Sociology Chapter 2 Flashcards

Questions and Answers

Who is Auguste Comte (1798-1857)?

He is considered the father of sociology.

Comte stated that sociology needed to be treated like any other _ _

scientific discipline

Define Comte's Positivism.

Applying the laws of math and science to social affairs.

Who is Harriet Martineau (1802-76)?

Considered the first feminist and a social activist who wrote about social changes in America. Signup and view all the answers

Who did Harriet Martineau study and translate books from French into English for?

Auguste Comte Signup and view all the answers

What social changes did Harriet Martineau write about?

Labor unions, abolition of slavery, women's suffrage. Signup and view all the answers

Published in 1837, what is 'Society in America' about?

American hypocrisy. Signup and view all the answers

Who is Herbert Spencer (1820-1903)?

Believed in evolution and coined the phrase 'survival of the fittest'. Signup and view all the answers

Herbert Spencer's philosophy is often referred to as?

Social Darwinism. Signup and view all the answers

What did Herbert Spencer believe?

That societies evolve through time by adapting. Signup and view all the answers

Who studied Herbert Spencer?

Hitler. Signup and view all the answers

Who is Emile Durkheim (1858-1917)?

Worked to establish sociology as an important academic discipline. Signup and view all the answers

What was Emile Durkheim interested in?

Social factors and focused on nurture. Signup and view all the answers

Define Anomie - an issue to Emile Durkheim.

Sense of disconnection brought about by the modern world. Signup and view all the answers

What is Emile Durkheim's view on religion?

Religion is important, but it does not matter which religion you practice. Signup and view all the answers

What did Emile Durkheim write about in 1897, and what is the name of the book?

'Suicide', which discusses the correlation between social factors and suicide. Signup and view all the answers

Who is Karl Marx (1818-83)?

The forebear of communism and a German philosopher and political activist. Signup and view all the answers

What is Karl Marx's conflict theory?

Whoever has the money has the power, challenging power. Signup and view all the answers

What did Karl Marx believe about capitalism?

That it was creating social inequality between capitalists and workers. Signup and view all the answers

What is Socialism?

The government controls the major commodities. Signup and view all the answers

Who is Max Weber (1864-1920)?

A German sociologist and pioneer of the analytic method in sociology. Signup and view all the answers

Who is W.E.B. Du Bois?

One of the co-founders of the NAACP and the first African American to receive a doctorate. Signup and view all the answers

Who is Jane Addams?

Founder of Hull House, which offered various services to the poor and new immigrants. Signup and view all the answers

Who are the major sociologists?

Auguste Comte, Harriet Martineau, Herbert Spencer, Emile Durkheim, and Karl Marx. Signup and view all the answers

What are the major sociology theories?

Symbolic Interactionism, Conflict Theory, Structural Functionalism Theory. Signup and view all the answers

What are Sociological Theories?

Propositions that explain the social world and are sometimes referred to as approaches. Signup and view all the answers

Define Structural Functionalism.

Society is viewed as an ordered system of interrelated parts. Signup and view all the answers

What is postmodernist theory?

Suggests that social reality is diverse, pluralistic, and constantly changing. Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the Symbolic Interactionist, according to George Herbert Mead?

An arbitrary sign that has acquired a conventional significance. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Major Figures in Sociology

Auguste Comte (1798-1857) is recognized as the father of sociology, advocating for its classification as a scientific discipline.
Harriet Martineau (1802-1876) is celebrated as the first feminist, known for her social activism and critiques of American society during her travels in 1835.
Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) promoted a philosophy termed "social darwinism," stressing the idea of "survival of the fittest" among societies.
Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) contributed to sociology's academic validation, exploring social factors and concepts like anomie, which describes social disconnection.
Karl Marx (1818-1883) is heralded as the progenitor of communism, focusing on the conflict between capitalists and workers and the inequalities inherent under capitalism.
Max Weber (1864-1920) is known as a pioneering German sociologist who analyzed modern life and societal structures.

Key Sociology Concepts

Positivism, as defined by Comte, advocates for applying scientific laws to social phenomena.
Anomie refers to feelings of disconnection within society, highlighted by Durkheim's studies.
Socialism is characterized by government control over essential commodities and industries.
Structural Functionalism views society as an organized system where institutions work interdependently.
Postmodernist theory addresses the complexity and variability of social reality, emphasizing its pluralistic nature.

Influential Works and Contributions

Martineau's significant writings focus on issues such as labor unions, women's suffrage, and abolition of slavery, exposing American hypocrisy in her book "Society in America" (1837).
Durkheim’s important text "Suicide" (1897) examines the links between societal factors and individual actions related to suicide.
W.E.B. Dubois was a co-founder of the NAACP and the first African American to receive a doctorate, advocating for civil rights and social equity.

Theoretical Approaches

Major sociological theories include Symbolic Interactionism, emphasizing meanings derived from symbols; Conflict Theory, addressing power dynamics in society; and Structural Functionalism, focusing on societal interrelations.
Sociological theories encompass diverse approaches that aim to explain social phenomena and structures, referred to as perspectives or paradigms.

Symbolic Interactionism

George Herbert Mead is notable for developing Symbolic Interactionism, which highlights the importance of gestures, language, and symbols in human communication, creating shared meanings within society.

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Description

Test your knowledge on key figures and concepts from Chapter 2 of Sociology, including the contributions of Auguste Comte, the importance of scientific discipline in sociology, and the definition of positivism. This set of flashcards will help reinforce your understanding of foundational sociological ideas and early feminist perspectives.