Chapter 1: Sociology in a Changing World

What early social thinker coined the term sociology?

Auguste Comte

Which of the following sociologists is credited for establishing sociology as an academic discipline?

Emile Durkheim

Comparing everyday life to a play, the dramaturgical approach to sociology was made popular by

Erving Goffman

Which of the following social psychologists wrote about how we develop a sense of self through our interaction with others and by self-reflection?

George Herbert Mead

Who is widely considered to be the first female sociologist?

Harriet Martineau

Which of the following is NOT an example of a question that a sociologist would examine in regards to economic power?

How was the media changed family structure?

The major developments that transformed rural agricultural societies into urban industrial societies are referred to as the _______ Revolution.

Industrial

Marx viewed the relationship between factory owners and workers as one in which

capitalists exploited workers

Prior to the Enlightenment (during which scientific thought thrived), who dominated European intellectual life?

clergy

Which of the following types of theories focus on issues of contention, power, and inequality?

conflict

theories highlight the competition for scarce resources.

conflict

A collection of values, beliefs, norms, language, and material objects shared by a people and socially transmitted from generation to generation constitutes

culture

The theory that explains how social life is like a play is called

dramaturgy

A politician accepting a bribe that undermines his or her ability to fairly or effectively govern is an example of social _________

dysfunction

According to Merton, phenomena are sometimes long-standing and permanent, but they could also be

dysfunctions

True or false: Sociology first emerged as a formal discipline in the United States.

false

Which of the following theoretical approaches highlights culture's role in providing society with common values, such as love of family?

functionalist

The three theoretical perspectives most widely used by sociologists are

functionalist, conflict, and interactionist

The feminist perspective in sociology focuses on the study of ______ inequity.

gender

Postmodernity is a historical period associated with

information-based economies

Which of the following is true of common sense?

it can produce an array of contradictory claims

When you employ the sociological imagination, you are recognizing the connection between your own life and

larger social forces

The focus on human society distinguishes social sciences from the _______ sciences, which focus on the physical aspects of nature

natural

Which of the following has NOT been identified as a feature of postmodern society?

political institutions are thriving

Marx highlighted which of the following core concepts of sociology?

power

People who have more resources have a better chance to achieve their goals, even against resistance. That means that those people have more

power

The ability to bring about an intended outcome, even when opposed by others, is a definition of

power

Common sense may lead us to believe that "life is what you make of it" and that "the apple does not fall far from the tree." These contradictory claims

provide no insight at all

The group of research-based disciplines that gather and evaluate evidence in order to study human society are called

social sciences

Durkheim was interested in the question of

social solidarity

Another term used by sociologists for "sociological perspective" is

sociological imagination

The systematic study of the relationship between individuals and society is referred to as

sociology

Social ________ refers to the recurring patterns of behavior in social life.

structure

people create social ______ to help accomplish goals, which in turn constrain(s) their ______.

structures; behavior

Sociology is fundamentally concerned with understanding

the social world and our place in it

Which of the following tries to explain an observation?

theory

True or false: Durkheim held the first academic position in sociology.

true

is a historical period beginning in the mid-twentieth century characterized by the rise of information-based economies and the fragmentation of political beliefs and ways of knowing.

post modernity

Which of the following theoretical approaches emphasizes the process by which individuals create culture?

symbolic interactionist

Which of the following was the central concern of Durkheim's work in sociology?

the collective bonds that connect individuals

Which of the following statements pertaining to the feminist view is true?

- Feminist theories could be considered in the tradition of symbolic interactionist theories. - Feminist theories could be considered in the tradition of conflict theories.

Which of the following statements about sociology are correct? (Select all that apply.)

- It focuses on describing the relationship between individuals and society - It is a systematic study

Marx identified two social classes: ______ (those who owned the means of production) and ______ (those who worked for a wage).

- capitalists - laborers

Which of the following are significant changes that are affecting U.S. postmodern society?

- globalization of the economy - expansion of the media

We can observe culture operating in

- school dress codes - religious ceremonies - the nightly news - conversations with coworkers

The American and French revolutions resulted in which of the following? (Select all that apply.)

- stimulating interest in achieving a more equal society - raising some of the first topics addressed by early sociologists

Which of the following statements about the Industrial Revolution are correct?

- the Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain - society became less agricultural and more industrial

Since the mid-twentieth century, sociologists tend to examine society by which of the following?

- the functionalist perspective - the conflict perspective - the interactionist perspective

The discipline of sociology developed during a period characterized by which of the following conditions?

- the introduction of new technologies - economic crises - political unrest

Some of the early sociologists suggested that societies progressed or evolved through several stages. Which of the following stages were suggested by Auguste Comte?

- the theological stage - the metaphysical stage - the positivist stage

Which of the following are characteristics of theories?

- they evolve and are sometimes rejected - they often give us a more complete picture than any single one

which of the following would be promoted under Enlightenment thinking?

- tolerance - equality - freedom

Sociologists interested in gaining insights into the world's hierarchy of privilege may focus their research on which of the following areas of inquiry?

-race -social class -gender

Which of the following was required for the social sciences to take root?

-systematic collection of evidence -open & free inquiry

Which of the following are true about Auguste Comte's vision of sociology? (Select all that apply.)

-that sociology would identify the laws that govern human behavior - that sociology would be a science of society modeled on natural sciences

Harriet Martineau contributed to the study of sociology by translating the writings of which early philosopher of sociology?

Auguste Comte