# Sociology Cheatsheet ## Sociological Concepts - **Socialization**: The process by which individuals learn the norms, values, and beliefs of their society. - **Social Stratification**: The hierarchical arrangement of individuals and groups within a society based on factors such as wealth, power, and status. - **Culture**: The shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that characterize a society or group. - **Norms**: The unwritten rules that govern behavior in a society or group. - **Values**: The beliefs and principles that a society or group holds to be important. - **Deviance**: Behavior that violates the norms of a society or group. ## Sociological Theories - **Functionalism**: A theoretical perspective that views society as a complex system of interdependent parts that work together to maintain social order and stability. - **Conflict Theory**: A theoretical perspective that views society as a system characterized by inequality and conflict over resources and power. - **Symbolic Interactionism**: A theoretical perspective that focuses on the ways in which individuals create and interpret meaning through their interactions with others. - **Feminist Theory**: A theoretical perspective that focuses on gender inequality and the ways in which gender shapes social life. - **Critical Race Theory**: A theoretical perspective that examines the ways in which race and racism intersect with other forms of inequality in society. - **Queer Theory**: A theoretical perspective that challenges traditional notions of gender and sexuality and examines the ways in which they are socially constructed. ## Research Methods - **Surveys**: A research method that involves asking a sample of individuals a set of standardized questions. - **Interviews**: A research method that involves asking individuals open-ended questions in a one-on-one setting. - **Participant Observation**: A research method that involves observing and participating in the activities of a group or community. - **Case Studies**: A research method that involves in-depth analysis of a single individual, group, or event. - **Content Analysis**: A research method that involves analyzing the content of written or visual materials, such as books, films, or news articles. - **Experiments**: A research method that involves manipulating one or more variables to determine their effect on another variable. ## Social Institutions - **Family**: A social institution that involves the care, socialization, and reproduction of individuals. - **Education**: A social institution that involves the transmission of knowledge, values, and skills from one generation to another. - **Religion**: A social institution that involves beliefs and practices related to the supernatural or divine. - **Economy**: A social institution that involves the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. - **Politics**: A social institution that involves the distribution of power and resources within a society. - **Media**: A social institution that involves the production and dissemination of information and entertainment. ## Social Issues - **Race and Ethnicity**: Social categories that are based on perceived physical and cultural differences. - **Gender and Sexuality**: Social categories that are based on biological and cultural differences related to sex and gender. - **Social Class**: A hierarchical system of social stratification based on factors such as income, education, and occupation. - **Crime and Deviance**: Behavior that violates social norms and laws. - **Health and Illness**: The social and cultural factors that influence health and illness. - **Globalization**: The increasing interconnectedness of the world's economies, cultures, and populations. ## Resources - [American Sociological Association](https://www.asanet.org/): A professional organization for sociologists that provides resources and support for research and teaching. - [Sociology Compass](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/17519037): A peer-reviewed journal that provides overviews of current research and debates in sociology. - [Sociological Images](https://thesocietypages.org/socimages/): A website that uses images and other media to illustrate sociological concepts and research. - [Sociology Toolbox](https://www.sociologytoolbox.com/): A website that provides resources and tools for teaching and learning sociology.