Understand the historical and current trends of poverty among elderly populationsRecognize ageist thinking and ageist attitudes in individuals and institutionsLearn about elderly individuals’ risks of being mistreated and abused
Consider the biological, social, and psychological changes in agingDescribe the birth of the field of geriatricsExamine attitudes toward death and dying and how they affect the elderlyName the five stages of grief developed by Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
Compare and contrast sociological theoretical perspectives on aging
Understand the difference between senior age groups (young-old, middle-old, and old-old)Describe the “graying of the United States” as the population experiences increased life expectanciesExamine aging as a global issue
Explain why sociology emerged when it didDescribe how sociology became a separate academic discipline
Explain what sociological theories are and how they are usedUnderstand the similarities and differences between structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism
Explain concepts central to sociologyUnderstand how different sociological perspectives have developed
Explain why it is worthwhile to study sociologyIdentify ways sociology is applied in the real world
Understand how values and beliefs differ from normsExplain the significance of symbols and language to a cultureExplain the Sapir-Whorf hypothesisDiscuss the role of social control within culture
Discuss the roles of both high culture and pop culture within societyDifferentiate between subculture and countercultureExplain the role of innovation, invention, and discovery in cultureUnderstand the role of cultural lag and globalization in cultural change
Discuss the major theoretical approaches to cultural interpretation
Differentiate between culture and societyExplain material versus nonmaterial cultureDiscuss the concept of cultural universalism as it relates to societyCompare and contrast ethnocentrism and xenocentrism
Identify and differentiate between different types of crimesEvaluate U.S. crime statisticsUnderstand the three branches of the U.S. criminal justice system
Define deviance, and explain the nature of deviant behaviorDifferentiate between methods of social control
Describe the functionalist view of deviance in society through four sociologist’s theoriesExplain how conflict theory understands deviance and crime in societyDescribe the symbolic interactionist approach to deviance, including labeling and other theories
Identify differences in educational resources around the worldDescribe the concept of universal access to education