UCSP (Understanding Culture, Society and Politics)

• Agents of Socialization

  • Family
  • Peer Group
  • School
  • Workplace
  • Religion
  • Government
  • Mass Media
• Conformity

  The process of altering one's thoughts and actions to adapt to the accepted behavior with his or her group or society
• Deviance

  A behavior that elicits a strong negative reaction from group members and involves that violate commonly held social norms
• Types of Conformity

  • Compliance
  • Internalization
  • Identification
  • Ingratiation
• Compliance

  An individual accepts influence because he hopes to achieve a favorable reaction from another person or group
• Internalization

  An individual accepts influence because the content of the induced behavior is intrinsically rewarding
• Identification

  An individual accepts influence because he wants to establish or maintain a satisfying self-defining relationship to another person or group
• Ingratiation

  A person conforms to impress or gain favor/acceptance from other people
• Types of Rights

  • Natural Rights
  • Constitutional Rights
  • Statutory Rights
  • Civil Rights
  • Economic Rights
  • Political Rights
• Natural Rights

  Inherent to man and given to him by God as a human being
• Constitutional Rights

  Rights guaranteed under the fundamental charter of the country
• Statutory Rights

  Rights provided by the law making body of a country or by law
• Civil Rights

  Rights specified under the Bill of Rights, such as freedom of speech, right to information
• Economic Rights

  Rights to property, whether personal, real, or intellectual
• Political Rights

  Rights an individual enjoys as a consequence of being a member of a political body
• Broad Types of Social Movements

  • Personal Transformation
  • Reactionary Movement
  • Revolutionary Movement
• Personal Transformation Movement

  • Aim to change individuals by encouraging them to change their outlook in life, beliefs and even try to help them redefine their lives
• Reactionary Movement

  • Tries to block social change or reverse social changes that have already been achieved
• Revolutionary Movement

  • Seeks to overthrow the existing government and bring about a new one and even a new way of life
• Elements of Political Process Theory

  • Political Opportunities
  • Mobilizing Structures
  • Framing Processes
• Political Opportunities

  Opportunities for intervention and change within the existing political system when the system experiences vulnerabilities
• Mobilizing Structures

  The already existing organizations (political or otherwise) that are present among the community that wants change
• Framing Processes

  Carried out by leaders of an organization to allow the group or movement to clearly and persuasively describe the existing problems, articulate why change is necessary, and what changes are desired
• Deprivation Theory

  People who feel they are being deprived of something considered essential in their society (e.g. money, rights, political voice, status) will organize or join social movements dedicated to obtaining the things of which they feel deprived
• Social Stratification

  The ranking of individuals according to wealth, power, and prestige
• Status

  The position of an individual in relation to another or others, especially in regards to social or professional standing
• Types of Status

  • Ascribed Status
  • Achieved Status
• Ascribed Status

  Status which are assigned or given by the society or group on the basis of some fixed category, without regard to a person's abilities or performance
• Achieved Status

  Status that is earned by the individual through hard work
• Social Class

  A group of people within a society who possess the same socioeconomic status
• Social Mobility

  The movement of individuals or groups in social positions over time
• Types of Social Mobility

  • Horizontal Mobility
  • Vertical Mobility
  • Inter-Generational Social Mobility
  • Intra-Generational Social Mobility
• Horizontal Mobility

  The movement of a person within a social class level
• Vertical Mobility

  The movement of a person within a social level, either upward or downward
• Inter-Generational Social Mobility

  The change in social position from one generation to another
• Intra-Generational Social Mobility

  The change in societal position that occurs during the lifespan of a single generation