SOCY 101 1st Edition Final Exam Study Guide Chapter 14 March 31 April 6 1 What is religion and how is it organized a Durkheim s definition the way societies deal with things that are sacred b Stark and Finke s definition a set of ideas describing the relations between the natural and supernatural c According to sociologists religion is what people actually believe do and think i Tend to be fluid and varied among individuals d Animism religions that ascribe human characteristics to animals plants and inanimate objects and or believe in an underlying force that animates everything e Paganism refers nonmonotheistic religions that envision a set of gods who rule the world and can be appealed to through ritual prayer and sacrifice f For sociologists religions are first and foremost social institutions g Denominations provide organization for religion they train leaders assist churches in financial trouble and provide the lessons that are to be taught h The congregation is the most important organization level of American religion according to Mark Chaves 2 How do people choose their religions a Church is segregated by race class and lifestyle b Most people stay in the religion of their families 3 Why are women and the old more religious than men and the young a In the past religion served the purpose of making women just as good as men b People do not get more religious as they age Rather people who were born in earlier generations were born into more religious generations c When you are in the 60 80 age range church becomes a place to maintain social relationships 4 Why do people kill each other in the name of religion a In religious conflicts here are not only religious differences but class ethnic and language differences between the groups 5 What is the future of religion a The secularization hypothesis religion is becoming less and less important in peoples lives b Over 35 of people under 30 have no religious preference c American religious exceptionalism America is so religious because we have many diverse religions and are therefore very diverse d However there is currently a rise in no religious preference e The prosperity gospel The belief that believing in Christ will make you rich successful and have an abundance of material possessions Vocabulary Sacred things that are worthy of awe and special treatment and not just mundane or everyday parts of life Doctrine the beliefs and rules of a particular religion or social and political group Ideology a set of ideas that constitutes one s goals expectations and actions Civil religion the sacred beliefs practices and symbols associated with a particular nationstate or community which may or may not contain elements of a traditional organized religion Theology discussions and systematic reasoning about religious matters Pluralism accepting many different religions as legitimate Syncretic combining religious ideas and practices drawn from more than one distinct tradition Denomination an organized religious group with at least a few different doctrines that distinguish it from other such groups that are also adherents of the same religion Congregation the specific church or temple or mosque that people actually attend Theodicy a justification of the goodness and rightness of God or more generally of a particular religious system in the face of the evils of the world Chapter 15 April 7 13 1 What are the major functions of schooling a One major function is socializing young people into the habits attitudes and practices of contributing members of a community b The hidden curriculum of schools refers to often understated standards of behavior or teachers expectations c Another major purpose is sorting and selecting young people for future opportunities d Today s college students are not studying as much as students in the past and are also not making large gains in critical thinking complex reasoning or the ability to communicate in writing e Having more educated people in a country fosters economic growth 2 How is education related to important life outcomes a Jobs occupational rankings marriage health engagement in society b Socialization perspective sees education as changing you so you are different in key ways that influence how much you can earn c Allocation perspective sees education as moving you into different routes which lead to different earnings d Social closure is an idea that education serves a credentialing function that limits entry into some professions and thus raises the rewards of people in them e Those with more education are more likely to participate in social voluntary civic arts and political events f They are also more likely to demonstrate healthy behavioral habits and to report being in better physical condition g More educated people are more likely to marry and have happier marriages than less educated people 3 Is education equally available to all a Social class is the biggest indicator of education opportunity b High income inequality affects how much education people receive children in wealthier families obtain more education then children in poorer families c Management of ambition refers to the paradox in the United States of growing inequality and the belief in opportunity for all d Countries with higher levels of social class inequality tend to do worse on international tests of educational achievement 4 How do educational systems differ a Access to education around the world varies greatly b Most countries have a national public school system but the United States does not 44 of school funding comes from local sources 48 comes from state taxes and 8 comes from the federal government c High stakes testing a single test may determine whether students move to the next grade or even if they can graduate from high school d While the purpose of high stakes testing is to raise educational standards some other effects include trying to get rid of students who do poorly spending more time with students on the brink of passing the test and referring more students to special education e Tracking creates instructional social and institutional differences in students learning experiences i Achievement in higher tracks tends to develop more than in lower tracks ii Tracks shape student s self esteem and expectations about academic performance iii Higher track students are understood to have certain qualities and capacities above and beyond the actual skills they possess 5 How do digital technologies affect