The Process of Aging
Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you should be able to: Explain the biological, social, and psychological changes that occur in aging Describe the birth of the field of geriatrics Examine attitudes toward death and dying and how they affect the elderly Name the five stages of grief developed by Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross […]
Who Are the Elderly? Aging in Society
Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you should be able to: Differentiate between the major senior age groups (young-old, middle-old, and old-old) Describe the “graying of the United States” as the population experiences increased life expectancies Examine aging as a global issue Figure 13.2 Elderly people may not always conform to society’s expectations of their […]
Sexuality
Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you should be able to: Differentiate among attitudes associated with sex and sexuality Describe sex education issues in the United States Discuss theoretical perspectives on sex and sexuality Figure 12.14 Sexual practices can differ greatly among groups. Recent trends include the finding that married couples have sex more frequently […]
Gender and Gender Inequality
Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you should be able to: Explain the influence of socialization on gender roles in the United States Explain the stratification of gender in major American institutions Provide examples of gender inequality in the United States Describe the rise of feminism in the United States Describe gender from […]
Sex, Gender, Identity, and Expression
Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you should be able to: Define and differentiate between sex and gender Define and discuss what is meant by gender identity Distinguish the meanings of different sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions Figure 12.2 While the biological differences between males and females are fairly straightforward, the social and […]
Race and Ethnicity in the United States
Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you should be able to: Compare and contrast the different experiences of various ethnic groups in the United States Apply theories of intergroup relations, race, and ethnicity to different subordinate groups When colonists came to the New World, they found a land that did not need “discovering” […]
Intergroup Relationships
Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you should be able to: Explain different intergroup relations in terms of their relative levels of tolerance Give historical and/or contemporary examples of each type of intergroup relation Intergroup relations (relationships between different groups of people) range along a spectrum between tolerance and intolerance. The most tolerant […]
Prejudice, Discrimination, and Racism
Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you should be able to: Explain the difference between stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination, and racism Identify different types of discrimination View racial tension through a sociological lens It is important to learn about stereotypes before discussing the terms prejudice, discrimination, and racism that are often used interchangeably in […]
Theoretical Perspectives on Race and Ethnicity
Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you should be able to: Describe how major sociological perspectives view race and ethnicity Identify examples of culture of prejudice Theoretical Perspectives on Race and Ethnicity We can examine race and ethnicity through three major sociological perspectives: functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. As you read through […]
Racial, Ethnic, and Minority Groups
Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you should be able to: Understand the difference between race and ethnicity Define a majority group (dominant group) Define a minority group (subordinate group) While many students first entering a sociology classroom are accustomed to conflating the terms “race,” “ethnicity,” and “minority group,” these three terms have […]
