Transcript Chapter 2 - Cengage Learning

Chapter 2
Concepts For Social And
Cultural Theories
Key Terms

Society
A relatively self-sufficient and self-sustaining
group of people who are united by social
relationships and who live in a particular
territory.

Social structure
A characteristic of a group rather than of an
individual.

Stratification
The unequal distribution of rewards (or of
things perceived as valuable) among
members of a society; the class structure.

Classes
Groups of people who share a similar position
in the stratification system.

Mobility, upward and downward
A change of position within the stratification
system.

Status
The position or rank of a person or group
within the stratification structure.

Achieved status
A position gained on the basis of merit (in
other words by achievement).

Ascribed status
A position assigned to individuals or groups
without regard for merit but because of
certain traits beyond their control, such as
race, sex, or parental social standing.

The strength of weak ties
Mark Granovetter’s proposition that, for
purposes of spreading information, weak ties
are stronger, or more effective, than strong
ones.

Tie
Another word for a link or a relationship
among persons or groups.

Redundant tie
One that duplicates links among members of
the same network.

Structural holes
Unlinked pairs that show up on network
diagrams as blank space.

Bridge ties
Links across holes between groups.

Bridge position
One having bridge ties.

Local networks
Dense networks with strong, redundant ties.
They are called local because members often
engage in the direct, person-to-person
interaction that is necessary to form and
sustain strong ties. Hence, members tend to
be clustered geographically.

Cosmopolitan networks
Networks that are relatively full of holes,
consisting of weaker, nonredundant ties. The
word cosmopolitan means worldly, at home
throughout throughout the world, or widely
distributed. Hence, members of a
cosmopolitan network seldom engage in
face-to-face interaction and tend to be
scattered geographically.

Culture
The sum total of human creations—
intellectual, technical, artistic, physical, and
moral. Culture is the complex pattern of living
that directs human social life, the things each
new generation must learn and to which they
eventually may add.

Values
Ideals or ultimate aims; general evaluative
standards about what is desirable.

Norms
Rules that define the behavior that is
expected, required, or acceptable in particular
circumstances.

Role
A set of expectations governing the behavior
of persons holding a particular position in
society; a set of norms that defines how
persons in a particular position should
behave.

Multiculturalism
The presence of several significant cultures.

Subculture
A culture within a culture; a group that
maintains or develops its own set of beliefs,
morals, values, and norms, which usually are
at variance with those of the dominant
culture.

Prejudice
Negative or hostile attitudes toward and
beliefs about a group.

Discrimination
Actions taken against a group to deny its
members rights and privileges available to
others.

Assimilation
The process by which an individual or a
group reacts to a new social environment by
adopting the culture prevalent in that
environment.

Accommodation
An agreement between two groups to ignore
some cultural differences between them and
emphasize common interests instead.

Modernization
The processes of industrialization, economic
development, and technological innovation by
which a culture sustains high standards of
living and maximizes control over the physical
environment.

Globalization
The development of global communications,
a global economy, and a global culture. antiSemitism Prejudice and discrimination
against Jews.

Reference group
A group a person uses as a standard for selfevaluation.