#separator:tab #html:false #tags column:4 Sociology The scientific study of society and social behavior sociology-intro-terms Society A group of people who share a territory and culture sociology-intro-terms Sociological imagination C. Wright Mills's idea of linking personal troubles to larger social issues sociology-intro-terms Auguste Comte Coined the word sociology; called the father of sociology sociology-intro-terms Emile Durkheim Studied social facts, solidarity and suicide rates sociology-intro-terms Max Weber Studied bureaucracy and the Protestant ethic sociology-intro-terms Karl Marx Focused on class conflict sociology-intro-terms W.E.B. Du Bois Early American sociologist who studied race and The Philadelphia Negro sociology-intro-terms Jane Addams Social reformer whose work with Hull House shaped early sociology sociology-intro-terms Harriet Martineau Early sociologist who translated Comte and studied American society sociology-intro-terms Structural functionalism View that society is a system of parts that work together sociology-intro-terms Conflict theory View that society is shaped by competition over resources and power sociology-intro-terms Symbolic interactionism View that society is built from everyday interactions and shared meanings sociology-intro-terms Macrosociology Study of large-scale social patterns sociology-intro-terms Microsociology Study of small groups and face-to-face interaction sociology-intro-terms Culture Shared beliefs, values, norms and objects of a group sociology-intro-terms Norms Rules for behavior in a group sociology-intro-terms Folkways Everyday customs, like table manners sociology-intro-terms Mores Norms with strong moral importance sociology-intro-terms Laws Formal norms enforced by government sociology-intro-terms Values Ideas about what is good, right and important sociology-intro-terms Sanction A reward or punishment that enforces norms sociology-intro-terms Deviance Behavior that violates norms sociology-intro-terms Social control Ways society encourages conformity sociology-intro-terms Conformity Following the norms of a group sociology-intro-terms Socialization The lifelong process of learning culture and roles sociology-intro-terms Agents of socialization Family, school, peers, media and religion sociology-intro-terms Primary socialization Early learning in the family sociology-intro-terms Peer group People of similar age and interests sociology-intro-terms Hidden curriculum Lessons schools teach without saying so, like punctuality sociology-intro-terms Social structure Patterns of relationships that organize society sociology-intro-terms Status A position in society sociology-intro-terms Ascribed status Status given at birth or involuntarily sociology-intro-terms Achieved status Status earned by effort sociology-intro-terms Role Behavior expected of someone in a status sociology-intro-terms Role conflict Tension between roles, such as student and employee sociology-intro-terms Primary group Small, close group, like family sociology-intro-terms Secondary group Larger, goal-oriented group, like a company sociology-intro-terms In-group A group you identify with sociology-intro-terms Out-group A group you do not identify with sociology-intro-terms Reference group Group used to evaluate yourself sociology-intro-terms Social network A web of connections among people sociology-intro-terms Social institution Established system meeting basic needs, like family, education and government sociology-intro-terms Bureaucracy Organization with rules, ranks and specialized jobs sociology-intro-terms Social stratification Ranking of people in layers by wealth, power or prestige sociology-intro-terms Social class A group with similar economic position sociology-intro-terms Socioeconomic status Combination of income, education and occupation sociology-intro-terms Social mobility Moving between social classes sociology-intro-terms Poverty Lacking resources for basic needs sociology-intro-terms Inequality Unequal sharing of wealth, power or opportunity sociology-intro-terms Prejudice Unfair attitudes toward a group sociology-intro-terms Discrimination Unfair treatment based on group membership sociology-intro-terms Stereotype Oversimplified belief about a group sociology-intro-terms Race A social category based on perceived physical traits sociology-intro-terms Ethnicity Shared cultural heritage sociology-intro-terms Minority group A group with less power than the dominant group sociology-intro-terms Gender Social and cultural roles linked to being male or female sociology-intro-terms Gender roles Expected behaviors for men and women sociology-intro-terms Demography Study of population size and change sociology-intro-terms Birth rate Number of births per 1,000 people per year sociology-intro-terms Migration Movement of people from one place to another sociology-intro-terms Urbanization Growth of cities sociology-intro-terms Social movement Organized effort for or against social change sociology-intro-terms Collective behavior Spontaneous group actions, like crowds sociology-intro-terms Social change Changes in culture and institutions over time sociology-intro-terms Technology and society New technologies change how people work and relate sociology-intro-terms Globalization Increasing connection among societies sociology-intro-terms Sample A smaller group studied to learn about a larger one sociology-intro-terms Survey Questions asked of many people sociology-intro-terms Correlation A relationship between two variables, which does not prove one causes the other sociology-intro-terms Hypothesis A testable prediction sociology-intro-terms Variable A factor that can change sociology-intro-terms Ethnography In-depth study through observation sociology-intro-terms Anomie Durkheim's term for feeling of normlessness sociology-intro-terms Looking-glass self Charles Cooley's idea that we form self-image from how others see us sociology-intro-terms Generalized other George Herbert Mead's term for society's expectations sociology-intro-terms Dramaturgy Erving Goffman's view of life as a performance with front and back stages sociology-intro-terms