Assimilation
Back Stage/Front Stage
Causation and Correlation
Deviance
Ethnocentrism
Folkways
Gemeinschaft/Gesselschaft
Harry Harlow’s Experiment
Ingroup vs outgroup
deJure/defato racism
Kohlberg
Labeing
Mores
Norm
Organic Solidarity
Prestige
cliQues
Roles
Sanction
Thomas theorem
hUnting/gathering
Vershehem
Wealth and Power
karl marX
sYmbolic interactionism
Zimbardo Prison Experiment
IS FOR Assimilation
Assimilation is the blending of
minority groups into dominant
society. The theories of
assimilation include Melting Pot
(many groups in, Americans
come out), Mixing Bowl (Become
American, but hold onto
traditions), Anglo-conformity
(Everyone conforms to American
ways), Accommodation (just put
up with different groups)
IS FOR Backstage and Front stage
Backstage/Front stage is part of
Goffman’s Dramaturgical Approach
which states that life is like a
drama and everyone has front
stage and backstage. Front stage is
how you manage the impression
people have of you. Back stage is
more casual and less formal. For
instance, while a student might
raise their hand and do their
homework for their front stage,
they will complain about a class
and a teacher while in their back
stage.
IS FOR Causation and Correlation
Causation is the idea that one
event leads to another.
Multiple causation is when
several factors combine.
Correlation is the relationship
between two different items,
that are related to some
extent. For instance, the
legalization of abortion
decreased crime rates.
IS FOR Deviance
Deviance is behavior that violates a
norm. It depends on the time and
place you live. Society decides what is
deviant, and the way society reacts is
more important than the action.
There is positive deviance, which is an
overconformity to norms, an example
is anorexia. There is negative deviance
which is a rejection of norms, which is
crime. Benefits of deviance include
promoting social change, clarifying
norms, and promoting unity.
IS FOR Ethnocentrism
Ethnocentrism is thinking that one
ethnicity is superior to others. For
instance, ethnic jokes and stereotypes
are examples of ethnocentric
behavior. Also, white supremacist
organizations such as the Klu Klux Klan
are ethnocentric organizations.
IS FOR Folkways
Folkways are everyday habits and
manners. If you violate a folkway,
you are considered a “slob.”
Folkways help people get along. An
example of a folkway is brushing
your teeth. If you don’t brush your
teeth, you are considered gross.
IS FOR Gemeinschaft and Gesselschaft
Gemeinschaft is an intimate
community, such as a small farming
village with the same ideas and
beliefs, where you know everyone.
The Amish are a Gemeinschaft
community. Gesselschaft is
impersonal association, where lives
are not centered on family, most
time is spent with strangers.
American society is generally
gesselschaft.
IS FOR Harry Harlow’s Experiment
1950’s
Harry Harlow’s monkey experiment
proves that nurture triumphs over
nature. Harry Harlow created two
“mother” monkeys, one was rough,
but had food, the other was soft and
comforting. The monkeys spent
more time with the soft monkey
“mother” than the wire monkey
“mother.” The monkeys chose
comfort over food.
IS FOR Ingroup versus Outgroup
A group is people who have
something in common and
believe that the thing they
have in common is significant.
Ingroup is people like you, and
an outgroup is people
different than you.
IS FOR de Jure and de facto racism
De Jure racism is
discrimination by law. For
instance, in Plessy v. Ferguson
in 1896, the Supreme court
ruled that facilities could be
separate but equal. De facto
racism is racism by practice,
not by law, it is everyday
practice of discrimination.
IS FOR Kohlberg
Kohlberg created moral development
sequences. The first is from age 0-6, and
is amoral (no sense of morals). The
second is from 7-10 and is
preconventional, where you learn the
rules. The third is conventional from
ages ten and older, and where you try to
follow society’s norms. The final is
Adult, which is post conventional, where
you model right and wrong and
question what if.
IS FOR Labeling
Labeling can be racial, gender,
ethnic, wealth, age, social
class, etcetera. It is a self
fulfilling prophecy. You act in a
way to fill the label. Sykes and
Matza say that people resist
labels. For instance, if you
label someone as deviant,
they will act more deviant in
order to fill that label.
IS FOR Mores
Mores are norms vital to the
well being of society and to
our values. They are universal.
For instance, no incest, and
there is very strong
punishment if you are caught.
IS FOR Norms
Norms are specific guidelines
for behavior. They describe
what is expected. Norms are
often converted into laws. For
instance, you cannot date
your sister.
IS FOR Open Question and Closed Question
Open questions provide a true
and honest answer while
revealing attitudes, but they
are harder to count and see
trends. Closed question has
limited answers, is easy to
count, and easy to see trends
and patterns. Surveys are very
common forms of
questionnaires.
IS FOR Prestige
Prestige is your social position. It
generally comes with respect and
honor. Prestige is valued and
honored. Upper class has more
prestige than lower classes.
Different presidents can have
different levels of respect. For
instance, Abraham Lincoln versus
Richard Nixon.
IS FOR Quantitative and Qualitative
Quantitative data is data
involving numbers. Qualitative
data is descriptive. Qualitative
data allows for more feeling.
IS FOR Roles
Roles are expected behaviors
that lead to obligations and
privileges. You occupy a status
within society and the role you
play depends on the status.
Ascribed role is what you are
born with, such as being a
woman. Achieved role is a role
you earn, such as CEO.
IS FOR Sanction
Sanctions are punishments for
violating norms or reward for
following them. There are positive,
negative, formal, and informal
sanctions. For instance, a positive
informal sanction would be “good
job.” A negative informal sanction
would be a frown. A positive
formal sanction would be honor
roll. A negative formal sanction
would be jail time.
IS FOR Thomas Theorem
1928
“If men define situations as real,
they are real in their
consequences”
IS FOR Hunting and Gathering Society
This society has the most
equality. The men hunt, the
women gather. It is a
nomadic society. It is the
most simple society.
IS FOR Verstehen
It is a concept created by
Weber. It is a way to
examine society through
the use of symbolic
relationships.
IS FOR Wealth and Power
Wealth is concentrated. The wealthy
are getting wealthier, and the poor
are getting poorer. The wealthiest
ten percent of Americans own 70%
of the nation’s wealth. Power does
not necessarily come from wealth.
Power can come from knowledge,
wisdom, or influence. For instance,
Hispanics can swing the vote in the
election.
IS FOR Karl MarX
Karl Marx created the conflict theory.
The conflict theory states that the
key to human history is class conflict
between the bourgeoisie (wealthy)
and the proletariat (worker). There
are opposing interests, competition,
and change. Wealth, prestige, and
privilege lead to power. An example
of the conflict theory is race
relations, the dominant race keeps
the other races in a subordinate
position
IS FOR sYmbolic Interactionism
Symbolic interactionism was
created by Cooley and Meade.
Symbols help define yourself and
others. It helps to determine
what you “should” and “should
not” do. Interactions are based
on mutually understood symbols,
such as a flag and cross.
IS FOR Zimbardo’s Prison Experiment
Some students participated in
the experiment as prison guards,
and some students were the
prisoners. Within a few days, the
guards became sadistic, and the
prisoners became extremely
depressed. Both the prisoners
and the guards became deeply
attached to their roles.