Sociology 101 - Quiz 1

W. E. B. Du Bois described African Americans as having a "double consciousness" A) most African Americans felt that, compared to white people, they had to be twice as careful in how they acted. B ) there is a double disadvantage in being both poor and black C) African Americans have to work twice as hard as whites to get the same reward. D) African Americans are American citizens who have a second identity based on skin color.

African Americans are American citizens who have a second identity based on skin color.

The term "sociology" was coined in 1838 by A) Karl Marx. B) Herbert Spencer. C) Adam Smith. D) Auguste Comte.

Auguste Comte.

A global perspective has little in common with a sociological perspective True or False

False

one of the founding sociologists, urged sociologists to understand a social setting from the point of view of the people in it. A) Karl Marx B) Emile Durkheim C) Auguste Comte D ) Max Weber

Max Weber

Among all academic disciplines, sociology is one of the youngest. True or False

True

In the United States, men have a higher suicide rate than women. True or False

True

What might a sociologist say about people's selection marriage partners? A) People marry because they fall in love. B) When it comes to romance, it is all a matter of personal taste. C) Typically, a person marries someone of similar social position. D) When it comes to love, opposites attract.

Typically, a person marries someone of similar social position.

Sociology differs from the older discipline of philosophy by focusing on A) what the ideal society should be. B) human nature. C) the place of God in shaping human events. D) how society actually operates.

how society actually operates.

Sociologists cannot identify "laws of society" that allow us to precisely predict the behavior of an individual because A)human behavior may be patterned, but it is also spontaneous. B) sociology is still very young. C) no sociologist ever tried to discover such laws. D) no sociologist would wish to predict human behavior.

human behavior may be patterned, but it is also spontaneous.

In the United States, white people have a lower suicide rate than Hispanics. True or False

False

Sociological generalizations are the same as simple stereotypes. True or False

False

The focus of the symbolic-interaction approach is how society is divided by class, race, and gender. True or False

False

The goal of the structural-functional approach is not simply to understand how society operates, but to reduce social inequality. True or False

False

The last of Comte's three stages is the metaphysical stage, in which people kno the world in terms of God's will. True or False

False

The term "sociology" was coined by Emile Durkheim in 1898. True or False

False

Using the sociological perspective, we would conclude that people's lives are mostly a result of what they decide to do. True or False

False

Like the gender-conflict approach, the race-conflict approach is concerned with social inequality. True or False

True

Rarely are people aware of all the functions of any social structure. True or false

True

Sociologists test a theory by gathering facts in order to confirm, reject, or modify the theory. True or False

True

Sociology is defined as the systematic study of human society True or False

True

Sociology is useful training for any job that involves working with people. True or False

True

The sociological perspective helps us to assess the truth of the "common sense" beliefs most people tend to take for granted. True or False

True

U.S. sociologist C. Wright Mills argued that times of social crisis foster widespread sociological thinking. True or False

True

Looking at the United States, high suicide rates are typical of areas in which people A) live densely packed in cities. B) live spread apart in rural areas. C) have higher incomes. D) live in a warmer climate.

live spread apart in rural areas.

The "framework for building theory that sees society as an arena of inequality that generates conflict and change" is the A) structural-functional approach. B) social-conflict approach. C) symbolic-interaction approach. D) tradition-based approach.

social-conflict approach.

William Edward Burghardt Du Bois encouraged sociologists to avoid studying controversial topics such as racial inequality. True or False

False

Which theoretical approach claims that it is not so much what people do that matters as much as what meaning they attach to their behavior? A) Structural-functional approach B) Social-conflict approach C) Symbolic-interaction approach D) Social-exchange approach

Symbolic-interaction approach

Stacking" in sports is the pattern by which people of one racial category disproportionately play in specific positions. True or False

True

The social-conflict approach sometimes receives criticism for A) focusing on values that everyone shares. B) being openly political. C) promoting the status quo. D) ignoring factors like class.

being openly political.

Making use of the sociological perspective encourages A) challenging many commonly-held beliefs. B) accepting all commonly-held wisdom. C) the belief that society is mysterious. D) people to be happy with their lives as they are.

challenging many commonly-held beliefs.

Durkheim documented that categories of people with weaker social ties have lower suicide rates. True or False

False

We would expect the sociologist perspective to be most likely to develop in a place that was A) Very traditional B) Experiencing many social changes C) very poor D) small & socially isolated

Experiencing many social changes

According to Robert K. Merton, all social patterns are good and have the same beneficial effect on all members of a society. True or False

False

According to sociologists, human behavior reflects our personal "free will."True or False

False

Based on the research by Barbara Ehrenreich, who tried to live by working at low- wage jobs, we would expect most people in such jobs to be able to move ahead to better paying work. True or False

False

Both Karl Marx and W. E. B. Du Bois carried out their work following the structural- functional approach True or False

False

Who helped launch the discipline of sociology by studying the evils of slavery and also by translating the writings of Auguste Comte? A) Harriet Martineau B) Jane Addams C) Elizabeth Cady Stanton D) Dorothea Dix

Harriet Martineau

Thomas Hobbes's idea that society reflects a selfish human nature illustrates the thinking common at which of Comte's historical stages? A) Theological stage B) Metaphysical stage C) Scientific stage D) Post-scientific stage

Metaphysical stage

In deciding what kind of question to ask in their research, sociologist are guided by A) one or more theoretical approaches B) their own common sense C) our society's traditional wisdom D) sheer chance

One or more theoretical approaches

Both feminism and the gender-conflict approach highlight ways in which women are unequal to men. True or False

True

Sarah is spending a summer living in another country where people have a way of life that differs from her own. A sociologist might expect that this experience would lead her to own way of life. A) end up with a greater understanding of both a new way of life and her B) accept what people in the United States call "common sense." C)assume that people's lives simply reflect the choices they make. D) gradually understand less and less about her own way of life.

end up with a greater understanding of both a new way of life and her

A sociologist using the gender-conflict approach might state that A) men and women share in the joys of family life. B) in many ways, men are in positions of power over women. C) gender functions in an important way to keep society operating. D) men and women enjoy equal rights and privileges in our society

in many ways, men are in positions of power over women.

Understanding the differences between countries encourages A) an increase in global poverty. B) increasing gender inequality C) increasing our understanding of both of our own lives and the lives of others. D) increasing global wealth

increasing our understanding of both of our own lives and the lives of others.

Looking at the operation of U.S. schools guided by the social-conflict approach might lead a sociologist to conclude that A) the function of schools is to teach needed skills. B) the meaning of schooling varies from child to child. C) schools have been a major path to social advancement. D) our society provides some students with far better schooling than others.

our society provides some students with far better schooling than others.

The social-conflict approach draws attention to A) how elements contribute to the overall operation of society. B) how people construct meaning in their interaction. C) patterns of social inequality. D) the stable aspects of society.

patterns of social inequality.

Sociologists use the term "social marginality" to refer to A) people who have little understanding of sociology. B) people who have special social skills. C) people who are defined by others as an "outsider D) people who are especially sensitive about their family background.

people who are defined by others as an "outsider

Sociologist Lenore Weitzman carried out research showing that women who divorce A) typically remarry within one year. B) claim they are happier than before. C) suffer a significant loss of income. D) have a happier sex life

suffer a significant loss of income.

The basic idea of the symbolic-interaction approach is that society is A) an arena of conflict between categories of people. B) the product of people interacting in countless everyday situations. C) a system that operates to benefit people D) a system that generates social inequality.

the product of people interacting in countless everyday situations.

About 1 million immigrants have entered the United States each year, and many (including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gloria Estefan) have become well known. These facts support the conclusion A) the world's nations are increasingly interconnected B)other nations have little effects on life in rich countries such as the United States. C)people around the world share little in terms of their ways of life. D) sociology does not have to pay attention to nations other than the States.

the world's nations are increasingly interconnected

A statement that explains how and why specific facts are related is called a(n) A) approach. B) precept. C) concept. D) theory.

theory.