Sociology Major Paradigms Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What is a paradigm?

A model for how you think about things — a set of concepts and theories that frames your perspective on a certain topic.

What are theoretical paradigms?

Fundamental assumptions that sociologists have about the social world, guiding their thinking and research.

What are raw facts?

Simple descriptions of empirical reality.

What makes raw facts useful?

Perspective. Signup and view all the answers

Is sociology concerned with the macro or micro?

Both. Signup and view all the answers

What are the three main theoretical paradigms?

Structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. Signup and view all the answers

Who created structural functionalism?

Emile Durkheim. Signup and view all the answers

What basic assumption does structural functionalism make?

Society is seen as a complex system whose parts work together to promote stability and social order. Signup and view all the answers

What are the two types of social functions?

Manifest and latent functions. Signup and view all the answers

What are manifest functions?

Intended or obvious consequences of a particular structure. Signup and view all the answers

What are latent functions?

Unintended and unrecognized consequences of a particular structure. Signup and view all the answers

What is social dysfunction?

Any social pattern that disrupts the smooth operation of society. Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the problems with structural functionalism?

It can be really bad at dealing with change and interpreting negative aspects of society. Signup and view all the answers

What is conflict theory?

It imagines society as being composed of different groups that struggle over scarce resources. Signup and view all the answers

What was the first conflict theory in sociology?

The theory of class conflict, advanced by Karl Marx. Signup and view all the answers

Who started race-conflict theory?

W.E.B. Du Bois. Signup and view all the answers

What is race-conflict theory?

It understands social inequality as the result of conflict between different racial and ethnic groups. Signup and view all the answers

Where did symbolic interactionism first appear?

In the work of German sociologist Max Weber and his focus on Verstehen. Signup and view all the answers

What did Weber believe sociology needed to focus on?

Individual social situations and the meaning that they attached to them. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Major Sociological Paradigms

A paradigm is a framework of concepts and theories that shapes understanding of a topic.
Theoretical paradigms serve as foundational assumptions guiding sociologists in their analysis of the social world.
Raw facts are straightforward descriptions of observable reality devoid of interpretation.
The usefulness of raw facts is enhanced by the perspective from which they are analyzed.
Sociology examines phenomena at both macro (large scale) and micro (small scale) levels.
The three principal theoretical paradigms in sociology are:
- Structural Functionalism
- Conflict Theory
- Symbolic Interactionism

Structural Functionalism

Emile Durkheim is credited with the development of structural functionalism.
This paradigm views society as a complex system where different parts work synergistically to maintain stability and social order.
Society's components are termed social structures, which establish stable patterns of behavior.
Social functions are categorized into two types:
- Manifest functions: The intended, obvious outcomes of a societal structure.
- Latent functions: The unintended and often unrecognized impacts of a societal structure.
Social dysfunction refers to any patterns that hinder society's smooth functioning.
A significant critique of structural functionalism is its inability to adequately address social change, viewing society as predominantly stable and functional, potentially overlooking negative aspects as having positive purposes.

Conflict Theory

Conflict theory conceptualizes society as a battleground for competing groups vying for scarce resources like power, money, and status.
Change is viewed as a fundamental aspect of social life, constantly spurred by these struggles.
The theory of class conflict, established by Karl Marx, depicts society through the lens of different classes formed by their relationships to production means.
Race-conflict theory, founded by W.E.B. Du Bois, explores how social inequality stems from tensions between diverse racial and ethnic groups.

Symbolic Interactionism

The roots of symbolic interactionism lie in the work of German sociologist Max Weber, notably his principle of Verstehen (“understanding”).
Weber advocated for a focus on individual social contexts and the meanings attached to social interactions, emphasizing a micro-level perspective of society.
This approach seeks to comprehend society from the ground up, seeing it as the cumulative result of daily interactions among individuals.

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Test your knowledge of major sociological paradigms with these flashcards. Each card presents key terms and definitions that are fundamental to understanding sociological theory. Enhance your grasp of the theoretical models that shape sociological research and thinking.