Exam 1 Study Guide - Prof. Frank White PDF

Preview

Summary

Prof. Frank White...

Description

Exam 1 Study Guide Sociology 110 Professor Frank White

Chapter 1: Studying Social Problems Quiz Questions: -

-

-

-

Which people with political attitudes tend to see problems in the organization of society itself? o Left leaning Social problems result from the way society operates; therefore: o Solutions require a change in society Which approach dominates the sociological study of social problems today? o Social conflict According to the social constructionist approach: o Social problems arise as people define conditions as unfavorable and needing change The order of social change is o Emergence o Coalescence o Formalization o Decline The key to a successful survey is selecting a sample of people that represent a larger population

Book Notes: -

-

-

Structural Function (Functionalism) Approach o A theoretical framework that sees society as a system of many interrelated parts Social Conflict (Conflict) Approach o Theoretical framework that sees society as divided by inequality and conflict o Karl Marx Social Problems over time o Public opinion is always changing even over short periods of time o Trend:  Economy  Unemployment  Income inequality  Dissatisfaction with government Stages of Social Movements o Emergence

When people initially come together sharing their concern about the status quo and begin to make claims about the need for change o Coalescence  Occurs as a new organization begins holding rallies and demonstrations, making public its beliefs, and engaging in political lobbying o Formalization  Social movements become formalized as the become established players on the political scene o Decline  A decline in prevalence of protesting either to depletion of resources (money) or, simply, success. Global Perspective of Social Problems o How people live and the challenges they face differ dramatically around the world Multiculturalism o The explanation of social conflict relating to difference in culture and color Feminist Approach o Feminists claim that women suffer more from poverty and many other social problems because society places men in positions of power over women Sociological Research o Survey  A research method in which subject respond to items on a questionnaire or in an interview o Field research  A research method for observing people while joining them in their everyday activities o Experiment  A research method for investigation cause and effect relationships under tightly controlled condition o Secondary analysis  A research method that makes use of data originally collected by others o How to regard stats  Check how researcher define their terms  Remember that research is never perfect  Researchers may “spin their statistics” Social Policy o Formal strategies that affect how society operates o How society responds to social problems o Policy Evaluation  How do we measure success?  Researchers look at more than one measurement of success before deciding whether particular program is a failure or a success  What are the costs of the policy or program? 

-

-

-

-

 Weighing results against costs  Who should get the help?  Deciding which group of people to target within a project Political Spectrum o A continuum representing a range of political attitudes from “left” to “right” o Conservatives  Like society o Liberal  Want more programs o Left radicals  Want to change the entire structure of society

Chapter 2: Poverty and Wealth Quiz Questions: -

-

-

The trend in economic inequality is toward greater inequality. Marx’s analysis of economic inequality and poverty focuses on which of the following factors? o The capitalistic society In the US, which demographic best describes the rich? o White, older men Which demographic makes up the majority (numerically) of welfare recipients? o Whites A generation ago, the elderly were more likely to be poor. Today, who at greatest risk of poverty? o Children under the age of 18 Regarding US taxation: o The government take more from the rich in taxes and gives it to the needy in assistance programs.

Book Notes -

Taxes o 3 reasons why  Provide the government with money it needs to operate  Fund military  Discourage certain types of behavior  Sin tax  To redistribute income and to reduce economic inequality o Types of tax  Progressive tax  A policy that raises tax rates as income increases  Regressive tax  A policy that raises tax rates as income decreases

-

-

-

-

-

Poverty Line o An income level set by the government for the purpose of counting the poor Who are the poor? o Children under 18 o Single parents (mostly women) o White people o Women o 46M are in poverty Feminization of poverty o The trend of women making up an increasing share of the poor Underclass o Poor people who live in areas with high concentrations of poverty and limited opportunities for schooling or work Homelessness o The plight of poor people who lack shelter and live primarily on the streets o The most visible sign of poverty o Large cause of homelessness nationally  Lack of low income housing o Largest cause of homelessness in North Dakota  Domestic abuse o 3M are homeless Social Welfare Programs o Organized by government, private organizations or individuals to assist needy people considered worth of assistance o Three characteristics  Social welfare programs benefit people or activities defined as worthy  Social welfare programs benefit most of the US population  Overall, social welfare programs reduce economic inequality, but only a little Theories of poverty o Structural-Function Analysis  Social Pathology Theories: Personal deficiency  Claimed that poverty was the result of personal flaws  Social Disorganization Theory: Too much Change  In the 1930s too many people rushed into the city’s neighborhoods, schools, and factories which resulted in over crowding which ultimately resulted in poverty and social problems  Modern Functional Theory: Some Inequality Is Useful  Some jobs are not very important and can be performed by just about anyone, but others require rare talents and extensive training

-

o Symbolic-Interaction Analysis: Defining the Problem  Blaming the Victim o Social-Conflict Analysis: Poverty Can be Eliminates  Marxist Theory Poverty and Capitalism  Karl Marx blames the industrial-capitalistic economy for economic inequality  More Than Money: Cultural capital  Skills, values, attitudes, and schooling that increase a person’s chances of success  Social inequality not only involves income and welth but cultural capital  Being born into wealth makes you wealthy  Multicultural Theory: poverty, race, and thnicity  Linking poverty to race o Blacks and Hispanics have high chances of poverty Patriarchy o A social pattern in which males dominate females Intersection Theory o The investigation of the interplay of race, class, and gender often resulting in multiple dimensions of disadvantage  Women = disadvantaged  Hispanic = disadvantaged  Hispanic women = doubly disadvantaged

Chapter 5: Aging and Inequality -

-

-

Which concept refers to assisting in the death of a person suffering from an incurable disease? o Euthanasia Majority of the U.S. elderly live in their own homes. Which political viewpoint highlights the age-based prejudice and discrimination faced by elderly people? o Liberal In 1987 Congress passed legislation requiring to phase out of mandatory retirement ages. In preindustrial societies, older people tend to _________ compared to younger people? o Have more wealth, power, and prestige In rich nations in North America and Western Europe, life expectancy… o Is generally about 75 years. Life Course o Socially constructed stages that people ass through as they live out their lives Gerontocracy

-

-

-

-

-

o A social system that gives a society’s oldest members the most wealth, power, and prestige Graying of the US o The US is experiencing a rapid increasing elderly population while the younger population stays about the same Problems of Aging o Social Isolation  Becoming lonely as a result of being cut off from society o Retirement  Leaving payed work  About the age of 65  Work is a source of personal satisfaction and socialites o Ageism  Prejudice and discrimination directed toward older people o Victimization of the Elderly o Growing Need for Caregiving  Informal and upaid care provided to a dependent person by family, relative, or friends o Poverty  Not as prevalent as in the past Age Stratification o Social inequality among various age categories within a society o Typically median household income is highest in 45-55 year olds o Children under 18 are at highest risk of homelessness o Most elderly (80-90%) live independently in their homes Death and Dying o Euthanasia  Assisting in the death of a person suffering from an incurable disease  Passive euthanasia o Turning off life support  Active euthanasia o Actively bringing about person’s death o Lethal injection  Physician-assisted suicide o Writing prescription for lethal drugs o Hospice  Homelike care that provides physical and emotional comfort to dying people and their families Disengagement Theory o Structural-function o The idea that modern societies operate in an orderly way by removing people from positions of responsibility as they reach old age

-

-

Activity Theory o Symbolic-Interaction o The idea that people enhance personal satisfaction in old age by keeping up a high level of social activity Capitalism and the Elderly o Capitalist societies teat older people as second-class citizens in pursuit of profit

Chapter 5:

Aging and Inequalities:

       

Life Course; Gerontocracy; “Graying of U.S.”; Problems of Aging; Age Stratification; Death and Dying, Euthanasia, and Hospice Care; “Disengagement” vs. “Activity” Theory; Capitalism and the Elderly....