Sociologists and Their Theories Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

Who is known as the father of sociology?

Auguste Comte (correct)

Charles Horton Cooley

C.Wright Mills

Emile Durkheim

What concept did C.Wright Mills introduce?

Social imagination.

What term did Charles Horton Cooley use to explain self-perception?

Looking-glass self.

What theory did Emile Durkheim believe in?

Functionalism. Signup and view all the answers

What is Erving Goffman known for?

Dramaturgy. Signup and view all the answers

What did George Herbert Mead contribute to sociology?

The concept of self. Signup and view all the answers

What does Karl Marx's 'Communist Manifesto' argue?

It argues for a socialist society led by the working class. Signup and view all the answers

What distinction did Robert Merton make?

Manifest and latent functions. Signup and view all the answers

What does Harold Garfinkel's ethnomethodology study?

People's methods of making sense of the world. Signup and view all the answers

What did Amitai Etzioni differentiate?

Three different types of formal organizations. Signup and view all the answers

What sociological terms did Ferdinand Tonnies introduce?

Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft. Signup and view all the answers

What theory did Max Weber develop?

Bureaucracy Theory. Signup and view all the answers

What does Robert Michels' 'Iron Law of Oligarchy' state?

Small groups in power resist external leadership. Signup and view all the answers

What was Solomon Asch known for demonstrating?

Conformity under social pressure. Signup and view all the answers

What was the focus of Stanley Milgram's experiments?

Obedience to authority. Signup and view all the answers

What did Cloward and Ohlin expand on?

Merton's theory regarding deviance. Signup and view all the answers

What concept did Travis Hirschi develop?

Control theory. Signup and view all the answers

What argument does Erik Olin Wright make?

Marx's definition of workers and capitalists does not reflect the modern occupational structure. Signup and view all the answers

What did Immanuel Wallerstein write about?

The Modern World System. Signup and view all the answers

What does Walt Rostow's modernization theory suggest?

Countries go through four stages of economic development. Signup and view all the answers

What did Theodor Adorno argue about prejudice?

It is a personality trait in certain individuals. Signup and view all the answers

What argument did William Julius Wilson make about class?

Class is now more important than race for accessing social resources. Signup and view all the answers

What did Margaret Mead study?

Gender roles in the Tchambuli people of New Guinea. Signup and view all the answers

What concept did Talcott Parsons introduce?

Theory of complementarity. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Key Sociologists and Their Theories

Auguste Comte: Recognized as the father of sociology and founder of positivism, emphasizing a scientific approach to the study of society.
C. Wright Mills: Explored class conflict and introduced the concept of "social imagination," which encourages understanding the connection between individual experiences and broader social forces.
Charles Horton Cooley: Introduced the "looking-glass self," a concept suggesting self-concept is influenced by how we believe others perceive us; distinguished between primary and secondary social groups.
Emile Durkheim: Advocated for functionalism and the application of the scientific method to sociology, viewing society as a complex system of interdependent parts, each with a specific function.
Erving Goffman: Focused on dramaturgy, analyzing social interactions as performances where individuals present themselves in particular ways depending on their audience.
George Herbert Mead: Developed the concept of the self, linking self-awareness and self-image to role-taking; identified three stages of self-development: preparatory, play, and game stages.
Karl Marx: Co-author of the "Communist Manifesto"; critiqued capitalism, arguing society is divided between bourgeoisie (capitalist class) and proletariat (working class) and advocating for a revolutionary socialist society.
Robert Merton: Made key distinctions between manifest (intended) and latent (unintended) functions of social phenomena; integrated theory with research and examined deviant behavior.
Harold Garfinkel: Established ethnomethodology, focusing on the methods people use to understand and create social order in their everyday lives.
Amitai Etzioni: Differentiated among three types of formal organizations: normative (voluntary), coercive (forced), and utilitarian (based on practical benefits).
Ferdinand Tonnies: Coined the terms Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft, characterizing preindustrial societies as community-oriented and modern urban societies as more impersonal and contractual.
Max Weber: Known for his Bureaucracy Theory, arguing that bureaucracy is the most efficient and rational form of organization, essential for modern administrative systems.
Robert Michels: Proposed the Iron Law of Oligarchy, suggesting that organizations tend to develop an oligarchic structure over time, with a small group holding power.
Solomon Asch: Studied conformity, demonstrating how social pressure can lead individuals to provide incorrect answers in groups, indicating the influence of peer opinion.
Stanley Milgram: Conducted obedience studies revealing that ordinary people could commit harmful acts if instructed by authority figures, questioning morality under social pressure.
Cloward and Ohlin: Expanded upon Merton's ideas by emphasizing that opportunities for deviance are influenced by societal structures and accessibility.
Travis Hirschi: Developed control theory, focusing on the factors that promote conformity and socialization, suggesting that strong social bonds encourage adherence to norms.
Erik Olin Wright: A contemporary Marxist thinker, he critiques Marx's definitions, arguing they do not reflect the complexities of today's occupational structures within advanced capitalism.
Immanuel Wallerstein: Author of "The Modern World System," which integrates dependency theory and argues against the binary of "first" and "third" worlds, promoting a view of interrelated global economic systems.
Walt Rostow: Introduced modernization theory, depicting four stages of economic development through which countries pass, influencing their growth trajectories.
Theodor Adorno: Linked prejudice to personality traits, positing that individuals with authoritarian personalities tend to be more prejudiced.
William Julius Wilson: Suggested class status has become a more significant factor than race in determining access to social resources like job opportunities.
Margaret Mead: Conducted anthropological research on the Tchambuli people of New Guinea, highlighting reversed gender roles in comparison to Western society.
Talcott Parsons: Proposed the theory of complementarity, arguing that the differentiation of male and female roles serves a necessary function in social stability and organization.

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Test your knowledge of key sociologists and their influential theories with these flashcards. Learn about the foundational concepts introduced by Auguste Comte, C. Wright Mills, Charles Horton Cooley, and Emile Durkheim. Perfect for sociology students or anyone interested in understanding social theories.