Questions and Answers
What are two important characteristics of a social fact?
Power of Coercion and Externality
What are examples of social facts?
Institutions, statuses, roles, population distribution, urbanization, laws, beliefs
What is the definition of a social fact?
Every way of acting, fixed or not, capable of exercising on the individual an external constraint. Values, cultural norms, and social structures that exist externally and enforce social control.
What are social currents?
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What are social phenomena?
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Currents of opinion such as marriage, suicide, and birthrate are what?
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What are the two ways we study social facts?
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Who came up with the idea of social facts?
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Study Notes
Social Facts Characteristics
- Power of Coercion: Social facts can compel individuals to act in particular ways.
- Externality: These facts exist outside of individuals and influence their actions and behaviors.
Examples of Social Facts
- Institutions, such as schools and governments
- Social statuses and roles that define expectations
- Population distribution and urbanization trends
- Laws, beliefs, and cultural norms
Definition of Social Fact
- Social facts encompass all ways of acting that hold external constraints over individuals.
- They are general across a society and exist independently of individual actions.
- Characteristics include externality and the capacity for social control through coercion.
- Simplified, they refer to societal values and norms influencing individual behavior.
Social Currents
- Represent less crystallized but still objective forms of social facts.
- They impact individuals similarly to the collective conscious but lack fixed structures.
- Subject to change, influenced by shifts in collective consciousness, affecting phenomena like suicide rates.
Social Phenomena
- Characterized by collective beliefs, behaviors, and practices within a group.
- Reflect external social constructions that evolve over time with personal development.
- Example: Racism as a social phenomenon affects behavior and attitudes towards other groups.
Currents of Opinion
- Include societal trends such as marriage rates, suicide statistics, and birth rates.
- Classified as social facts due to their collective impact on society.
Methods of Studying Social Facts
- Historicity: Investigating the timeline of social fact creation and evolution.
- Functionality: Analyzing the role and impact of social facts within a society.
Origin of the Concept
- Emile Durkheim introduced the idea of social facts as a foundational concept in sociology.
- His work significantly influenced the understanding of societal structures and norms.
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Description
Explore the concept of social facts in sociology with these flashcards. Discover their characteristics, examples, and definitions that highlight the power and influence of social constructs. Perfect for students and enthusiasts of sociological theories.
