macro-level analysis an examination of large-scale patterns of society

macro-level orientation a focus on broad social structures that characterize society as a whole

macropolitics the exercise of large-scale power, the government being the most common example

macrosociology analysis of social life focusing on broad features of social structure, such as social class and the relationships of groups to one another; an approach usually used by functionalist and conflict theorists

mainstreaming helping people become part of the mainstream of society

Malthusian theorem an observation by Thomas Malthus that although the food supply increases only arithmetically (from 1 to 2 to 3 to 4 and so on), population grows geometrically (from 2 to 4 to 8 to 16 and so forth)

manifest function the intended consequences of people’s actions designed to help some part of a social system

manifest functions the recognized and intended consequences of any social pattern

manner the attitudes people show as they play their roles

market any process of buying and selling; on a more formal level, the mechanism that establishes values for the exchange of goods and services

market competition the exchange of items between willing buyers and sellers

market force the law of supply and demand

market income wages or salary from work, earnings from investments and private pensions

market restraints laws and regulations that limit the capacity to manufacture and sell products

marriage a legally sanctioned relationship, involving economic cooperation as well as normative sexual activity and childbearing, that people expect to be enduring

Marxist political-economy model an analysis that explains politics in terms of the operation of a society’s economic system

mass behaviour collective behaviour among people dispersed over a wide geographical area

mass hysteria a form of dispersed collective behaviour by which people respond to a real or imagined event with irrational, frantic, and often self-destructive behaviour

mass media forms of impersonal communication, such as radio, newspapers, and television, directed to mass audiences

mass society a society in which industry and expanding bureaucracy have eroded traditional social ties

mass society theory an explanation for participation in social movements based on the assumption that such movements offer a sense of belonging to people who have weak social ties

master status a status that has exceptional importance for social identity, often shaping a person’s entire life

material culture the material objects that distinguish a group of people, such as their art, buildings, weapons, utensils, machines, hairstyles, clothing, and jewellery

matriarchy a form of social organization in which females dominate males

matrilineal (system of descent) a system of reckoning descent that counts only the mother’s side

matrilineal descent a system tracing kinship through women

matrilocality a residential pattern in which a married couple lives with or near the wife’s family

means of production the tools, factories, land, and investment capital used to produce wealth

measurement the procedure for determining the value of a variable in a specific case

mechanical solidarity Durkheim’s term for the unity that comes from being involved in similar occupations or activities

medicalization the transformation of something into a matter to be treated by physicians

medicalization of social deviance to make social deviance a medical matter, a symptom of some underlying illness that needs to be treated by physicians

medicine one of the major social institutions that sociologists study; a society’s organized ways of dealing with sickness and injury

medium of exchange the means by which people value goods and services in order to make an exchange, for example, currency, gold, and silver

megalopolis an urban area consisting of at least two metropolises and their many suburbs

meritocracy a form of social stratification in which all positions are awarded on the basis of merit

metropolis a large city that socially and economically dominates the surrounding area

micro-level analysis an examination of small-scale patterns of society

micro‑level orientation a concern with small‑scale patterns of social interaction in specific settings

microsociology analysis of social life focusing on social interaction; an approach usually used by symbolic interactionists

middle-income countries nations characterized by limited industrialization and moderate personal income

middle-range theories explanations of human behaviour that go beyond a particular observation or research but avoid sweeping generalizations that attempt to account for everything

migration the movement of people into and out of a specified territory

military-industrial complex the close association between the federal government, the military, and defence industries

milling a crowd standing or walking around as they talk excitedly about some event

minimax strategy Richard Berk’s term for the effort people make to minimize their costs and maximize their rewards

minority a category of people, distinguished by physical or cultural traits, that is socially disadvantaged

miscegenation biological reproduction by partners of different racial categories

mob a highly emotional crowd that pursues some violent or destructive goal

modernity social patterns linked to industrialization

modernization the process of social change initiated by industrialization. The process by which a Gemeinschaft society is transformed into a Gesellschaft society

modernization theory a model of economic and social development that explains global inequality in terms of technological and cultural differences among societies

monarchy a political system in which a single family rules from generation to generation

money any item (from seashells to gold) that serves as a medium of exchange; today, currency is the most common form

monogamy a form of marriage joining two partners

monolithic bias the tendency to ignore the diversity contained within a phenomenon and to focus, instead, on the most general exterior features. When applied to the family, the bias results in a failure to recognize that traditional notions of the family — male breadwinner, housewife, and biological children — have been supplanted by an amazing diversity of family forms and experiences

monolithic structure the representation of structure as homogeneous and undiversified. For example, if the family is represented as a monolithic structure, the representation ignores the complex diversity of types and forms incorporated into contemporary experiences of the family

monopoly domination of a market by a single producer

monotheism belief in a single divine power

moral community people united by their religious practices

moral panic a fear that grips large numbers of people that some evil group or behaviour threatens the well-being of society, followed by intense hostility, sometimes violence, toward those thought responsible

mores norms that are strictly enforced because they are thought essential to core values

mortality the incidence of death in a society’s population

multiculturalism an educational program recognizing the cultural diversity of Canada and promoting the equality of all cultural traditions

multinational corporations companies that operate across many national boundaries; also called transnational corporations