Sociology 204 #1

the freedom individuals have to choose and to act

the loss of direct felt in a society when social control of individual behavior has become ineffective

the use of the discipline of sociology with the specific intent of yielding practical applications for human behavior and organizations

the use of the discipline of sociology with the specific intent of altering organizations or restructuring social institutions

a sociological approach that assumes that social behavior is best understood in terms of tension between groups over power or the allocation of resources, including housing, money, access to services, and political representation

a sociological approach that emphasizes the way in which the parts of a society are structured to maintain its stability

The worldwide integration of government policies, cultures, social movements, and financial markets through trade and the exchange of ideas

a sociological approach that generalizes about everyday forms of social interaction in order to explain society as a whole

sociological investigation that concentrates on large-scale phenomena or entire civilizations

sociological investigation that stresses the study of small groups and the analysis of our everyday experiences and interactions

the study of the physical features of nature and the ways in which they interact and change

the process of recognizing the impact our individual position has on who we are and how we think and act, and of taking responsibility for the impacts our actions have on others

problems we face in our immediate relationships with particular individuals in our personal lives

problems we face as a consequence of the positions we occupy within the larger social structure

the body of knowledge obtained by methods based on systematic observation

a condition in which members of society have differing amounts of wealth, prestige, or power

the study of the social features of humans and the ways in which they interact and change

our recognition of the interdependent relationship between who we are as individuals and the social forces that shape our lives

the systematic study of the relationship between the individual and society and of the consequences of difference

in sociology a set of statements that seeks to explain problems, actions, or behavior

a relationship exists between variables in which change in one brings about change in the other

the standards of acceptable behavior developed by and for members of a profession

the systematic coding and objective recording of data, guided by some rationale

the subjects in an experiment who are not introduced to the independent variable by the researcher

a factor that is held constant to test the relative impact of an independent variable

a relationship between two variables in which a charge in one coincides with a change in the other

the variable in a casual relationship that is subject to the influence of another variable

the study of an entire social setting through extended systematic observation

an artificially created situation that allows a researcher to manipulate variables

the subjects in an experiment who are exposed to an independent variable introduced by a researcher

the unintended influence that observers of experiments can have on their subjects

a testable statement about the relationship between two or more variables

the variable in a casual relationship that causes of influences a change in a second variable

a face-to-face or telephone questioning of a respondent to obtain desired information

a number calculated by adding a series of values and then dividing by the number of values

the midpoint

the single most common value in a series of scores

a research technique in which an investigator collects information through direct participation and/or by closely watching a group or community

transformation of an abstract concept into indicators that are observable and measurable

research that relies on what is seen in field or naturalistic settings more than on statistical data

research that collects and reports data primarily in numerical form

a printed, written, or computerized form used to obtain information from a respondent

a sample for which every member of an entire population has the same change of being selected

the extent to which a measure produces consistent results

a detailed plan or method for obtaining data scientifically

a selection from a larger population that is statistically representative of that population

a systematic, organized series of steps that ensures maximum objectivity and consistency in researching a problem

a variety of research techniques that make use of previously collect and publicly accessible information and data

a study, generally in the form of an interview or questionnaire, that provides researchers with information about how people think and act

the degree to which a measure or scale truly reflects the phenomenon under study

Max Weber's term for objectivity of sociologists in the interpretation of data

a measurable trait or characteristic that is subject to change under different conditions

specialized language used by members of a group or subculture

our mental and symbolic representations of reality

a subculture that deliberately opposes certain aspects of the larger culture

the viewing of people's behavior for the perspective of their own culture

a common practice or belief shared by all societies

everything humans create in establishing our relationships to nature and with each other

a period of adjustment when the nonmaterial culture is still struggling to adapt to new material conditions

the feelings of disorientation, uncertainty, and even fear that people experience when they encounter unfamiliar cultural practices

the process by which cultural item spreads from group to group or society to society

the process of making known or sharing the existence of an aspect of reality

a set of cultural beliefs and practices that legitimates existing powerful social, economic, and political interests

the tendency to assume that one's own culture and way of life represent what is normal or are superior to all others

norms governing everyday social behavior, whose violation raises comparatively little concern

a norm that generally has been written down and that specifies strict punishments for violators

a norm that that is generally understood but not precisely recorded

the process of introducing a new idea or object to a culture through discovery or invention

the combination of existing cultural items into a form that did not exist before

a system of shared symbols; it includes speech, written characters, numerals, symbols, and nonverbal gestures and expressions

formal norms enforced by the state

our physical modification of the natural environment to suit our purposes

norms deemed highly necessary to the welfare of a society

the ways we establish, abide by, and enforce principles of conduct

the use of gestures, facial expressions, and other visual images to communicate

an established standard or behavior maintained by a society

a penalty or reward for conduct concerning a social norm

the idea that the language a person uses shapes his or her perception of reality and therefore his or her thoughts and actions

the structure of relationships within which culture is created and shared through regularized patterns of social interaction

the systematic study of how biology affects human social behavior

a segment of society that shares a distinctive pattern of mores, folkways, and values that differs from the pattern of the larger society

a form of culture in which humans modify the natural environment to meet particular wants and needs

a collective conception of what is considered good, desirable, and proper-or bad, undesirable, and improper - in a culture

a theory of aging that suggests that those elderly people who remain active and socially involved will be best adjusted

prejudice and discrimination based on a person's age

processes of socialization in which a person "rehearses" for future positions, occupations, and social relationships

the theory that children's thought progresses through four stages of development

an aspect of the socialization process within some total institutions, in which people are subjected to humiliating rituals

a theory of aging that suggests that society and the aging individual mutually sever many of their relationships

a view of social interaction which people are seen as actors on a stage attempting to put on a successful performance

the effort people make to maintain a proper image and avoid public embarrassment

expectations regarding the proper behavior, attitudes, and activities of males and females

the attitudes, viewpoints, and expectations of society as a whole that a child takes into account in his or her behavior

the study of the sociological and psychological aspects of aging and the problems of the aged

treatment of the terminally ill in their own homes, or in special hospital units or other facilities, with the goal of helping them to die comfortably, without pain

the acting self that exists in relation to the Me

the altering of the presentation of the self in order to create distinctive appearances and satisfy particular audiences

a research orientation in which sociologists and other social scientists look closely at the social factors that influence people throughout their lives, from birth to death

a theory that we become who we are based on how we think others see us

the socialized self that plans actions and judges performances based on the standards we have learned from others

a stressful period of self-evaluation that begins at about age 40

the process of discarding former behavior patterns and accepting new ones as part of a transition in one's life

a ritual marking the symbolic transition from one social position to another

the process of mentally assuming the perspective of another and responding from that imagined viewpoint

the generation of adults who simultaneously try to meet the competing needs of their parents and their children

our sense of who we are, distinct from others, and shaped by the unique combination of social interactions

an individual who is most important in the development of the self, such as a parent, friend, or teacher

the lifelong process through which people learn the attitudes, values, and behaviors appropriate for members of a particular culture

a gesture, object, or word that forms the basis of human communication

an institution that regulates all aspects of a person's life under a single authority, such as a prison, the military, a mental hospital, or a convent