Sociological Factor

 Definition 

Absolute monarchy

When a king or queen reigns supreme with complete control

Achieved status

A status we earn, and is not subject to where/to whom we were born

Aggregate

A random collection of people who have no connection to one another besides being in the same place at the same time

Alienation

A feeling of separation

Workers may feel alienated from their superiors

The American dream

The belief all Americans are born with the chance to achieve success

Apartheid

A social system in which there is a complete separation of the races

Anticipatory socialisation

The learning of new norms in anticipation of a future role

Ascribed status

The opposite of achieved status, in which people are born into their status

Assimilation

The absorption of one thing into another

Authoritarianism

A system in which civilians are not permitted to partake in government

Bourgeoisie

Marx term for the owners of the means of production

Bureaucracy

A formal type of organisation in which a rational approach is used to handle large tasks

Capitalism

An economic layout in which means of production are privately owned and individuals can keep any profits they make

Caste system

A system of different classes/statuses

Conflict theory

The theory that in a capitalist society there is to be an eternal conflict between owners of means of production and the workers

Communism

All means of production would be owned by everyone and all profits would be shared by all

Conformists

Those who accept cultural goals and the means of achieving them

Constitutional monarchy

The reigning monarch is symbolic, and elected officials govern the country

Control theory

The theory that a person has inner and outer controls when considering deviancy

Counterculture

A way of living that opposes the dominant culture

Cult

A religion that is outside standard cultural norms

Cultural relativism

The attitude that one must view a culture from within to fully understand it

Culture of poverty

The thought that people in poverty do not learn the norms and values that can help them improve their social circumstance

Democracy

A system in which citizens periodically choose officials to run their government

Dramaturgy

The thought that life is like a never ending play in which people are actors

feminism

The advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of equality of the sexes

Gender role

Behaviours, attitudes and personality expected of a specific sex

Halo effect

The idea that physically attractive people possess other good qualities

Ideology

A set of values that people devise to rationalise a particular social custom

Labelling theory

A theory of deviance

Looking glass self

The idea that we form our self images on the basis of what we perceive to be others views of us

Microsociology

Sociology focussed on the interactions of individuals

Neocolonialism

More industrialised countries exploit less industrial countries

Oligarchy

The rule of many by the few

Proletariat

Marx’s term for the masses

State capitalism

A system in which resources/means of production are privately owned but regulated by the state

Socialism

Means of production are owned by the state/society, and the government maintains control of the policy

Totalitarianism

A complete control over the public by the government (George Orwell’s 1984)