Challenge and Change

Challenge & Change Exam Review Notes
UNIT 1: SOCIAL CHANGE
Anthropology: examines development of the human species and human cultures throughout the world.

Sociology: looks at the development and structure of human society and how it works

Psychology: examines people’s feelings, thoughts, and personality development

Anthropology:
Study: examines human species and cultures, compares cultures, kinship
Perspectives on Society & Social Change: believe social change is due to the fact that cultures are constantly changing organisms. (Change is still GRADUAL)

Sociology:
Study: examines development and structure of human society and how it works. Examines how people act in group situations and social institutions. (Terms used by sociologists to study society; status, hierarchy, role)
Perspectives on Society & Social Change: believe social change is the massive shifts in the behaviors and structure of society. (They look at: rate of change, sources, controllability, direction of change)

Psychology:
Study: study of people’s feelings, thoughts and personality development. Purpose is to discover the underlying triggers or causes of human behavior. (Clinical and experimental psychology)
Perspectives on Society & Social Change: social change is caused by changes in the behavior of many individuals and attitudes.

SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT
Anthropology
Functionalism:
- Every custom or practice of a culture serves a purpose to bring stability
Structuralism:
- Humans tend to see things in terms of 2 forces that are opposites
- Cultures develop rules about where items belong and don't
- The role of anthropologists is to uncover these rules and explain them
Cultural Materialism:
- Technological and economic factors are the most important forces
- Believe the theory of determinism
- Marvin Harris argued that material factors are the starting point to understanding a culture
- Society made up of 3 levels LEVEL 1: infrastructure (material factors)