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Topic List by Dina Paykina
A-Acculturation
B- Bilateral Inheritance
C-Conflict Theory
D-Deviance
E-Ethnomethodology
F-Functionalism
G- Goffman’s Dramaturgical
Approach
H-Harlow’s Experiment
I-Institutionalized Discrimination
J- de Jure vs de facto
K-Kohlberg Moral Development
Sequence
L- Looking Glass Self
M- Matza and Sykes
• N- Norms and values
• O- Organic Solidarity vs.
Mechanical Solidarity
• P-Primary Group
• Q- Question of Race
• R- Rebellion
• S- Symbolic Interactionism
• T- Theory of Socialization- Piaget
• U-Upper Middle Class
• V- Verstehen
• W- White Collar Crime
• X-Xenophobia
• Y- Symbols
• Z- Zimbardo Prison Experiment
A
is for
Acculturation
Acculturation is when two cultures interact and they receive new cultural
traits because of this interaction. Acculturation occurred when Britain
occupied India; Indians learned English and other british cultures, while
Britain learned new types of cuisines and customs as well.
B
is for Boomerang kids
Boomerang Kids are adults who have lived on
their own but choose to return home and live with
their parents. This occurs with many college
students after they graduate.
C
Is for
Conflict theory
• The Conflict theory is the key to class conflict. It began with
Karl Marx who believed that society is made up of two
classes, the workers and the rich capitalists. He believed
that eventually there would become a classless society. This
is what the Soviet Union tried to create after the Russian
Revolution. However his idea works much better in theory
than in real life.
D
is for Deviance
• Deviance depends on bonds between society and
individuals. The more bonds a person has the more internal
control he has. Primary deviance is the occasional breaking
of norms, such as teen drinking. Secondary deviance is
when a person’s identity is centered around the breaking of
norms. These are career criminals.
E is for Ethnomethodology
• Ethnomethodology is the methods by which people make
sense of everyday interactions. This includes the rules of
everyday behavior and conversations. Some rules include
standing a certain distance away from a person when
talking to him/her.
F is for Functionalism
• Functionalism is the theoretical perspective that
focuses on the contributions made by each part of
society to the society as a whole. A change to one
part of society leads to a change in all of society.
Manifest is the main intended purpose while latent is
the unintended outcome.
G
is for Goffman’s
Dramaturgical Approach
• Goffman’s dramaturgical approach states that every
person is a performer. We have rules of language and
behavior. The front stage is the formal stage and is what
you want to be seen as in society. The backstage is the
normal, relaxed stage. This is how you act with close
friends or by yourself.
H is for Harlow’s
Experiment
• Harlow created an experiment on monkeys about social isolation. It was a
question of nurture vs. nature. The monkeys were raised by two different
types of mothers. One mother was made of cloth who contained no food,
the other was made of wire with a bottle of milk attached. The monkeys
almost always went to the cloth moms even when they were hungry
which showed that love did not come from only physical needs. When the
monkeys were separated into two groups, the monkeys who had the wire
mom were more violent, and could not function around other monkeys.
However the monkeys with cloth moms could. It showed that nurture
affected infants more than nature.
I is for Institutionalized
Discrimination
• Institutionalized discrimination is the routine negative
treatment of different races and sexes. The discrimination
is usually tied into policies, laws, procedures, or objectives
for institutions. This includes the skin color tax that banks
use to keep certain neighborhoods predominantly white.
J is for de Jure vs de facto
• De Jure means that it is required by law. De facto means
that it is accepted in society and is more of a custom than a
law. In the early 1900s, there were Jim Crow laws that
segregated institutions. However, once those laws were
taken down, there were still certain ways that segregation
occurred because it was so tied into the society’s way of
life.
K is for Kohlberg Moral
•
•
•
Development Sequence
Preconventional Morality- birth- 10 years; children avoid punishment and are
obedient. They judge wrong behaviors on whether they will be punished or not.
They obey rules only if they are set by more powerful people.
Conventional Morality- 10-17 years; Children make decisions based on what action
will please authorities and high status individuals. They think about others before
making decisions. They understand the difference between right and wrong.
Postconventional Morality- 17-adult; they understand that rules can be used to
their benefit and that they protect rights. They also understand that rules are not
the absolute law. They realize that rules that do not serve society’s best interests
should be changed.
L is for the Looking Glass
Self
• The looking glass self theory was created by
Cooley which states that a person’s self image
comes from interactions with others and their
perceptions. This makes people believe what
they are told about themselves.
M is for Matza and Sykes
• This theory, known as the Techniques of
neutralization, suggests that people resist labels.
They try to say that the victim deserved the crime
rather than taking responsibility. It is a way to try to
justify deviance.
N is for Norms
• A norm is a specific guideline for behavior in
given places. Norms include raising your hand
before speaking in class, or shaking hands
after a tennis match to show respect for the
other player.
O is for Organic Solidarity
vs. mechanical solidarity
• Organic is the interdependence in an industrial society.
Without each part the society would not survive. There is
a greater division of labor; people work as a body have
different parts, but must work together.
• Mechanical is when people perform similar tasks. They
have shared beliefs and values; they all do the same job
and cooperate.
P is for Primary vs
Secondary group
• A primary group is an intimate relationship; it is long term
and is usually small with continuous contact.
• A secondary group is more impersonal, goal-oriented. This
is usually a school group or work.
Q is for Quantitative vs.
Qualitative research
• Qualitative research allows a researcher to gain underlying
reasons and motives. They provide thought.
• Quantitative research allows researcher to gather data and
generate a result
R is for Rebellion
• Rebellion is when people completely reject
the goal and the means to achieve the goal.
The people also create a counterculture with
new goals and ways to achieve these goals.
These include groups such as the Amish.
S is for Symbolic
Interactionism
• Symbolic interactionism is how people communicate with
each other through symbols. It determines what should
and should not be done. People interact based on mutual
understanding of these symbols. These are things such as
love, parents etc.
T is for Theory of Cognitive
•
•
•
•
•
Development
Created by Piaget
Sensory Motor Stage: Birth-2 years, learning comes from direct contact
Pre Operational Stage: 2-7 years, The use of symbols, language and numbers is
important, but role play is not involved.
Concrete Operational Stage: 7-12 years, learn to play games, take turns. But they
struggle with cognitive reasoning.
Formal Operational Stage: 12 years- Adult, intelligence comes from the use of
symbols and how they relate to abstract thought. They use critical thinking.
U is for Upper Middle Class
•
vs.
U
nderclass
This class is shaped most by education. Most members have at
least a bachelor’s degree. These people manage corporations
owned by the capitalist class. 15 percent of the population
belong to this class, but everyone wants to be in this class.
• Underclass is the lowest rung of the ladder. They usually live in
the inner city and have menial low-paying jobs, if any. Many of
these people are homeless. About 5 percent of America is in this
class.
V is for Verstehen
• Verstehen means to grasp by insight in German. Weber
believed to understand human behavior, people should use
verstehen. It is like walking in someone else’s shoes. To
behavior is understood best by someone who has
experienced those situations. It is important to understand
how people interpret situations in life and what I occurring
to them.
W is for White Collar Crime
• A white collar crime is when high status people commit
crimes, usually within their jobs. These include crimes such
as insider trading, tax evasion, and embezzlement.
However these criminals usually receive shorter jail time
and go to nicer prisons, than those who commit robberies.
X is for Xenophobia
• Xenophobia is the dislike of people from
different countries and they are perceived to
be strange and foreign.
Y is for Symbols
• Symbols are objects, gestures, and images
that have meaning. They are interpreted
differently by people. These are items such as
flags, peace sign, the cross etc.
Z is for the Zimbardo Prison
•
Experiment
In the Zimbardo Prison Experiment. Scientists wanted to find out if
brutality in prison was due to violent personalities of the guards or the
prison environment. They took two sets of college males and randomly
made half of them guards the other half became prisoners. Within a short
period of time both groups settled into their new roles and the guards
harassed the prisoners. The experiment shows that people will settle into
social roles they are expected to play.