Sociology Midterm

Values differ from norms in that values:

do not state explicitly how people should behave.

One of the criticisms of symbolic interactionist theory is that it

doesn't address the linkages between culture and subcultures.

According to conflict theorists, social order in society is maintained by

domination by the powerful.

Sociologists use the term __________ to refer to 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

Olivia, a sociologist, is conducting a study to determine the effectiveness of a new drug for migraine. She gives one group of subjects the drug and another group of subjects a pill that resembles the drug. In this context, the group that receives the drug is the __________.

experimental group

When sociologists discuss how social inequities identified by sociological research contribute to the radicalization of terrorists, they are best described as using sociological research to

explain why people behave irrationally.

In the game stage of socialization, children begin to learn

how to take on multiple roles at the same time.

Goffman's theory of dramaturgy views human experience as if it were a performance. Specifically, Goffman argues that

how we present ourselves varies according to the stage we are in and the role we are performing.

According to Marx, the major focus for capitalists is on

increasing profits as much as possible.

Sociologist Emile Durkheim used the degree of social integration in society to determine its influence on the rate of suicide. In this example, the degree of social integration is the __________ variable.

independent

Anne is a college student, a full-time employee, and a mother of two young children. Anne may experience role conflict because

it is likely to be impossible for her to fully satisfy the expectations associated with all of those roles.

Kira believes that her teacher doesn't like her as much as the other children in class. Kira now thinks that she is bad at schoolwork, and that she is unlikeable. This illustrates Kira's

looking-glass self

Mead's term for the passive, conforming self that reacts to others is the

me

Jeffrey Dahmer was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. He was also a cannibal. In this situation, the act of murder can be described as violation of __________, while cannibalism can be described as violation of __________.

mores; taboos

To understand the process coroners use to determine whether or not a death is a suicide, a sociologist works for six months in the coroner's office and spends as much time as possible observing coroners at work. This is an example of __________.

participant observation

A researcher who lives among the homeless in an effort to understand their norms is carrying out

participant observation.

According to Durkheim, during an economic crisis

people will blame marginalized groups, like immigrants, for taking their jobs.

French philosopher Auguste Comte's belief that the world can best be understood through scientific inquiry became known as __________.

positivism

Marx's perspective of society argued that

profit is produced through the exploitation of the working class.

Researchers in one study systematically analyzed the content of the notes of suicide victims to determine recurring themes, such as feelings of despair or failure. Through the study of the words used in the notes, the researchers hoped to determine if any common underlying meanings were present across the notes that would help them understand why people kill themselves. This is an example of __________.

qualitative research

"The talk" refers to the conversation that Black parents, particularly the parents of sons, have with their children about how to interact with authority figures, particularly the police. Parents remind children to be respectful and courteous, to always keep their hands in view, and to avoid showing anger, frustration, or even impatience, even in circumstances of apparent unfairness. "The talk" is an example of

racial socialization.

Samantha is a college student who attends morning classes at the university and works part-time at a local bookstore from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Next Monday, Samantha has an exam at 5:00 p.m., when she is supposed to be working. These incompatible demands of her statuses as a student and an employee best illustrate __________.

role conflict

When __________ occurs, we may feel pulled in different directions. We may prioritize our roles and first complete the one we consider to be most important. Or we may compartmentalize our lives and "insulate" our various roles.

role conflict

Sociological imagination refers to the ability to

see the societal patterns that influence the individual as well as groups of individuals.

Regardless of where it is found in the world, culture is

shared by those who are a part of it.

Some symbolic interaction theorists believe that there is very little shared reality beyond that which is socially created. They refer to this as the __________, which is the process by which our perception of reality is largely shaped by the subjective meaning that we give to an experience.

social construction of reality

In her work, sociologist Harriet Martineau strongly advocates __________.

social equality and reform

The #MeToo movement has led to loss of jobs, loss of reputation, and sometimes criminal charges against individuals who have been credibly accused of sexual harassment. A sociologist would most likely understand this as

social forces impacting private lives.

Durkheim conceptualized social facts as

social patterns that are external to individuals.

Sociologist C. Wright Mills coined the term __________ to refer to the ability to see the relationship between individual experiences and the larger society.

sociological imagination

A __________ is a socially defined position in a group or society characterized by certain expectations, rights, and duties; it exists independently of the specific people occupying it.

status

Teacher, student, professional athlete, rock musician, and homeless person are socially defined positions characterized by certain expectations. These positions are examples of __________.

statuses

The "thumbs-up" gesture signifies approval in some cultures, but this gesture is considered obscene in other cultures. The variation in the interpretation of the "thumbs-up" gesture across cultures illustrates that __________.

symbols may have different meanings among different groups of people

Harriet Martineau emphasized the importance of

systematic data collection and objective data analysis.

The strongest mores are referred to as __________. They are so strong that their violation is considered to be extremely offensive and even unmentionable.

taboos

Sociologist George Herbert Mead divided the self into the "I" and the "me." A difference between these two elements of the self is that the "me" is:

the organized set of attitudes of others that an individual assumes.

Durkheim believed that the causes of suicide were found in

the social environment.

Social structure consists of all of these, except __________.

values

Symbolic interactionists argue that our perceptions of reality are determined by our definition of the situation. This means that, to a large extent,

we basically see what we want to see.

During early childhood, the most important agent of socialization is usually

A parent

Who among the following is considered the founder of sociology?

Auguste Comte

Lanora notes that rates of domestic violence are higher during televised hockey games. Because the two are correlated, Lanora can safely conclude that the violence in the hockey games causes domestic violence.

False

Macrosociology examines the patterns of individuals' social interaction in specific settings.

False

Most contemporary sociologists agree that nature, not culture and social learning, accounts for virtually all the behavior patterns of humans.

False

People act out a status but occupy a role.

False

Research suggests that even children who are socially isolated and deprived of normal nurturing will develop normally as long as they are physically healthy.

False

Resocialization requires only that the individual wants to change.

False

Socialization is a uniform process across all cultures and subcultures.

False

Sociologist Emile Durkheim emphasized that individual acts of suicide provide better explanations of suicide than do suicide rates.

False

Sociologists are not interested in historical research.

False

The need for impression management is least intense for individuals with devalued statuses.

False

Those who do not share the language of a group can still participate fully in its culture since most of what constitutes culture is independent of language.

False

_____ diminishes teens' and young adults' ability to develop decision-making and problem-solving skills.

Helicopter parenting

Which of the following statements about social structure is false?

It is not essential for individual well-being

Which of the following is a criticism of functionalism and its approach to culture?

It overlooks diversity and social change.

Which of the following is most likely a weakness of survey research?

It tends to force respondents into categories in which they may or may not belong.

__________ are strongly held norms with moral and ethical connotations that, if violated, may result in serious consequences within a particular culture.

Mores

Which of the following is true about the family as an agent of socialization?

Not all families socialize children in the same way or into the same expectations.

Which one of the following represents the best example of material culture?

Physical objects people have invented, such as a diamond ring

__________ is the term used to refer to the sum total of perceptions and feelings that an individual has of being a distinct and unique person (a sense of who and what one is).

Self

Which of the following is an effective way of minimizing role conflict and role strain?

Setting priorities

Which of the following statuses demonstrate that it is difficult to draw a firm line between ascribed and achieved statuses?

Social class and gender

Which of the following is not one of the arguments of conflict theory?

Social order is maintained by consensus and interdependence.

Which statement about sociology as a science is true?

Sociological research relies on empirical observation.

The "I" is the __________ element of the self and represents the spontaneous and unique traits of each person.

Subjective

The census is a type of __________.

Survey

Today, care is taken to protect the subjects of sociological research. Which of these statements about ethics in sociology is false?

The U.S. government refuses to address the importance of the rights of research participants.

A researcher is interested in uncovering the social factors that might motivate suicide bombers. Because this research would include a small number of cases and the research question would be tested through interpretative descriptions, which of the following research models would be the most appropriate?

The qualitative research model

According to a symbolic interactionist approach to socialization, we cannot form a sense of self or personal identity without intense social contact with others.

True

Claudio wants to learn more about the process of online radicalization and joins several groups. As he interacts more with group members, he becomes trusted and is able to ask questions about their experiences. Claudio is engaging in participant observation.

True

Content analysis is the systematic examination of cultural artifacts or various forms of communication to extract thematic data and draw conclusions about social life.

True

Culture includes ways of thinking as well as patterns of behavior.

True

Durkheim saw society as an organism, something comprising different parts that work together to create a unique whole.

True

From a sociological perspective, nature sets the stage for an individual's abilities, but socialization is necessary in order to fully develop them.

True

Functionalism points out that similar beliefs bind people together and create stability.

True

One advantage of self-administered surveys is that they can easily be given to large numbers of people.

True

One of our most important human attributes is the ability to use language to share our experiences, feelings, and knowledge with others.

True

Sociological research is generally only useful in academic settings.

True

The sociological imagination helps an individual place personal troubles, such as losing his or her job or feeling like committing suicide, into a larger social context, where the individual can distinguish whether and how personal troubles may be related to public issues.

True

When coaches hide doubts about their team's ability to win, they are engaged in impression management.

True

In _____, parents focus on their own needs, spend little time interacting with the children, and know little about their interests or whereabouts.

Uninvolved

__________ are collective ideas about what is right or wrong, good or bad, and desirable or undesirable in a particular culture.

Values

A __________ is any concept with measurable traits or characteristics that can change or vary from one person, time, situation, or society to another. It is the observable and/or measurable counterpart of a concept.

Variable

Which of the following early sociologists believed that the study of society should involve social activism?

W. E. B. DuBois

Internalization is the process of self-evaluation and informed decision making.

False

Language, beliefs, values, rules of behavior, family patterns, and political systems are examples of material culture.

False

Socialization is the most crucial during __________ because it is essential for the individual's survival and for human development.

Childhood

Identify an example of material culture.

Clothing

Simone, a researcher, wants to determine the prevalence of sexism in elementary school textbooks. She studies five textbooks each of public schools and private schools and looks for regular patterns, such as the frequency of the masculine pronoun "he" in examples and the use of stereotypical scenarios. In this context, Simone is using __________ for her study.

Content Analysis

Which of the following practices illustrates a cultural universal?

Dancing on special occasions

Ron, a sociologist, conducted a study on the relationship between crime and social changes. The results of the study showed that rapid societal changes lead to increased crime rates because social facts, or the patterned ways of thinking and acting that govern the behavior of individuals in a society, are destroyed because of social changes. This observation most likely resonates with the beliefs of sociologist __________.

Emile Durkheim

According to Weber, sociological research should be used to promote political beliefs.

False

As sociologists use the term, culture refers to beliefs so fundamental to humans that they are essentially innate.

False

Ascribed statuses are the result of personal effort and choice.

False

Because most are inherent, status sets stay largely consistent throughout life.

False

By the time children are 12 months old, most are biologically ready to pay close attention to social expectations.

False

In a survey, only closed-ended questions can be included.

False

As agents of socialization, sports

are where many ideas about gender differences are formed and reinforced.

Jorge is a male born to Mexican American parents; he was assigned these positions at birth. He is an adult and—if he lives long enough—will someday become an "older adult." All of these are considered __________.

ascribed statuses

Role _____ occurs when it becomes impossible to meet the expectations associated with all of the roles in one's role set.

conflict