Ageism

This is behaviour in which people are treated differently from others because of their age

Alienation

The sense of not belonging to society and being apart from it

Birth rate

The number of people born per thousand of the population each year

Blended family

This is a family with two adults and children from more than one relationship - also known as a reconstituted family.

Conjugal roles

These are the roles of men and women in the family

Contemporary

This word means anything that is up-to-date and modern

Crime

This is an act which is against the law

Culture

These are the things that you need to know to survive in your society

Cycle of poverty

Poverty can be passed on from parents to children by bad lifestyles

Death rate

This is the number of people who die per thousand of the population

Deviant

This is someone who breaks social rules

Devolution

The movement of power and decision making away from London.

Discrimination

This is when people have the power to treat you differently because of a prejudice

Divorce

This is the legal ending of a marriage

Emigrant

This is someone who moves away from an area to live and work

Feminism

This is the belief that men and women should be equal

Gay marriage

This is where two people of one sex live together as lifelong partners

Gender

This is the social difference between men and women

Government

This is the people who rule us, Parliament and the Civil Service

Grammar School

A school which teaches a formal curriculum of academic subjects

Hidden Curriculum

This is what you are taught in school without people realising it.

Imitation

Children learn by copying adults that they see

Immigrant

This is someone who moves into an area

Income

This is the money that comes into a household: benefits or earnings

Industrial Revolution

The change over from a farming economy to factories

Inequality

This is when people in society do not have the same chances

Mass media

This is any form of communication which reaches a lot of people, such as radio and television

Monogamy

Marriage to one person at a time

Moral panic

This is when the media build up a story to get people worked up

Mores

These are our moral beliefs

National Curriculum

This is the information which teachers must teach children in school

New Man

A man who takes on the role of women

Norms

These are the rules which say what is normal in society

Peer Group

These are your friends. They socialise you

Polygamy

Marriage to more than one partner at a time

Prejudice

This is when people judge you without knowing you

Primary poverty

This is a lack of the things essential for life

Professional work

This is work which is paid a salary and which is non-manual

Racism

This is when people treat you differently because of your ethnic background

Role model

This is when children admire someone and want to be like them

Sanction

Another word which means a punishment; it can be formal or informal

Scapegoating

We blame other people for things wrong in our society

Secondary poverty

This is a lack of the things most people feel are important for life

Serial Monogamy

Marriage to more than one partner, but only one at a time

Sex

This is the biological difference between men and women

Sexism

This is discrimination on the basis of gender.

Single parent

A person who is bringing up a family of children without a partner

Social class

Your position in society based on your occupation and income

Social control

This is the way that we can be controlled and organised by society

Social Trends

A book of information about society produced by the government

Sociology

The scientific study of society and social rules

Stereotype

This is a simple and false judgement based on physical appearance.

Stratification

This is the layering of people in society by status and wealth

Sub-culture

This is a group in society with different norms and values from the rest.

Unskilled worker

A person with no qualifications and low pay work

Urban

Areas that are built up such as cities and towns

Values

These are the ideas that you think are valuable and good

Wealth

This is surplus money and property which you own