Quiz 1 questions

Howard Becker said that sociology can best be understood as the study of people "doing things together." This definition reminds us that: neither society nor the individual exists in isolation; each is dependent on the other. sociology is only interested in the way people act, not in the way they think. only large-scale interactions that involve many people can be understood by sociologists. people must have some knowledge of each other before they can really do anything together. individuals exist independently of society and can be understood without considering social influence.

neither society nor the individual exists in isolation; each is dependent on the other.

On any given day, within ten minutes of waking up, you probably depend on more than 100 strangers to provide electricity, water, natural gas, weather forecasts, and more. According to Durkheim, this interdependence gives rise to: mechanical solidarity. class consciousness. conflict. organic solidarity. pragmatism.

organic solidarity

In his Theses on Feuerbach, Marx argued that "the philosophers have only interpreted the world, the point is to change it." What is defined by this quote? dialectics dysfunctions materialism praxis conflict

praxis

Sociology allows you to see the world in a new light. Does this mean you have to reevaluate old opinions? no only on certain subjects sometimes, but only if you got most of your information from mass media only those opinions about your place in the world, but not about other people yes

yes

There is a close relationship between sociology and the other social sciences. Given how much overlap there is, why does sociology still exist as a discipline? - All the other departments specialize in something, but sociology is a general field, bringing together the theories and findings from those other disciplines to produce a broad synthesis. - Only sociology worries about what will happen in the future. - Despite significant overlap, there is still a good deal of unique territory that only sociologists study. - Sociology departments exist as an academic tradition and would be difficult to disband. -Political science and economics departments are much more politically conservative, so sociology remains to provide a liberal counterbalance.

Despite significant overlap, there is still a good deal of unique territory that only sociologists study.

Although functionalism is less popular today, what accounts for the strong appeal it had for early sociologists? Functionalism helps to explain rapid change. Functionalism helps to explain class conflict and inequality. Functionalism is the least conservative of all sociological theories. Functionalism helps describe the way we present ourselves to others on a face-to-face basis. Functionalism helps to bring order to a rapidly changing and messy social world.

Functionalism helps to bring order to a rapidly changing and messy social world.

Although everyday cultural practices—such as greeting a friend, giving flowers, or using the thumbs-up sign—seem like natural ways of acting, why does an awareness of how they vary across cultures demonstrate a healthy sociological imagination? It ensures that we don't accidentally make a faux pas. It reminds us that everyday interactions are connected to larger social structures. It helps us economically when we do business in different countries. It lets us understand how immigrants perceive America when they move here. all of the above

It reminds us that everyday interactions are connected to larger social structures.

Most of the time people use psychological rather than sociological arguments to explain why the world is the way it is and why things happen to us. Why? -We don't have enough information or data for complete sociological explanations. -We can benefit materially from a psychological approach. -We have insufficiently developed our sociological imagination. -We only ever examine problems from a macro perspective. -We don't use enough quantitative research in sociology.

We have insufficiently developed our sociological imagination.

Although she made contributions to sociology, Jane Addams is perhaps best remembered for her embrace of praxis, meaning that she: -was a pragmatist. -acted on her intellectual convictions in practical ways. -applied dialectics to her understanding of history. -was the first person to translate Comte into English. -embraced conflict theory.

acted on her intellectual convictions in practical ways.

What does Marx see as the primary tool for the oppression of the lower classes in modern society? the increasing power of the police state religious authorities aristocracy environmental destruction industrial capitalism

industrial capitalism

What did Karl Marx think the lower classes needed to do in order to end their oppression? develop a critical theory of gender stop being disenchanted develop a stronger sense of verstehen develop class consciousness develop false consciousness

develop class consciousness

According to conflict theory, most major social institutions are separate from the economy and therefore do not reinforce the class structure. True False

false

The "beginner's mind," a concept borrowed from the Zen Buddhist tradition, is the opposite of the sociological perspective. True False

false

The National Organization for Men Against Sexism (NOMAS) believes that, aside from dealing with issues related to gender, it must also address sexism, homophobia, class prejudice, and other oppressions. This means that it will never really be a feminist group, since feminist theory focuses on gender alone. True False

false

What term did Karl Marx use to describe the fact that most of the population accepts the pervading ideology, even when it fails to tell the truth about their lives? class consciousness existentialism pragmatism ethnomethodology false consciousness

false consciousness

Bernard McGrane suggests that we should practice using a beginner's mind, the opposite of an expert's mind. Usually it's good to be an expert. Why should we try to think like beginners instead? An expert's mind is so full of facts and assumptions that it has difficulty learning anything new. To better understand the world, we need to defamiliarize ourselves with it. We need to unlearn what we already know in order to become better sociologists. A beginner's mind allows us to approach the world without knowing in advance what we will find. The approach of a beginner's mind is more readily accepted by whoever is being studied.

An expert's mind is so full of facts and assumptions that it has difficulty learning anything new.

Sociology can be approached from either a microsociological or a macrosociological perspective. Which is more useful? Macrosociological—it explains how large-scale social institutions influence individuals. Microsociological—it explains how individuals shape and create large-scale social institutions. Macrosociological—it helps to understand how face-to-face interactions shape society. Both are useful in different ways, because any study that uses only one or the other will be unable to explain anything useful about society. Both are useful in different ways, because they each provide different types of information about the same object of study.

Both are useful in different ways, because they each provide different types of information about the same object of study.

Who coined the phrase "the survival of the fittest"? Charles Darwin Karl Marx Emile Durkheim Harriet Martineau Herbert Spencer

Herbert Spencer

Which of the following is a major critique of conflict theory? It has a hard time explaining inequality. It overemphasizes the importance of face-to-face interaction. In focusing on conflict and change, it sometimes ignores the stable and enduring parts of society. It overemphasizes continuity. It fails to develop any theory of praxis that could help researchers put their theories into action.

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

Why is the term "queer" used to describe queer theory? It emphasizes that some people are born with a fixed orientation and cannot change. It emphasizes the importance of difference and rejects the idea of a single gay or lesbian identity. It is an easily definable category. It is controversial and helps to stimulate sales of books and articles written by queer theorists. It has a long history of use within the gay and lesbian community.

It emphasizes the importance of difference and rejects the idea of a single gay or lesbian identity.

Which of the following is the most serious critique of structural functionalism? It tends to overlook those areas of society that are stable and orderly. It tends to argue that intellectuals should act on what they believe. It overemphasizes the importance of the economy. It fails to provide a universal social theory. It tends to argue that any social feature that exists must serve a function.

It tends to argue that any social feature that exists must serve a function.

If you didn't know anything about Pam Fishman but that she studied conversation patterns, what could you logically determine about her? She is a conflict theorist. She is a macrosociologist. She is a structural functionalist. She is very interested in inequality. She is a microsociologist.

She is a microsociologist.

Anthropologists often develop culture shock when visiting a new culture that is very different from what they are used to. They temporarily find themselves unable to understand their surroundings, and everything seems strange. Sociologists attempt to create this same feeling, but with one key difference. What is it? Sociologists never let everything seem strange, only the things they want to study. Sociologists never attempt to create this feeling; it's useless in their research. Sociologists try to create this effect without necessarily moving to a new place or geographic location. Sociologists can profit from this feeling much more than anthropologists. Sociologists do this all the time without even thinking about it.

Sociologists try to create this effect without necessarily moving to a new place or geographic location

According to symbolic interactionism, what is the relationship between the self and society? The development of a sense of self is guided by society. The self is shaped by society, but society is also shaped by the self. Society is a product of individual actions. Both the self and society are created by the course of history. Both the self and society are shaped by larger external forces.

The self is shaped by society, but society is also shaped by the self.

What institutions does Max Weber believe characterize modern industrialized societies? churches central governments stock markets bureaucracies prisons

bureaucracies

Sociologists observe society: by studying the various parts of a society and the ways they interact and influence each other. by focusing solely on individual behaviors. by studying society as if it were a concrete object, in the same way a geologist studies rocks. by utilizing the preconceptions, assumptions, and beliefs that come from living in a society. through the use of special scientific tools that allow unmediated access to the very heart of society.

by studying the various parts of a society and the ways they interact and influence each other.

Pragmatism, associated with William James, evaluated the truth of an idea by: considering its truthfulness in everyday life. developing a concept of truth as it related to aesthetics. insisting that there is such a thing as objective truth that can be known. investigating it with only empirical and scientific research. triangulating between many social theories.

considering its truthfulness in everyday life

Many Marxist sociologists assume that large-scale economic structures are the most important factors in people's lives. Given this, what sort of sociology would these sociologists tend to prefer? sociology of gender microsociology macrosociology qualitative sociology conservative sociology

macrosociology

In 2008 Polish filmmaker Andrzej Wadja released his film Katyn, about the massacre of twenty thousand Polish officers by the Soviet Union during World War II. When asked why he had made this movie, Wadja said that he wanted to make a film for "those moviegoers for whom it matters that we are a society and not just an accidental crowd." Wadja believed that it was still possible for people to be bound together on the basis of shared traditions and experiences. In his statement, Wadja was expressing a hope that Poland could still be united by: organic solidarity. conflict. manifest functions. mechanical solidarity. positivism.

mechanical solidarity

According to Peter Berger, in Invitation to Sociology, what sort of people should NOT study sociology? people with a passionate interest in the world people who are daring in the pursuit of knowledge people who are very curious people who dislike shocking discoveries people who care about the most mundane occurrences of everyday life

people who dislike shocking discoveries

What historical events convinced Auguste Comte that society needed to be guided by thinkers who understood social laws? the American Civil War and the battle over slavery globalization and the rise of international trade and commerce the French Revolution and the instability that followed it the age of exploration and the expansion of European powers into Africa the struggle for women's rights

the French Revolution and the instability that followed it

In 1987, the software company Infocom released a game called Bureaucracy, scripted by the science-fiction writer Douglas Adams. In the game, a character struggles to keep her blood pressure low enough to avoid a heart attack while changing her address and dealing with a large, impersonal, and inefficient bureaucracy. Although the game is meant to be humorous, what element of Bureaucracy would be familiar to Max Weber? -nothing -the frustration that comes with dealing with a life free of bureaucracy -the sense of humor and whimsy with which the game treats bureaucracies -the lack of efficiency associated with bureaucracies -the impersonal nature of bureaucracy

the impersonal nature of bureaucracy

What was Marx criticizing when he said that religion is "the opiate of the masses"? the lower classes superstition and any belief in the supernatural drug use and alcoholism the use of religion by the ruling class the way religion blinds people in solidarity

the use of religion by the ruling class

C. Wright Mills described a process by which biography (individual lives) and history (larger social forces) are related. He argued that this process works in two ways: individual lives influence society, while society also influences individuals. True False

true

Emile Durkheim believed that even the most individualistic actions have social origins. True False

true

Humans are essentially social beings. True False

true

Queer theory argues that no category of sexual identity is fundamentally deviant or normal. True False

true

Taking the sociological perspective means taking a sociological approach, or thinking sociologically about a problem. True False

true

When the earliest social theorists established that society was an appropriate object of scientific scrutiny, it was thought of as revolutionary. True False

true