Free TCE Sociology Flashcard Review

Culture is the shared beliefs, values, norms, customs, behaviours and material objects that characterise a group or society and are transmitted from one generation to the next.

A norm is an expected standard of behaviour or conduct that is widely accepted by members of a social group or society; it guides behaviour without being formally written as law.

A value is a broad, abstract belief about what is good, desirable or worthwhile in a society; values underpin norms and influence the decisions and judgements people make.

Cultural universals are aspects of culture found in every human society, such as family, language, rituals and systems of exchange; they address basic human needs but take different forms across cultures.

Ideal culture comprises the values and norms a society claims to hold; real culture is what people actually do, which often differs from ideals and may contain contradictions.

Material culture refers to the physical objects, artefacts and technology that a society creates and uses, such as buildings, tools, clothing and art; it reflects and reinforces non-material values and beliefs.

Non-material culture comprises the intangible elements of culture such as language, beliefs, values, norms, rituals, symbols and ideas that guide behaviour and meaning-making in a society.

A subculture is a group whose values, norms and behavioural patterns differ from but do not fundamentally oppose those of the dominant culture; members participate in both the subculture and the wider society.

A counter-culture is a subculture whose values and norms deliberately reject or oppose the dominant culture; it represents a fundamental challenge to mainstream beliefs and practices.

A society is a group of interdependent people who share a defined territory, common culture, institutions and system of organisation; members usually interact regularly and recognise themselves as a distinct unit.

A status is a position or rank that a person occupies within a social structure; it carries associated roles, expectations and prestige, and may be ascribed or achieved.

An ascribed status is assigned at birth or involuntarily (age, gender, ethnicity, family); an achieved status is earned through effort, skill or merit (occupation, qualification, membership).

A role is a set of expectations, responsibilities and behaviours associated with a particular status; it defines how a person in that status should act and interact with others.

A social group is a collection of people who interact regularly, share common goals or interests, and feel a sense of belonging; members identify with the group and are recognised as members by others.

An institution is a stable cluster of values, norms, statuses, roles and groups organised around a basic social need; institutions (family, education, work, media) structure social life and tend to resist change.

Socialisation is the lifelong process by which individuals learn the values, norms, knowledge and skills necessary to participate effectively in their society or group.

Primary socialisation is the initial learning process, typically occurring in infancy and early childhood, where the family is the main agent; it establishes fundamental habits, language, attitudes and sense of self.

Secondary socialisation occurs after childhood and involves learning the norms, roles and behaviours specific to institutions and groups beyond the family, such as school, workplace and peer groups.

Tertiary socialisation is learning specific to particular roles or groups within society, such as professional training or learning the norms of a hobby group; it often occurs in adulthood.

Resocialisation is the process of learning new values and norms as a result of a major change in circumstances, such as joining the military, imprisonment, or migration; it may involve deliberately unlearning old patterns.