SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology Exam 1 Study Guide Questions The Sociological Imagination Microstructure patterns of intimate social relations They are formed during face toface interactions families and friendship cliques are examples mesostructures patterns of social relations in organizations that involve people who aren t usually intimately acquainted and who often don t interact face to face social organizations such as colleges and government bureaucracies are examples of mesostructures macrostructures overarching pattern of social relations that lie above and beyond mesostructures Classes and patriarchy are two examples global structures surrounds and permeates us economic relations among countries and patterns of worldwide travel and communication are examples of global structures social solidarity a property of social groups that increases with the degree to which a groups members share beliefs and values and the frequency and intensity which they interact you live in society but society lives in you Patterns of social relations affect your innermost thoughts and feelings influence your actions and help shape who you are What is C Wright Mills concept of the Sociological Imagination wrote that a sociologists main task is to identify and explain the connection between people s personal troubles and the social structures in which they are embedded sociological imagination Social structures stable patterns of social relations Sociological Theories and Methods What does the Structural Functionalist theory believe to be the point of sociological study human behavior is governed by social structures study macrostructures study how the parts of society fit together and how each part contributes to the stability of the whole social structures are based mainly on shared values reestablishing equilibrium can best solve most social problems What is Emile Durkheim s contribution to structural functionalism SUICIDE TEST sought to restore stability or reestablish equilibrium through the rise of social solidarity emphasized patterns of social solidarity the greater the degree to which a group s members share beliefs and values and the more frequently and intensely they interact the more social solidarity exists in the group Found that groups with a high degree of social solidarity has a lower suicide rates than groups with lower degree of solidarity ex married people half as likely to commit suicide than unmarried people noted that the growth of industries and cities during the industrial revolution caused population movements the erosion of religious beliefs and other rapid changes that lowered the level of social solidatity Social solidarity as a moral cement that binds people together If more people could agree on wanting less social solidarity would rise and suicide rates would fall What is the Davis Moore thesis or functional theory of stratification asserts the inevitability of social stratification some jobs are more important than others stratification is necessary because the prospect of high rewards motivates people to undergo the sacrifices needed to obtain a higher education 1 some jobs are more important than others 2 people have to make sacrifices to train for important jobs and 3 inequality is required to motivate people to undergo these sacrifices In this sense stratification is functional stratification is functional inevitable because some jobs are more important than others the people higher up make more sacrifices causes inequality What are two critiques of the Davis Moore thesis ignores the pool of talent lying undiscovered because of inequality fails to examine how advantages have passed from generation to generation What is the status attainment model by Duncan and Blau ascription vs achievement stratification is not a system of distinct classes but a continuous hierarchy or ladder of occupations conclude that individual merit counts for more than family background figuring out the relative importance of inheritance versus individual merit in determining one s place in the stratification system What is a major critique of Duncan and Blau s approach group barriers to mobility most is result of change in occupational structure such as gender and race do exist What is Talcott Parsons contribution to structural functionalism identified how various institutions must work to ensure the smooth operation of society as a whole argued that society is well integrated and in equilibrium when the family successfully raises new generations the military successfully defends society against ex ternal threats schools are able to teach students the skills and values they need to function and productive adults and religions create a shared moral code among people when people play their role in society society functions What does the Symbolic Interactionist theory believe to be the point of sociological study focuses on interpersonal communication in microlevel settings explanations of social behavior require understanding subjective meanings people help create their social circumstances and do not merely react to them subjective meanings symbolic interactionism emphasizes that social life is possible only because people attach meanings to things How did Robert Merton distinguish manifest functions from latent functions intended and easily observed vs unintended and less obvious conflict theory focuses on large macro level structures patterns of inequality produce social change ongoing power struggle between privileged and subordinate groups see an ongoing struggle between privileged and disadvantaged groups whenever they probe beneath the surface of social life focuses on large macro level structures such as class relations or patterns of domination submission and struggle between people of high and low standing Major patterns of inequality in society produce social stability in some circumstances and social change in others Members of privileged groups try to maintain their advantages while subordinate groups struggle to increase theirs Social conditions at a given time are the expression of an ongoing power struggle between privileged and subordinates Lessening privilege will lower the level of conflict and increase human welfare feminist sociologists state that people LEARN gender roles in part though the mass media focus attention on the relevance and intersectionality of everyday lived experiences redress the relative marginalization of emotion in sociology s concern with