Key Terms
Sociology
The systematic study of society and social interaction.
Society
A group who live in a defined geographic area, interact, and share a common culture.
Culture
A group's shared practices, values, and beliefs.
Micro-level
Study of specific relationships between individuals or small groups.
Macro-level
Wide-scale view of the role of social structures.
Plain version
Your personal choices don't happen in a vacuum. The society you grew up in shaped what options even felt available to yo
Example
Dropping out, failing to find employment after graduation.
Defined by Emile Durkheim
The laws, morals, values, religious beliefs, customs, fashions, rituals, and cultural rules that govern social life. Soc
Quantitative sociology
Statistical methods; large-sample surveys.
Qualitative sociology
In-depth interviews, focus groups, content analysis.
Roots
George Herbert Mead; term coined by Herbert Blumer (1969).
Core idea
People interact with things based on the meanings they ascribe to them. Those meanings come from interactions with other
Social institutions
Patterns of beliefs and behaviors focused on meeting social needs.
Dynamic equilibrium
Stable state in which all parts of a healthy society work together properly.
Criticism
Difficult to remain objective; focus is extremely narrow.