Download Key Terms Sociology - the systematic study of human society and

Key Terms
Sociology - the systematic study of human society and behavior; identified as a
science discipline by the U.S. National Science Foundation
Industrial Revolution - a period ranging from 1760 to 1840 when agricultural
societies shifted to industrial ones; this transition affected every aspect of life
Population Growth Rate - refers to the change in population over a unit time
period
"Pursuit of Self" - new ideas regarding political rights that emerged during the
Age of Enlightenment (late 17th and early 18th centuries)
Auguste Comte - (1798-1857) a French philosopher who coined the term
"sociology" in 1838 and created the doctrine of positivism which argued that
understanding should be based on science; often referred to as "THE father of
Sociology"
"The Law of Three Stages" - theory created by Auguste Comte that paved the
way for the creation of Sociology that claimed the history of mankind could be
broken down into three stages- theological stage, metaphysical stage, and the
scientific stage
Theological Stage - the period of history that extends from the beginning of
civilization to the end of the Middle Ages (mid-1300s) when society expressed
God's will; one element of Auguste Comte's "Law of Three Stages"
Metaphysical Stage - the period of history that extends from the Renaissance of
the 1400s through the mid-1500s when society was seen as a natural system
rather than just a reflection of God's will; one element of Auguste Comte's "Law
of Three Stages"
Scientific or Positivist Stage - the period of history that began with scientists
applying scientific laws to the physical world (beginning with Copernicus, Galileo
and Newton) and that continued through August Comte's lifetime when scientific
laws were then applied to society; one element of Auguste Comte's "Law of
Three Stages"
American Journal of Sociology - established in 1895 by Albion Small; the
oldest academic journal of sociology in the United States
American Sociological Association - a non-profit organization founded in 1905
as the American Sociological Society, currently the world's largest association of
professional sociologists
Social Sciences - a branch of science that deals with the institutions and
functioning of human society and with the interpersonal relationships of
individuals as members of society ; includes the fields of psychology, sociology,
political science, communication studies, social work, anthropology and
economics
Psychology - the science of the mind or of mental states and processes
Political Science - the science of politics, or of the principles and conduct of
government
Communication Studies - an academic field that deals with processes of
human communication
Social Work - work designed to improve the social conditions in a community
often through relief of poverty or the promotion of child welfare
Anthropology - the science that deals with the origins, physical and cultural
development, and social customs and beliefs of mankind
Economics - the scientific study of the production, distribution and consumption
of goods and services
Humanities - academic fields like literature, philosophy, art, etc. as distinguished
from the sciences
Scientific Method - a method of research in which a problem is identified,
relevant data gathered, a hypothesis formulated and the hypothesis empirically
tested
Society - a body of individuals living as members of a community; an organized
interaction of people who typically live in a nation or some other specific territory
Positivism - a way of understanding based on science
Culture - knowledge, values, customs and physical objects that are shared by
members of a society
Sociological Perspective - the special point of view of Sociology that sees
general patterns of society in the lives of particular people
Common Sense - sound practical judgment that is independent of specialized
knowledge or training
Sociological Imagination - the way sociologists look at the world; American
sociologist C. Wright Mills coined the term in 1959 to mean " the vivid awareness
of the relationship between personal experience and the wider society"
C. Wright Mills - (1916-1962) an American sociologist heavily influenced by Max
Weber's and Karl Marx's interpretations of Sociology and personally stressed that
the sociologist be able to connect individual experiences and societal
relationships