Quarter 2 Sociology: Exam Review
1. What is the Structural Functionalist view of the effect of sport on society?
It brings people together (as audience and players), brings a sense of
elation (pride), job opportunities, happiness.
2. What is the Social Conflict view of the effect of sport on society?
Economic, race, and gender inequalities.
3. What is the definition of the word ‘culture’?
The way non-mat and mat objects come together to form a way of life.
4. What is meant by material and non-material aspects of a culture?
Mat: things like foods, clothes, monuments, etc.
Non-mat: thoughts, ideas, actions, language, values.
5. What are examples of material and non-material aspects of Nicaraguan
culture?
Gallopinto, las huellas de acahualimpa, nacatamal, las isletas de Granada,
Ometepe, indio viejo, purisima, etc.
6. The following are identified as general characteristics of the Latino/Hispanic
culture. What does each one mean?
 Familismo: Family comes first before the individual.
 Personalismo: Mutual respect, easy relationship building.
 Jerarquismo: Respect for heriarchy (family, or authority)
 Presentismo: Focusing on the present day-to-day life rather than a long
term life plan.
 Espiritismo: Belief in spirits that can affect health and the spirits of dead
people.
7. What is the difference between a social norm, a value, and a belief?
Value is the umbrella under which norms and beliefs stand. They are
general guidelines of a society as a whole that decides between what is
“right” and “wrong.”
Nroms are more specific guidelines of behavior withing culture. They are
standard patterns typically expected of a group.
Beliefs: Something individuals or groups accept as real or true. Firmly held
opinion or conviction.
8. The following categories are used to define cultural differences. What does
each term mean?
 Equality (sometimes referred to as ‘Power Distance’): It’s the
distance and its rate of accessibility. If people can have close
relationships and meet-up with people of authority easily, then the
distance is small. It’s big if they need to book it in advance.
 Cooperation (Individualism vs collectivism): Collectivism: needs of
many over needs of few in a loyalty-based society. Indv: few over the
many in a merit-based society.
 Short-term vs long-term thinking: Short: the present more important
than future, meet current needs, no planning ahead, usually societies
of tradition, social obligations, and social heriarchy. Long term:
planning for future, short term sacrifices for future good,
characterized by: persistence, perseverance, adaptability.
 Indulgence vs restraint: Ind: promotes hedonism (pursue of
pleasure). Rest: discourages hedonism (curbs and regulates pleasure
seeking behaviors by strict norms)
 Traditional vs progressive: Traditional: follow old traditions, remains
the same, closed to change. Pro: always looking for new discoveries
and technologies to move forward, broad society.
9. What do each of the following terms mean?
 Subculture: Cultural patterns that set apart a segment of a society’s
population. (Ex: different cultures in a culture -> like those who like different
types of music or people from different religions)
 Counterculture: A counter movement. They push back on mainstream culture
to change how a society functions. (Ex: Pro-life vs. Pro-choice. Anti-vaxs
vs.Pro-vaxs)
 Mainstream: Cultural patterns that are broadly in line with a society’s cultural
ideals and values. (Not the same thing as low culture. Ex. Eating gallopinto or
nacatamal is mainstream culture of Nicaragua though there are individuals
who may not fall into it.)
 High culture/low culture: H: Cultural patterns that distinguish a society’s
elite. (Generally, for rich people. Ex: expensive brands, classical pieces, etc.).
L: Cultural behaviors and ideas that are popular with most people in a society.
(Liked by most people: like reggaeton or football).
 Multiculturalism: A perspective that, rather than seeing society as a
homogenous culture, recognizes cultural diversity while advocating for equal
standing for all cultural traditions. (Ex: England preferring curry which is
Indian) (we could mix, though it could have negative effects)
 Cultural diffusion: How cultural traits spread from one culture to another. (Ex:
burgers come from Belgium).
10.What is meant by ethnocentrism?
The practice of judging one culture by the standards of another.
11.What is meant by eurocentrism?
The practice of considering Europe and Europeans as focal to world culture,
history, economics, etc. (Ex: white Jesus).
12.What is meant by Afrocentrism?
A school of thought that re-centers historical and sociological study on the
contributions of Africans and African Americans
13.Define the following terms, which refer to different forms of society:
Society: A group of people who share a culture and a territory.
Hunter-gatherer societies: Nomadic societies that live day to day; they are usually small
groups who kill animals and collect plants to survive. Centered on eating.
Pastoral societies: Society based on animal domestication They are also nomadic to look for
food for the cattle (also based on eating).
Horticultural societies: Based on cultivation of plants. They are settled groups (in order to
keep crops) which can end with material surplus (having more resources than necessary to feed
a group). Specializations arise.
Industrial societies: Mass production, machine power takes over animal power. Pollution
begins. Far larger societies. Capital-based economy. Based on raw materials.
Post-industrial societies: Digital era, shift from material economy and more to service and
information economies.
14.What is seen as the key factor in the progress of society through these
categories?
Technology advancements. As technology evolves, so does society.
15.What happens to community ties and the influence of family as society
progresses through these categories?
The more advanced a society, the more individualistic it becomes. It is a
reoccurring trend that things like family and closeness begin to flake and
disappear.
16.What happens to levels of equality as society passes through those
categories?
As progress increases, equality decreases because of the variety and
competition.
17.What is meant by the term socialization?
How society forms you through social interactions.
18.Explain what is meant by the term ‘nature vs nurture’?
Nature: who you are, your core personilaty, your genes.
Nurture: How you were brought up, your surroundings, conditions that
made you what you are.
Nature determines how you react to your nurture.
19.What is epigenetics?
How your behavior and environment affects your genes.
20.What happens to humans who are not socialized by contact with other
humans?
They are marginalized, and adapt differently to situations. They tend to
develop skill sets, and beliefs that may differ from mainstream culture.