Sociology Vocabulary Quiz

Total Institution

• Environments where individuals are isolated from society and subjected to control by authorities.
• Common examples include military boot camps and prisons.

Desocialization

• A process involving the abandonment of previous norms, values, attitudes, and behaviors.
• Often occurs in contexts of dramatic change or institutional settings.

Resocialization

• Involves the adoption of new norms, values, attitudes, and behaviors.
• Typically occurs in environments designed to transform individuals, such as rehabilitation programs.

Anticipatory Socialization

• A voluntary process in which individuals prepare for new societal roles by understanding prospective norms and values.
• Commonly illustrated by high school seniors transitioning to college life.

Reference Group

• Groups that provide standards and benchmarks for individual behavior and self-identity.
• Serving as a benchmark for evaluating one's own attitudes and behaviors.

Social Structure

• The organized pattern of relationships between different social entities and groups.
• Influences the behavior and social interactions of individuals within a society.

Status

• Represents an individual's position within a broader social structure.
• May reflect social hierarchies, roles, or professional classifications.

Ascribed Status

• A position assigned based on inherent characteristics, not chosen or earned.
• Examples include race, gender, and family background.

Achieved Status

• A position earned or chosen through personal actions, efforts, or achievements.
• Occupations such as lawyer, teacher, and doctor exemplify achieved status.

Status Set

• Refers to the complete collection of statuses an individual holds at any moment.
• Can include ascribed, achieved, and master statuses.

Master Status

• A status that holds significant weight and influences various aspects of a person's life.
• It often overshadows other statuses in social interactions and perceptions.