abortion the deliberate termination of pregnancy

absolute poverty a deprivation of resources that is life-threatening

acculturation the transmission of culture from one generation to the next

achieved status a social position that a person assumes voluntarily and that reflects a significant measure of personal ability and choice

acid rain rain containing sulfuric and nitric acids

acting crowd Herbert Blumer’s term for an excited group that collectively moves toward a goal

activity theory the view that satisfaction during old age is related to a person’s level and quality of activity

age cohort a group of people born at roughly the same time who pass through the life course together

age stratification the unequal distribution of wealth, power, and privileges among people at different stages in the life course

ageism prejudice, discrimination, and hostility directed against people because of their age; can be directed against any age group, including youth

agency individual or collective actions upon social structures and circumstances

agent provocateur someone who joins a group in order to spy on it and to sabotage it by provoking its members to commit illegal acts

agents of socialization people or groups that affect our self-concept, attitudes, or other orientations toward life

age-sex pyramid a graphic representation of the age and sex of a population

aggregate individuals who temporarily share the same physical space but do not see themselves as belonging together

agriculture large-scale cultivation using plows harnessed to animals or more powerful energy sources

alienation Marx’s term for workers’ lack of connection to the product of their labour; caused by their being assigned repetitive tasks on a small part of a product. Also refers genrally to the experience of isolation resulting from powerlessness

alterative social movement a social movement that seeks to alter only particular aspects of people

anarchy a condition of lawlessness or political disorder caused by the absence or collapse of governmental authority

animal culture learned, shared behaviour among animals

animism the belief that all objects in the world have spirits, some of which are dangerous and must be outwitted

anomie Durkheim’s term for a condition of society in which people become detached, cut loose from the norms that usually guide their behaviour

anticipatory socialization social learning directed towards gaining a desired position

anti-Semitism prejudice, discrimination, and persecution directed against Jews

appearance how an individual looks when playing a role

applied sociology the use of sociology to solve problems — from the micro level of family relationships to the macro level of crime and pollution

ascribed status a social position that someone receives at birth or assumes involuntarily later in life

asexuality no sexual attraction to people of either sex

assimilation the process by which minorities gradually adopt patterns of the dominant culture

authoritarian leader a leader who leads by giving orders

authoritarian personality Theodor Adorno’s term for people who are prejudiced and rank high on scales of conformity, intolerance, insecurity, respect for authority, and submissiveness to superiors

authoritarianism a political system that denies popular participation in government

authority power that people accept as rightly exercised over them; also called legitimate power