Intro to Sociology - SYG 2010 - IRSC

Which of the following theories focuses on how our behaviors are dependent upon the ways we interpret, make sense of, and define ourselves, others, and social situations?

symbolic interactionism

Which of the following is a major critique of conflict theory?

In focusing on conflict and change, it sometimes ignores the stable and enduring parts of society.

According to Robert Merton, what is the difference between manifest and latent functions?

Manifest functions are intended and obvious.

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of using interviews as a research method?

Respondents always provide honest answers.

Routine Activities Theory is based on the convergence of three things that includes a motivated offender and his or her definitions of an appropriate target and situation. This most closely represents which theoretical perspective?

Symbolic Interaction

Functionalist theory is very concerned with the ways that structures contribute to the stability of society. What is a structure?

a social institution or patterned interaction that is stable over time and helps meet the needs of society

Emile Durkheim worried that, in an increasingly fragmented modern world, individuals would feel less and less connected to groups, which would lead to:

anomie, or normlessness.

What theory argues that punishments for rule violators are unequally distributed, with those near the top of society subject to more lenient rules and sanctions than those at the bottom?

conflict theory

Unlike sociologists, most people base their knowledge of the world on:

conventional wisdom, background knowledge, and personal experience.

What school of social theory believes that society is a stable system of structures, each of which contributes to the equilibrium of the whole?

structural functionalism

Conflict theorists believe that arguments over values and beliefs have their roots in:

struggles over scarce resources and power.

Which social theory focuses on micro-level interactions?

symbolic interactionism

What is the sociological imagination?

the ability to understand the connections between biography and history, or the interplay of the self and the world

Which of the following is an important aspect of symbolic interactionism?

the idea that society is produced and reproduced by individuals interacting with each other, especially through language

What is the scientific method or approach?

the standard procedure for acquiring and verifying empirical knowledge

According to conflict theory, what is the real source of racism?

the struggle for power and control

You're doing a research project on the effects of contemporary media. If your hypothesis is that "watching violence on television causes an increase in violent behavior," then what are your variables?

violence on television and violent behavior

Designer labels on purses and athletic logos on shirts are both examples of material culture. These labels and logos communicate meaning to other individuals that interpret and evaluate them. Which theoretical paradigm does this most closely represent?

symbolic interaction.

What does a sociological perspective tell us about education in the United States?

Educational success often has as much to do with social stratification as it does with individual ability.

Which of the following describes how deviance can be explained from the functionalist perspective?

Deviance clarifies moral boundaries and affirms norms.