InQuizitive Sociology: Chapter 1

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

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

Identify which reasons apply to why sociologists would take part in efforts to achieve social change and which do not.

Correct Answer(s) It only makes sense, in attacking a social problem, to involve someone with expertise. It would be odd if, having studied a social problem, a sociologist had no opinion on the solution. Incorrect Answer(s) Sociology aims to be rigorously scientific in its account of human group behavior. The study of what is best for society is a question only sociology can address.

Which items are among Harriet Martineau's methodological insights and are significant for sociologists today?

Correct Answer(s) Sociologists should seek to benefit society, not just to observe. An analysis of a society must include all its members. Incorrect Answer(s) An analysis of society should focus on the most influential institutions. Sociology should not try to model itself on the natural sciences.

Which two American sociologists were part of the functionalist tradition?

Correct Answer(s) Talcott Parsons Robert K. Merton Incorrect Answer(s) George Herbert Mead Jean Baudrillard

To which disciplines, beside sociology, did Max Weber contribute in his writings?

Correct Answer(s) comparative religion economics Incorrect Answer(s) evolutionary biology literary criticism

Identify the themes that are important in Émile Durkheim's thought.

Important the division of labor the social factors that lead to suicide Not Important the importance of individual freedom rejection of the ideas of Auguste Comte

When we view the world through the prism of the sociological imagination, in which ways are we affected?

Incorrect: We appreciate the importance of a neutral, impartial perspective about all social issues. Correct: We are better able to assess the results of public policy initiatives. ; We see the social world from many perspectives. ; We gain in self-understanding.

In Max Weber's view, what is the problem with bureaucracy?

It is a threat to democracy.

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

Marx's theory of class struggle the theory of relative deprivation a theory of the moral development of children a symbolic-interactionist theory of dating

Identify each question as a topic in either microsociology or in macrosociology.

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

Match each term to its definition.

Mikhail changed jobs because the new one paid more and had better benefits. Correct label: rational choice theory Miles changed jobs because the new job would look good on his resume. Correct label: symbolic interactionism Sonia changed jobs because there was a greater demand for workers in the new job. Correct label: functionalism

According to Émile Durkheim, a society can only endure over time if its specialized institutions function as an integrated whole—a form of social cohesion that Durkheim called __________ solidarity.

Organic

Place the events in order from first to last according to how Karl Marx explains the global spread of Western industry.

Several producers sell products in the same market. Competition motivates producers to manufacture their goods more cheaply and sell them more cheaply. Producers seek new, cheaper sources of labor and materials, and new markets where their products will command higher prices. When several producers have entered a new market, the cycle repeats.

Identify each item as an aspect of either sex or gender

Sex Some people's voices deepen significantly during puberty, while others' voices do not. Some people can grow beards, while others cannot. Gender Some people are referred to as "he," others as "she." Some people can wear skirts and dresses without standing out, while others cannot.

A 2002 study determined that for applicants admitted to Ivy League schools, the difference in later earnings between those who got an Ivy League education and those who opted to attend less prestigious schools instead was very small.

True

Durkheim uses the word anomie to refer to a very specific condition. What is that condition?

a feeling of aimlessness or despair, due to the constant change typical of modern life

Type the term that best completes the sentence. Ideas developed to increase the power of a social group and to overcome resistance are called __________.

ideologies

Max Weber divided all human behavior into four categories based on the object of its orientation. Identify the orientation of each of the four examples.

studying to become a member of the clergy Correct label: toward higher values cheating on one's income tax returns Correct label: toward self-interest plotting revenge against a disloyal friend Correct label: toward emotions getting the mail out of the mailbox Correct label: toward habit

Which organization did W. E. B. Du Bois help found?

the NAACP

What is the main difference between microsociology and macrosociology?

the level of analysis

What is the definition of rationalization, according to Max Weber?

the organization of public life according to principles of efficiency

According to Auguste Comte, what is the proper role of sociology?

to study human society scientifically

Match each description to the appropriate behavior.

A store clerk responds to an angry customer by suggesting they "take this outside." Correct label: neither rationally self-interested nor altruistic A hiker wades into a rain-swollen river to rescue someone else's dog. Correct label: altruistic A homeowner chases away intruders by brandishing a double-barreled shotgun. Correct label: rationally self-interested

Fill in Blank

Alexis de Tocqueville, visiting the United States in 1831, sought to understand how democracy worked. He observed that Americans were more likely than Europeans to engage in civic activities.

Fill in the blanks to complete the passage about Max Weber.

Although Weber was influenced by Karl Marx, he rejected some of Marx's doctrines. Weber agreed that economic factors matter, but he rejected Marx's materialist conception of history.

What makes a social fact a social constraint?

Any person who ignores the social fact will encounter difficulty.

In the United States, standardized testing was introduced into the university admissions process to limit the number of Jewish students entering Ivy League schools.

False

What is the central message of postmodernism?

History follows no overarching plot or narrative.

Determine whether each item is or is not an example of a social construction.

Social Constructs: Green paper rectangles can be used to buy things. ; People shake hands to signal friendly intentions. Not Social Constructs: Heavy foot traffic eventually damages grass. ; Yellow skin is an indicator of liver disease.

Match each author to the title of one of his most important works.

The Divison of Labor in a Society Correct label: Émile Durkheim Capital Correct label: Karl Marx Positive Philosophy Correct label: Auguste Comte The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism Correct label: Max Weber

Why is there typically more disagreement among professional sociologists than among professional scientists?

The subject matter is more difficult to quantify

What is the common theme of the many different strands of feminist theory?

The goal of explaining and eliminating gender inequalities.

What central thesis did Karl Marx have in mind when he talked about "the materialist conception of history"?

The main sources of social changes are economic influences.

Choose the phrase that best completes the sentence. According to functionalism, the idea that every social activity has a function is best understood by analogy to __________.

The purpose of an organ in the human body.

Match each term to its definition.

an aspect of social life that shapes the actions of individuals Correct label: social fact the underlying regularities in how people behave toward one another Correct label: social structure an idea or practice that continues to exist because people take it for granted Correct label: social construction