Select a tabLessonsVocabularyStatisticsLessonsVocabularyStatisticsClick on a lesson below to start learningWe recommend you to start with lesson 1, as lessons build on one another.1 An Introduction to Sociology1.1 What Is Sociology?1.1.1 What Are Society and Culture?1.1.2 Studying Patterns: How Sociologists View Society1.1.3 Studying Part and Whole: How Sociologists View Social Structures1.1 Review Questions1.2 The History of Sociology1.2.1 Creating a Discipline: European Theorists1.2.2 Applying the Discipline: American Theorists and Practitioners1.2 Review Questions1.3 Theoretical Perspectives in Sociology1.3.1 Functionalism1.3.2 Conflict Theory1.3.3 Symbolic Interactionist Theory1.3.4 Sociological Theory Today1.3 Review Questions1.4 Why Study Sociology?1.4.1 Sociology and a Better Society1.4.2 Sociology in the Workplace1.4 Review Questions2 Sociological Research2.1 Approaches to Sociological Research2.1.1 The Scientific Method2.1.2 Interpretive Framework2.1.3 Critical Sociology2.1 Review Questions2.2 Research Methods2.2.1 Surveys2.2.2 Field Research2.2.3 Experiments2.2.4 Secondary Data Analysis2.2 Review Questions2.3 Ethical Concerns2.3 Review Questions3 Culture3.1 What Is Culture?3.1.1 Cultural Universals3.1.2 Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism3.1 Review Questions3.2 Elements of Culture3.2.1 Values and Beliefs3.2.2 Norms3.2.3 Symbols and Culture3.2.4 Language and Symbols3.2.5 Language and Culture3.2 Review Questions3.3 High, Low, Pop, Sub, Counter-culture and Cultural Change3.3.1 High, Low, and Popular Culture3.3.2 Subculture and Counterculture3.3.3 Cultural Change3.3 Review Questions3.4 Theoretical Perspectives on Culture3.4 Review Questions4 Society and Social Interaction4.1 Types of Societies4.1.1 Preindustrial Societies4.1.2 Industrial Society4.1.3 Postindustrial Society4.1 Review Questions4.2 Theoretical Perspectives on Society4.2.1 Émile Durkheim and Functionalism4.2.2 Karl Marx and Conflict Theory4.2.3 Max Weber and Symbolic Interactionism4.2 Review Questions4.3 Social Constructions of Reality4.3.1 Roles and Status4.3.2 Presentation of Self4.3 Review Questions5 Socialization5.1 Theories of Self-Development5.1.1 Psychological Perspectives on Self-Development5.1.2 Sociological Theories of Self-Development5.1 Review Questions5.2 Why Socialization Matters5.2.1 Nature versus Nurture5.2 Review Questions5.3 Agents of Socialization5.3.1 Social Group Agents5.3.2 Institutional Agents5.3 Review Questions5.4 Socialization Across the Life Course5.4.1 Resocialization5.4 Review Questions6 Groups and Organization6.1 Types of Groups6.1.1 Defining a Group6.1.2 Types of Groups6.1.3 In-Groups and Out-Groups6.1.4 Reference Groups6.1 Review Questions6.2 Group Size and Structure6.2.1 Dyads, Triads, and Large Groups6.2.2 Group Leadership6.2.3 Conformity6.2.4 The Bystander Effect and Diffusion of Responsibility6.2 Review Questions6.3 Formal Organizations6.3.1 Types of Formal Organizations6.3.2 The McDonaldization of Society6.3 Review Questions7 Deviance, Crime, and Social Control7.1 Deviance and Control7.1.1 Deviance, Crime, and Society7.1.2 Social Control7.1 Review Questions7.2 Theoretical Perspectives on Deviance and Crime7.2.1 Functionalism7.2.2 Conflict Theory7.2.3 Symbolic Interactionism7.2 Review Questions7.3 Crime and the Law7.3.1 Types of Crimes7.3.2 Crime Statistics7.3.3 Public Perception of Crime7.3.4 The U.S. Criminal Justice System7.3 Review Questions8 Media and Technology8.1 Technology Today8.1.1 What Is Technology?8.1 Review Questions8.2 Media and Technology in Society8.2.1 Categorizing Technology8.2.2 Types of Media and Technology8.2.3 Product Advertising and the Attention Economy8.2.4 Homogenization and Fragmentation8.2 Review Questions8.3 Global Implications of Media and Technology8.3.1 Media Globalization8.3.2 Technological Globalization8.3 Review Questions8.4 Theoretical Perspectives on Media and Technology8.4.1 Functionalism8.4.2 Conflict Perspective8.4.3 Symbolic Interactionism8.4 Review Questions9 Social Stratification in the United States9.1 What Is Social Stratification?9.1.1 Systems of Stratification9.1.2 Status Consistency9.1 Review Questions9.2 Social Stratification and Mobility in the United States9.2.1 Social Classes in the United States9.2.2 Social Mobility9.2.3 Stratification of Socioeconomic Classes9.2 Review Questions9.3 Global Stratification and Inequality9.3.1 Models of Global Stratification9.3 Review Questions9.4 Theoretical Perspectives on Social Stratification9.4.1 Functionalism9.4.2 Conflict Theory9.4.3 Symbolic Interactionism9.4 Review Questions10 Global Inequality10.1 Global Stratification and Classification10.1.1 Global Stratification10.1.2 Global Classification10.1 Review Questions10.2 Global Wealth and Poverty10.2.1 Types of Poverty10.2.2 Who Are the Impoverished?10.2.3 Consequences of Poverty10.2.4 Slavery10.2 Review Questions10.3 Theoretical Perspectives on Global Stratification10.3.1 Modernization Theory10.3.2 Dependency Theory10.3 Review Questions11 Race and Ethnicity11.1 Racial, Ethnic, and Minority Groups11.1.1 What Is Race?11.1.2 What Is Ethnicity?11.1.3 What Are Minority Groups?11.1.4 Multiple Identities11.1 Review Questions11.2 Theoretical Perspectives on Race and Ethnicity11.2.1 Theoretical Perspectives on Race and Ethnicity11.2.2 Culture of Prejudice11.2 Review Questions11.3 Prejudice, Discrimination, and Racism11.3.1 Prejudice11.3.2 Discrimination11.3.3 Racism11.3.4 How to Be an Antiracist11.3 Review Questions11.4 Intergroup Relationships11.4.1 Pluralism11.4.2 Assimilation11.4.3 Amalgamation11.4.4 Genocide11.4.5 Expulsion11.4.6 Segregation11.4 Review Questions11.5 Race and Ethnicity in the United States11.5.1 Native Americans11.5.2 African Americans11.5.3 Asian Americans11.5.4 White Americans11.5.5 Hispanic Americans11.5 Review Questions12 Gender, Sex, and Sexuality12.1 Sex, Gender, Identity, and Expression12.1.1 Sexuality and Sexual Orientation12.1.2 Gender Roles12.1.3 Gender Identity12.1 Review Questions12.2 Gender and Gender Inequality12.2.1 Gender and Socialization12.2.2 Theoretical Perspectives on Gender12.2 Review Questions12.3 Sexuality12.3.1 Sexual Attitudes and Practices12.3.2 Sociological Perspectives on Sex and Sexuality12.3 Review Questions13 Aging and the Elderly13.1 Who Are the Elderly? Aging in Society13.1.1 Studying Aging Populations13.1.2 Phases of Aging: The Young-Old, Middle-Old, and Old-Old13.1.3 The Graying of the United States13.1.4 Baby Boomers13.1.5 Aging around the World13.1 Review Questions13.2 The Process of Aging13.2.1 Biological Changes13.2.2 Social and Psychological Changes13.2.3 Aging and Sexuality13.2.4 Death and Dying13.2 Review Questions13.3 Challenges Facing the Elderly13.3.1 Poverty13.3.2 Ageism13.3.3 Mistreatment and Abuse13.3 Review Questions13.4 Theoretical Perspectives on Aging13.4.1 Functionalism13.4.2 Conflict Perspective13.4.3 Symbolic Interactionism13.4 Review Questions14 Relationships, Marriage, and Family14.1 What Is Marriage? What Is a Family?14.1.1 Challenges Families Face14.1.2 Marriage Patterns14.1.3 Residency and Lines of Descent14.1.4 Stages of Family Life14.1 Review Questions14.2 Variations in Family Life14.2.1 Single Parents, Blended Families, and Foster Families14.2.2 Cohabitation14.2.3 Same-Sex Couples14.2.4 Staying Single14.2.5 Theoretical Perspectives on Marriage and Family14.2 Review Questions14.3 Challenges Families Face14.3.1 Divorce and Remarriage14.3.2 Violence and Abuse14.3 Review Questions15 Religion15.1 The Sociological Approach to Religion15.1.1 The History of Religion as a Sociological Concept15.1.2 Theoretical Perspectives on Religion15.1 Review Questions15.2 World Religions15.2.1 Types of Religious Organizations15.2.2 Types of Religions15.2.3 The World’s Religions and Philosophies15.2 Review Questions15.3 Religion in the United States15.3.1 Religion and Social Change15.3.2 Liberation Theology15.3.3 Megachurches15.3.4 Secularization15.3 Review Questions16 Education16.1 Education around the World16.1.1 Formal and Informal Education16.1.2 Access to Education16.1 Review Questions16.2 Theoretical Perspectives on Education16.2.1 Functionalism16.2.2 Conflict Theory16.2.3 Feminist Theory16.2.4 Symbolic Interactionism16.2 Review Questions16.3 Issues in Education16.3.1 Equal Education16.3.2 Transfers and Busing16.3.3 No Child Left Behind and Every Student Succeeds16.3.4 New Views On Standardized Tests16.3.5 Students With Disabilities16.3.6 School Choice16.3.7 Remote and Hybrid Schooling16.3 Review Questions17 Government and Politics17.1 Power and Authority17.1.1 What Is Power?17.1.2 Types of Authority17.1 Review Questions17.2 Forms of Government17.2.1 Monarchy17.2.2 Oligarchy17.2.3 Dictatorship17.2.4 Democracy17.2 Review Questions17.3 Politics in the United States17.3.1 Voter Participation17.3.2 The Judicial System17.3 Review Questions17.4 Theoretical Perspectives on Government and Power17.4.1 Functionalism17.4.2 Conflict Theory17.4.3 Symbolic Interactionism17.4 Review Questions18 Work and the Economy18.1 Economic Systems18.1.1 Economics of Agricultural, Industrial, and Postindustrial Societies18.1.2 Capitalism18.1.3 Socialism18.1.4 Convergence Theory18.1.5 Theoretical Perspectives on the Economy18.1 Review Questions18.2 Globalization and the Economy18.2.1 What Is Globalization?18.2.2 Aspects of Globalization18.2 Review Questions18.3 Work in the United States18.3.1 Polarization in the Workforce18.3.2 Women in the Workforce18.3.3 Immigration and the Workforce18.3.4 Poverty in the United States18.3 Review Questions19 Health and Medicine19.1 The Social Construction of Health19.1.1 The Cultural Meaning of Illness19.1.2 The Social Construction of the Illness Experience19.1.3 The Social Construction of Medical Knowledge19.1 Review Questions19.2 Global Health19.2.1 Health in High-Income Nations19.2.2 Health in Low-Income Nations19.2 Review Questions19.3 Health in the United States19.3.1 Health by Race and Ethnicity19.3.2 Health by Socioeconomic Status19.3.3 Health by Gender19.3.4 Mental Health and Disability19.3 Review Questions19.4 Comparative Health and Medicine19.4.1 U.S. Healthcare19.4.2 Healthcare Elsewhere19.4 Review Questions19.5 Theoretical Perspectives on Health and Medicine19.5.1 Functionalism19.5.2 Conflict Perspective19.5.3 Symbolic Interactionism19.5 Review Questions20 Population, Urbanization, and the Environment20.1 Demography and Population20.1.1 Population Growth20.1.2 Demographic Theories20.1.3 Changes in U.S. Immigration Patterns and Attitudes20.1 Review Questions20.2 Urbanization20.2.1 The Growth of Cities20.2.2 Urbanization in the United States20.2.3 Suburbs and Exurbs20.2.4 Urbanization around the World20.2.5 Theoretical Perspectives on Urbanization20.2 Review Questions20.3 The Environment and Society20.3.1 Climate Change20.3.2 Pollution20.3.3 Environmental Racism20.3 Review Questions21 Social Movements and Social Change21.1 Collective Behavior21.1.1 Forms of Collective Behavior21.1.2 Theoretical Perspectives on Collective Behavior21.1 Review Questions21.2 Social Movements21.2.1 Levels of Social Movements21.2.2 Types of Social Movements21.2.3 Stages of Social Movements21.2.4 Social Media and Social Movements21.2.5 Theoretical Perspectives on Social Movements21.2 Review Questions21.3 Social Change21.3.1 Causes of Social Change21.3.2 Modernization21.3 Review Questions