sociology quiz 1

what are the strengths and weaknesses of feminist theory?

-There's nothing wrong with the theory of men and women being equal under the law. However, in practice, that's not what feminism promotes. Examples: Feminism has backed affirmative, action, title, ix, women being exempt from selective service, shelters for women, but not men, laws which protect men, but not women in the same situation. The practices are not equal, but discriminate based on gender. -Feminists say that in theory since men and women are equal, we should see an equal distribution of men and women in careers and all walks of life, and that any place women are under represented must be due to discrimination against women. There are a number of problems with this theory. First, men and women are not the same. The differences between men and women lead to different demographic distributions. The other problem with that theory is that statistically the odds of equal distributions everywhere is improbable, even if there were no difference between genders. How often to you go to a meeting where the number of blondes and brunettes in the room matches society as a whole? It's flawed statistics.

If you ask respondents to choose—in regard to their education level—between (1) high school diploma, (2) some college but no degree, and (3) college degree, you are using:

-a neutral question -a closed-ended question.

To conduct an experiment, the researcher has two groups: (1) ____________________ and (

-control group -experimental group

William Ogburn pointed out that a group's ___________ culture usually changes first, with the _________ culture lagging behind.

-nonmaterial -material

Founders of fast food industries-what do they represent in this society (in relation to U.S. mainstream values)? (no need to know each one's biography in detail)

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culture vs freedom?

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global cultures-factors in rise of these

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how specifically has fast food industry changed this society (according to author of reader)?

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in what ways have the fast food industries and their suppliers changed the u.s. society?

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the intellectual knowledge production complex-components, importance, consequences for researchers and research?

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what do the stories of the founders of the fast food industry tell us about the U.S. society?

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research steps in process

1. selecting a topic 2. defining the problem. 3. reviewing the literature 4. formulating a hypothesis 5. choosing a research method 6. collecting the data 7. analyzing the results 8. sharing the results

red herring

A Red Herring is a fallacy in which an irrelevant topic is presented in order to divert attention from the original issue. The basic idea is to "win" an argument by leading attention away from the argument and to another topic. This sort of "reasoning" has the following form: Topic A is under discussion. Topic B is introduced under the guise of being relevant to topic A (when topic B is actually not relevant to topic A). Topic A is abandoned. This sort of "reasoning" is fallacious because merely changing the topic of discussion hardly counts as an argument against a claim. Examples of Red Herring "Argument" for making grad school requirements stricter: "I think there is great merit in making the requirements stricter for the graduate students. I recommend that you support it, too. After all, we are in a budget crisis and we do not want our salaries affected."

What are the strengths and weaknesses of symbolic interactionism?

A few of the weaknesses could be that symbols may be interpreted wrong, it doesn't develop the idea of socialisation, it cannot adaquetly explain where people get the meanings to these symbols and that it ends up drawing these answers from other sociological theories, and it doesn't explain social order and how it comes about. The strengths of it would be that it takes into account individuals free will, the choices they make and how they behave. As it is a Micro theory it is more detailed and beneficial to individuals. It also gives real insight into small scale interactions, which we would not be able to define with a macro theory.

hasty generalization

A hasty generalisation draws a general rule from a single, perhaps atypical, case. It is the reverse of a sweeping generalisation. Example (1) My Christian / atheist neighbour is a real grouch. Therefore: (2) Christians / atheists are grouches.

sweeping statement

A sweeping generalisation applies a general statement too broadly. If one takes a general rule, and applies it to a case to which, due to the specific features of the case, the rule does not apply, then one commits the sweeping generalisation fallacy. This fallacy is the reverse of a hasty generalisation, which infers a general rule from a specific case. Example (1) Children should be seen and not heard. (2) Little Wolfgang Amadeus is a child. Therefore: (3) Little Wolfgang Amadeus shouldn't be heard. No matter what you think of the general principle that children should be seen and not heard, a child prodigy pianist about to perform is worth listening to; the general principle doesn't apply.

weak analogy

Arguments by analogy rest on a comparison. Their logical structure is this: (1) A and B are similar. (2) A has a certain characteristic. Therefore: (3) B must have that characteristic too. Not believing in the literal resurrection of Jesus because the Bible has errors and contradictions, is like denying that the Titanic sank because eye-witnesses did not agree if the ship broke in half before or after it sank. Explanation: This is an actual analogy used by, I am sorry to say, one of my favorite Christian debaters (one who usually seems to value reason and logic). There are several problems with this analogy, including: The Titanic sank in recent history We know for a fact that the testimonies we have are of eye-witnesses We have physical evidence of the sunken Titanic

why not use personal experiences, opinions, beliefs, human nature arguments?

Even the most productive scientists and philosophers through the ages have held beliefs which prevented them from seeing beyond their discoveries and inventions.For example, Aristotle believed in a prime mover, a "god" that moves the sun and moon and objects through space. With a belief such as this, one cannot possibly understand the laws of gravitation or inertia.

Ad Hominem (Personal Attack)

In one sense, an ad hominem argument is an argument in which you offer premises that you the arguer don't accept, but which you know the listener does accept, in order to show that his position is incoherent. The other type of ad hominem argument is a form of genetic fallacy. Arguments of this kind focus not on the evidence for a view but on the character of the person advancing it; they seek to discredit positions by discrediting those who hold them. It is always important to attack arguments, rather than arguers, and this is where arguments that commit the ad hominem fallacy fall down.Example: After Sally presents an eloquent and compelling case for a more equitable taxation system, Sam asks the audience whether we should believe anything from a woman who isn't married, was once arrested, and smells a bit weird.

Discuss whether or not cultural leveling is a positive or negative process

Like the previous question, this one asks you to consider both sides of the cultural leveling process. You should begin your answer by defining cultural leveling: a process by which cultures become similar to one another. Then you can present both sides of the cultural leveling argument. In some respects, this can be seen as positive, because it has the potential of fostering a greater understanding of different cultures. However, what seems to be happening today with globalization of capitalism is that aspects of Western culture, especially U.S. culture, are being exported around the world, which many people see as negative. As your textbook notes, the Golden Arches of McDonald's can be seen around the globe, and U.S. cartoon icons such as Mickey Mouse are popular with children internationally. The result is a loss of distinctive cultural traditions; the cultures of the world increasingly reflect U.S. culture with some national accents. You would conclude with your own statement about which side you think is stronger.

functions of the order (functionalism) theory

Manifest- open, intended (help some part of a system) ex. concern over low childbearing rate gov issues bonus $ for children born. Latent- hidden, unintended (unintended consequences that help a system adjust) ex. the bonus works and child rate increases as result sale of baby items increase. the stores that get profit were not the intended consequences. Dysfunctions- problems with operations of social structures ex gov forgot to put stopping point for the $ issued, ppl have kids to get $ and larger families = more common, more poverty.

Evaluate what is gained and lost as technology advances in society

One way to frame a response to this would be to identify a specific technology that has had a significant impact on our society and then to discuss both the gains and losses. For example, the automobile provided us with new opportunities for mobility, freeing us from the constraints of public transportation. The automobile created economic opportunities, as new industries and services opened up; car dealerships, gas stations, fast food restaurants, and malls are just a few examples. At the same time, automobiles have contributed to urban sprawl and the decline of downtown shopping areas. We have become more isolated as we travel around in our cars rather than meeting and traveling with others on public transportation. The use of automobiles has contributed to increased congestion and air pollution. Finally, you could make the argument that the automobile has contributed to cultural leveling within the U.S., as regional differences have disappeared under the spread of national businesses in malls and food chains.

slippery slope

Slippery slope arguments falsely assume that one thing must lead to another. They begin by suggesting that if we do one thing then that will lead to another, and before we know it we'll be doing something that we don't want to do. They conclude that we therefore shouldn't do the first thing. The problem with these arguments is that it is possible to do the first thing that they mention without going on to do the other things; restraint is possible. "The US shouldn't get involved militarily in other countries. Once the government sends in a few troops, it will then send in thousands to die."

what are the strengths and weaknesses of the order (functionalism) theories

Strengths: 1. It is the framework for building theories that envisions society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stablity. 2. It begins with the observation that society is structured : relationship organised in terms of rules. 3. It regards society as a system: the various parts are linked together in one form or another. 4. It believes that basic needs (functional pre-requisites) are to be met in order for society to survive. 5. Order and stability is brought about by value consensus. Weaknesses: 1. It over-emphasizes the consensus that exists in society. 2. It draws an anology between an organism and society. Organisms are biological with a natural life process and societies are not. 3. Functionalists have problem explaining social change. They believe if society exists to fulfil needs, when these needs are met there is no need to change.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the conflict theory?

The Conflict theory is the basis for Marxism and Communism, stating that inequalities in society will unavoidably lead to conflict between classes or groups of people and end with revolution and overthrow of the more privileged of the two. The strenght of the theory is that may induce the 'priviliged' classes not to let differences in wealth and/or privilege get too large. The weakness of the theory is that it is much too absolute and has proved in several cases to be simply not true. The Marxists totally expected the 'workers' of Germany and other industrialized countries to rise against the elite in their countries and it simply did not happen. It was found that negotiations between trade unions and employers and emancipation laws and measures defused tensions and led to gradual development instead of revolution.

false dilemma

The bifurcation fallacy is committed when a false dilemma is presented, i.e. when someone is asked to choose between two options when there is at least one other option available. Of course, arguments that restrict the options to more than two but less than there really are are similarly fallacious. Examples (1) Either a Creator brought the universe into existence, or the universe came into existence out of nothing. (2) The universe didn't come into existence out of nothing (because nothing comes from nothing). Therefore: (3) A Creator brought the universe into existence. The first premise of this argument presents a false dilemma; it might be thought that the universe neither was brought into existence by a Creator nor came into existence out of nothing, because it existed from eternity. Another example emerged when George W Bush launched the war on terror, insisting that other nations were either for or against America in her campaign, excluding the quite real possibility of neutrality. Complex questions are subtle forms of false dilemma. Questions such as "Are you going to admit that you're wrong?" implicitly restrict the options to either being wrong and admitting it or being wrong or not admitting it, thus excluding the option of not being wrong.

As the author points out, the United States is a pluralistic society, made up of many different groups. Discuss some of the things that are gained by living in such a society, as well as some of the problems that are created

The first thing to think about is how our national culture has been shaped by all of the different subcultures that exist within it. You could consider aspects of both material culture and nonmaterial culture that have been influenced by youth subculture, by ethnic and racial subcultures, and by occupational subcultures, to name but a few. At the same time, the presence of so many different subcultures creates the possibility for ethnocentrism and misunderstandings. Additionally, when the values of the subculture are too different from those of the mainstream culture, culture wars can develop.

Which of the following can be strongly influenced by extreme scores?

The mean

how are theory and research connected?

The relationship between theory and research is that first you much come up with a theory. Then, you research to see if you can support your theory. It is important that your research involve opposing views or your conclusion will not be accepted as unbiased. research without theory is simply a collection of unrelated facts. theory without research is abstract and empty, it cant represent the way life really is.

how does sociological analysis differ from common sense or personal experience?

The sociological imagination enables people to distinguish between personal troubles and public issues. By this perspective, people in poverty might link their personal circumstances to the social forces relevant to their present condition. the analysis goes beyond common sense (the prevailing ideas in society that "everyone knows" are true. "everyone" can be misguided today just as easily as when common sense dictated that the world was flat or that no human could walk on the moon.

why use theories?

Theory coupled with imagination can yield inventive thoughts and points of views. By further understanding our language and eliminating unworkable essence words, we can communicate without resorting to preconceived ideas based on past beliefs. Our feeling of wonder about the universe provides us the fuel for exploration; how much more magnificent the results from useful thoughts than ones based on belief or faith.

Explain each of the theoretical perspectives that are used in sociology, and describe how a sociologist who is affiliated with one or another of the perspectives might undertake a study of gangs. Discuss how all three can be used in research.

There are three major perspectives in sociology: symbolic interactionism, functional analysis, and conflict theory. Your first step is to explain the essential nature of each perspective and then to propose a research topic that would be consistent with the perspective. Because a symbolic interactionist focuses on the symbols that people use to establish meaning, develop their views of the world, and communicate with one another, in designing a research project on gangs, he or she would want to find out what meaning gangs and gang membership have for individuals who belong to them, as well as those who live in communities in which gangs operate. A functionalist, who tries to identify the functions of a particular social pattern, would choose to study what contributions gangs make within the fabric of social life and the dysfunctions of gangs. Finally, a conflict theorist would study the competition for scarce resources among gangs and between gangs and the larger society because he or she is interested in struggles over power and control within social groups. You would conclude by noting that each perspective provides an answer to an important question about the social order and that by combining them, you arrive at a more complete picture.

Explain what the sociological perspective encompasses, and then, using that perspective, discuss the forces that shaped the discipline of sociology.

There are two parts to this question. First, you are asked to define the sociological perspective. As you define this, you would want to mention the idea of social location, perhaps by bringing into your essay C. Wright Mills' observations on the connection between biography and history. Another way to explain the perspective would be to contrast sociology with other disciplines, talking about what sociology is and what it isn't. The second part of the essay involves discussing the forces that shaped sociology and its early followers. What you are being asked is to think about what was going on in the social world in the early nineteenth century that might have led to the birth of this new discipline. Referring back to the book, you would want to identify three: (1) the Industrial Revolution, (2) the political revolutions of America and France, (3) imperialism, and (4) the emergence of the scientific method. You would conclude by discussing how each of the early sociologists — Auguste Comte, Herbert Spencer, Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, and Max Weber — were influenced by these broader forces in making a contribution to sociology. You could also bring into the discussion some of the material on sexism in early sociology, noting how the ideas about the appropriate role for women in society functioned to exclude women such as Harriet Martineau and Jane Addams from the discipline, or you could talk about the emergence of sociology in North America.

bandwagon

You appealed to popularity or the fact that many people do something as an attempted form of validation. The flaw in this argument is that the popularity of an idea has absolutely no bearing on its validity. If it did, then the Earth would have made itself flat for most of history to accommodate this popular belief. (1) Increasingly, people are coming to believe that Eastern religions help us to get in touch with our true inner being. Therefore: (2) Eastern religions help us to get in touch with our true inner being. This argument commits the bandwagon fallacy because it appeals to the mere fact that an idea is fashionable as evidence that the idea is true. Mere trends in thought are not reliable guides to truth, though; the fact that Eastern religions are becoming more fashionable does not imply that they are true.

Explain cultural relativism, and discuss both the advantages and disadvantages of practicing it

You would begin your essay by defining cultural relativism and explaining that it developed in reaction to ethnocentrism. The primary advantage of this approach to looking at other cultures is that we are able to appreciate another way of life without making judgments, thereby reducing the possibilities for conflict between cultures. The primary disadvantage is that it can be used to justify any cultural practice, especially those that endanger people's health, happiness, and survival. You could conclude with a reference to Robert Edgerton's proposed "quality of life" scale.

Consider the degree to which the real culture of the United States falls short of the ideal culture. Provide concrete examples to support your essay.

Your first step is to define what real and ideal culture mean. Then you would want to refer to the core values that are identified in the text as being reflective of the ideal culture and discuss the ways in which Americans fall far short of upholding these values in their everyday. An interesting example of the difference between ideal and real culture would be the increasing value we place on leisure, yet we are working more hours than ever before, or the value we place on physical fitness, yet we are more obese and less physically fit than ever.

begging the question

a fallacy in which the premises include the claim that the conclusion is true or (directly or indirectly) assume that the conclusion is true. This sort of "reasoning" typically has the following form. ex. Bill: "God must exist." Jill: "How do you know." Bill: "Because the Bible says so." Jill: "Why should I believe the Bible?" Bill: "Because the Bible was written by God."

When everyone in your population has the same chance of being included in your research study, you are conducting:

a snowball sample.

Culture includes:

a. language. b. beliefs. c. values. d. buildings.

U.S. mainstream values- professed, practiced, both, neither?

although the united states is a pluralistic society made up of many groups each with its own set of values certain values dominate: schievement and succcess, individualism, activity and work, effciency and practicality, science and technology, progress, material comfort, equality freedom, democrazy, humanitarianism, racism and group superiority, education, religiousity and love. some values cluster togerther to form a larger whole.

appeal to authority

an argument from the fact that a person judged to be an authority affirms a proposition to the claim that the proposition is true. always deductively fallacious; even a legitimate authority speaking on his area of expertise may affirm a falsehood, so no testimony of any authority is guaranteed to be true. However, the informal fallacy occurs only when the authority cited either (a) is not an authority, or (b) is not an authority on the subject on which he is being cited. If someone either isn't an authority at all, or isn't an authority on the subject about which they're speaking, then that undermines the value of their testimony. Example: Not able to defend his position that evolution 'isn't true' Bob says that he knows a scientist who also questions evolution. ex people paid to say certain things as authority figures yet not a master in the field they are speaking about.

logical fallacies

an error of reasoning. When someone adopts a position, or tries to persuade someone else to adopt a position, based on a bad piece of reasoning, they commit a fallacy. I say "roughly speaking" because this definition has a few problems, the most important of which are outlined below. Some logical fallacies are more common than others, and so have been named and defined. Fallacious reasoning keeps us from knowing the truth, and the inability to think critically makes us vulnerable to manipulation by those skilled in the art of rhetoric.

A precise way to measure a variable is:

an operational definition.

Mores:

are essential to our core values and require conformity.

4. Feminist theories

can be used from macro to micro. view society as an arena for struggle between unequal groups (gender and sexuality) of women and men for resources and power.

Gestures:

can lead to misunderstandings and embarrassment.

causation and correlation-same?

causation means that a change in one variable is caused by another variable. three conditions are necessary for causation: correlation, temporal priority, and no spurious correlation. correlation means that two or more variables are present togerther. the more often these variables are found togertherr the stronger the relationship. ex if batterers get drunk, battering and alcohol abuse are correlated. people sometimes assume correlation is causation in this instance they conclude that alcohol abuse causes spouse abuse. but correlation never proves causation. either variable could be the cause of the other. perhaps battering upsets men and they then get drunk.

Lewis Coser pointed out that conflict is most likely to develop among people who are in _______ relationships.

close

why are youth cultures important to study? by whom and for what purposes?

corperations study young people to find out whats cool. they want to make life long customers. young people are at the forefront look at future generations.

The Ku Klux Klan is a:

counterculture.

In U.S. society, efforts to legalize same-sex marriages and the reactions to such marriages by traditionalists are an example of:

cultural war

components of culture and their importance? how do elites control?

cultures can create in group loyalities yet can also lead to discrimination against people who are differnt. language beliefs values norms and material objects that are passed from one generation to the next.

cultural relativism vs. ethnocentrism and cultural imperalism... any resolution?

ethnocentrism is people see other cultures as inferior. judging other peoples cultures becasue you have preconcieved notions of what the best culture should be. to counter our tendency to use our own culture as the standard by which we judge other cultures we can practice cultural relativism: that is we can try to understnad a culture on its own terms(nonjudgemental way)

can research be truly objective?

even though there are measures to prevent experimenter influence on participants, whether they mean to or not, there are time when objectiveness is just not completely possible to achieve when researchers have preconceived ideas of the outcome of the experiment.

2. conflict theory

founder: marx. sees society as arena of struggle, unequal groups for power & resources. social structures/institutions set up by powerful to serve their interests & protect power. ruling class uses fraud, force(threat) & co-optation(buying off other classes). systems of inequality have material base(control over resources) & ideological base(dominate worldview). not marxism

3. interactionist theory (symbolic)

founders-weber, mead, cooley, thomas. views society as the aggregate accumulation of all small group interactions that take place in it. focuses on symbols and meaning attached to them that people use in small group interactions.

1. Order (functionalism) theories

founders: comte, Durkheim, Weber. Sees society as a system of interrelated parts(social structures-family, education, economy, etc.) which hold society together. Social institutions/structures(family, education, etc) have functions (meet certain needs of groups in society) not about equality. inequality is functional

macro theories

functionalism/order, conflict theory, feminist. they explain the big picture(large groups, institutions, societies but they miss the small picture-small groups and individuals)

feminist theories focuses on

gender discrimination, sexism, homophobia, and resistance to these.

Which of the following is not of the three core values added by your textbook author, James Henslin?

happiness

Mario Brajuha refused to turn over his research notes to police because:

he was afraid for his life.

why were the missing scholars absent from U.S. sociology when they made very important contributions to the field of sociology?

in line with the times the writings of women were almost entirely ignored. example harriet had to hide her work and was known for translating comtes ideas into english. she challanged the decleration of independence saying women deserve same rights. another example was african american du bois who studied relations between white and blacks

micro theories

interactionist (symbolic), feminist. micro theories explain the small picture but miss the big picture(large groups, institutions, entire societies)

strengths of sociological theories

is how well it explains that social phenomenon that is observed

A pluralistic society:

is made up of many different groups.

weaknesses of sociological theories

is what it fails to explain or ignores about the social phenomenon that is observed

the sociological imagination what it is and how it is applied?

it helps us locate the indivudual person in relation to large social forces. it allows us to compare the relative positions of people within a society, across diff societies and over time. we can see the social forces that help to shape personal choices. sociologists look at social location, the corners in life people occupy cuz of where they are located in a society. look at how jobs, income, education, gender, age and race ethnicity affect ppls ideas and behavior.

what is a sociological theory

it is a systematic(not arbitrary) explanation of how and why(explanation/analysis) social facts(not personal or psychological) are related. like sunglasses help clarify what we are seeing. how and why social world operates.

what are the reasons for using sociological analysis?

its very broad in scope, consider all realms of human life legitimate avenues to explore and their findings sometimes challenge cherished ideas. it gets a deeper more accurate view of the social world. helps us escape from cramped persional view of human behavior.

fast food cultures-material and symbolic components

materials in fast food= food, uniforms, buildings, slogans= symbols "im loving it" mascots are both symbolic and material affordability=symbolic car culture is implicated in fast food culture.

why use sociological theory?

minimize bias. use theory to allow other researchers to get the analyses were conducted

why should we trust sociological research?

not always, the results of certain studies can be biased based on many factors.

Comte

positivism

conflict theory focuses on

power, domination, inequality and resistance to them by less powerful groups. DOES NOT TALK ABOUT GENDER. Strengths of order theory is conflict theories weakness.

To overcome distortions that values can cause, sociologists stress:

replication

The means by which the researcher collects data is __________________________.

research method

The individuals who are selected from a larger population to participate in a research study are called a ___________________________.

sample

Comte believed that the _______________________ should be applied to social life.

scientific method

culture- how would different theories be used to examine, analyze it

see how different cultures settings effect individuals in society.

interactionist theory focuses on

small group interactions and shared meanings of symbols used in communication. teaching us no problem with our society.

spencer

social darwnism

Durkheim

social integration

Income, education, gender, and race all reflect a person's:

social location

Early sociologists envisioned the success of _______________.

social reform

The _____________________ stresses the social contexts in which people are immersed and that influence their lives.

sociological perspective

western european sociology-factors that led to development

sociology in western european tradition developed out of social and political philosophy. began in western europe as a way to investigate and explain the changes in western europe as a result of imperialism, industrialization and urbanization.

____________________ is sometimes referred to as the second founder of sociology.

spencer

Order (functionalism) theories focuses on

stability(school is a means to fincial success), conformity, consensus

The valuing of youth and the disparagement of old age seems to be more urgent because of:

the baby boomers

The method you choose when doing research depends on:

the questions you want to answer.

what are ethical concerns in conducting sociological research?

the unobtrusice meansures that researchers use can be considered unethical. for example conducting research on people who do not know the research is being done to them. putting survalence on certain items, etc. people are concerned of their information becoming public. it is unethical for researchers to misrepresent themselves. say they are doing a study yet for one thing yet actually doing a study for another and not telling the person.

A ______________________ is a general statement about how some parts of the world fit together and how they work.

theory

how is society divided and unequal by gender (and more recently, sexuality)? feminist theories

through mens (and heterosexuals) control over social institutions and resources.

How is society held together? (order theory)

through shared values, which are reinforced by social institutions

how do those living in it experience society?interactionist theory

through social interactions and communication based on symbols and shared meanings.

how is society divided and unequal? conflict theory

through systems of inequality and domination such as class, race, ethnicity, age, etc.

Both Comte and Spencer were more social philosophers than sociologists.

true

Max Weber believed that sociology should be:

value free

Personal beliefs should not affect research. Research should be _______________.

value free

what questions should we always ask about any research study?

what did the research study? who funded the research study? how will the findings of the study be used? by whom?