| A | B |
|---|
| functionalist | perspective that views society as a set of interrelated parts that work together to produce a stable system. |
| genogram | a visual diagram of relationships |
| ideal type | description of the essential characteristics of some aspect of society. |
| history | study of past events |
| function | positive consequence an element of society has for the maintenance of the social system. |
| economics | study of the choices people make in an effort to satisfy their wants and needs. |
| dysfunction | negative consequence an element has for the stability of the social order. |
| conflict | perspective that focuses on those forces in society that promote competition and change. |
| anthropology | comparative study of various aspects of past and present cultures. |
| psychology | science that deals with the behavior and thinking of organisms. |
| social sciences | related disciplines that study various aspects of human social behavior |
| symbolic interaction | interaction between people that takes place through the use of symbols. |
| symbol | anything that stands for something else and has a shared meaning attached to it. |
| Theory | systematic explanantion of the relationship between phenomena. |
| theoretical perspective | general set of assumptions about the nature of phenomena. |
| Versthen | empathetic understanding of the meanings others attach to their actions. |
| interactionist | perspective that focuses on how individuals interact with one another in society. |
| Max Weber | German social scientist who studied interaction between individuals (social interactionist) to explain social behavior. |
| manifest function | the intended and recognized consequence of some element of society. |
| latent function | the unintended and unrecognized consequence of an element of society. |
| Emille Durkheim | French social scientist who was the first to apply the methods of science to the study of society. A functionalist. |
| Herbert Spencer | A social darwinist who promoted the idea of "survival of the fittest" as society works together as a whole, and that no steps should be taken to correct social ills. |
| Karl Marx | Believed society is motivated by a power struggle between the "haves" and the "have nots." |
