Final Exam Review Sheet PDF

Final Review Sheet The exam is worth 100 points. Part I is 25 multiple choice questions (3pts each/75 pts total)- This is mostly on the last 3 topics of the semester with a few questions on the major theories and key concepts of sociology. Part II is 3 short answer questions (8 pts each/25 pts total...

Final Review Sheet The exam is worth 100 points. Part I is 25 multiple choice questions (3pts each/75 pts total)- This is mostly on the last 3 topics of the semester with a few questions on the major theories and key concepts of sociology. Part II is 3 short answer questions (8 pts each/25 pts total). Part I Health The four ways in which health/medicine is social Health: a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being Society shapes people's health in four ways: 1. Cultural diversity (different ways of thinking about health) 2. Cultural change (health practices evolve over time (e.g., new vaccinations or shifts in mental health awareness). 3. Technological advances (Innovations improve treatments (e.g., MRI, surgical robots, gene therapies)) 4. Social inequality (access to healthcare varies based on class, race, and gender, leading to disparities in health outcomes) Define medicalization Medicalization: the process by which human problems become understood, defined and treated as being medical in nature How Functionalists view illness, Symbolic Interactionists, Conflict theorists Functionalists: norms of behavior individuals adopt when sick, often guided and reinforced by institutions Symbolic Interestionists: attempt to reveal the interpretations that are ascribed to illness and now these meanings influence people's actions and behavior Conflict Theorists: examines inequalities in healthcare access and outcomes, healthcare often reflects broader social inequalities Types of work during chronic illness (illness, everyday, biographical). Make sure you know the difference among these. Illness: Managing symptoms, doctor appointments, and treatment plans. Everyday: Maintaining daily routines (e.g., family roles, chores) Biographical: Adjusting and redefining one’s identity and life story due to illness The biomedical and alternative medicine models Biomedical Models: Focuses on the physical aspects of illness and emphasizes treatment and cures Alternative Medicine Models: Includes non-traditional approaches like acupuncture, herbal remedies, and holistic care Basic trends connected to health and age, social class and race Age: Older adults are more prone to chronic illness (e.g., diabetes, arthritis). Social Class: Higher-income individuals typically have better health outcomes due to access to resources. Race: Racial minorities face systemic disparities in healthcare access and outcomes. Family Define the family (Ferguson) Family: A socially recognized group (usually joined by blood, marriage, or adoption) that forms an emotional and economic unit. Know different types of family formations (nuclear, boomerang, blended, etc.) Nuclear Family: Two parents and their children. Boomerang Family: Adult children return home to live with parents due to economic or personal reasons. Blended Family: Families that include step-parents and step-siblings. Trends shaping how we think about families today (cohabitation, tech, gay families, group living, etc.) Cohabitation: Unmarried couples living together. Technology: Online dating, long-distance relationships, and family connections through social media. Gay Families: Increasing societal acceptance and legal recognition. Group Living: Co-housing or extended families sharing resources. Characteristics of cohabitors (age, divorce, remarriage, etc.) Common among young adults and previously divorced individuals Can act as an alternative to marriage or a "trial run" for relationships The major effects of cohabitation on marriage (alternative to marriage) It may delay marriage but does not necessarily reduce divorce rates. Some studies suggest cohabitation increases the likelihood of separation if couples enter marriage with lower commitment or financial instability Cohabitation allows couples to test compatibility but lacks societal and legal reinforcement The benefits of marriage vs cohabitation Marriage: Greater financial and legal protections (e.g., tax benefits, healthcare access). Stronger societal support and recognition. Greater stability for raising children. Cohabitation: Flexibility to end relationships without legal processes. Allows couples to test relationships without formal commitment. Economic advantages of shared living without marriage obligations. The major characteristics/trends associated with divorce Influenced by changing gender roles, financial independence, and reduced social stigma. Divorce rates are higher among younger marriages and economically strained families  Deviance and Crime Define deviance, stigma, and crime Deviance: behavior that violates the standards of conduct or expectations of a group or society. What is and is not considered deviant can: change over time (age of people and generations). vary according to the culture of the local people. be determined by time of day and place. Stigma: an attribute that is deeply discrediting in interaction. Crime: a violation of criminal law. Know the major concepts and keywords of the follow theories: a. Social Anomie Theory (anomie) Anomie: a loss of direction or "normlessness" felt in a society when the social control of individual behavior has become ineffective. Anomie exists when there is no clear standard to guide behavior in a given area of social life. Under these circumstances people become anxious and disoriented, which may make them engage in violent acts. Deviance fulfills two important functions: Adaptive and boundary. 1. As an adaptive function, deviance brings in new ways of innovation which brings about change that must be adapted to. 2. It also promotes boundary maintenance between what is "good" and what is "bad". b. Strain Theory (5 ways individuals can react to strain) Focuses on the connection between social conditions and rising crime rates. People feel greater strain when their reality does not match the expected norm. People react in different ways to the strain they feel. Examples: ○ poverty and crime. ○ students (or parents) cheating. Conformists: accept both society's values (become affluent) and the conventional means of realizing them (work hard), whether or not they meet with success. Innovators: continue to accept socially approved values (become affluent) but use illegitimate or illegal means to follow them (i.e. steal or cheat). Ritualists: conform to socially accepted standards (work hard) although they have lost sight of the values (become affluent) behind these standards. They follow rules for the sake of following them. Retreatists: have abandoned the competitive outlook altogether, thus rejecting both the dominant values and approved means of achieving them. Rebels reject existing values and means, and wish to substitute new ones to reconstruct the social system. c. Differential Association Theory  Argues people become delinquent through associating with people who carry criminal norms (aka birds of a feather flock together). Criminal behavior is not just individualized behavior. It is learned through primary groups- particularly peer groups d. Routine Activities Theory Criminal victimization is increased when motivated offenders and suitable targets exist at the same time. The greater the number of opportunities for crime to take place the greater the number of crimes. “Broken Windows” A flaw of the theory is that what constitutes a “broken window” is left undefined so that police officers have to use their own judgment as to who or what is a problem and what is not. e. Labeling Theory It begins from the assumption that no act is intrinsically criminal. Definitions of criminality are established by the powerful through the formulation of laws and their interpretation by police, courts, and correctional institutions. It is not the act itself that makes something deviant, but the way people define and react to that act. Two stages to labeling theory: 1. Primary deviance: the initial act of transgression 2. Secondary deviance: the individual accepts the label and sees himself/herself as deviant f. Conflict Theory Argues those with power protect their own interests through laws and the criminal justice system. Those who are not in power are less likely to have their interests protected and more likely to be accused of crimes than those in power. Those who are in powerful positions that commit crimes are more likely to get away with doing so Part II Three short answer questions- One question per each reading assignment.