Sociology 170 UW-Madison Exam 1 Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What is the definition of a population?

An absolute number of an event occurring in a specific area

A specific time interval of demographic events

A type of demographic transition

Collection of people alive at a specified point in time who meet certain criteria (correct)

What does the count refer to in sociology?

Absolute number of a population or any event occurring in a specific area at a specific time.

What is a ratio?

Value obtained by dividing count by another count.

Define rate in the context of sociology.

Special ratio that measures frequency with which an event occurs in a population in a specific time period. Signup and view all the answers

What does a population pyramid display?

Population's age and sex compositions. Signup and view all the answers

What is the growth balance equation?

Population at a specific time equals the population at time n plus births minus deaths plus in-migrations minus out-migrations. Signup and view all the answers

What is the crude birth rate?

Births in a specific time period divided by person years lived in population in that time period. Signup and view all the answers

Define natural increase.

Births minus deaths. Signup and view all the answers

What is net migration?

Immigrants minus emigrants. Signup and view all the answers

What are period effects?

Consequences of historical change affecting everyone. Signup and view all the answers

What is a cohort?

Aggregate of all units that experience a particular demographic event in a specific time interval. Signup and view all the answers

Who is Thomas Malthus?

Created 'An Essay on the Principles of Population' and studied math; ordained in Church of England. Signup and view all the answers

What are the principles of population according to Malthus?

Food is necessary for the existence of man and passion between sexes will remain nearly in its present state. Signup and view all the answers

Define positive check.

Factors that physically or morally weaken and destroy the body (disease, starvation, war). Signup and view all the answers

What is a preventative check?

Limits to birth such as abstinence, delayed marriage, or restriction on the marriage of the poor. Signup and view all the answers

Define food insecurity.

Not having enough physical, social, or economic access to safe and nutritious food. Signup and view all the answers

Who are neo-Malthusians?

People who don't believe individuals have moral restraint. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Tragedy of the Commons?

Cost shared by all equals a lower cost to the individual; benefits reaped by one equals higher benefits to the individual. Signup and view all the answers

What is demographic transition?

How society gains or loses the population due to economic factors. Signup and view all the answers

What does antinatalist mean?

Want to slow baby production. Signup and view all the answers

What does pronatalist mean?

Want to make lots of babies because war kills people off. Signup and view all the answers

Define doubling time.

The time it takes for the population at a specific time to double. Signup and view all the answers

What is the IPAT equation?

Human impact equals population size times affluence times technology. Signup and view all the answers

Define momentum in population studies.

Dynamic latent process of population growth that continues even after the birth rate falls. Signup and view all the answers

What is a population projection?

Exercises showing the possible future size of a population. Signup and view all the answers

Define carrying capacity.

The population that the Earth can sustain based on living standards and technology. Signup and view all the answers

What is time lag in demographic studies?

Momentum keeps populations growing for many years after fertility declines; usually two birth generations. Signup and view all the answers

Define threshold effect.

Stress to a system builds and does not harm until it reaches a threshold. Signup and view all the answers

What is synergy in environmental stress?

Combined effect of two environmental stresses is greater than their sum in isolation. Signup and view all the answers

What is the general fertility rate (GFR)?

The number of births in a year divided by the mid-year population of women aged 15 to 49. Signup and view all the answers

Define age-specific fertility rate.

The number of births to women age n at time t divided by the mid-year population of women age n. Signup and view all the answers

What is the total fertility rate?

Average number of children born to women who survive to age 50. Signup and view all the answers

Define replacement fertility.

Total fertility rate of 2.1 births; sufficient to replace parents. Signup and view all the answers

What is demographic transition theory?

The theory explaining decreases in mortality and fertility rates as societies industrialize. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Key Terms and Concepts in Sociology

Population: Refers to a collection of people alive at a certain time, defined by specific criteria, that persists even as individual members change.
Count: The absolute number of people or events occurring within a defined area and time.
Ratio: A value derived from dividing one count by another, useful for comparison.
Rate: A specific type of ratio that measures how frequently an event occurs in a population over a designated time period.
Population Pyramid: A graphical representation showcasing the age and sex composition of a population.
Growth Balance Equation: The formula showing that a population at a given time equals its size at a prior time plus births, minus deaths, plus net migration.
Crude Birth Rate: Calculated by dividing the number of births in a time period by the total number of person-years lived in the population during that period.
Natural Increase: The difference between the number of births and the number of deaths in a population.
Net Migration: The balance of immigrants and emigrants in a specific area.
Period Effects: Societal-wide consequences resulting from historical events that impact everyone.
Cohort: A group that experiences a particular demographic event within a specific time frame.
Thomas Malthus: An influential thinker known for his work "An Essay on the Principles of Population," who examined the relationship between population growth and social conditions.
Principles of Population: Key assertions from Malthus asserting the necessity of food for survival and the enduring nature of sexual passion.
Positive Check: Factors of a physical or moral nature (e.g., disease, starvation, war) that can lead to increased mortality.
Preventative Check: Social strategies to limit births, including abstinence and delayed marriages, particularly among the poor.
Food Insecurity: A state characterized by insufficient physical, social, or economic access to safe and nutritious food.
Neo-Malthusians: A group that believes moral restraint does not limit population growth.
Tragedy of the Commons: A concept highlighting how shared costs lead to lower individual costs, while benefits accrued by individuals can result in greater overall harm.
Demographic Transition: Refers to the shifts in population structure due to economic changes.
Antinatalist: Individuals who advocate for reducing birth rates.
Pronatalist: Advocates for increasing birth rates as a counter to population losses from war or crises.
Doubling Time: The estimated period required for a population to double in size.
IPAT Equation: A formula expressing that human impact (I) is the product of population size (P), affluence (A), and technology (T).
Momentum: The ongoing process of population growth that persists even when birth rates decline.
Population Projection: Analytical tools estimating future population sizes, particularly unreliable beyond a 15-year scope.
Carrying Capacity: The maximum population size that the Earth can sustainably support, influenced by technological and environmental factors.
Time Lag: The delay in population growth response to changes in fertility rates, usually lasting for about two birth generations.
Threshold Effect: A phenomenon where stressors accumulate until a certain point, after which each additional stress sharply impacts the system.
Synergy: The occurrence where combined environmental stresses produce a greater effect than the stresses do when considered separately.
General Fertility Rate (GFR): The yearly number of births divided by the mid-year population of women aged 15 to 49.
Age-Specific Fertility Rate: The counts of births to women of a specific age divided by the mid-year population of that age group.
Total Fertility Rate: An estimate of the average number of children a woman would have if she survives to age 50, accounting for childbearing years.
Replacement Fertility: The total fertility rate needed to ensure that the population replaces itself (approximately 2.1 births per woman).
Demographic Transition Theory: Outlines the decrease in mortality and fertility rates experienced as a society progresses economically.

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Test your understanding of key concepts in Sociology 170 with these flashcards. Covering essential terms like population, count, and ratio, this quiz is designed to help you prepare effectively for Exam 1. Perfect for students at UW-Madison striving for success in their sociology course.