| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Sociology | The systematic study of the relationship between the individual and society and the consequences of difference |
| Sociological Imagination | Our recognition of the interdependent relationship between who we are as individuals and the social forces that shape our lives |
| Private Troubles | Problems we face in our immediate relationships with particular individuals in our personal lives |
| Public Issues | Problems we face as a consequence of the positions we occupy within the larger social structure |
| Agency | The freedom individuals have to choose and act |
| Social Inequality | A condition in which members of society have differing amounts of wealth, prestige, or power |
| Science | The body of knowledge obtained by methods based on systematic observations |
| Natural Science | The study of the physical features of nature and the ways in which they interact and change |
| Social Science | The study of the social features of humans and the ways in which they interact and change |
| Theory | A set of statements that seeks to explain problems, actions, or behaviors |
| Anomie | A weak sense of social solidarity due to lack of agreed-upon rules to guide behavior |
| Macrosociology | Sociological investigation that concentrates on the large-scale phenomena or entire civilizations |
| Microsociology | Sociological investigation that stresses the study of small groups and the analysis of our everyday experiences and interactions |
| Functionalist Perspective | A sociological approach that emphasizes the way in which the parts of a society are structured to maintain its stability |
| Conflict Perspective | A sociological approach that assumes social behavior is best understood in terms of tension between groups over power or the allocation of resources |
| Interactionist Perspective | A sociological approach that generalizes about everyday forms of social interaction in order to explain society as a whole |
| Personal Sociology | The practice of recognizing the impact of our individual position has on who we are and how we think and act, and taking responsibility for the impacts our actions have on others |
| Applied Sociology | The use of the discipline of sociology with the specific intent of yielding practical applications for human behavior and organizations |
| Clinical Sociology | The use of the discipline of sociology with the specific intent of altering organizations or restructuring social institutions |
| Globalization | The worldwide integration of government policies, cultures, social movements, and financial markets through trade and the exchange of ideas |
| Scientific Method | A systematic organized series of steps that ensure maximum objectivity and consistency in researching a problem |
| Variable | A measurable trait or characteristic that is subject to change under different conditions |
| Operational Definition | Transformation of an abstract concept into indicators that are observable and measurable |
| Hypothesis | A testable statement about the relationship between two or more variables |
| Casual Logic | A relationship exists between variables in which change in one brings about change in another |
| Independent Variable | The variable in a casual relationship that causes or influences a change in the second variable |
| Dependent Variable | The variable in a casual relationship that is subject to the influence of another variable |
| Correlation | A relationship between two variables in which a change in one coincides with a change in the other |
| Sample | A selection from a larger population that is statistically representative of that population |
| Random Sample | A sample for which every member of an entire population has an equal chance at being selected |
| Validity | The degree to which a measure or scale truly reflects the phenomenon under study |
| Reliability | The extent to which a measure produces consistent results |
| Control Variable | A factor that is held constant to test the relative impact of an independent variable |
| Research Design | A detailed plan or method for obtaining data scientifically |
| Survey | A study, generally in the form of an interview or questionnaire, that provides researchers with information about how people think and act |
| Interview | A face-to-face or telephone questioning of a respondent to obtain desired information |
| Questionnaire | A printed, written, or computerized form used to obtain information from a respondent |
| Quantitative Research | Research that collects and reports data primarily in numerical form |
| Qualitative Research | Research that relies on what is seen in field or naturalistic settings more than on statistical data |
| Ethnography | The study of an entire social setting through extended systematic observation |
| Experiment | An artificially created situation that allows a researcher to manipulate variables |
| Experimental Group | The subjects in an experiment who are exposed to an independent variable introduced by a researcher |
| Control Group | The subjects in an experiment who are not introduced to the independent variable by the researcher |
| Hawthorne Effect | The unintended influence that observers of experiments can have on their subjects |
| Secondary Analysis | A variety of research techniques that make use of previously collected and publicly accessible information and data |
| Content Analysis | The systematic coding and objective recording of data, guided by some rationale |
| Code of Ethics | The standards of acceptable behavior developed by and for members of a profession |
| Value Neutrality | Max Weber's term for objectivity of sociologists in the interpretation of data |
| Culture | Everything humans create in establishing our relationships to nature and with each other |
| Society | The structure of relationships within which culture is created and shared through regularized patterns of social interaction |
| Cultural Universal | A common practice or belief shared by all societies |
| Sociobiology | The systematic study of how biology affects human social behavior |
| Innovation | The process of introducing a new idea or object to a culture through discovery or invention |
| Discovery | The process of uncovering an existing aspect of reality |
| Invention | The combination of existing cultural artifacts to create something new |
| Material Culture | Our physical modification of the natural environment to suit our purpose |
| Cultural Lag | A period of adjustment when the nonmaterial culture is still struggling to adapt to new material conditions |
| Cognitive Culture | Our mental and symbolic representations of reality |
| Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis | The structure and vocabulary of language shapes our perception of reality and therefore also our actions |
| Normative Culture | Consists of the ways we establish, abide by, and enforce principles of conduct |
| Norm | An established standard of behavior maintained by society |
| Folkways | Norms governing everyday behavior, whose violation raises comparatively little concern |
| Mores | Norms deemed highly necessary to the welfare of society |
| Formal Norm | A norm that generally has been written down and that specifies strict punishments for violators |
| Informal Norm | A norm that is generally understood but not precisely recorded |
| Sanction | A penalty or reward for conduct concerning a social norm |
| Dominant Ideaology | A set of cultural beliefs and practices that legitmates existing powerful social, economic, and political interests |
| Subculture | A segment of society that shares a distinctive pattern of mores, folkways, and values that differs from the pattern of the larger society |
| Argot | Specialized language used by members of a group or subculture |
| Counterculture | A subculture that deliberately opposes certain aspects of the larger culture |
| Culture Shock | The feelings of disorientation, uncertainty, and even fear that people experience when they encounter unfamiliar cultural pracitces |
| Ethnocentrism | The tendency to assume that one's own culture and way of life represent what's normal or are superior to all others |
| Cultural Relativism | The viewing of people's behavior from the perspective of their own culture |
