Core sociology terms and theories tested on the CLEP Introductory Sociology exam. Front: the term or theory. Back: a plain-language definition.
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- Sociology
- The systematic study of society, social relationships, and human group behavior.
- Society
- A group of people who share a common territory, culture, and set of institutions.
- Culture
- The shared beliefs, values, norms, and practices of a group of people.
- Norms
- Shared rules or expectations that guide acceptable behavior within a society.
- Values
- Widely shared beliefs about what is good, desirable, or important in a culture.
- Socialization
- The lifelong process by which individuals learn the norms and values of their society.
- Social structure
- The organized pattern of relationships and institutions that make up a society.
- Social institution
- An established structure, such as family or education, that organizes a fundamental area of social life.
- Role
- The set of expected behaviors associated with a particular social position.
- Status
- A recognized social position that a person holds within a society.
- Ascribed status
- A social position assigned at birth or involuntarily, such as one's race or age.
- Achieved status
- A social position gained through a person's own effort, choices, or accomplishments.
- Social stratification
- The division of society into layers based on factors such as wealth, power, and prestige.
- Social class
- A grouping of people who share a similar economic position in society.
- Social mobility
- The movement of individuals or groups between different levels of a social stratification system.
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