Sociology for the MCAT

Social Stratification

• Class defined by income, education, occupation, wealth
• Social mobility: Intragenerational (within lifetime) vs. intergenerational (across generations)
• Intersectionality: Overlapping identities create unique experiences

Culture & Socialization

• Culture: Shared beliefs, values, norms
• Agents of socialization: Family, peers, media, school, religion
• Ethnocentrism vs. Cultural Relativism

Social Interaction

• Symbolic interactionism: Meaning created through interaction
• Dramaturgy (Goffman): Front stage vs. backstage
• Looking-glass self (Cooley): Self-concept based on perceived perceptions

Group Dynamics

• Conformity (Asch): Group pressure influences answers
• Obedience (Milgram): Authority influences harmful actions
• Groupthink: Desire for harmony → poor decisions

Health Disparities

• Social determinants: income, education, race, environment, healthcare access
• Sick role (Parsons): Society expects sick to seek help and try to recover