INQUIZITIVE Chapter 1: Sociology: Theory and Method

Which quote comes from W. E. B. Du Bois?

"The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line."

Identify each of the following as an advantage of either fixed-choice or open-ended questionnaires.

Advantage(s) of Fixed-Choice: 1. Responses are easy to count. 2. Responses are easy to compare Advantage(s) of Open-Ended: 1. Responses provide detailed information. 2. Responses can suggest what the subject is thinking.

What is the definition of a hypothesis?

An educated guess

Fill in the blanks to complete the passage about research ethics. Universities in the United States have BLANK that routinely review all research involving human subjects in order to protect the rights of those subjects and ensure that research is conducted ethically. Researchers must tell potential participants about the risks and benefits involved in the research study and obtain their BLANK. A final safeguard, BLANK, occurs after the research has been completed, when study participants are informed about the true purpose of the study and told about any deception that happened during the study.

BLANK 1: institutional review boards BLANK 2: informed consent BLANK 3: debriefing

Identify whether or not each statement is a hypothesis.

Correct Answer(s): -Consuming too many calories leads to obesity. -If a person exercises more, they will be at less risk for obesity. Incorrect Answer(s): -My personal experience leads me to believe that drinking more water helps people reduce their consumption of sugary drinks. -The causes of obesity are different for every individual.

Identify whether or not the following characteristics define sociology as a scientific endeavor.

Defining Characteristic(s): 1. systematic methods of empirical investigation 2. analysis of data Not Defining Characteristic(s): 1. the sociological imagination 2. the study of globalization

Identify the effects of the sociological imagination on our lives.

Effect(s): -We gain in self-understanding. -We see the social world from many perspectives. -We are better able to assess the results of public policy initiatives. Not Effect(s): -We appreciate the importance of a neutral, impartial perspective on social issues.

The COVID-19 crisis of 2020-2021 reminds us that an education in sociology has major practical implications for people's lives and careers. Which field would a 2021 sociology major most likelychoose?

Employment counsling

Identify each example as either an experimental study or not.

Experimental: 1. A researcher compares the attitudes of two focus groups after each group watches a corporate training video. One video is narrated by a male voice and the other by a female voice. 2. A researcher deliberately drops a wallet in a public place and observes the reactions of passersby. Not Experimental: 1. A researcher poses as a store clerk and documents several varieties of shoplifting behavior over a period of time. 2. A researcher sifts through data about divorce rates and gas prices, looking for a correlation.

This table shows the kinds of questions that sociologists ask. Place each question with the correct category. (Table not shown)

Factual Question (What happened?): What proportion of COVID-19 victims have been children, young adults, middle-aged adults, or seniors? Comparative Question (Did this happen everywhere?): How has the global spread of COVID-19varied by region? Developmental Question (Has this happened overtime?): What have been patterns of false information sharing in past pandemics? Theoretical Question (What underlies this phenomena?): Why is social isolation so detrimental to human well-being?

When sociologists study globalization, they focus on world systems of interdependence, not on local systems or individual experiences.

False

The evidence that supports or disproves a hypothesis may be factual, or it may be theoretical.

False- A hypothesis must be formulated in such a way that the factual material gathered will provide evidence either supporting or disproving it.

The majority of sociology majors work in social services and counseling.

False- About one in five sociology majors work in social services and counseling. This is the largest career area, but it is only about 20 percent of sociology majors. About 80 percent of sociology majors work in fields other than social services and counseling, which indicates a remarkable breadth of opportunities that a sociology degree provides.

College education has a similarly equalizing effect on students from different backgrounds, whether they are together on campus or taking classes remotely.

False- In the textbook example, Tatiana and Isabel shared experiences on an athletic team and in class, on campus. When the COVID-19 crisis forced them to return home, Isabel returned to the privilege in which she was raised, and Tatiana returned to her family that needed her to work in order to make ends meet.

In 2017, the average Indonesian ranked the United States a 48, on a scale of 0 to 100. (Table not shown)

False- One key step in reading a table is reading the title correctly. Table titles can be long and complex and are very important for accurately understanding data. Interpretation of tables is an important sociological skill. It is important to read titles carefully, as well as explanatory notes. Read headings, and accurately identify the units used. Consider what conclusions can reasonably be drawn, given the data that were presented.

The following items represent three of the seven steps in the research process. Match each step to the correct description.

Form a hypothesis that will be tested through observation: Make the research problem precise. Identify a puzzle that research could help to solve: Define the research problem. Choose a suitable method of data collection: Work out a design.

What is the basic concern behind a developmental question?

Has this happened overtime?

Identify whether or not the following scenarios describe personal troubles that are linked with public issues.

Linked with Public Issues: -Jaime, a Mexican American, is a sanitation worker deemed "essential." He and his family are exposed to higher risk during the COVID-19 crisis. -Lizzie is a college student from a violent home. During the COVID-19 crisis, her grades dropped because she had to return home and try to study while coping with emotional and physical danger. Not Linked with Public Issues: -In spring 2020, universities everywhere had to develop remote learning plans within a week or two.

Identify the main themes upon which Émile Durkheim focused.

Main Theme(s): 1. the social factors that lead to suicide 2. the division of labor Not Main Theme(s): 1. the importance of individual freedom 2. the rejection of Auguste Comte's ideas

Identify the main themes upon which Émile Durkheim focused

Main Theme(s): the division of labor the social factors that lead to suicide Not Main Theme(s):the rejection of Auguste Comte's ideas the importance of individual freedom

Identify Harriet Martineau's methodological insights that are significant to sociologists today.

Martineau's Insight(s): -An analysis of a society must include all its members. -Sociologists should seek to benefit society, not just to observe. Not Martineau's Insight(s): -Sociology should not try to model itself on the natural sciences. -An analysis of society should focus on the most influential institutions.

Identify each question as a topic in either micro-sociology or macrosociology.

Micro-sociology: -How does a family conversation escalate into a shouting match? -How do two drivers decide who goes first at a four-way stop? Macro-sociology: -How do some immigrant groups assimilate faster than others? -How does the officer-enlisted relationship differ between a country's army and its navy?

Suppose a sociologist wanted to study a global community of online gamers who all play the same multiplayer game. Identify the activities that would likely be part of the research.

Part of Research: 1. analyzing player statistics, such as time played and level achieved 2. online interviews 3. becoming a player and observing interactions in real time Not Part of Research: 1.in-person interviews

Which statement most accurately conveys what C. Wright Mills meant by "the sociological imagination"?

People should cultivate a quality of mind that allows them to understand the social context of personal experience.

Identify each research method as either qualitative or quantitative.

Qualitative: 1. An observer takes notes on the nonverbal behavior of members of a focus group for car commercials. 2. Each person at a gathering of academics is invited to talk about his or her political views. Quantitative: 1. The number of people in a large gathering is recorded. 2. Each person in a sample group is recorded as being either a U.S. citizen or a citizen of another country.

Identify in which of the following research examples random sampling could be possible.

Random Sampling Possible: 1. a national survey of college student mental health 2. a questionnaire about public assistance use in Boston Random Sampling Not Possible 1. interviews with HIV-positive gay males in San Francisco 2. an ethnographic study of Mexican-American gang members in San Diego

Identify the examples of random sampling.

Random Sampling: 1. A store gives every twentieth customer a gift card in exchange for filling out a customer satisfaction questionnaire. 2. A health insurer uses a computer-generated random list of plan members to conduct a quality-control review. Not Random Sampling 1. A journalist approaches a table at a political event and asks everyone at the table their opinion of the host organization. 2. A focus group, made up of volunteers, is asked what they think of three videos promoting water conservation.

Identify the reasons why sociologists would take part in efforts to achieve social change.

Reason(s): 1. It only makes sense, in attacking a social problem, to involve someone with expertise. 2. It would be odd if, having studied a social problem, a sociologist had no opinion on the solution. Not Reason(s): 1. Sociology aims to be rigorously scientific in its account of human group behavior. 2. The study of what is best for society is a question only sociology can address.

Identify whether or not the following measurement methods would yield results that could be generalized to the student population of a large university.

Results Could Be Generalized: -Comprehensive school records are used to randomly select a sample group of 100 students who will fill out a short questionnaire. -School records are used to select 100 students from different categories (male and female, White and nonwhite, etc.) in numbers that mirror the overall student population. These students will fill out a short questionnaire. Results Could Not Be Generalized: -Students passing by a campus booth are invited to fill out a questionnaire. Several hundred students do so. -Five students are randomly selected for in-depth interviews, each lasting for half an hour

Using Karl Marx's theory, identify each item as a characteristic of either the ruling class or the working class.

Ruling Class: 1. Collectively, they are "the rich." 2. They own capital, that is, the means of production. Working class: 1. Collectively, they are "the poor." 2. Their income consists of wages earned from employment.

Elicia reads this table and concludes that in 2017, 73,000 people in Poland had a favorable view of the United States. What table reading mistake did Elicia make? (Table not shown)

She Misidentified the units used

Emile Durkheim's theory drew on Herbert Spencer's writings. Which statement best describes Spencer's picture of society?

Society is like a biological organism

Match each statement about views on abortion to the correct theoretical approach.

The two sides of the abortion debate use language that focuses on the positive aspects of their argument in favor of their side. The labels pro-choice and pro-life highlight this: symbolic interactionism Legal abortions keep women safe and reduce the number of unwanted children from entering society: functionalism Keeping abortion legal is not enough to maintain women's rights and equality. Women in the United States are oppressed because they historically have less power and fewer economic resources than men: Marxism

Match each country to its opinion of the United States. (Table not shown)

This country's opinion of the United States has been consistently low from 2007 to 2017: Jordan This country's opinion of the United States significantly deteriorated between 2007 and 2015, and then regained its 2007 rate: Russia This country's opinion of the United States has improved the most in the last thirteen years: South Korea This country's opinion of the United States has been consistently high during the last decade: United States

Match each description to the correct research method.

This type of research can be used to examine differences across countries: comparative research This type of research is likely to be more subjective than other types of research: ethnography When done correctly, this type of research can give accurate indications of the attitudes and opinions of entire populations with relatively small samples: surveys This type of research is much more commonly used in psychology than sociology: experiments

Research reports are most commonly published as a book or an article in a scholarly journal.

True

Identify the true and false statements about structuration.

True Statement(s): -The social contexts of our lives are not random; they are structured in distinct ways. False Statement(s): -The process of structuration occurs during the early years of a society. Later, the society develops a permanent form that does not undergo structuration. -Social structure is like a physical structure because it exists independently of human action. -Social structures are predictable, and human behavior is unpredictable.

What makes a social fact a social constraint?

any person who ignores the social fact will encounter difficulty

What Kinds of Questions Can Sociologists Answer? Select the bold phrases that represent empirical investigation: The COVID-19 crisis has been disruptive and confusing for many people. In their everyday lives, people converse about what is happening, and what it means for their lives. Sociologists conduct surveys on social issues such as the effectiveness of remote learning, and the impact of social isolation. Scholars review past theories to generalize about human society and its adaptations to many different crises.

conduct surveys on social issues such as the effectiveness of remote learning, and the impact of social isolation

The COVID-19 crisis of 2020-2021 reminds us that an education in sociology has major practical implications for people's lives and careers. Which field would a 2021 sociology major most likelychoose?

employment counseling

Match each term to one of its correct main advantages.

facilitate collection of data that can be generalized: surveys provides rich, in-depth information: ethnography enable precise control of specific variables: experiments

What is the central message of postmodernism?

history follows no overarching plot or narrative

Match each term to the correct description.

measure of central tendency, or average: mean measure of degree of dispersal: standard deviation measure of the degree to which one variable relates consistently to another: correlation coefficient

Match each sociologist to his idea of the main dynamic of modern societal development.

the rationalization of social and economic life: Max Weber the expansion of capitalism: Karl Marx the division of labor: Émile Durkheim

Match each question with the type of question it is.

theoretical question: Why are certain events labeled "natural disasters"? developmental question: What have been patterns in natural disasters over time? factual question: Did the number of natural disasters increase from 1998 to 2018? comparative question: Did natural disasters happen mostly in the Northern Hemisphere or in the Southern Hemisphere?

Identify each of the following as an advantage of either fixed-choice or open-ended questionnaires.Dr. Jun is a sociologist studying first responders in major disasters. Why would Dr. Jun want to ask a factual question?

to identify how many first responders are present at certain kinds of disasters.

According to C. Wright Mills, what is the function of the sociological imagination?

to understand our personal experiences as part of a larger framework of events

Select the bold phrases that indicate Ivy is exercising a sociological imagination: Ivy is a White American. For most of her life, she was "just me, Ivy" and didn't see herself as White. She took a sociology course and earned an A. In the class, she realized that everyone has a race, that Whiteness has a history, and that she is part of that history. She joined her college's Multicultural Club because she sees her own life as linked with others of all races and cultures.

-realized that everyone has a race, that Whiteness has a history, and that she is part of that history -joined her college's Multicultural Club because she sees her own life as linked with others of all races and cultures.

Amalia is an accountant who double-majored in accounting and sociology, as an undergraduate. Select the bold phrases that indicate Amalia is using her sociological imagination in her work as an accountant: Shortly after graduation, Amalia passed her certified public accountant examination. She strives to do her work legally, ethically, and with respect toward every client. Amalia often reflects on her own economic background and social context to help her understand her clients better. She is always learning about cultural differences when they become relevant in work situations.

-reflects on her own economic background and social context -learning about cultural differences when they become relevant in work situations.

Place the steps for conducting a survey in order from first to last.

1. Create prelimmary draft of survey questionnaire 2. Conduct a pilot study 3. Identify problems with the survey questions 4. Revise and finalize the survey questions 5. Collect data from the main survey samples

Place the sociological theories in order from broadest to narrowest in scope.

1. Marx's theory of class struggle 2. The theory of relative deprivation 3. A theory of the moral development of children 4. A symbolic-interactionist theory of dating

Place the steps for reading a table in order from first to last.

1. Read the title 2. Read any explanatory notes 3. Read the row and column headings 4. Identify units 5. Consider the possible conclusion

Place the events of Philip Zimbardo's prison experiment in chronological order.

1. Students volunteered for the study 2. Some students were assigned to play guards, others prisoners. 3. Tensions between "guards" and "prisoners" quickly grew to unexpected levels 4. The experiment was halted much sooner than planned

College students report that they pay attention to politics and have a global perspective. Place the following in order from lowest to highest percentage of students answering affirmatively to each statement.

1. very good chance students will study abroad 2. very important/essential to keep up with politics 3. Learning cultures is very important/ essential 4. Discuss politics frequently

Which factor makes something not only a problem but also a puzzle?

A gap in our understanding.