Sociology: Understanding Social Structures

• Sociology: The systematic study of human and societal relationships.
• "Making the familiar strange" challenges conventional wisdom.
• Sociological imagination (C. Wright Mills): Connects personal experiences to society and historical forces.
• Social institutions: Social positions connected by social relations doing a social role that greatly shape actions and are constantly shifting.

Micro Sociology

• Focuses on local interactions, face-to-face encounters, gathering data from participant observation, and in-depth interviews.

Macro Sociology

• Analyzes social dynamics across whole societies using statistical analysis.
• Sociology became a discipline in the 19th century due to various revolutions.
• Auguste Comte: Coined "sociology" viewing society as scientifically analyzable.
• W.E.B. Du Bois introduced double consciousness.
• Double consciousness describes the internal conflict experienced by African Americans navigating their identity in society.
• Marx emphasized class conflict and societal division into two classes.
• Weber introduced Verstehen, meaning "understanding," suggesting sociologists understand subjective meanings.
• Durkheim introduced functionalism.
• Class conflict shapes society through two main classes.
• The division of labor in industrial societies maintains cohesion through task interdependence.
• A theory can give a belief of ideas that could be researched.
• Functionalism views society as a system with interrelated parts maintaining balance.
• Conflict Theory highlights conflict as a driver of social change.
• Feminist Theory emphasizes women's experiences and addresses subordination of women.
• Symbolic Interactionism: Micro-level theory focused on shared meanings and assumptions behind actions.

Scientific Method

• It is a involves formulation, testing, and modification of hypotheses.
• Inductive approach involves observation and research.
• Deductive approach bases research on a theory.
• Qualitative methods consist of learning through face-to-face interviews, that cannot be converted into numbers
• Quantitative methods consist of research obtaining data for numbers.
• A theory is a system of ideas explaining something.
• Correlation tracks variables' positive or negative relationships.
• Dependent variable: The the goal the researcher is trying to explain
• Independent variable: A measured factor believed to influence the dependent variable.
• Hypothesis: A proposed relationship between variables that leads to a direction.
• Operationalization: A precise definition for measuring a concept in a study.
• Reflexivity: Critically analyzing one's role in research.
• Participant observation: A qualitiative method to analyze behavior
• Interviews: A process focused on the why and how of people's actions.
• Survey research: A quantitative method to analyze answers
• Informed consent: Assurance and knowledge of study participation.

Culture

• A set of beliefs, traditions and practices
• Media/mass media: A system where one can socialize in it
• Values- Internal beliefs one can have
• Norms- What “normal” things should be where we follow it when in society.
• Cultural scripts shape life.
• Subculture: A culture within a broader culture
• Code-switching: Ability to change languages and norms in different environments.
• Culture shock: Stress from being in a new environment.
• Ethnocentrism: Belief in one's culture's superiority.
• Cultural relativism: Having no bias on any culture

Material vs nonmaterial culture

• Material- Physical objects that people can define as part of their culture
• Non-material- the values and beliefs that are associated to the material culture
• Cultural lag: Where material culture moves quickly than non material
• Political economy of media: Where companies pitches new ideas to get to the consumer
• Socialization: Learning and internalizing society's norms and beliefs.
• Nature vs. Nurture: Role of heredity versus learning.
• Nature focuses on hereditary in humans
• Nurture focuses on learning socialization and culture
• Self: An individual's identity.
• George Herbert Mead created the concept of the generalized other
• The generalized other: How social self develops over childhood
• Socialization agents: Certain areas such as school help one grow socially
• The work of Annette Lareau- Parenting strategies are impacted by social class
• Resocialization: Intense training in social norms and values.
• Adult socialization: Socialization in adults taking on new roles/jobs.
• Status: A position within a social group.
• Role: Expected behavior in a particular society.
• Status set: All the statuses we have
• Ascribed status: Status given at birth or by society.
• Achieved status: Status earned through choices and completion.
• Master status: The most consideration in interactions
• Cooley developed looking-glass self.
• Goffman views life as a theatrical performance.

Deviance

• Is any transgression of a socially established norm
• Social control creates normative compliance.
• Crime leads to life changes.
• Social cohesion forms social bonds.
• Formal and Informal deviance
• Formal and informal sanctions
• Formal Sanctions are punishments/rewards by social groups.
• Informal sanctions are unspoken expectations.
• Structural strain theory explains deviance when society restricts equal opportunity.
• Innovator: Someone who creates ideas that can be spread
• Relativity of deviance depends on social standards and norms.
• Labeling Theory explains people adopt specific labels.
• Primary Deviance is the first rule breaking act.
• Secondary deviance describes acts of rule breaking after the action of primary deviance
• Rational Choice theory explains by rational decision making
• Deterrence theory is based on the criminal justice system.
• Recidivism is reverting to crime after release.