Sociology Overview Quiz

Sociology

• Sociology is the systematic study of society, social institutions, social relationships, social interaction, and cultural phenomena.
• It examines how social structures and cultural norms shape individual behavior and societal outcomes.
• Key figures in sociology include Émile Durkheim, Karl Marx, and Max Weber.
• Key sociological perspectives include functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism.

Social Structures

• Social structures are the patterned social arrangements in society that are both emergent from and determinant of the actions of the individuals within them.
• Examples of social structures include families, education systems, governments, and economic systems.
• Social structures influence individual opportunities and life chances.
• Social structures are often invisible, but their effects are observable in social patterns and inequalities.

Cultural Norms

• Cultural norms are the unwritten rules that govern behavior within a society.
• These rules define what is considered acceptable and unacceptable, appropriate and inappropriate.
• Cultural norms vary across societies and change over time.
• Some cultural norms are explicit (e.g., laws) while others are implicit (e.g., customs).
• Norms shape individual behavior and expectations.
• They guide interactions and promote social order.

Deviance

• Deviance refers to behaviors or characteristics that are viewed by segments of a society as violating or going against socially established norms.
• Deviance is relative to cultural norms.
• Deviance can be criminal, like breaking the law, or non-criminal, like violating norms of etiquette.
• Societal responses to deviance vary.
• Deviance can be functional, as it challenges the status quo and can generate social change.

Socialization

• Socialization is the process by which individuals learn and internalize the values, beliefs, norms, and behaviors of their culture.
• Primary socialization occurs during childhood and is usually with family members.
• Secondary socialization occurs outside the family and involves institutions such as schools, peer groups, and workplaces.
• Agents of socialization include family, peers, schools, media, religion, and the workplace.
• Socialization shapes individual identity and behavior.

Inequality

• Social inequality refers to the unequal distribution of resources, opportunities, and social rewards in society.
• Inequality can be based on various factors, including race, ethnicity, gender, class, and sexual orientation.
• Inequality leads to disparities in access to education, healthcare, employment, and other social benefits.
• Social inequalities can perpetuate themselves across generations.
• Inequality can create significant social problems and disparities.