Sociology Final Exam

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Questions and Answers

What is cultural determinism? Provide an example of a proponent of this idea.

Cultural determinism is the idea that the culture we grow up in influences our development. An example is Margaret Mead.

What is genetic determinism?

Genetic determinism is the idea that human behavior is controlled by genes.

Define inquiry model and list its main components.

Inquiry model is a structured process involving: 1. Question, 2. Review of literature, 3. Hypothesis, 4. Analyze data, 5. Conclusion, 6. Evaluate data.

What is cross-cultural comparison?

Cross-cultural comparison is a study that compares the behavior and/or development of people from different cultural backgrounds. Signup and view all the answers

Explain confirmation bias.

Confirmation bias is favoring things that support your own beliefs. Signup and view all the answers

What theory by George Mead focuses on how we view ourselves and present ourselves to society?

I and Me Theory Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between 'I' and 'Me' according to George Mead?

I is one's social self, and Me is one's true self. Signup and view all the answers

According to Cooley's looking glass theory, the self-image results from our interpretation of other ________.

people's views of us Signup and view all the answers

Human trafficking can involve the recruitment of persons through kindness and good intentions.

False Signup and view all the answers

Match the following technology terminology with their definitions:

Innovation = Changing or improving upon existing technologies to create something new Discovery = Finding something new or discovering a new way of viewing reality Invention = Combining elements and materials to create something new Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of a reformative movement?

Limited changes in a society Signup and view all the answers

What does a redemptive movement focus on changing?

People completely Signup and view all the answers

What type of movement seeks only limited changes in people?

Alternative movement Signup and view all the answers

According to Smelser's value-added theory, one of the conditions is _______.

structural conduciveness Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of social controls in relation to social movements?

How external factors act Signup and view all the answers

What theory states that social movements require resources like money and leadership?

Resource mobilization theory Signup and view all the answers

What is the main characteristic of adolescence according to Hall's Storm and Stress theory?

uncertainty and unpredictability Signup and view all the answers

Which concept refers to adolescents' belief that they are the center of attention for everyone?

Imaginary Audience Signup and view all the answers

Cultural determinism, as proposed by Mead, believes that cultural factors cause emotional and psychological stress in adolescents more than biological factors.

True Signup and view all the answers

Anthropology research method that involves becoming part of the culture being studied is called ______ observation.

participant Signup and view all the answers

Match the following family types with their descriptions:

Nuclear Family = Spouses and dependent children Extended Family = Multiple generations living in a single household Lone-Parent Family = One parent with one or more dependent children Blended Family = Divorced partners, married or not, with children or not Same Sex Family = Two individuals of the same sex with or without children Married or Cohabiting Couples = Spouses or partners without children Signup and view all the answers

What is the social stratification system that ranks categories of people in a hierarchy?

social stratification Signup and view all the answers

Define cognitive flexibility.

the ability for individuals to adapt to change Signup and view all the answers

_____ system is an open system based on ownership and control of resources.

Class Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between basic and applied research?

Basic research aims to increase scientific knowledge, while applied research aims to solve practical problems. Signup and view all the answers

What is the theory by Freud that examines the dynamics of personality?

psychoanalytical theory Signup and view all the answers

What is social mobility?

Movement of individuals or groups from one position in a society's stratification system to another Signup and view all the answers

_____ mobility refers to a gain or loss that does not produce change. e.g., moving to a similar position in a different company.

Horizontal Signup and view all the answers

_____ mobility refers to a gain or loss that does produce change. e.g., an industrial worker becoming a wealthy businessman.

Vertical Signup and view all the answers

Symbolic interactionist perspective believes that people are socialized to accept existing social stratification systems. [True/False]

True Signup and view all the answers

What does absolute poverty refer to?

Deprivation of resources considered essential Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Socio Final Exam

The difference principle by Rawls states that unequal distribution of resources is okay if they benefit those who are disadvantaged the most.
Social stratification is a system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy.

Origins of Stratification

In early societies, everyone was equally important and there was no hierarchy (egalitarian).
Limited resources led to a non-hierarchical system.
There was no difference in wealth, and people were nomadic, constantly moving, and not focused on collecting things.
As societies developed, a reliable food source led to the emergence of stratification.

Cognitive Flexibility

Cognitive flexibility refers to the ability of individuals to adapt to change.

Class system: an open system based on ownership and control of resources, determining status.
Caste system: a closed system with permanent status determined by family and birth.
Slave system: a closed system based on the ownership of people.

Research

Basic research aims to increase the scientific knowledge base.
Applied research aims to solve practical and current problems.

Psychoanalytic Theory

Psychoanalytic theory is a theory by Freud that examines the dynamics of personality, including the ego, super ego, and id.

Open and Closed Systems

A closed system has strict boundaries between different social parties, set by ascribed power, such as slavery and caste systems.
An open system has social positions with more flexible boundaries, influenced by achieved status.

Social mobility refers to the movement of individuals or groups from one position in a society's stratification system to another.

Types of Societies

Agricultural societies: characterized by specialization, surplus of food, and the emergence of politicians, specialized workers, slavery, and caste systems.
Industrial societies: characterized by consumption, ownership, and a class system.
Post-industrial societies: focused on production, consumption, and services, with education becoming a necessity.

Mobility

Intergenerational mobility: social movement experienced by family members.
Intragenerational mobility: social movement experienced within one lifetime.

Class System

The class system has vaguely defined boundaries, and gaining skills and education can help people move between levels.
Status comes from achievement, not ascription.

Horizontal and Vertical Mobility

Horizontal mobility: a gain or loss that does not produce a change in social class.
Vertical mobility: a gain or loss that produces a change in social class.

Status

Ascribed status: given at birth and closed.
Achieved status: achieved through experiences and open.

Conflict View of Inequality

The conflict view sees inequality as bad, avoidable, and unnecessary.
It is inevitable that there will be clashes of social groups, and exploitation will lead to conflict.

Functionalist Perspective of Inequality

The functionalist perspective sees inequality as useful, necessary, and inevitable.
Individuals identify with society as a whole, and people realize all roles in society are needed.

Weber's perspective sees wealth and power as influencing one another, leading to one group being more superior to another.
Worldviews are shaped by society, making it hard for change to occur.

Meritocracy

A meritocracy is a system in which promotion is based on individual ability or achievement.

Agents of Socialization

Social institutions, including families and schools, help shape individuals' basic beliefs and values.

People are socialized to accept existing social stratification systems.
There is a mutual understanding that they are part of a hierarchical system.

Poverty

Absolute poverty: deprivation of resources that are considered essential, such as food, shelter, and water.
Relative poverty: measuring deprivation of some people against those who have more, lacking sufficient resources to live at a standard considered comfortable or 'normal' in society.

Poverty in Canada

LICO (low-income cut-off) is used to measure poverty.
1 in 7 people in Canada are considered poor, often referred to as the poverty line.

Poverty Cycle

The poverty cycle refers to why it is difficult for people to break the cycle of poverty.

Self Efficacy

Self-efficacy refers to an individual's belief that they are capable of performing a task.

Psychological Effects of Adversity

People in lower-status groups often come to accept where they stand in society.
They start to believe that they can be effective and capable within the boundaries of their position in society.

Class System in Canada

Lower class: spends more than 60% on basic necessities, absolute vs. relative poverty.
Working class: works blue-collar jobs, less formal training, and is paid less than those in the middle class.
Middle class: most commercial advertising displays the middle class, can include doctors, lawyers, and "white-collar" jobs, and are able to afford a good lifestyle.
Upper class: money is inherited, and most disposable.

Heroic Imagination

Heroic imagination refers to individuals who take a personal stand against wrongdoing around them; can be taught.

Most Disadvantaged Population in Canada

Indigenous people: 50% live in poverty, 45% dropout of high school, and youth suicide rate is 50 times the national average.

Cultural Lag

Cultural lag refers to the period during which non-material (norms and values) culture strives to adjust to new inventions.

Technological Determinism

Technological determinism presumes that technology drives the development of society, social structures, and cultural values.

Challenges Facing Youth

Unemployment has doubled since 2012, and young people are hit by recessions the most.

Migration and Work

Young people are most likely to migrate, and unemployment acts as the greatest motivator.

Job Loss

Job loss is often perceived as an issue only dealt with the lower class, but everyone can be affected.

Employment Trends

Having a job has become a way to define social status.
Working teens have increased, people working longer, and both genders working.

I and Me Theory

The I and Me theory, by George Mead, explains how we view ourselves and present ourselves to society.
The I and Me are different, with the I being one's true self and the Me being one's social self.

Cooley's Looking Glass Self

Cooley's looking glass self refers to the self-image that results from our interpretation of other people's views of us.
It helps us create the person we are, and change does not happen right away, but reactions do get internalized.

Main Components of Looking Glass Theory

How we envision how we appear to other people
Envisioning judgment of that appearance
Our sense of self develops through the first two steps

Technology and the Workplace

Technology has changed the workplace, and workers are competing globally.
New skills are required, and telecommuting has become more common.

Pros and Cons of Telecommuting

Pros: increased productivity, projects completed faster, and can receive 24-hour attention.
Cons: pressure to work longer, difficult to maintain work-life balance, isolation, increased stress, and anomie.

Adapting to the New Workplace

Requires a shift in thought, and people who are more cognitively flexible are more likely to adapt better to change.

Constructivism

A person's knowledge is made up of subjective constructions based on experiences and ideas.

Hybrid Workplaces

Increases workplace cultures, which can influence productivity, familiarity, and mental health.

Types of Technological Change

Invention: combining elements and materials to create something new.
Innovation: changing or improving upon existing technologies to create something new.
Discovery: finding something new or a new way of viewing reality.

Most Important Technological Invention

The printing press, which led to the Gutenberg revolution, changed how people think, and led to the scientific revolution and enlightenment.

How Has Technology Changed Life

Teenagers believe cell phones indicate wealth and popularity.
Communication has changed, and cell phones can be used for entertainment, safety, and more.

Containment Theory

Personal values and social controls keep our behavior in check.
Inner: self-esteem and morals.
Outer: social controls (teachers, parents).
Technology allows people to hide from outer containments.

Human Trafficking

Recruitment, transportation, harbouring, or receipt of persons by threat, force, abduction, fraud, or a position of vulnerability.
Done for financial gain, power, or control.

McLuhan

Technology is an extension of human beings.
The medium is the message.
Made predictions about technology before modern technology existed.

Tetrad of Media Effects

Enhance: what does it improve, make possible, or accelerate?
Retrieve: what does it recover, what was lost, and is now brought back in a new form?
Obsolete: what is pushed aside, what becomes less relevant?
Reverse: when pushed to its limits, what does the media transform to that reverses its original characteristics?

Anthropology, Psychology, and Sociology

Anthropology is concerned with humans as a species and how we adapt to environments.
Psychology is concerned with human behavior and the brain.
Sociology is concerned with groups and group behavior.

Microsociology and Macrosociology

Microsociology is concerned with small groups and communities.
Macrosociology is concerned with large groups and populations.

Cultural Materialism

Highlights the importanceHere are the study notes:

Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive dissonance: feeling discomfort when having conflicting thoughts/actions, leading to altering one's beliefs/actions to align
Example: Festinger's cognitive dissonance theory (1957)

Sociology Theories

Cognitive consistency: striving for attitudes and behaviors that don't contradict each other
Evolutionary theory: societies progress from simple to complex over time
Cyclical theory: change is like seasons, with distinct changes in society
Challenge and response (Toynbee): how societies respond to challenges reveals their success
Functionalist theory (Durkheim): society serves a function, and when it no longer meets people's needs, it adapts
Conflict theory (Marx): economic power and wealth lead to conflict between commanding and obeying classes, altering society and economic systems

Tipping Point and Paradigm Shift

Tipping point theory (Gladwell): small actions by the right people can create a tipping point
Three laws to achieve a tipping point: Law of few, Stickiness factor, Power of context
Paradigm shift: a significant change in how society views things and their worldview
Paradigm paralysis: the inability to see beyond current systems of thought

Strain theory (Merton): society places a strain on individuals, causing them to conform or become deviant
Five types of deviance: Conformity, Innovators, Ritualists, Retreatists, Rebels
Social integration theory (Durkheim): interactions are necessary for integration, and cultural and social integration improve each other

Adolescence

Adolescence: a period of transition from childhood to adulthood, marked by uncertainty and unpredictability
Socialized anxiety (Davis): tension and anxiety motivate adolescents
Storm and stress (Hall): biological factors play a significant role in adolescence
Egocentrism (Elkind): heightened self-awareness and self-consciousness in adolescents
Imaginary audience and personal fable (Elkind): believing one's personal drama is the focus of everyone else's attention
Dominant values (Spranger): adolescence is a period of crisis, leading to a shift in personality and the development of one's values
Gradual change theory (Hollingsworth): adolescence is not the only time of stress, and environmental factors play a significant role in development throughout life
Field theory (Lewin): human behavior is influenced by the interaction between individuals and their environment

Developmental Tasks

Developmental tasks (Havighurst): acquiring certain skills, knowledge, and attitudes at specific times in life
Failure to achieve tasks can lead to not meeting societal goals and expectations

Cultural Determinism

Cultural determinism (Mead): nurture trumps nature, and cultural factors cause emotional and psychological stress in adolescents

Generational Replacement

Fresh contact (Mannheim): young people's awareness of the world around them influences their values and understanding of society
Social location: influence of birth year on individuals, with similar social contexts and connections
Generation replacement theory (Strauss and Howe): changes in adolescent attitudes are important markers of long-term social change

Archetypes and Anomie

Archetypes: universal symbols
Four archetypes: Prophet, Nomad, Hero, Artist
Anomie (Durkheim): a condition of instability resulting from the breakdown of standards and shared values

Family and Marriage

Fledging adults: young adults who do not leave the parental home and transition into adulthood
Helicopter parents: parents who hover over their emerging adult children
Family types: nuclear, extended, lone parent, blended, same-sex
Polyandry: one woman with multiple husbands
Marriage trends: later marriages, divorce becoming more frequent, same-sex couples becoming more prominent### Integration of Migrants
Changes in physical environment, such as street signs, help migrants integrate into society.
Having permanent residency (PR) instead of citizenship is important to some immigrants, as it allows them to keep their original citizenship and travel easily.
Social integration is the process of incorporating newcomers into a country's social structures, which involves learning the language, getting a job, and more.
Cultural integration is the process of acquiring beliefs, practices, and rituals of a new culture.

Acculturation Strategies

Berry's acculturation strategies include assimilation, separation, marginalization, and integration.
Integration involves a high sense of belonging to both the original and new countries.
Assimilation involves a high sense of belonging to the new country and a low sense of belonging to the original country.
Separation involves a low sense of belonging to the new country and a high sense of belonging to the original country.
Marginalization involves a low sense of belonging to both countries.

Identity

There are four types of identity: cultural, national, social, and self-identity.
Cultural identity refers to ethnic belonging.
National identity refers to citizenship.
Social identity refers to group membership.
Self-identity refers to a sense of self.

A social epidemic is the rapid spread of an idea, message, product, or behavior.
The Law of Few states that 20% of the population influences the spread of a social epidemic.
There are three types of influencers: connectors, maven, and salesmen.
The stickiness factor refers to the small elements that make a trend contagious.
The power of context refers to the physical and social environment that affects the spread of a trend.