intro to Sociology

Who helped launch the discipline of sociology by studying the evils of slavery and also by translating the writings of Auguste Comte? a. Harriet Martineau b. Jane Addams c. Elizabeth Cady Stanton d. Dorothea Dix

a. Harriet Martineau

Which discipline defines itself as "the systematic study of human society"? a. Sociology b. Psychology c. Economics d. History

a. Sociology

Sociologists define a symbol as ________ a. anything that carries meaning to people who share a culture. b. any material cultural trait. c. any gesture that conveys insult to others. d. social patterns that cause culture shock.

a. anything that carries meaning to people who share a culture.

The United States is the most _______ of all countries. a. multicultural b. culturally uniform c. slowly changing d. traditional

a. multicultural

The term Homo sapiens, the name of our species, comes from Latin meaning ________ a. "person of culture." b. "intelligent person." c. "one who walks upright." d. "person who evolves."

b. "intelligent person."

The first type of society to generate a material surplus was ________ a. hunting and gathering. b. horticultural and pastoral. c. agrarian. d. industrial.

b. horticultural and pastoral.

Building social relationships and creating tens of thousands of jobs are two of the _________ of sports. a. manifest functions b. latent functions c. dysfunctions d. non-functions

b. latent functions

What is the term for the beliefs, values, behavior, and material objects that together make up the way of life for a group of people? a. Social structure b. Social system c. Culture d. Society

c. Culture

Elements of social control in everyday life include shame, guilt, and ________ a. ideal culture. b. real culture. c. sanctions. d. material culture.

c. sanctions.

More than ______ people have immigrated to the U.S. between the years 1820 and 2014. a. 2 million b. 12 million. c. 50 million d. 82 million

d. 82 million

Which type of human society has existed only since about the year 1750? a. Industrial societies b. Agrarian societies c. Horticultural and pastoral societies d. Hunting and gathering societies

a. Industrial societies

Telling jokes is an example of ________ a. a cultural universal. b. material culture. c. cultural relativism. d. cultural lag.

a. a cultural universal.

The "framework for building theory that sees society as an arena of inequality that generates conflict and change" is the ________ a. structural-functional approach. b. social-conflict approach. c. symbolic-interaction approach. d. tradition-based approach.

b. social-conflict approach.

The pioneering sociologist who studied patterns of suicide in Europe was ________ a. Robert K. Merton. b. Auguste Comte. c. Emile Durkheim. d. Karl Marx.

c. Emile Durkheim.

Cultural change is set in motion in three general ways. What are they? a. Invention, discovery, and diffusion b. Invasion, invention, and experiment c. Immigration, imagination, and innovation d. Adaptation, integration, and immigration

a. Invention, discovery, and diffusion

_______ had an important influence on the development of the social-conflict approach. a. Karl Marx b. Talcott Parsons c. Emile Durkheim d. Herbert Spencer

a. Karl Marx

_____ distinguish between right and wrong; _____ distinguish between right and rude. a. Mores; folkways b. Taboos; mores c. Folkways; mores d. Prescriptive norms; proscriptive norms

a. Mores; folkways

Which concept is used to describe relatively stable patterns of social behavior? a. Social structure b. Manifest functions c. Social functions d. Social dysfunctions

a. Social structure

What concept refers to the lifelong social experience by which human beings develop their potential and learn culture? a. Socialization b. Personality c. Human nature d. Behaviorism

a. Socialization

Which theoretical approach states that the stability of U.S. society rests on core values shared by most people? a. The structural-functional approach b. The social-conflict approach c. The symbolic-interaction approach d. The sociobiology approach

a. The structural-functional approach

Making use of the sociological perspective encourages ________ a. challenging many commonly-held beliefs. b. accepting all commonly-held wisdom. c. the belief that society is mysterious. d. people to be happy with their lives as they are.

a. challenging many commonly-held beliefs.

Sarah is spending a summer living in another country where people have a way of life that differs from her own. A sociologist might expect that this experience would lead her to ________ a. end up with a greater understanding of both a new way of life and her own way of life. b. accept what people in the United States call "common sense." c. assume that people's lives simply reflect the choices they make. d. gradually understand less and less about her own way of life.

a. end up with a greater understanding of both a new way of life and her own way of life.

A person who criticizes the Amish farmer as being "backward" for tilling his fields with horses and a plow instead of using a tractor is displaying ________ a. ethnocentrism. b. cultural relativism. c. cultural diffusion. d. cultural integration.

a. ethnocentrism.

A good example of cultural lag is ________ a. gaining the ability to modify genetic patterns in humans before understanding the possible social consequences of doing so. b. a slowing in the rate of invention in the computer industry. c. older people trying to make younger people respect tradition. d. virtual culture replacing traditional culture.

a. gaining the ability to modify genetic patterns in humans before understanding the possible social consequences of doing so.

To evaluate a theory using evidence, sociologists ________ a. gather data or facts. b. accept the conventional wisdom of their society. c. are guided by their personal feelings about the issue. d. look to the past for guidance.

a. gather data or facts.

In terms of social inequality, agrarian societies generally ________ a. have much more inequality than less productive societal types. b. have about the same amount of social inequality as less productive societal types. c. have less social inequality than less productive societal types. d. come very close to being egalitarian societies

a. have much more inequality than less productive societal types.

Sociologists cannot identify "laws of society" that allow us to precisely predict the behavior of an individual because ________ a. human behavior may be patterned, but it is also spontaneous. b. sociology is still very young. c. no sociologist ever tried to discover such laws. d. no sociologist would wish to predict human behavior.

a. human behavior may be patterned, but it is also spontaneous.

An accurate criticism of the structural-functional approach is that it ________ a. ignores inequality that can generate tension and conflict. b. focuses too much on social dysfunction. c. focuses too much on power divisions in society. d. is a politically liberal view of society.

a. ignores inequality that can generate tension and conflict.

Unrecognized and unintended consequences of a social pattern are called ________ a. latent functions. b. manifest functions. c. operational functions. d. dysfunctions.

a. latent functions.

Wrong-doing, such as an adult forcing a child to engage in sexual activity, is an example of violating cultural ________ a. mores. b. symbols. c. folkways. d. control

a. mores.

Culture acts as a constraint, limiting human freedom because ________ a. much culture is habit, which members of a society repeat again and again. b. humans cannot create new culture for themselves. c. culture always discourages change. d. culture forces us to make choices

a. much culture is habit, which members of a society repeat again and again.

In deciding what kinds of questions to ask in their research, sociologists are guided by ________ a. one or more theoretical approaches. b. their own common sense. c. our society's traditional wisdom. d. sheer chance.

a. one or more theoretical approaches.

A social-exchange analysis states that ________ a. people typically seek mates who offer as much as they do. b. class differences are reflected in favored sports. c. people build reality as they introduce themselves. d. people who do more important work usually earn more pay.

a. people typically seek mates who offer as much as they do.

A manifest function of sports is ________ a. providing recreation and physical conditioning. b. fostering social relationships. c. generating jobs. d. teaching a society's way of life

a. providing recreation and physical conditioning.

Among all forms of life, humans stand out as the only species that________ a. relies on culture to ensure survival. b. has patterned ways of living. c. has biological instincts. d. makes use of tools.

a. relies on culture to ensure survival.

The _____ approaches are macro-level, describing societies in broad, structural terms. a. structural-functional and social-conflict b. structural-functional and symbolic-interaction c. social-conflict and symbolic-interaction d. gender-conflict and symbolic-interaction.

a. structural-functional and social-conflict

The theoretical approach in sociology that assumes society is a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability is the ________ a. structural-functional approach. b. social-conflict approach. c. symbolic-interaction approach. d. tradition-based approach.

a. structural-functional approach.

Agrarian technology developed based on the use of ________ a. the plow, animal power, and the development of metals. b. the ability to travel, the rise of industry, and elevated living standards. c. cultural diffusion, the use of hand tools to grow crops, and social diversity. d. computers, the Information Revolution, and a global culture.

a. the plow, animal power, and the development of metals.

Racial discrimination in professional sports is evident today in ________ a. the positions typically played by white and black players. b. the exclusion of African American players from professional sports. c. the fact that most managers and team owners are African American. d. the fact that women's sports attract less attention than men's sports.

a. the positions typically played by white and black players.

__________ are rules about everyday, casual living; __________ are rules with great moral significance. a. Mores; folkways b. Folkways; mores c. Proscriptive norms; prescriptive norms d. Prescriptive norms; proscriptive norms

b. Folkways; mores

Cars, computers, and iPhones are all examples of which of the following? a. High culture b. Material culture c. Norms d. Nonmaterial culture

b. Material culture

_____ is a way of understanding the world based on science. a. Tradition b. Positivism c. Metaphysics d. Free will

b. Positivism

Other than English, which is the most widely-spoken language in the United States? a. French b. Spanish c. German d. Chinese

b. Spanish

Unlike simple stereotypes, sociological generalizations ________ a. apply to all individuals in some category. b. are based on all available facts. c. are motivated by bias. d. ignore facts.

b. are based on all available facts.

Learning more sociology can help you ________ a. understand how people have little control over their lives. b. assess the opportunities and constraints in our lives. c. understand that people should just be happy with their lives. d. see how individuals guide their own lives through "free will".

b. assess the opportunities and constraints in our lives.

The practice of understanding another culture on its own terms and using its own standards is called ________ a. ethnocentrism. b. cultural relativism. c. cultural diffusion. d. cultural integration.

b. cultural relativism.

The social standing of women and men in hunting and gathering societies is ________ a. unequal, with men controlling farming. b. fairly equal, with men and women each making a vital contribution to survival. c. unequal, with women raising the young while men secure food. d. equal, because both men and women perform the same tasks.

b. fairly equal, with men and women each making a vital contribution to survival.

Because there is more social isolation in rural areas of the United States than in urban areas, we would expect suicide rates to be ________ a. higher in urban areas. b. higher in rural areas. c. high in both urban and rural areas. d. low in both urban and rural areas.

b. higher in rural areas.

An example of a latent function of college is ________ a. providing skills needed for later jobs. b. keeping young people out of a tight labor force, which may not have jobs for them. c. gaining the knowledge required to be an active and thoughtful citizen. d. giving young people experience living on their own.

b. keeping young people out of a tight labor force, which may not have jobs for them.

The recognized and intended consequences of a social pattern are referred to as ________ a. latent functions. b. manifest functions. c. eufunctions. d. dysfunctions.

b. manifest functions.

Robert Merton explained that what is functional for people in one category of a society's population ________ a. is always functional for everyone. b. may not be functional for people in another category. c. is unlikely to change over time. d. can never be functional in the future.

b. may not be functional for people in another category.

In hunting and gathering societies ________ a. men and women do almost entirely the same tasks. b. men hunt animals while women gather vegetation. c. women hunt animals while men gather vegetation. d. men and women work together as hunters.

b. men hunt animals while women gather vegetation.

Social problems in the United States, such as poverty and gender inequality, are ________ a. less serious in poorer countries. b. more serious in poorer countries. c. equally serious in poorer countries. d. unheard of in poorer countries.

b. more serious in poorer countries.

As a part of human culture, religion is an example of ________ a. material culture. b. nonmaterial culture. c. culture shock. d. human nature.

b. nonmaterial culture.

The Sapir-Whorf thesis states that ________ a. language involves attaching labels to the real world. b. people see the world through the cultural lens of their language. c. most words have the same meaning if spoken in different languages. d. every word exists in all known languages.

b. people see the world through the cultural lens of their language.

By stating that the sociological perspective shows us "the strange in the familiar," the text argues that sociologists ________ a. focus on the bizarre elements of society. b. reject the familiar idea that people simply decide how to act in favor of the initially strange idea that society shapes our lives. c. believe that people often behave in strange ways. d. believe that even people who are most familiar to us have some very strange habits.

b. reject the familiar idea that people simply decide how to act in favor of the initially strange idea that society shapes our lives.

A criticism of the symbolic-interaction approach is that it ________ a. calls attention to major social institutions. b. says little about the influence of structural factors such as culture, class, gender, and race. c. paints a very positive picture of society. d. says little about how individuals actually experience society.

b. says little about the influence of structural factors such as culture, class, gender, and race.

The theoretical approach that highlights the link between culture and social inequality is the ________ a. structural-functional approach. b. social-conflict approach. c. symbolic-interaction approach. d. sociobiology approach.

b. social-conflict approach.

The basic idea of the symbolic-interaction approach is that society is ________ a. an arena of conflict between categories of people. b. the product of people interacting in countless everyday situations. c. a system that operates to benefit people. d. a system that generates social inequality.

b. the product of people interacting in countless everyday situations.

Among the historical changes that stimulated the development of sociology as a discipline was ________ a. the founding of the Roman Catholic church. b. the rise of the industrial economy and growth of cities. c. the power of tradition. d. a belief that our futures are defined by "fate"

b. the rise of the industrial economy and growth of cities.

The tragic case of Anna, the isolated girl who was studied by Kingsley Davis, shows that _______ a. humans have most of the same instincts found in other animal species. b. without social experience, a child is incapable of thought or meaningful action. c. personality is present in humans at birth. d. many human instincts disappear after the first few years of life.

b. without social experience, a child is incapable of thought or meaningful action.

Which of the following statements best illustrates the career advantage a person gains by studying sociology? a. A researcher discovers a new and effective vaccine. b. A person in retail sales knows how to exceed the monthly sales target. c. A police officer understands which categories of people are at high risk of becoming victims of crime. d. A financial services worker devises a new type of hedge fund.

c. A police officer understands which categories of people are at high risk of becoming victims of crime.

The language widely spoken by people in more nations of the world than any other is ________ a. Spanish. b. Chinese. c. English. d. Hindi.

c. English.

The claim that U.S. culture is wrongly dominated by a European, and especially English, way of life characterizes our culture as a. ethnocentric. b. Afrocentric. c. Eurocentric. d. culturally relative.

c. Eurocentric.

The ancient Romans saw the stars as being gods. Auguste Comte would classify Roman society as being in which of the following stages of history? a. Scientific stage b. Metaphysical stage c. Theological stage d. Post-scientific stage

c. Theological stage

Which early sociologist received the first doctorate ever awarded by Harvard University to a person of color? a. Jane Addams b. Harriet Martineau c. W. E. B. Du Bois d. Herbert Spencer

c. W. E. B. Du Bois

The dominant values of U.S. culture include ________ a. a deep respect for the traditions of the past. b. a belief in equality of condition for all. c. a belief in individuality. d. a belief in personal intuition over science.

c. a belief in individuality.

Multiculturalism is defined as ________ a. efforts to encourage immigration to the United States. b. efforts to establish English as the official language of the United States. c. a perspective recognizing the cultural diversity of the United States and promoting equality of all cultural traditions. d. the idea that the United States should have a single, dominant culture.

c. a perspective recognizing the cultural diversity of the United States and promoting equality of all cultural traditions.

A simplified description unfairly applied to every person in the same category is called ________ a. a sociological insight. b. a sociological generalization. c. a stereotype. d. an act of discrimination.

c. a stereotype.

Culture is a source of human freedom because ________ a. culture does not guide behavior. b. all culture changes very quickly. c. as cultural creatures, humans make and remake the world for themselves. d. culture is habitual.

c. as cultural creatures, humans make and remake the world for themselves.

Cultural integration refers to the fact that ________ a. U.S. society contains many cultural patterns. b. European cultural patterns dominate U.S. society. c. change in one cultural pattern is usually linked to changes in others. d. everyone in the United States shares most cultural values.

c. change in one cultural pattern is usually linked to changes in others.

Subculture refers to ________ a. a part of the population lacking culture. b. people who embrace popular culture. c. cultural patterns that set off a part of a society's population. d. people who embrace high culture.

c. cultural patterns that set off a part of a society's population.

The fact that instant messaging is based on a new set of symbols shows us that ________ a. today's young people are smarter than their parents. b. symbols are static elements. c. culture changes over time. d. we are not dependent on our culture's symbols.

c. culture changes over time.

An act of kindness, such as opening the door for an elderly man, illustrates conforming to ________ a. mores. b. taboos. c. folkways. d. proscriptive norms.

c. folkways.

Understanding the differences between countries encourages ________ a. an increase in global poverty. b. increasing gender inequality. c. increasing our understanding of both of our own lives and the lives of others. d. increasing global wealth.

c. increasing our understanding of both of our own lives and the lives of others.

Ethnocentrism refers to ________ a. people taking pride in their ethnicity. b. claiming that another culture is better than your own. c. judging another culture using the standards of your own culture. d. understanding another culture using its own standards and values.

c. judging another culture using the standards of your own culture.

Using the symbolic-interaction approach, sports becomes ________ a. a structure that contributes to the functioning of society. b. a matter of social inequality. c. less a system than an ongoing process of interaction. d. just a game without any meaning.

c. less a system than an ongoing process of interaction.

Cultural transmission refers to the process of ________ a. cultural patterns moving from one society to another. b. using the oral tradition. c. passing cultural patterns from one generation to another. d. using writing to enshrine cultural patterns.

c. passing cultural patterns from one generation to another.

C. Wright Mills claimed that the "sociological imagination" transformed ________ a. common sense into laws of society. b. people into supporters of the status quo. c. personal problems into public issues. d. scientific research into common sense.

c. personal problems into public issues.

The distinction between high culture and popular culture is based mostly on ________ a. how advanced the cultural pattern is. b. how long the cultural pattern has existed. c. the social standing of the people who display the cultural pattern. d. how interesting the cultural pattern is.

c. the social standing of the people who display the cultural pattern.

The major goal of sociology's pioneers, including Auguste Comte and Emile Durkheim, was ________ a. to serve the powerful. b. to help build an "ideal society." c. to discover how society actually operates. d. to prevent disruptive social change.

c. to discover how society actually operates.

The term "sociology" was coined in 1838 by ________ a. Karl Marx. b. Herbert Spencer. c. Adam Smith. d. Auguste Comte.

d. Auguste Comte.

_______, one of the founding sociologists, urged sociologists to understand a social setting from the point of view of the people in it. a. Karl Marx b. Emile Durkheim c. Auguste Comte d. Max Weber

d. Max Weber

Social structures sometimes have negative consequences for the operation of society as a whole. Which of the following concepts refers to these negative consequences? a. Social structure b. Manifest functions c. Social functions d. Social dysfunctions

d. Social dysfunctions

Which theoretical approach gives an evolutionary explanation of why the sexual "double standard" is found around the world? a. The structural-functional approach b. The social-conflict approach c. The symbolic-interaction approach d. The sociobiology approach

d. The sociobiology approach

Today, hunting and gathering societies ________ a. are quickly spreading around the world. b. represent about half the world's population. c. are few in number, but are found on every continent. d. are close to disappearing from the world.

d. are close to disappearing from the world.

Cultural universals are elements of culture that ________ a. have always been part of U.S. culture. b. have diffused from the United States to other countries. c. have come to the United States from elsewhere. d. are part of every known culture.

d. are part of every known culture.

According to Lenski, the term "sociocultural evolution" refers to ________ a. changes brought about by new ways of thinking. b. changes created by ideas coming from other societies. c. change that results from social conflict. d. changes that occur as a society acquires new technology.

d. changes that occur as a society acquires new technology.

Counterculture refers to ________ a. people who differ in some small way. b. popular culture. c. high culture. d. cultural patterns that oppose those that are widely held.

d. cultural patterns that oppose those that are widely held.

The concept of _____ refers to a shared way of life, and the term ____ refers to a political entity. a. culture; society b. country; nation c. nation; culture d. culture; nation

d. culture; nation

The spread of cultural traits from one society to another is called ________ a. immigration. b. cultural transmission. c. popular culture. d. diffusion.

d. diffusion.

Following the thinking of C. Wright Mills, we would expect the sociological imagination to be more widespread in a population ________ a. during times of peace and prosperity. b. among the very rich. c. among very religious people. d. during times of social crisis.

d. during times of social crisis.

Sociology differs from the older discipline of philosophy by focusing on ________ a. what the ideal society should be. b. human nature. c. the place of God in shaping human events. d. how society actually operates.

d. how society actually operates.

Looking at the operation of U.S. schools guided by the social-conflict approach might lead a sociologist to conclude that ________ a. the function of schools is to teach needed skills. b. the meaning of schooling varies from child to child. c. schools have been a major path to social advancement. d. our society provides some students with far better schooling than others.

d. our society provides some students with far better schooling than others.

The fact that some married men and married women are sexually unfaithful to their spouses is an example of _____ culture, while the fact that most adults say they support the idea of sexual fidelity is an example of _____ culture. a. high; low b. low; high c. ideal; real d. real; ideal

d. real; ideal

The concept "cultural lag" refers to the fact that ________ a. the rate of cultural change has been slowing. b. some societies advance faster than others do. c. some people are more cultured than others. d. some cultural elements change more quickly than others.

d. some cultural elements change more quickly than others.

Harley Davidson motorcycle riders, computer programmers, and jazz musicians all display _____ patterns. a. high cultural b. popular cultural c. virtual cultural d. subcultural

d. subcultural

Herbert Spencer described human society as a complex system having much in common with ________ a. animal societies. b. planets and stars. c. the human brain. d. the human body.

d. the human body.

A statement that explains how and why specific facts are related is called a(n) ________ a. approach. b. precept. c. concept. d. theory.

d. theory.

Standards by which people who share culture define what is desirable, good, and beautiful are called ________ a. folkways. b. norms. c. mores. d. values

d. values