Uark Sociology Final Exam
Sociologist Ann Swidler coined the expression __________ to refer to human culture or "symbols, stories, rituals, and world views, which people may use in varying configurations to solve different kinds of problems."
"tool kit"
British sociologist __________ translated and condensed Comte's work and was noted for her study of social customs in Great Britain and the United States.
Harriet Martineau
Which of these early scientific thinkers first used the phrase "survival of the fittest" to explain his theory of society?
Herbert Spencer
Unlike others who believed that values could not be separated from the research process, German social scientist __________ emphasized that sociology should be value free—conducted in a scientific manner to exclude the researcher's personal values and economic interests.
Max Weber
Marx argued that when workers are paid less than the value of their labor, this exploitation results in __________, a feeling of powerlessness and estrangement from other people and from oneself.
alienation
Durkheim believed that the limits of social behavior __________.
are socially based, not biologically based
A central component of nonmaterial culture is __________, which are the mental acceptance or conviction that certain things are true or real.
beliefs
Sociologists use the term __________ to refer to the relative location of a person or group within the larger society, based on wealth, power, prestige, or other valued resources.
class
Compared to quantitative research, qualitative research is more likely to _________.
collect and analyze the data simultaneously
According to the __________ perspective, groups in society are engaged in a continuous power struggle for control of scarce resources.
conflict
__________ perspectives are based on the assumption that social life is a continuous struggle in which members of powerful groups seek to control scarce resources and to protect their position while excluding others.
conflict
analyzing the coal industry, which theoretical perspective would most likely look at the conflict of interests between coal companies and public health?
conflict
The basis for Marx's theory of society is the belief that _______________.
conflict between different economic classes is necessary to produce social change
In a study of homelessness in American society, __________ would emphasize the struggle between social classes, especially how the policies of the wealthy protect their interests while pushing certain groups into unemployment and homelessness.
conflict theorists
__________ is the systematic examination of cultural artifacts or various forms of communication to extract thematic data and draw conclusions about social life
content analysis
A __________ is a group that strongly rejects dominant societal values and norms and seeks an alternative lifestyle.
counterculture
________ refers to the wide range of cultural differences found between and within nations. It may be the result of natural or social circumstances.
cultural diversity
All parts of culture do not change at the same pace. Sociologist William Ogburn referred to this disparity as __________, which is the gap between the technical development of a society and the development of its moral and legal institutions.
cultural lag
A potential danger of applying __________ is that taken to its extreme it may be used to justify practices that violate human rights.
cultural relativism
Cooking, games, and clothing are examples of __________.
cultural universals
When anthropologist Napoleon Chagnon first confronted the Yanomamӧ tribe of South America, he became nauseated at the sight of their customs and social environment. This is an example of ___________.
culture shock
In a six-square-block tract of downtown Boston, it is possible to purchase a bagel with cream cheese, dine on raw fish in a sushi bar, or grab a slice of pizza from a street vendor. This variety of food choices illustrates the process of __________.
diffusion
Sociologist W.E.B. Du Bois observed that a dual heritage creates conflict for people of color: an identity conflict of being black and American. Du Bois referred to this duality as __________.
double-concsiousness
A __________ of education in the United States is the perpetuation of gender, racial, and class inequalities, which contributes to a waste of potential talent and benefit for society.
dysfunction
Automobiles provide transportation and independence. They also cause a great deal of air pollution and contribute to global warming. Merton would consider these negative impacts to be __________.
dysfunctions
Karl Marx and Max Weber were in agreement that __________ was at least one source of inequality in society
economic equality
A functionalist study has determined that __________ support was the most important factor in whether Air Force personnel experienced severe suicidal ideation.
esteem
The cultural heritage or identity of a group, based on factors such as language or country of origin, is termed __________.
ethnicity
Sociologists use the term __________ for the practice of judging all other cultures by one's own culture, assuming that one's own way of life is superior to all others.
ethnocentrism
in a study of Amish behavior, a researcher moves into an Amish community and lives and works there for a year, participating in the residents' daily lives. This is an example of __________
ethnography
A(n) __________ is a carefully designed situation in which the researcher studies the impact of certain variables on subjects' attitudes or behavior.
experiment
A __________ is a temporary but widely copied activity followed enthusiastically by large numbers of people. Most are short-lived novelties.
fad
In recent years, some parents have begun carrying their infant children on their backs or chests in special slings rather than in strollers or in their arms. This is an example of a(n) __________ in child rearing.
fashion
__________is the study of social life in its natural setting: observing and interviewing people where they live, work, and play.
field research
________is the study of social life in its natural setting: observing and interviewing people where they live, work, and play.
field research
Not all norms are of equal importance; __________ are written down and involve specific punishments for violators. Laws are the most common type; they have been codified and may be enforced by sanctions.
formal norms
__________ perspectives are based on the assumption that society is a stable, orderly system composed of interrelated parts, each of which (ideally) contributes to the overall stability of the society.
functionalist
__________ theorists have conducted most of the research on "core" values in the United States.
functionalist
In a study of education in the United States, __________ would look at the role the schools play in maintaining the social system as a whole; how education provides the young with skills they need later in life; and how education transmits cultural values from one generation to the next.
functionalists
The term __________ refers to the meanings, beliefs, and practices associated with sex differences.
gender
People throughout the world share the same biosphere; environmental pollution in one area may have an adverse effect on people in other places. This makes environmental problems an example of __________.
global interdependence
__________ refers to the fact that the lives of people everywhere are intertwined closely so that one nation's problems are part of a much larger global context.
global interdependence
Some nations, such as Sweden, are referred to as __________, which means that they include people who share a common culture and who are typically from similar social, religious, political, and economic backgrounds.
homogenous societies
sociologists conducting research may formulate a(n) __________, which is a statement of the relationship between two or more variables.
hypothesis
LeBron has developed the hypothesis that the stress felt by single parents increases the probability of child abuse. Stress would be considered the __________ variable and child abuse would be considered the __________ variable.
independent ; dependent
When designing a study, the researcher considers the __________ to be the cause of the relationship or outcome.
independent variable
Breanna believes that Jarrod is upset with her because she interprets his tone of voice as angry. Although Jarrod states that he is not angry, from a symbolic interactionist perspective it is Breanna's __________ of the situation that is most real or believable to her.
interpretation
A(n) __________ is a data-collection encounter in which a researcher asks a respondent questions and records the answers.
interview
When students go away to college they often make lifelong friends and may even find their spouse. According to Robert Merton, this would be a(n) __________ function of education
latent
When formal, standardized norms are enacted by legislatures and are enforced by formal sanctions, they are termed __________.
laws
Which of the following would best be described as an example of high culture?
live theatre
A __________ analysis examines whole societies, large-scale social structures, and social systems.
macrolevel
Marx termed the tools, land, factories, and money for investment that form the economic basis of a society the __________.
means of production
A __________ analysis focuses on small groups rather than large-scale social structures.
microlevel
Jeffery Dahmer was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison for this offense. He also practiced cannibalism on his victims. In this situation, the act of murder could be described as the violation of __________, while cannibalism could be described as the violation of a __________.
mores ; taboos
Luis has just received a stern lecture from his mother about his poor grade in algebra. His mother's lecture is an example of a __________.
negative sanctions
Democracy, belief in a Supreme Being, and understanding English are all examples of __________.
nonmaterial culture
Rotating a finger to indicate that someone is "crazy" is an example of a gesture. Gestures are a component of __________.
nonmaterial culture
One couple's inability to keep their marriage intact may be an example of a __________, whereas widespread divorce as a result of changes in the economy or other social factors is an example of a __________.
personal trouble ; public issue
During the Olympics, competition and a spirit of nationalism and patriotism encourage people to think of their own nation as "the best." This is an example of __________.
positive ethnocentrism
After having successfully negotiated an important business contract with a major client, Jocelyn's boss congratulated her and promised her a significant pay raise. In this situation, Jocelyn is receiving what sociologists term a(n) __________.
positive sanction
French philosopher Auguste Comte's philosophy, the belief that the world can best be understood through scientific inquiry, became known as __________,
positivism
C. Wright Mills used the term __________ in referring to a small clique composed of the top corporate, political, and military officials who hold the most power in societ
power elite
In the Marxian framework, the __________ consist of those who sell their labor because they have no other way to earn a living.
proletariat class
Tom works on the assembly line at the local Ford automobile factory. According to Marx, Tom would be considered a member of the __________ because he does not own the means of production.
proletariat class
According to Mills, the sociological imagination enables one to distinguish between personal troubles that must be solved within the immediate social setting and __________ that affect large numbers of people and often require solutions at the societal level.
public issues
With __________ research, interpretative description (words) rather than statistics (numbers) are used to analyze underlying meanings and patterns of social relationships.
qualitative
Researchers in one study systematically analyzed the contents of the notes of suicide victims to determine recurring themes, such as feelings of despair or failure. They hoped to determine if any patterns could be found that would help in understanding why people might kill themselves. This is an example of __________.
qualitative research
With __________ research, the goal is scientific objectivity, and the focus is on data that can be measured numerically.
quantitative
__________ is a socially constructed concept used by many people to specify groups of people based on physical characteristics such as skin color.
race
People may claim to be law-abiding yet still engage in behaviors that are illegal. This behavior is an example of_____________ culture, which refers to the values and standards of behavior that people actually follow.
real
Sociologists obtain their knowledge of human behavior through __________, which is the process of systematically collecting information for the purpose of testing an existing theory or generating a new one.
research
__________ are people who provide data for analysis through interviews or questionnaires.
respondents
Asher wants to do a study of the effectiveness of the Gardasil vaccine but lacks the time and money to gather his own data. Consequently, he analyzes data on this topic that were gathered by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In this case, Asher is conducting __________.
secondary analysis
In __________, researchers use existing material and analyze data that were originally collected by others.
secondary analysis
The first step in the "conventional" research model is to __________.
select and define the problem
Barbara was born female, which refers to her __________; she acts very feminine, which refers to her __________.
sex ; gender
German sociologist Georg Simmel analyzed how social interactions vary depending on the __________. He concluded that interaction patterns differed between a dyad and a triad.
size of social group
Based on British social theorist Herbert Spencer's theory, __________ is the belief that those species of animals, including human beings, that are the most adapted to their environment will survive and prosper, whereas those that are poorly adapted will eventually die out.
social darwinism
Comte believed that societies are made up of social statics, or forces for order and stability, as well as __________ or forces for social change
social dynamics
In her work, sociologist Harriet Martineau was a strong advocate for _____________.
social equality and reform
a __________ is a large social grouping that shares the same geographical territory and is subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations.
society
Sociologist C. Wright Mills coined the term __________ for the ability to see the relationship between individual experiences and the larger society.
sociological imagination
A __________ is a category of people who share distinguishing attributes, beliefs, values, and/or norms that set them apart in some significant manner from the dominant culture.
subculture
Clay is a high-ranking executive of Harley-Davidson Company. He is a member of the Free Wheelers, a motorcycle group. On the weekends, the Free Wheelers go camping and fishing and often sponsor community service programs. Clay would be considered a member of a(n) __________.
subculture
in the month of December, many Jewish families celebrate Chanukah (the Festival of Light), during which special foods are served and families engage in ritual activity unique to their religious faith. In this context, members of the Jewish faith would represent a __________.
subculture
A __________ is anything that meaningfully represents something else and includes signs, gestures, written language, and shared values.
symbol
A(n) __________ can be anything that meaningfully represents something else.
symbol
In a study of education in the United States, __________ would emphasize the daily activities and the various forms of communication between teachers and students. They would also examine the influence of peer groups and look at the reaction when school rules are either broken or followed.
symbolic interactionist
According to the __________ perspective, society is the sum of the interactions of individuals and groups.
symbolic interactionist
The strongest mores are referred to as __________. They are so strong that their violation is considered to be extremely offensive and even unmentionable.
taboos
Sociologists define __________ as the knowledge, techniques, and tools that make it possible for people to transform resources into usable forms, and the knowledge and skills required to use them after they are developed.
technology
A __________ is defined as a set of logically interrelated statements that attempts to describe, explain, and (occasionally) predict social events.
theory
_________ is the extent to which a study or research instrument accurately measures what it is supposed to measure.
validity
Brenda gives generously to a number of local charities; however, she also strongly believes in the value of hard work and "earning your own keep." Sociologists would characterize Brenda's thinking as a __________.
value contradiction
__________ are collective ideas about what is right or wrong, good or bad, and desirable or undesirable in a particular culture.
values
__________ provide ideals of beliefs about behavior but do not state explicitly how we should behave; __________ are established rules of behavior or standards for conduct.
values ; norms
Age is a factor that can change and varies from person to person. Age is an example of a __________.
variable
A major criticism of Spencer's theory of social Darwinism is that ______________ .
it may be used to justify racial/ethnic, gender, and class inequalities in society
The "thumbs up" sign means something is good in some places, but is an obscene gesture in other places. This illustrates that_________________________.
symbols may have different meanings among different groups of people
