Review List for Chapter 1

Dr. Ji SOC 242 Contemporary Social Problems Review chapters 1-6

Review List for Chapter 1 ______Note: This review provides you with some of the terms, definitions, events, names of sociologists, and others associated to the course covered. However, they are not inclusive or comprehensive but just part of the content. Student who wishes to obtain good results in their test scores, are strongly advised to read all pages of the chapter. ______

Terms Personal Problems, Social Problems, Objective Condition, Subjective Concern, Norm violations, social conditions, Person-Blame Approach, System-Blame approach, Institutions, The Sociological Imagination, Structural functionalism, Conflict theory, Symbolic Interaction, Gender Inequality, Methods, Surveys, Case studies, Experiments, Field studies, Variables, mean, median, Test of significance, Frequency distribution, Independent variable, dependent variable, Fallacy of dramatic instance, Fallacy of retrospective determinism, Fallacy of circular reasoning, Fallacy of authority, Fallacy of Composition,

Concepts  Personal problems- a problem that can be explained in terms of the qualities of the individual  Social problems- a condition or pattern of behavior that contradicts some other condition or pattern of behavior  Norm violations- Acts and conditions that violate the norms and values present in society.  Social conditions- Socially induced conditions that cause psychic and material suffering for any segment of the population  There are no standards about what is deviant and what is not. The powerful play an important role in determining who gets the negative label and who does not.  Social problems are considered to be:1) society induced conditions that cause psychic and material suffering for any segment of the population. 2) acts and conditions that violate the norms and values found in society  Person-Blame Approach- The assumption that social problems result from the pathologies of individuals.  System-Blame Approach- The assumption that social problems result from social conditions.  A balance between person-blame and system-blame approaches is needed.  Institutions- a collective pattern of dealing with a basic social function  The Sociological Imagination- Looking at human behavior and attitudes in the context of the social forces and institutional arrangements that shape them.  Structural Functionalism- a sociological theory that focuses on social systems and how their interdependent parts maintain order  Conflict theory- a sociological theory that focuses on contradictory intersects, inequalities between social groups, and the resulting conflict and change  Symbolic Interaction- a sociological theory that focuses on the interaction between individuals, the individual’s perception of situations, and the ways in which social life is constructed through interaction  Surveys- a method of research in which a sample of people are interviewed or given questionnaires in order to get data on some phenomenon  Case studies- A design in which researchers focus on one case  Participant observations-a method of research in which one directly participates and observes the social reality being studied  Variables- any trait of characteristic that varies in value or magnitude  Mean- the average  Median- the score that numerically lies in the middle of all scores (below which are half of the scores and above which are the other half)  Test of significance- a statistical method for determining the probability that research findings occurred by chance  Frequency distribution- the organization of data to show the number of times each item occurs  Independent variable- the variable in the experiment that is manipulated to see how it affects changes in the dependent variable  Dependent variable- the variable in an experiment that is influenced by an independent variable  Fallacy of dramatic instance- the tendency to over-generalize  Fallacy of retrospective determinism- argument that things could not have worked out any other way than they did  Fallacy of circular reasoning-Using conclusions to support the assumptions that were necessary to make the conclusions  Fallacy of authority- argument by an illegitimate appeal to authority  Fallacy of Composition- the assertion that what is true of the part is true of the whole  Fallacy of Non Sequitur- something does not follow logically from what has preceded it

Discussion  What is the difference between personal problems and social problems?

 What are the four methods on social problems research?

 Describe two fallacies.

Dr. Ji SOC 242- Contemporary Social Problems

Review List for Chapter 2 ______Terms Capitalism, socialism, corporate wealth, private wealth, capitalism-private ownership, capitalism- personal profit, Capitalism Competition, laissez-faire, egalitarianism, socialism-community, socialism-public ownership, socialism-planning, monopolistic capitalism, shared monopoly, interlocking directorates, multinational corporations, interest groups, foreign policy for corporate benefit, Trickle-Down Solutions

Concepts  Two types of economic systems: Capitalism, Socialism  Three conditions are necessary in order for capitalism to exist: Private ownership of property, Personal profit, Competition  Private ownership of property- Individuals are encouraged to own private possessions, Also encouraged to own the capital necessary to produce and distribute goods and services  Capitalism Competition- Mechanism for determining what is produced and at what price  Supply and demand ensures that capitalists produce goods and services that are wanted by the public, high in quality, sold at the lowest possible price.  laissez-faire- allowing the marketplace to operate unhindered  United States is not purely capitalistic  Five main principles of Socialism- Democratism, Egalitarianism, Community, Public ownership of means of production, Planning for common purposes  Egalitarianism-equality of opportunity for the self-fulfillment of all, equality rather than hierarchy in decision making and equality in sharing the benefits of society  Socialism-Community- Idea that social relations should be characterized by cooperation and a sense of collective belonging rather than by conflict and competition.  Democratic relations MUST operate throughout the social structure: government, work, school, and the community  Socialists oppose letting individuals act in their own interests in the marketplace to determine overall outcomes.  United States is dominated by huge corporations that control demand rather than respond to the demands of the market, not competition between equal private capitalists as it used to be.  Shared monopoly- when four or fewer companies control 50 percent or more of an industry  Giant corporations are becoming larger every year  Trend toward megamergers has at least five negative consequences: Increases centralization of capital which reduces competition and raises prices for consumers, Corporations have increased power over workers, unions and governments, Reduces number of jobs as merged companies eliminate redundant positions, Increases corporate debt, Nonproductive  Direct interlocks were made illegal in 1914 by the Clayton Act  9 massive conglomerates dominate the US media landscape, supplying almost all the TV programs, movies, videos, radio shows, music, and books  Wealth is not just concentrated in huge corporations, but in individuals and families as well  Top 1% of wealth holders controlled 38.1% of total household wealth in 2001  There has been an increase in the gap between differences in earnings between heads of corporations and the workers in the corporations  Affluent individuals and large corporations influence candidate selection-they give money to those they support and withhold money from those they do not

Discussion  What are the five main principles of Socialism?

 What does Socialism-Community refer to and how is it different from Capitalism?

 How do affluent individuals and large corporations influence candidate selection?

Review List for Chapter 3 ______Terms Economic Development, Family Planning, Societal Changes, Modern demographic transition, HHL, LHH, LLL, Third World, poverty, absolute poverty, pandemic, new slavery, colony, multinational corporation, corporate dumping

Concepts  Ways to slow world population growth: Economic Development, Family Planning, Societal Changes  World population rates are growing faster than ever before. The world should reach a population of seven billion people around the year 2013.  Demographic Transition: The process whereby a country moves from high birth and high death rates to low birth and death rates with an interstitial spurt in population growth  There has been a large demographic transition, where three stages are gone through. Countries/societies urbanize and industrialize, and this leads to low and stable population growth rates. (HHL, LHH, LLL)  Family planning is necessary in controlling very high rates of population growth.  Poverty is a big problem in many underdeveloped countries, known as the Third World, as well as hunger and misery.  Absolute or extreme poverty is when people make less than $1 per day.  Hunger is always a severe problem in Third World countries. We produce enough to feed the population, but we waste and eat a lot of meat, and the food production is unevenly distributed. Poor countries cannot afford high-technology equipment to produce necessary amounts of food, and natural disasters have played a role in their ability to produce as well.  Malnutrition, including vitamin deficiencies and protein deficiencies, prevents many children from living to their first birthday, as their mothers are usually malnourished as well. Disease is more prevalent in the world’s poor, as their water and food is easily contaminated, and there are often unsanitary conditions.  HIV/AIDS is a pandemic (worldwide epidemic), and impoverished countries (especially sub-Saharan Africa) are being hit the hardest, as they cannot afford the expensive treatments and medicines required to fight the disease.  Every society has some kind of slaveries and New slavery is forced by extreme poverty, Slavery today means loss of freedom, exploitation of profit, and the control of slavery through violence or threat  Priorities of Third World Nations: Military Security or Economic Security  Humanitarian Aid to the Third World: It should be truly humanitarian but not military aid, The aid reaches the intended targets but not the well-off elites, The governments in these countries must have sensible plans to use the new resources.

Discussion  What are the three stages of Demographic transition? What stage are third world countries in?

 What does new slavery refer to today?

Review List for Chapter 4 ______

Terms Bio-sphere, Eco-systems, Environmental pollution, Pollutant, Environmental depletion, Degradation, Chemical Pollution, Environmental Justice, Environmental Racism, Maquiladoras, Solid Waste Pollution, Water Pollution, Radiation Pollution, Air Pollution, Global warming, greenhouse effect, Culture, Cornucopia View of Nature, Faith in Technology, Growth Ethic, Materialism, Planned Obsolescence, Belief in Individualism, The American Dream, Capitalist economy, Polity, Demographic Patterns, System of Stratification, Environmental Classism, Pro- business Voluntaristic Approach, Egalitarian/Authoritarian Plan, Control of Resource Use

Concepts • Bio-sphere- The surface layer of the planet and the surrounding atmosphere, it provides land, air, energy and sustains life • Eco-systems- Plants, animals, microorganisms interacting with each other and their environments • Environmental pollution-Harmful alterations in the environment including air, land, and water • Pollutant- Anything that cause environmental pollution • Environmental depletion- increasing scarcity of natural resources, including those used for generating energy • Ecosystems are being disturbed by three social forces. • Environmental Justice-A movement that works for improving environments for communities • Environmental Racism- Toxic-producing plants and toxic waste dumps are disproportionally located where poor people and people of color are located. • Maquiladoras- Factories along U.S.-Mexico border that are U.S. owned • Two major sources of air pollution are emissions automobiles and industrial plants • Global Environmental Crises- Three interrelated threats: 1. Fossil Fuel Dependence, Waste, and Environmental Degradation, 2. Destruction of the Tropical Rain Forests, 3. Global Warming • Greenhouse effect- occurs when harmful gases accumulate in the atmosphere and act like the glass roof of a greenhouse • Culture- refers to the knowledge that the members of a social organization share • Cornucopia View of Nature- Most Americans conceive of nature as a vast storehouse waiting only to be used by people • Faith in Technology- Most Americans regard human beings as having mastery over nature • Growth Ethic- Americans place a premium on progress, they tend to never be entirely satisfied • Materialism- The belief that progress is translated on the individual level into consumption of material things as evidence of one’s success • Planned Obsolescence- Existing products are given superficial changes and marketed as new, making the previous product out of date • Belief in Individualism- People in the U.S. place great stress on personal achievement • The American Dream- anyone can make it if they work hard enough • Capitalist economy- depends on profits, and the quest for profit is never satisfied • Polity- political decisions are fundamentally influenced by powerful interest groups. The bias of the political system is seen by the government’s close relationship with larger polluter corporations • Environmental Classism- Because of where they live and work, poor people and racial minorities are more susceptible to the dangers of pollution, Can also be known as Environmental Racism • Pro-business Voluntaristic Approach- The premise that, if left alone, mechanism in the marketplace will operate to solve environmental problems • Egalitarian/Authoritarian Plan- The government must operate on the premise that pollution is a crime against society and will not be tolerated

Discussion  Describe two different types of pollution (water, air, radiation, etc.)

 Explain some ways that American ideals affect environmental problems.

 Explain the Pro-business Voluntaristic approach and if you believe it would work. Dr. Ji SOC 242- Contemporary Social Problems

Review List for Chapter 5 ______Terms Baby boomers, Population Shifts, Adaptation, Assimilation, Graying, Demography, age pyramid, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Elderly Abuse, Beanpole Family Structure, Integrated personalities, Defended Personality, Passive-dependent personality, Disinterested personality, The Gray Panthers, American Association of Retired Persons,

Concepts  The New Immigration- Is the external source  The aging Americans- Is the internal source  Immigrants are selective – based on their ages, education, skills, gender, profession, etc. in the interest of the American people  Four options regarding assimilation: Trying to blend into the US society; developing an adversarial stance toward the dominant society; resisting acculturation; moving toward a bicultural pattern.  At times of economic uncertainty or political events, three effects are foreseeable: an increased bifurcation between the haves and the have-nots, increased racial diversity, a heightened tension among races  Graying - population aging  Demography is the scientific study of the size, distribution, structure, and change of population  Several changes affecting the aging Americans: declining mortality, declining fertility, and increasing longevity  Problems of An Aging Society- Inadequate income from pensions or social security, The high cost of elderly health care, Abuse of the elderly  Medicare is the health insurance program beginning in 1965 for people aged 65 and above financed by payroll taxes, premiums paid by recipients, and a government subsidy  Medicaid is the health care of the indigent persons financed by federal and state taxes  Major Problems in Health Care: It is insufficiently financed by the government. Only half of the health care bills paid through the program, leaving the poor uncovered. Many physicians limit the number of Medicare patients to serve because they feel that the program pays them too little for their services  Beanpole Family Structure-A family structure in which the number of living generations within linkages increases, but there is an intragenerational contraction in the number of members within each generation.  Problems Facing The Frail Elderly- Isolation, More dependency, Elder Abuse, Poverty  Bernice Neugarten and her 4 major personality types responding to the older age-  Integrated personalities – who function well, are intellectually able, and have competent egos  Defended Personality - achievement-oriented people who continue working hard and fighting the aging process by not giving up to it and by remaining very active  Passive-dependent personality – who have essentially given in to the inevitability of aging and become inactive and dependent on others  Disinterested personality – having experienced a deterioration of their thought processes, these elderly may be confused, disoriented, forgetful, childish, and/or paranoid

Discussion  What effects are foreseeable at times of economic uncertainty or political events?

 What is the difference between Medicare and Medicaid?  What are some of the problems facing the elderly?

Review List for Chapter 6 ______

Terms “White flight,” boomburg, urban sprawl, redlining, “poverty areas,” “high-poverty areas,” gentrification, slum lording, warehousing, jobs/housing mismatch, spatial apartheid, environmental racism, triage, informal economy, moral exhortation, the market, Marshall plan for cities, regional government

Concepts  People who have moved to suburbs are mostly White, upper-, middle-, or working-class. However, class and race segregation has increased. Thus, central cities are left with poor and minority population.  Some cities with 100,000 people or more have grown by double-digits every decade since it became urban. These are called boomburgs. (2000-53 total in the United States.)  Factors Promoting Suburban Growth: Land Speculation, Mass Transit, Availability of Housing, Unpleasantness of City, Workers Follow Jobs, Technological Change, Relocation of Industry, High Municipal Taxes, Industrial Labor Problems  Low-density, automobile-dependent developments that are connected by highways and used by tract homes and strip malls are called urban sprawls.  Urbanization- causes environmental effects, loss of jobs in inner cities, and concentration of poverty in central cities (businesses are less profitable and city governments are hard-pressed for adequate services.  Some businesses won’t provide loans, insurance, or other services to “undesirable” areas at times, and this is considered redlining.  Urban poverty has grown through history. “Poverty areas” now are neighborhoods where one out of five households is below the poverty line, and “high-poverty areas” are where at least two of five households are below the poverty line.  Urban poverty is highly concentrated with Blacks and Latinos, and most live in racially segregated neighborhoods.  Inner cities are often experiencing gentrification, where rental units, or rundown properties in poor neighborhoods, are being converted into middle-class condos, townhouses, or lofts and apartments. This displaces people who can’t afford down payments or can’t qualify for home mortgage.  Landlords sometimes buy properties in poor neighborhoods and don’t intend to maintain or keep the property up in good condition. This can lead to unsafe living areas and housing code violations, and is referred to as slum lording.  Sometimes real estate speculators in urban areas will withhold apartments from the housing market hoping to sell them to developers for a profit. This is called warehousing.  Often people who need jobs the most are from the poor inner cities, and often are the furthest away from them. (Jobs/housing mismatch)  The jobs/housing mismatch is a form of spatial apartheid.  Infrastructure is fast getting worse with sewer systems, roads, and pollution decaying.  Health care is a big problem for the poor. There are high levels of diseases, high infant mortality rates, and are not able to afford quality care. Triage is when most urgent emergencies are treated first, and urban hospitals are being forced to practice this.  Schools are becoming unsafe and very segregated by class and race. Crime rates are high, as are gang activity.  Moral exhortation: values and behaviors of the poor, and in inner cities, must be brought up to middle-class standards, and must be shown the error of their ways.  The market: if government provides the proper subsidies and incentives to business, the private sector will redevelop urban areas and the benefits will ultimately trickle down to all urban residents. Promotes economic development and advocates government financial assistance for new businesses in the city and urban enterprise zones.  Marshall Plan: massive intervention by regional/federal government is required. Government plan for rebuilding urban areas-public investment in US cities need to proceed on a level never seen before.

Discussion  What are some of the factors promoting suburban growth?

 What does “poverty areas” refer to?

 Describe the Marshal Plan and its intent for urban areas.