Topic List by Dina Paykina

1. Topic List by Dina Paykina • A-Acculturation • B- Bilateral Inheritance • C-Conflict Theory • D-Deviance • E-Ethnomethodology • F-Functionalism • G- Goffman’s Dramaturgical Approach • H-Harlow’s Experiment • I-Institutionalized Discrimination • J- de Jure vs de facto • K-Kohlberg Moral Development Sequence • L- Looking Glass Self • M- Matza and Sykes • N- Norms and values • O- Organic Solidarity vs. Mechanical Solidarity • P-Primary Group • Q- Question of Race • R- Rebellion • S- Symbolic Interactionism • T- Theory of Socialization- Piaget • U-Upper Middle Class • V- Verstehen • W- White Collar Crime • X-Xenophobia • Y- Symbols • Z- Zimbardo Prison Experiment

2. A is for Acculturation Acculturation is when two cultures interact and they receive new cultural traits because of this interaction. Acculturation occurred when Britain occupied India; Indians learned English and other british cultures, while Britain learned new types of cuisines and customs as well.

3. B is for Boomerang kids Boomerang Kids are adults who have lived on their own but choose to return home and live with their parents. This occurs with many college students after they graduate.

4. CIs for Conflict theory • The Conflict theory is the key to class conflict. It began with Karl Marxwho believed that society is made up of two classes, the workers and the rich capitalists. He believed that eventually there would become a classless society. This is what the Soviet Union tried to create after the Russian Revolution. However his idea works much better in theory than in real life.

5. D is for Deviance • Deviance depends on bonds between society and individuals. The more bonds a person has the more internal control he has. Primary deviance is the occasional breaking of norms, such as teen drinking. Secondary deviance is when a person’s identity is centered around the breaking of norms. These are career criminals.

6. E is for Ethnomethodology • Ethnomethodology is the methods by which people make sense of everyday interactions. This includes the rules of everyday behavior and conversations. Some rules include standing a certain distance away from a person when talking to him/her.

7. F is for Functionalism • Functionalism is the theoretical perspective that focuses on the contributions made by each part of society to the society as a whole. A change to one part of society leads to a change in all of society. Manifest is the main intended purpose while latent is the unintended outcome.

8. G is for Goffman’s Dramaturgical Approach • Goffman’s dramaturgical approach states that every person is a performer. We have rules of language and behavior. The front stage is the formal stage and is what you want to be seen as in society. The backstage is the normal, relaxed stage. This is how you act with close friends or by yourself.

9. H is for Harlow’s Experiment • Harlow created an experiment on monkeys about social isolation. It was a question of nurture vs. nature. The monkeys were raised by two different types of mothers. One mother was made of cloth who contained no food, the other was made of wire with a bottle of milk attached. The monkeys almost always went to the cloth moms even when they were hungry which showed that love did not come from only physical needs. When the monkeys were separated into two groups, the monkeys who had the wire mom were more violent, and could not function around other monkeys. However the monkeys with cloth moms could. It showed that nurture affected infants more than nature.

10. I is for Institutionalized Discrimination • Institutionalized discrimination is the routine negative treatment of different races and sexes. The discrimination is usually tied into policies, laws, procedures, or objectives for institutions. This includes the skin color tax that banks use to keep certain neighborhoods predominantly white.

11. J is for de Jure vs de facto • De Jure means that it is required by law. De facto means that it is accepted in society and is more of a custom than a law. In the early 1900s, there were Jim Crow laws that segregated institutions. However, once those laws were taken down, there were still certain ways that segregation occurred because it was so tied into the society’s way of life.

12. K is for Kohlberg Moral Development Sequence • Preconventional Morality- birth- 10 years; children avoid punishment and are obedient. They judge wrong behaviors on whether they will be punished or not. They obey rules only if they are set by more powerful people. • Conventional Morality- 10-17 years; Children make decisions based on what action will please authorities and high status individuals. They think about others before making decisions. They understand the difference between right and wrong. • Postconventional Morality- 17-adult; they understand that rules can be used to their benefit and that they protect rights. They also understand that rules are not the absolute law. They realize that rules that do not serve society’s best interests should be changed.

13. L is for the Looking Glass Self • The looking glass self theory was created by Cooley which states that a person’s self image comes from interactions with others and their perceptions. This makes people believe what they are told about themselves.

14. M is for Matza and Sykes • This theory, known as the Techniques of neutralization, suggests that people resist labels. They try to say that the victim deserved the crime rather than taking responsibility. It is a way to try to justify deviance.

15. N is for Norms • A norm is a specific guideline for behaviorin given places. Norms include raising your hand before speaking in class, or shaking hands after a tennis match to show respect for the other player.

16. O is for Organic Solidarity vs. mechanical solidarity • Organic is the interdependence in an industrial society. Without each part the society would not survive. There is a greater division of labor; people work as a body have different parts, but must work together. • Mechanical is when people perform similar tasks. They have shared beliefs and values; they all do the same job and cooperate.

17. P is for Primary vs Secondary group • A primary group is an intimate relationship; it is long term and is usually small with continuous contact. • A secondary group is more impersonal, goal-oriented. This is usually a school group or work.

18. Q is for Quantitative vs. Qualitative research • Qualitative research allows a researcher to gain underlying reasons and motives. They provide thought. • Quantitative research allows researcher to gather data and generate a result

19. R is for Rebellion • Rebellion is when people completely reject the goal and the means to achieve the goal. The people also create a counterculture with new goals and ways to achieve these goals. These include groups such as the Amish.

20. S is for Symbolic Interactionism • Symbolic interactionism is how people communicate with each other through symbols. It determines what should and should not be done. People interact based on mutual understanding of these symbols. These are things such as love, parents etc.

21. T is for Theory of Cognitive Development • Created by Piaget • Sensory Motor Stage: Birth-2 years, learning comes from direct contact • Pre Operational Stage: 2-7 years, The use of symbols, language and numbers is important, but role play is not involved. • Concrete Operational Stage: 7-12 years, learn to play games, take turns. But they struggle with cognitive reasoning. • Formal Operational Stage: 12 years- Adult, intelligence comes from the use of symbols and how they relate to abstract thought. They use critical thinking.

22. U is for Upper Middle Class vs. Underclass • This class is shaped most by education. Most members have at least a bachelor’s degree. These people manage corporations owned by the capitalist class. 15 percent of the population belong to this class, but everyone wants to be in this class. • Underclass is the lowest rung of the ladder. They usually live in the inner city and have menial low-paying jobs, if any. Many of these people are homeless. About 5 percent of America is in this class.

23. V is for Verstehen • Verstehen means to grasp by insight in German. Weber believed to understand human behavior, people should use verstehen. It is like walking in someone else’s shoes. To behavior is understood best by someone who has experienced those situations. It is important to understand how people interpret situations in life and what I occurring to them.

24. W is for White Collar Crime • A white collar crime is when high status people commit crimes, usually within their jobs. These include crimes such as insider trading, tax evasion, and embezzlement. However these criminals usually receive shorter jail time and go to nicer prisons, than those who commit robberies.

25. X is for Xenophobia • Xenophobia is the dislike of people from different countries and they are perceived to be strange and foreign.

26. Y is for Symbols • Symbols are objects, gestures, and images that have meaning. They are interpreted differently by people. These are items such as flags, peace sign, the cross etc.

27. Z is for the Zimbardo Prison Experiment • In the Zimbardo Prison Experiment. Scientists wanted to find out if brutality in prison was due to violent personalities of the guards or the prison environment. They took two sets of college males and randomly made half of them guards the other half became prisoners. Within a short period of time both groups settled into their new roles and the guards harassed the prisoners. The experiment shows that people will settle into social roles they are expected to play.