Soci 2010 Fall 2015 Review Sheet For Exam 4 This Is An Outli

Soci2010 Fall 2015 Review Sheet For Exam 4this Is An Outline So B

This review sheet covers key concepts for Exam 4 in SOCI2010, Fall 2015, focusing on race, ethnicity, gender inequality, family dynamics, and related social perspectives. It includes definitions, classifications, explanations of social phenomena, and insights from lecture notes and textbook chapters. Students should understand the social construction of race, ethnic identity, minority group characteristics, prejudice, stereotypes, discrimination types, gender roles, gender stratification, the pay gap, and explanations for income disparities. Additionally, the sheet addresses discrimination at institutional and individual levels, the concept of comparable worth, family functions from various sociological perspectives, and trends in marriage and divorce, including factors influencing divorce risk and the concept of blended families.

Paper For Above instruction

The sociological examination of race and ethnicity highlights understanding race as a social construct, emphasizing that race is not biologically inherent but shaped by societal perceptions and classifications. This perspective allows us to analyze how racial categories are constructed and maintained, influencing social interactions and inequalities. In the United States, racial and ethnic classifications serve specific functions in social, political, and legal contexts, often reinforcing systemic inequalities. Recognizing the characteristics of minority groups—such as unequal treatment, visibility, awareness of discrimination, and group solidarity—is essential in understanding their social experiences and challenges.

Prejudice involves preconceived negative attitudes towards a group, often rooted in stereotypes—oversimplified generalizations that ascribe certain traits to all members of a group. Discrimination refers to actions that unfairly disadvantage individuals based on their group membership, which can manifest in various forms categorized as individual or institutional discrimination. Types include overt acts, subtle biases, structural inequities, and systemic policies that perpetuate racial inequalities.

Gender inequality is analyzed through the distinctions between sex (biological differences) and gender (socially constructed roles and behaviors). Gender socialization occurs through agents such as family, media, education, and peer groups, which teach individuals societal expectations of gender. Gender stereotyping reinforces certain roles and behaviors as appropriate for men and women. Gender stratification, evident in disparities like the gender pay gap, reflects unequal power and resource distribution based on gender. The pay gap varies with age, race/ethnicity, occupation, and geography, and is explained through factors such as human capital differences, discrimination, and occupational segregation. Concepts like the glass ceiling and glass escalator describe barriers hindering women's advancement and the rapid ascent of men in female-dominated fields.

In addition to lecture topics, textbook chapters detail institutional discrimination—systemic policies favoring certain groups—and individual discrimination—personal acts of bias. Comparable worth addresses wage disparities based on job value, aiming to rectify pay inequities across different roles. The family, as a fundamental social institution, is viewed through various sociological perspectives: functionalism emphasizes its roles in social stability and socialization; conflict theory focuses on power dynamics and inequalities; symbolic interactionism examines everyday interactions and the meanings attached to family roles.

Research indicates shifting trends in marriage and divorce, with divorce rates increasing from 1900 to 2009. Factors decreasing divorce risk include economic stability, shared religious beliefs, and communication. The concept of blended families—families composed of step-parents, step-siblings, or other non-biological relations—has become increasingly common. Sociological perspectives shed light on the complexities of family relationships and societal influences on family dynamics, including the second shift and dual-earner households.

In summary, this review consolidates essential sociological concepts encompassing race, ethnicity, gender, family functions, and social inequalities, integrating lecture insights and textbook explanations to prepare for exam success.

References

  • Grusky, D. B., & Sorensen, J. B. (2010). Social stratification and inequality. In B. L. Trattner (Ed.), Introduction to Sociology (pp. 213-240). Sage Publications.
  • Henslin, J. M. (2015). Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach (13th ed.). Pearson.
  • Reskin, B. F. (2000). The growth of occupational segregation by gender and race. The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 14(4), 123-142.
  • Reskin, B. F., & Padavic, I. (2002). Women and Men at Work (2nd ed.). Pine Forge Press.
  • Skolnick, J. H. (1991). Justice Without Trial: Law, Politics, and the Pursuit of Punishment. Basic Books.
  • Williams, C. L. (2014). The Pursuit of Happiness and the Politics of Family Life. In A. M. Murnen (Ed.), Sociological Perspectives on Family and Intimate Relationships (pp. 45-65). Routledge.
  • West, C., & Zimmerman, D. H. (1987). Doing gender. Gender & Society, 1(2), 125-151.
  • Yodanis, C. L. (2004). The second shift and women’s well-being. Journal of Marriage and Family, 66(4), 912-924.