Intro to Sociology Cheat Sheet (DRAFT) by RainyMoons

Sociology is the scientific study of society, social relati­ons­hips, and social instit­utions. It examines how indivi­duals interact with each other and how these intera­ctions are shaped by social struct­ures, cultures, and instit­utions.

Social Instit­utions: Major spheres of social life organized to meet basic human needs (e.g., family, education, religion).

Positi­vism: Comte is known as the father of sociology and advocated for a scientific approach to studying society.

Historical Materi­alism: Marx argued that material conditions and economic factors are the primary influences on society and history.

Social Facts: Durkheim emphasized the importance of studying social facts—­norms, values, and structures external to the indivi­dua­l—that influence behavior.

Anomie: A state of normle­ssness or a breakdown of social norms, leading to social instab­ility.

Bureau­cracy: Weber analyzed the rise of bureau­cracy as a dominant organi­zat­ional form in modern societies.

Formal Sociology: Simmel focused on the forms of social intera­ction (e.g., compet­ition, exchange) rather than the content.

Key Propon­ents: Émile Durkheim, Talcott Parsons, Robert Merton.

Manifest and Latent Functions: Merton’s idea that social practices have intended (manifest) and unintended (latent) conseq­uences.

Core Idea: Society is charac­terized by inequality and conflict between groups over resources and power. Social change is driven by these conflicts.

Key Propon­ents: George Herbert Mead, Herbert Blumer.

The Self: Mead’s theory of the develo­pment of self through social intera­ction, partic­ularly through the concept of the “gener­alized other.”

Core Idea: Analyzes the ways in which gender inequality is embedded in social instit­utions and cultural practices. Feminist theory seeks to understand and challenge the structures that perpetuate gender­-based oppres­sion.

Core Idea: Questions the existence of a single, objective reality and instead emphasizes the fragme­nted, diverse, and constr­ucted nature of social life. Postmo­dernism challenges grand narratives and focuses on the fluidity of identities and meanings.

Surveys: Collecting data through questi­onn­aires or interviews from a large number of respon­dents to identify patterns and correl­ations.

Secondary Data Analysis: Using existing data (e.g., census, social surveys) to conduct research.

Interv­iews: Conducting detailed, open-ended conver­sations with indivi­duals to explore their experi­ences and perspe­ctives.

Triang­ula­tion: Combining quanti­tative and qualit­ative methods to provide a more compre­hensive unders­tanding of a social phenom­enon.

Confid­ent­iality: Protecting the identity and privacy of research partic­ipants.

Defini­tion: The process through which indivi­duals learn and intern­alize the values, beliefs, norms, and social practices of their culture.

Life Course: Social­ization continues throughout life, with different stages (e.g., childhood, adoles­cence, adulthood) presenting new social­ization challenges and processes.

Strain Theory: Robert Merton's theory that deviance occurs when there is a discre­pancy between societal goals and the means available to achieve them.

Social Control Theory: Travis Hirschi's theory that strong social bonds prevent deviance, while weak bonds increase the likelihood of deviant behavior.

Social Strati­fic­ation: The hierar­chical arrang­ement of indivi­duals in society based on factors such as class, race, and gender.

Race and Ethnicity: Social constructs that categorize people based on physical charac­ter­istics and cultural practices, often leading to systemic inequa­lity.

Inters­ect­ion­ality: The concept that various forms of inequality (e.g., race, class, gender) intersect and interact to produce unique experi­ences of oppression and privilege.

Marriage Patterns: The sociol­ogical analysis of marriage practices, including monogamy, polygamy, and arranged marriages.

Functions of Education: The role of education in social­iza­tion, social integr­ation, social placement, and cultural transm­ission.

The Hidden Curric­ulum: The implicit lessons taught in schools that reinforce societal norms and values.

Secula­riz­ation: The decline of religious influence in modern societies and the rise of secular worldv­iews.

Types of Economies: The sociol­ogical analysis of different economic systems, including capita­lism, socialism, and mixed economies.

Global­iza­tion: The impact of global economic processes on work, labor rights, and inequa­lity.

Demogr­aphy: The study of population dynamics, including birth rates, death rates, migration, and aging.

Medical Sociology: The study of how social factors affect health, illness, and health­care.

Healthcare Systems: Compar­ative analysis of healthcare systems and the sociology of health profes­sions.

Theories of Social Change: Evolut­ionary, cyclical, confli­ct-­driven, and techno­logical theories explaining how and why societies change.

Impact of Techno­logy: Examining how digital techno­logies and social media are reshaping social intera­ctions, identi­ties, and instit­utions.

Transn­ati­ona­lism: The study of how global­ization impacts cultural, economic, and social connec­tions across national borders.

Sociology of Climate Change: Exploring the social causes and conseq­uences of enviro­nmental degrad­ation and climate change.

New Forms of Social Movements: The rise of movements focused on identity, such as LGBTQ+ rights, Black Lives Matter, and indigenous rights.

Demogr­aphic Shifts: The impact of aging popula­tions on social struct­ures, health­care, and economies.

Network Theory: The study of how social networks influence individual behavior and social outcomes.