Sociology Exam 2 Study Guide What is deviance The recognized violation of cultural norms What is social control Attempts by society to regulate people s thoughts and behavior What is crime The violation of a society s formally enacted criminal law What is the criminal justice system The organizations police courts and prison officials that respond to alleged violations of the law Why do we know that deviance is socially constructed Because of the sociological theories of deviance What are the sociological theories of deviance What is deviant varies from place to place Behavior and individuals become deviant as others define them that way What and who a society define as deviant reflect who does and does not have social power What are the functional aspects of deviance Know Durkheim s theory on deviance Durkeheim claimed that deviance is a normal element of society that o Affirms cultural norms and values o Clarifies moral boundaries o Brings people together o Encourages social change Know Hirschi s social control theory and the four kinds of social ties Hirshci s control theory states that imagining possible consequences lf deviance often discourages such behavior People who are well integrated into society are less likely to engage in deviant behavior The 4 types of bonds that link people to society and law abiding behavior attachment commitment involvement and belief Know Becker s Labeling Theory Labeling theory claims that deviance depends less on what someone does but on what others react to that behavior People become deviant because certain labels are attached to their behavior theorists interpret deviance as a process of interaction between deviants and nondeviants A stigma is a powerfully negative label that greatly changes a person s self What is stigma concept and social identiy Merton s Strain Theory know the innovation adaptation Merton s strain theory explains deviance in terms of a society s cultural goals and the means available to achieve them Innovators accept socially approved values but use illegitimate or illegal means to follow them Hirchi s Theory on factors that control deviance Attachment Opportunity Involvement Belief How are deviance and power related Social conflict theory reflects this in three ways first all norms especially in the laws of any society generally reflect the interest of the rich and powerful Second even if their behavior os called into question the powerful have the resources to resist deviant labels Third the widespread belief that norms and laws are natural and good masks their political character What is social class What are some significant differences between classes in the U S Social class how people are ranked The different classes in the US are upper middle working and lower class Define status prestige social position status a position in a social system that can be occupied by an individual prestige the level of respect at which one is regarded by others standing social position the position of an individual in a given society and culture What is social stratification How is it functional How is it dysfunctional for society Social stratification the condition of being arranged in social strata or classes within a group Social stratification is functional because it is a trait of society not simply a reflection of individual differences inequality creates incentives functional importance determines rewards It is dysfunctional because of unequal distribution of resources benefits some while harming others What is the Davis Moore Thesis The Davis Moore Thesis claims that stratification has beneficial consequences What is meritocracy What is a meritocratic society Meritocracy the notion that people are rewarded and are able to advance because of their abilities meritocratic society a system in which advancement is based on individual ability or achievement What is conspicuous consumption lavish spending done to compete for status with others What is social mobility Intergenerational and Intragenerational social mobility movement from one stratum of a stratification system to another intergenerational mobility social movement within or between social classes and occupations the change occurring from one generation to the next intragenerational mobility social movement within or between social classes and occupations the change occurring within an individual s lifetime What is income Earning from works or investment What is wealth The total value of money and other assets What percentage of the US population fall within the middle class 40 45 Who are the poor in the US Women and Children Which families are mostly likely to live in poverty Female headed single parent households What is the feminization of poverty feminization of poverty a trend in which women have come to make up an increasingly large share of the poor How many poor households are headed by single women 52 Children Which age group is most likely to live in poverty 46 million people lived below the official poverty line in 2011 Know the differences between absolute and relative poverty Relative poverty is the lack of resources of some people in relation to those who have more while absolute is a lack of resources that is life threatening Risk factors associated with being in the underclass The members of this group typically live in poverty Being in the underclass affects a person s state of health quality of education type of work they do if any level of political participation and their overall lifestyle What is the relationship between social class and health Compared to the poor wealthier people in the U S eat better enjoy better health care experience less stress reside in safer neighborhoods and live an average of seven years longer The more education and income you have the less likely you are to develop or die from heart disease diabetes strokes and many forms of cancer What are life chances the opportunities offered by a person s economic position How does social class affect an individual s life chances Such as life expectancy KNOW the infant mortality rate for the poor compared to national average educational inequality etc Rich people on average tend to live longer Affluent people display greater tolerance than working class people Affluent people tend to me more conservative on economic issues and more liberal on social issues Affluent families pass on advantages in form of cultural capital to their children What are problems associated with poverty
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