.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Form of interaction where a person intentionally hides the truth.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To endow social structures with a separate and real existence.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Two-person group.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Three-person group.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>One who is neither too close nor too far.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Objects produced by people that become part of culture.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Capacity of individual to produce and absorb elements of objective culture.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Over time, objective culture grows while individual culture grows only marginally.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Involves impulse, perception of stimuli, taking action involving the perceived object.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>First stage of act, where the actor reacts to an external stimulus.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Second stage where the actor seeks stimuli related to the impulse.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Third stage of act involving manipulating the perceived object.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Final stage of act where action satisfies the original impulse.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Movements that serve as stimuli to another party.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Gestures that elicit responding gestures from another party.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Gestures that require thought before a response is made.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Symbols that elicit the same response in the person expressing them as in their audience.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Conversations that individuals have with themselves using language.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Ability to take oneself as an object.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Ability to put ourselves in others' places and think as they think.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>First stage in the development of the self, involving child playing as someone else.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Idea that if people define situations as real, those definitions have real consequences.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Second stage in the development of the self, where the child takes roles of everyone involved in a game.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Attitude of the entire community or a collectivity that influences the actor.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Immediate response of the self to others; unpredictable and creative aspect.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Individual's adoption and perception of the generalized other.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Sociological theory focusing on the structures of society and their functional significance.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Patterned social interactions and persistent social relationships.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Observable consequences that help a social system adapt or adjust.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Focuses on large-scale social structures and their interrelationships.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Structure involving hierarchy of positions necessary for society's functioning.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Theories that seek a balance between explaining the entire social world and minute portions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Observable consequences with adverse effects on a system's ability to adapt.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Consequences that are irrelevant to the system under consideration.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Relative weight of functions and dysfunctions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Positive consequences brought about consciously and purposely.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Unintended positive consequences.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Unexpected positive, negative, and irrelevant social consequences.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Serious disconnection between social structure and culture.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Looking beyond stated intentions to real effects.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Associations of people controlled by a hierarchy of authority positions.</p> Signup and view all the answers