Sociology Concepts and Theories: A Comprehensive Guide - Prof. Michael D. Hughes, Study notes of Introduction to Sociology

Download Sociology Concepts and Theories: A Comprehensive Guide - Prof. Michael D. Hughes and more Study notes Introduction to Sociology in PDF only on Docsity! Sociology- the scientific study of these social interactions and of social organizations Sociological imagination-the ability to see our private experiences, personal difficulties, and achievements as, in part, a reflection of the structural arrangements of society and the times in which we live Impression management- we have a stake in presenting ourselves to others in ways that will lead them to view us in a favorable light. Social structure- the interweaving of people’s interactions and relationships in more or less recurrent and stable patterns Ideal type- is a concept constructed by sociologists to portray the principal characteristics of something they want to study Role conflict- results when individuals are confronted with conflicting expectations stemming from their simultaneous occupancy of two or more statuses. Interaction- Social fact- is aspects of social life that cannot be explained in terms of biological or mental characterizes of the individuals Role strain- occurs when individuals find the expectations of a single role incompatible, so that they have difficulty performing the role Social relationship- Culture- refers to the social heritage of a people-those learned patterns for thinking, feeling, and acting that are transmitted from one generation to the next, including the embodiment of these patterns in material items Instrumental tie- are social links formed when we cooperate with other people to achieve some goal Concept Norms- Social rules that specify appropriate and inappropriate behavior in given situations Expressive tie- are social links formed when we emotionally invest ourselves in and commit ourselves to others Variable- a concept that can take on different values; the term sociologists apply to something they think influences something else Folkways- norms that people deem to be of less importance, and they exact less stringent conformity to them Group- provide the structure by which we involve ourselves in the daily affairs of life, yet we may not appreciate the part they play until we are separated from them Hypothesis- is a proposition that can later be tested to verify in validity Mores- norms to which people attach a good deal of importance and extract strict conformity Primary group- is a small group characterized by intimate, informal interaction Correlation- exists if a change in one variable causes a change in another variable Law- rules that are enforced by a special political organization composed of individuals who enjoy the right to use force