Chapter+1-+Sociology-+Perspective,+Theory,+and+Method

Chapter 1- Sociology

Terms:

Sociological Perspective- the special point of view of sociology that sees general patterns of society in the lives of particular groups
 * In the group of teenagers, society sees the general pattern of partying shown in the movie, when the entire school is at Melony Bostics house every weekend.

Stereotype- a simplified description applied to every person in some cateogory
 * The Cross Your Heart group led by Marianne had a Christian stereotype, as everyone thought this group had strict religious practices they followed.

Social functions- the consequences of a social pattern for the operation of society as a whole Micro-level Orientation- A close-up focus on social interaction in specific situations
 * The over active Christian group at school produces negative consequences because people aren't able to act as independently or think as freely as they wish to without being judged by these individuals.
 * Olive walked through school after the rumors were passed and Rhiannon observed how others began looking at her differently and talking to her to recieve what they wanted.

Latent functions- the unrecognized and unintended consequences of any social pattern
 * When Olive offers to fake have sex with Brandon, a onetime deal, the latent function of that action is other nerdy guys will ask for the same service.

Social dysfunction- any social pattern that may disrupt the operation of society
 * When the Cross Your Heart group protests Olive at the school they are a social dysfunction because they are distracting students from school work.

Gender-conflict approach- point of view that focuses on inequality and conflict between women and men Critical Sociology- the study of society that focuses on the need for social change
 * When Brandon is done having "sex" with Olive he receives applause when he leaves the room. However, when Olive leaves the room other girls give her mean looks. The two different reactions they each receive show how there is a conflict between how a guy is percieved for having sex and how a girl is percieved for having sex.
 * Brandon being beat up for being gay is one example of critical sociology because social change needs to happen so gays are not beat up anymore.

**Positivism:** a scientific approach to knowledge based on "positive" facts as opposed to mere speculation **Structural-functional approach:** a framework for building theory that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability **Social structure:** any relatively stable pattern of social behavior **Manifest functions:**the recognized and intended consequences of any social pattern
 * Olive’s classmates label her as the school tramp because Marianne spreads a rumor that Olive is engaging in immoral behavior. The school comes to the conclusion that Olive is promiscuous because they received their information from a reliable source and Olive reaffirms their belief by wearing provocative clothing. Thus, the school bases their belief that Olive is the new school tramp on facts they gather from theories that they can test and confirm.
 * An example of the structural-functional approach is the interactions that occur between peers and teachers at Olive’s high school. In Olive’s high school, everyone has a place and a social status. If these statuses are violated, the individual is shunned. For example, the school rejects Brandon because he is gay. Brandon’s sexuality threatens to disrupt the social hierarchy at the high school, so his peers bully him.
 * At Olive’s high school, there is a very clear hierarchy based on social status. For example, at the beginning of the movie, no one notices Olive because she is a nerd. However, when Olive becomes popular after she gains a reputation as a tramp.
 * The manifest function of Olive’s high school is to give young people an education and teach them the skills to be successful in college. The intended goal of high school is to graduate and obtain the information necessary to hold a job.