Sociology

Sociology Study Guide

Chapter 6: Social Patterns Objectives 1. Understand the variables sociologists study when examining demography. 2. Define urbanization, metropolis, suburb, megalopolis, and over urbanization. 3. Comprehend social growth theories. 4. Define “human ecology. The population of the world is ever increasing. Limited resources make this a pressing social concern, especially in urban areas where most growth has occurred. 6.1 Demographics Demography is the study of population. Because population affects social structure and social factors affect population size, demography has become an important avenue of sociological study. Demographers rely heavily on vital statistics , official records of births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. Thereare three variables that are used when examining the size, growth, and characteristics of populations. They are: • Birth rate: The number of births per 1,000 women in a population per year. This is affectedby two types of factors: o Biological factors: the number of women actually of childbearing age and the health of those women. o Social factors: the type of birth control methods available in the society. o Age-specific birth rate refers to the number of birth per 1,000 women of a specific age range. Birth rates provide information on the fertility, the number of children the average woman is bearing, of a society. Fertility can be constrained by social factors such as abortion and infanticide. Fecundity is the potential number of childrenthat can be born to a woman of childbearing age (20-25 babies). Fertility levels do not reach fecundity levels for various reasons including social, cultural, economic, and health reasons. • Death rate: The number of deaths per 1,000 members of the population per year. The death rate, or mortality, of a society varies by social class. o Age-specific death rate refers to the number of deaths per 1,000 members of the population per year in a specific age range. One such age-specific rate is the neonatal mortality rate, the number of deaths per 1,000 infants under one month old. Infant mortality rates refer to deaths per 1,000 children under one year old; it is the most commonly referenced number. Infant death statistics are a good indicator of a society’s overall health and level of medical care. o Related to death rate statistics, life expectancy is the number of years a population’s newborn is expected to live. In the United States, life expectancy is about 75 yearsold. Life span differs in that it is the maximum possible number of years a species can live.

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