Questions and Answers
What is sociology?
What is society?
People who live within a territory and share an identity and culture.
What is culture?
A way of life of a people which includes their values, beliefs, and social practices.
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of defining social problems?
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What can social movements indicate?
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Economic models favor individual ownership and profit.
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What is the definition of wealth?
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Which economic model involves collective ownership?
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What is the focus of the conflict perspective?
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Dependency theory suggests that poorer nations are locked in a __________ relationship with wealthy countries.
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Which sector is associated with the extraction of raw materials?
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Study Notes
Sociology and Society
- Sociology systematically studies social and group behavior within a society.
- Society consists of people residing in a specific territory sharing common identity and culture.
Understanding Culture
- Culture encompasses the way of life for a group, including their values, beliefs, and social practices.
Defining Social Problems
- Social problems undermine the well-being of individuals in society and require societal recognition as harmful.
- Identification of social problems is often controversial and can lead to public debates.
Eight Assertions of Social Problems
- Arise from societal operations and are perceived differently by individuals.
- Involve a mix of subjective perception and objective facts influenced by one's social location.
- Most are interconnected and global in nature, with changing definitions over time.
The Social Imagination
- Connects personal troubles to public issues, highlighting an individual's societal influences.
- Empowers individuals to address social problems and facilitate change.
Sociological Imagination and Critical Thinking
- Critical thinking involves not just recalling facts but also comprehension, analysis, and synthesis for informed action.
Social Movements and Claims Making
- Social movements signal the existence of a social problem, advocating for public recognition of issues as significant.
Role of Theory in Analyzing Social Problems
- Theory comprises interconnected concepts explaining how and why certain facts are related.
Structural Functional Perspective
- Views society as a complex system of interrelated parts (institutions) that strive for stability; social problems threaten this equilibrium.
Conflict Perspective
- Highlights that modern societies are organized around resource inequalities, identifying social problems stemming from conflicts between different social classes.
Symbolic Interaction Perspective
- Focuses on meaning-making through interaction and socialization, suggesting social problems are constructed through the labeling of situations.
Challenges in Studying Social Problems
- Complexity of social behavior, accuracy in study, rapid social change, and the challenge of objectivity for sociologists.
Social Policy and Welfare
- Policy questions involve defining success, evaluating costs, and determining beneficiaries.
- Social policy is a collection of strategies aimed at resolving social problems.
Political Ideologies on Social Change
- Conservatives aim to limit change, focusing on individual responsibility.
- Liberals favor broader societal reforms.
- Radicals advocate for comprehensive changes to resolve social issues.
Strategies for Addressing Economic Inequality
- Taxation is a tool for reducing economic disparities, with progressive taxation imposing higher rates on higher incomes.
Social Stratification
- Refers to hierarchical ranking based on uneven distribution of valued resources, affecting individual life chances and accessibility to opportunities.
Systems of Stratification
- Includes slavery, caste, estate, and class systems, each with distinct characteristics and societal implications.
Income and Wealth
- Income encompasses wages plus investment earnings; wealth represents total assets minus debts.
- The richest 5% possess 60% of all wealth; the bottom 40% have no wealth.
Social Problems and Poverty
- Issues linked to poverty include high infant mortality, homelessness, education dropout rates, crime, and political alienation.
Theoretical Approaches to Poverty
- Structural functionalism attributes poverty to personal deficiencies.
- Conflict theory argues for poverty elimination to end exploitation.
- Multicultural and feminist theories examine poverty through the lenses of race, ethnicity, and gender.
Demographic Transition Theory
- Links population growth to social development stages from high birth/death rates to industrialization and eventual stabilization.
Global Social Conflict
- Dependency theory critiques modernization, suggesting poor nations are trapped in dependence on wealthier countries.
World Systems Theory
- Explains global inequality through the positioning of nations in the global capitalist economy, influenced by transnational corporations.
Political and Economic Institutions
- Political institutions dictate social goals and power use, while economic institutions focus on services and resource distribution.
Economic Models
- Capitalism promotes private ownership; socialism advocates for collective ownership; communism seeks elimination of social distinctions; mixed models encompass democratic socialism.
Economic Sectors
- Primary sector focuses on raw material extraction, secondary on manufacturing goods, and tertiary on services and technology.
Globalization
- Involves expansion of economic activities across borders, impacting national economies through processes like deindustrialization and transnational corporate influence.
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Description
This quiz provides flashcards focused on key concepts in sociology and social problems. Each card presents a term along with its definition, encouraging the understanding of essential sociological ideas. Perfect for students studying sociology or related social sciences.
