Key Terms and Figures in Sociology

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Here are brief descriptions of each term or person: **Sociology**: The study of human society, social behavior, and social institutions. **Theoretical Perspective**: Fundamental assumptions about society that guide sociological thinking and research, such as functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. **Functionalism**: A theoretical perspective that views society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability. **Manifest Function**: The intended and recognized consequences of a social process or institution. **Latent Function**: The unintended and often unrecognized consequences of a social process or institution. **Conflict Perspective**: A theoretical perspective that focuses on the struggles between groups within society, often highlighting inequality, power, and change. **Symbolic Interaction**: A theoretical perspective that focuses on the symbols and details of everyday life, how people communicate, and how they make sense of their social interactions. **Charles Horton Cooley**: An American sociologist known for his concept of the "looking-glass self," which suggests that a person's self grows out of interpersonal interactions and the perceptions of others. **George Herbert Mead**: An American philosopher and sociologist recognized for his work on the development of self and the concept of the "generalized other." **Symbol**: Anything that carries a particular meaning recognized by people who share a culture. **Herbert Blumer**: A sociologist and student of George Herbert Mead, known for coining the term "symbolic interactionism." **Dramaturgy**: A sociological perspective developed by Erving Goffman that views social life as a theatrical performance where individuals present themselves in ways that will be accepted by others. **Erving Goffman**: A Canadian sociologist known for his analysis of social interaction and his development of the concept of dramaturgy. **Auguste Comte**: A French philosopher who is considered the father of sociology and the founder of positivism. **Positivism**: A philosophical theory that asserts that knowledge should be derived from scientific observation. **Social Statics**: The study of social stability and order. **Social Dynamics**: The study of social change and progress. **Law of Three Stages**: A theory proposed by Auguste Comte suggesting that human societies develop through three stages: theological, metaphysical, and positive. **Theological Stage**: The first stage in Comte's theory, where society explains phenomena through religious or supernatural means. **Metaphysical Stage**: The second stage in Comte's theory, where society explains phenomena through abstract philosophical concepts. **Positive Stage**: The final stage in Comte's theory, where society explains phenomena through scientific reasoning and the use of positive knowledge. **Harriet Martineau**: A British social theorist and the first female sociologist, known for her work on social issues and her translation of Comte's work into English. **Herbert Spencer**: An English philosopher and sociologist who applied the theory of natural selection to society, coining the term "survival of the fittest." **Social Darwinism**: The application of Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection to social, political, and economic issues, suggesting that only the fittest survive in human political and economic struggle. **Charles Darwin**: An English naturalist and biologist known for his theory of evolution by natural selection. **Karl Marx**: A German philosopher, economist, and sociologist known for his critique of capitalism and his theory of historical materialism. **Bourgeoisie**: The capitalist class who own the means of production and exploit the proletariat in Marxist theory. **Proletariat**: The working class who do not own the means of production and are exploited by the bourgeoisie in Marxist theory. **Emile Durkheim**: A French sociologist who established the academic discipline of sociology and is known for his studies on social integration, collective consciousness, and the division of labor. **Mechanical Solidarity**: A form of social cohesion that arises when individuals in a society maintain similar values and beliefs and engage in similar types of work, often found in traditional societies. **Organic Solidarity**: A form of social cohesion that arises when individuals in a society perform a wide variety of specialized jobs and rely on each other, typical of modern industrial societies. **Max Weber**: A German sociologist known for his work on rationalization, bureaucracy, and the Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism. **Rationalization**: The process by which traditional modes of thinking are replaced by an ends/means analysis concerned with efficiency and formalized social control. **Verstehen**: A German term meaning "understanding" or "interpretive understanding," used by Weber to describe the process by which sociologists aim to understand social action from the point of view of the actors. **Jane Addams**: An American social worker, sociologist, and reformer known for founding Hull House and her work in advancing social justice. **W.E.B. DuBois**: An American sociologist, historian, and civil rights activist known for his work on race relations and his concept of "double consciousness." **Sociological Imagination**: A term coined by C. Wright Mills that describes the ability to see the relationship between individual experiences and larger social influences. **C. Wright Mills**: An American sociologist known for his work on sociological imagination and his critique of the power elite in society. These brief descriptions should provide a quick overview of each concept and individual related to sociology.