TOEFL IBT – Sociology
Vocabulary is promordial in order to improve your TOEFL score. Remember, Preparation is the key to succeed !
This vocabulary will be useful if you ever take a sociology course in school, for having an educated discussion with a friend, or especially for any number of English language exams you may take. Here we will look at the most commonly used words in the field, along with their French translations.
agricultural revolution |
the introduction of new farming technologies that increases food output in farm production |
The agricultural revolution gave us a world of plenty, yet plenty of want. |
la revolution agricole |
alienation |
the sense of dissatisfaction the modern worker feels as a result of producing goods that are owned and controlled by someone else |
When you put power and alienation together, you get violence. |
l’aliénation |
animism |
the belief that spirits roam the natural world |
Animism is the oldest known type of belief system in the world. |
l’animisme |
bias |
an opinion held by the researcher that might affect the research or analysis |
Gender bias on the part of doctors is one potential explanation. |
le parti pris |
bourgeoisie |
the elite class |
The racing bourgeoisie couldn’t be unhappier about the prospect. |
la bourgeoisie |
consumerism |
the steady acquisition of material possessions, often with the belief that happiness can be achieved this way |
It may be that thrift and consumerism are compatible after all. |
le consumérisme |
conversation analysis |
a sociological approach that looks at how we create meaning in naturally occurring conversation, often by taping conversations and examining them |
She had also introduced conversation analysis to Finland and has also had an interest in women’s studies. |
l’analyse de la conversation |
cult |
religious movement that makes a new claim about the supernatural and therefore does not as easily fit within the sect-church cycle |
Wacky extremist cults have long inhabited the fringes of most societies. |
le culte |
culture shock |
a sense of disorientation when you enter a radically new social or cultural environment |
Bringing a Russian to the ranch is culture shock for sure. |
le choc culturel |
discrimination |
harmful or negative acts against people deemed inferior on the basis of their racial category |
There should be no discrimination because of AIDS and homosexual relationships. |
la discrimination |
ethnicity |
one’s ethnic quality or affiliation that is based on cultural differences |
From that, he can often determine age and sometimes ethnicity. |
l’ethnie |
ethnography |
a naturalistic method based on studying people in their own environment in order to understand the meanings they attribute to their activities |
Ethnography and performance work together to invoke emotion in the reader. |
l’ethnographie |
field notes |
detailed notes taken by an ethnographer describing her activities and interactions |
An English translation of the field notes synthesis was published in 2003. |
les notes de terrain |
hypothesis |
a theoretical statement explaining the relationship between two or more phenomena |
The hypothesis is worth considering in any investigation of economic injustice. |
l’hypothèse |
ideology |
a system of beliefs, attitudes, and values that directs a society and reproduces the status quo of the bourgeoisie |
He has an ideology, but he is not an ideologue. |
l’idéologie |
literature review |
a thorough search through previously published studies relevant to a particular topic |
According to scientific literature reviews, there is no evidence to the contrary. |
la revue littéraire |
modernism |
a paradigm that places trust in the power of science and technology to create progress, solve problems, and improve life |
All of them believed that modernism transcended national and cultural differences. |
le modernisme |
paradigm |
a set of assumptions, theories, and perspectives that make up a way of understanding social reality |
I want to build a new society with our own paradigm. |
le paradigme |
participant observation |
a methodology whereby the researcher both observes and becomes a member of the social setting |
His method of choice is usually participant observation, more specifically ethnography. |
l’observation participante |
qualitative research |
research that works with non-numerical data such as text, interviews, or pictures |
Another way into this might be through looking at qualitative research methods. |
la recherche qualitative |
quantitative research |
research that uses numbers so it can be studied and manipulated mathematically |
Quantitative research is the backing to most observable phenomena in psychology. |
la recherche quantitative |
reliability |
the degree to which the same questions will produce similar answers |
The other issue with this research is reliability. |
la fiabilité |
scientific method |
a procedure for acquiring knowledge that emphasizes collecting concrete data through observation and experimentation |
Some flaws in the scientific method were apparent in these two tests. |
la méthode scientifique |
secularism |
a movement away from religion and spiritual belief |
It is between secularism and religious fundamentalism in all its forms. |
la laïcité |
segregation |
the legal or social practice of separating people on the basis of their race or ethnicity |
We must break this segregation and so stop people being killed. |
la ségrégation |
socialism |
a political system based on state ownership or control of principal elements of the economy in order to reduce levels of social inequality |
In her later years, she championed feminism along with socialism. |
le socialisme |
social sciences |
the disciplines that use the scientific method to examine the social world |
The department largely attracts students pursuing academic careers in the social sciences. |
les sciences humaines et sociales |
society |
a group of people who shape their lives in aggregated and patterned ways that distinguish their group from other groups |
What sort of society makes anyone believe that this was justice? |
la société |
solidarity |
the degree of integration or unity within a particular society |
If it comes to a withdrawal, Germany will show solidarity. |
la solidarité |
theory |
abstract proposition that explains the social world and makes predictions about future events |
The prosecution’s theory was that the motive was money. |
la théorie |
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- TOEFL vocabulary list: all the essential words you need to know