Sociology Chapter One

The most significant criticism of structural functionalism is that it

tends to argue that any social feature that exists must serve a function.

What is the sociological imagination?

the ability to understand the interplay between the self and larger social forces

The theory of positivism contrasted earlier religious traditions that attempted to determine the ultimate cause or source of reality. Why did Auguste Comte develop it?

to identify laws, such as those in mathematics and physics, that describe the behavior of a particular reality

The phrase "the survival of the fittest" is credited to whom?

Herbert Spencer

What is a weakness of the sociological approach?

It attempts to grasp things that everyday actors understand implicitly.

Example of rationalization

The Egg McMuffin is a vastly more efficient version of eggs Benedict. Egg McMuffins are cheaper, ready almost instantly at drive-through windows, and can be eaten with one hand while driving. However, they do not improve on the taste of or experience eating eggs Benedict.

Macrosociology and microsociology approach the study of society from different perspectives. How does the discipline of sociology deal with these two very different approaches?

These two perspectives are on a continuum, and sociologists can adopt the perspective most useful for a particular problem.

A paradigm is

a set of assumptions, theories, and perspectives that makes up a way of understanding social reality.

Why did C. Wright Mills think that it is important for everyone, even people who will never take a sociology class, to develop a sociological imagination?

Many people are unaware of the connections between their own lives and the larger course of history.

Symbolic interactionism argues that people act toward things on the basis of their meaning. According to this perspective, how does meaning arise?

Meaning is negotiated through interaction with others.

Macrosociology is an approach that

examines large-scale social structures to see how they affect individual lives.

Regardless of their various approaches to social phenomena, what are all sociologists aiming to accomplish with their work?

illuminating the connection between the individual and society

According to Marx, the primary tool for the oppression of the lower social classes in modern society is

industrial capitalism

Sociology can be defined as the systematic and scientific study of human society and social behavior from ________ to ________.

large-scale institutions; individual interactions

What is one of the weaknesses of being an everyday actor when it comes to understanding everyday life?

making assumptions and failing to investigate or verify those assumptions

rationalization

refers to the process by which modern society has increasingly become concerned with: Efficiency: achieving the maximum results with a minimum amount of effort. Predictability: a desire to predict what will happen in the future.

According to C. Wright Mills, what is one quality of mind that all great sociologists possess?

sociological imagination