Exam 1 Study Guide: Lectures 1-5 SOCI 205Lecture 1People to know:I. George Simmel: through his interest in the role of strangers in social groups Simmel created the theory of critical distance, which is the idea that a sociological perspective requires a combination of nearness and distance. Theorized that reach critical distance through willingness to question forces that shape social behavior. Through critical distance theory he stated that needed one needs enough distance to be objective but near enough to understand. II. Emile Durkheim: focused on the forces that hold society together in moral cohesiona. When he began studying… Hatred was brewing among Anti-Semitism (hatred of jews) and ill feelings among other religions. b. Studied suicide and showed abstract theories can be applied to real life problems… the more integrated one is the less likely they are to commit suicide. c. Anomie- break down of social norms d. Most importantly explores what forces hold society together and make it stableIII. Jane Adams: one of the most renowned sociologist of her daya. Only practicing sociologist ever to win a Nobel Peace Prizeb. Used her skills to research and develop community projects that assisted people in need. IV. Robert Park: was the key founder of sociology. a. Interested in urban problems and how different racial groups interacted with each other and sociological design of cities V. W.E.B. Dubois: was deeply troubled by the racial divisiveness in societya. Co-founder of NAACP, great writer and mindsb. Wanted to empower blacks to make a differencesVI. Karl Marx: how capitalism changed society a. Thought that economic organization was more important influencer for the way people behave—society shaped by economic factors b. saw social class as a fundamental dimension of society that shapes social behaviori. Used class analysis a class analysis to explain capitalism. Just sees economic ii. Haves exploit the have not’s to work. ---survival of the fittest iii. Workers sell labor for money and capitalist make certain that wages less than what the goods are worth, the system unfair because workers get less. VII. Max weber: was concerned with ideas and how they shaped societya. Weber was greatly influenced by Marx’s work and build upon it. b. 3 points are economic, political, and cultural c. Verstain understand how culture affects social action VIII. Auguste Comte: the founding father of sociology. He believed that society could be studied scientifically. This approach is known as positivism.a. Positivism: a system of though in which scientific observation and description is considered the highest form of knowledge, as opposed to religious dogma or poetic inspirationTerms:1. Debunking: looking behind the facades of everyday life—“unmasking tendency” of sociology--must detach in order to do so.2. Diversity: is a broad concept that includes studying group differences in society’s opportunities, the shaping of social institutions by different social factors, the formation of group and individual identity, and the process of social change. a. Understanding diversity means recognizing this diversity and making it central to sociological analysisb. Shape opportunities—how the labels affect life 3. Social Place: a part of the dominant racial group (whites make up over 70% of the population) wealthy (elite) family, great school system, religious home. Social place oftentaken for granted. 4. Social location: living in an affluent neighborhood versus living in a poor neighborhood. Social location has a profound effect on our chances in life. Lecture 2Terms:1. Folkways: are general stands of behavior adhered to by a group. Ex: how you dress, greet people, decorate your home2. Mores: strict norms that control moral and ethical behavior normally upheld through laws.3. Norms: are the specific cultural expectations for how to have in a given situation. a. Explicit norms are rules or laws while implicit norms aren’t formal rules but something learned through observation4. Culture: the complex system of meaning and behavior that defines the way of life fore a given group or society. a. Material culture: consists of objects created in a given society—its buildings, art, tools toys, etc. b. Nonmaterial culture: includes the norms, laws, customs, ideas, and beliefs of a group of people. c. Animals lack elaborate cultural-based cultures common in human societies d. Characteristics of culture:i. Culture is shared: people hold cultures in commonii. Culture is learned: although it seems perfectly natural it is learned through observation and imitation iii. Culture is taken for granted: because culture is learned, members of givensociety seldom question the culture of which they are apart of iv. Culture is symbolic: symbols are things or behaviors to which people give meaning; the meaning is not inherent in a symbol but is bestowed by the meaning people give it. v. Culture varies across time and place: culture is not fixed from one place to another.5. Counter culture: are subcultures created as a reaction against the values of the dominant culture. Members reject the dominant cultural values, often for political or moral reasons, and develop cultural practices that explicitly defy the norms and values of the dominant culture.6. Sapir-whorf hypothesis: language determine what people thing because language forces people to perceive the world in different ways 7. Beliefs: are shared ideas held collectively by people within a given culture about what is true8. Values: the abstract standards in society or group that define ideal principlesa. Defined by what is valuable and morally correct Lecture 3Theories:I. Conflict theory (Marx): sees society as organized around the unequal distribution of resources and held together through power and coercionII. Symbolic interaction theory: emphasizes the role of individuals in giving meaning to social behavior, thereby creating society III. Functionalism (Durkheim): emphasizes the stability and integration in order to explain society through cultural political and economic factorsa. if your ear buds go out your ipod will not work-- need all parts to functionTerms:1. Beliefs: are shared ideas held collectively by people within a given culture about what is true2. Values: the abstract standards in society or group that define ideal principlesa. Defined by what is valuable and morally correct Lecture 4Main Ideas I. The Scientific Methoda.