Sociology: Theories, Identity & Health
Free MCAT study guide — Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior
Sociological Theories
| Theory | Key Thinker | Focus | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Functionalism | Durkheim | Society as interdependent parts; stability | Macro |
| Conflict theory | Marx | Power, inequality, class struggle | Macro |
| Symbolic interactionism | Mead, Blumer | Meaning through symbols, interaction | Micro |
| Feminist theory | Various | Gender inequality, patriarchy | Macro/Micro |
| Social constructionism | Berger, Luckmann | Reality is socially constructed | Micro |
Social Stratification
Key Point: Weber: 3 dimensions — Class (economic), Status (prestige), Party (political power). Marx: bourgeoisie vs proletariat.
Social Psychology
| Concept | Definition |
|---|---|
| Fundamental attribution error | Overattribute others' behavior to disposition, underattribute to situation |
| Self-serving bias | Attribute success to self, failure to external factors |
| Cognitive dissonance | Discomfort when attitudes ≠ behavior → change attitude |
| Conformity | Adjust behavior to group norms (Asch line experiment) |
| Obedience | Follow authority (Milgram shock experiment) |
| Bystander effect | More bystanders → less likely to help (diffusion of responsibility) |
| In-group bias | Favor own group members over out-group |
| Stereotype threat | Anxiety from confirming negative stereotype → poorer performance |
Health & Illness
Key Point: Social determinants of health: SES, education, neighborhood, access to healthcare, social support, discrimination.
Sick role (Parsons): Patient is exempt from duties but must seek help and try to recover.
Practice What You've Learned
Test your understanding with our question bank and practice tests.
Start Practicing Free