The evolution of society is divided into four social revolutions. From hunting and gathering societies, which are the most simple and nomadic, came the first social revolution, the domestication of animals and plants. The societies are called pastoral, which are based on pasturing animals and horticultural, which are based on the cultivation of plants using hand tools. Special divisions of human labor sprang from these societies. Food supplies became more dependable so not everyone had to work to produce food. A person could now make tools, jewelry, weapons, etc. for a living. Accumulation of material objects, animals and wealth was now possible. Most profoundly evidenced by these changes was social inequality, or the “haves” and the “have nots”. Wars developed over material goods. From the wars sprang slavery. People found it easier to just have captives do the manual or hard labor. Also, as wealth was handed down to the next generation, it began to be unevenly distributed in the hands of a very few.

When the plow was invented it brought about the second social revolution. Agricultural societies became predominant. Because the plow brought a more efficient means of

What is the social construction of reality?

Sociologists Gresham Skyes and David Matza studied delinquent boys. These boys resisted this negative label by using what’s known as techniques of neutralization.

Power and social inequality are what conflict theorists point out as the chief characteristics of society. They stress that the power elite controls the criminal justice system and makes sure laws are passed that keep them in power. They see the most fundamental division in society as that between the few who own the means of production and the working class. The lowest end is the marginal working class. These people have few skills and work mostly low paying jobs. This class has high unemployment and poverty. Most inmates in U.S. prisons come from this class. Laws keep the social order the power elite desires.

Sociologists divide groups into primary groups, secondary groups, in-groups, out-groups, reference groups, and networks.

What are the major systems of social stratification?

6. What is the common reaction to deviance in the United States?

Social institutions are what a society develops to meet it’s basic needs. These institutions shape our behavior and even effect how one thinks. The nine social institutions are family, religion, law, politics, economics, education, medicine, science and the military.

The first is differential association theory. This theory, developed by Edwin Sutherland, says that we learn deviance or conformity from the groups we associate with. The groups are our family, friends, neighbors, etc. Control theory, developed by Walter Reckless, states that two control systems work against our innate motivations toward deviance. Our inner controls include our conscience, religious principles, our ideas of right and wrong, and the desire to be a good person.

With the growing use of the internet as a means of communication, some people find one-dimensional “online” relationships more appealing and easier to maintain than actual face-to-face relationships. A person can control how much time they want to spend communicating with someone on the internet. Many are seeing the real world as unexciting and less alluring than the virtual world found online. My best friend for example lost her marriage to online pornography. Her husband became addicted to pornography and cyber sex. This addiction drove a wedge in their relationship.

Some topics in this essay:
Harold Garfinkel, Industrial Revolution, , Emile Durkheim, Erving Goffman, Karl Marx’s, Walter Reckless, Max Weber, Karl Marx, Loyalties- Gang, means production, social stratification, social revolution, explain deviance, social institutions, theory developed, theory focuses, power elite, everyday life, social inequality, play roles everyday, revolution industrial revolution, roles everyday life, major systems social, nations grew dependent,