Sociology Quiz 1

Max has developed the hypothesis that the stress felt by unemployed men increases the probability of spousal abuse. In this case, stress would be considered the ________ variable and spousal abuse would be considered the ________ variable.

independent; dependent

The contemporary conflict sociologist who pointed out that conflict is most likely to develop among people in close relationships was ________.

Lewis Coser

The sociologist responsible for suggesting the connection between history and biography to explain the sociological imagination was ________.

Wright Mills

Which of the following examination formats is most likely to incorporate closed-ended questions?

a multiple-choice exam

Functionalists refer to how parts of a society fit together to form a whole as ________.

a structure

Dr. Zak is trying to determine what traits, if any, high-achieving students have that students who do poorly on his exams do not possess. To assess personal information from both groups of students, what research method should Dr. Zak probably use?

a survey

Which of the following research errors is less likely to be classified as fraud and more likely to be considered as simply sloppy work?

analyzing the data incorrectly

Dr. Zahn's academic interest is analyzing various aspects of society and publishing his findings in sociological journals. In view of this, Dr. Zahn is considered to be a(n) ________ sociologist.

basic (or pure)

The titles Karl Marx used to describe the two classes in society were the ________ and the ________.

bourgeoisie; proletariat

According to Max Weber, the Protestant ethic was a central factor in the birth of

capitalism

In an experiment, one group of participants is exposed to treatment, another is exposed to an application identified to them as treatment, and another is not exposed to any treatment. In such a procedure, the participants who are not exposed to any form of treatment, either genuine or false, are classified as the ________ group.

control

In addition to choosing the appropriate research method, sociologists must follow research _______ to achieve truth, honesty, and openness.

ethics

Which of the following elements did C. Wright Mills attribute as being the one that sociologists would use to explain individual behavior?

external influence

What is another term used to describe the research method called participant observation?

fieldwork

People all over the world, including college students, are breaking down national boundaries because of advances in communication, trade, and travel. This is referred to as

globalization

When reading a table, a comment located just below the title that gives more detailed information on how the data was collected or how the data are presented is called a ________.

headnote

A statement that describes how variables are expected to be related to one another, often according to predictions from a theory, is known as a

hypothesis

The Wall Street Journal has declared that the three greatest modern thinkers were ________, ________, and ________.

Karl Marx; Sigmund Freud; Albert Einstein

Which of the following statements is the best example of a hypothesis?

"Unemployed men are more likely to commit spousal abuse than employed men."

During his career, Anthony has worked as a juvenile police officer, corrections counselor in a state prison, and executive director of an urban redevelopment program. In view of this, which description best describes Anthony's career path?

Anthony has been an applied sociologist.

The first person to propose that the scientific method could be applied to the study of social life was ________.

Auguste Comte

The two sociologists who referred to society as being a kind of living organism were _______ and ________

Auguste Comte; Herbert Spencer

The sociologist who developed the concept of the power elite was ________

C. Wright Mills

"Research bias" and "research fraud" are concepts that can be used interchangeably because they are virtually identical.

False

Applying the scientific method to the social world is called empiricism.

False

Booker T. Washington was the first African American to earn a doctorate degree from Harvard University.

False

Commonsense ideas are the best topics to choose for sociological research, because they represent "what everyone knows."

False

Frances Perkins, a sociologist, won the Nobel Prize for her work with the homeless in Hull-House.

False

If two variables have a perfect correlation, they will be represented by a correlation coefficient of zero.

False

Karl Marx thought of himself as a classical sociologist, a label that greatly influenced his theories on class conflict.

False

Researchers are violating people's privacy when gathering information from Facebook because the Internet is technically a private domain

False

Sociologists have always agreed that the most important goal of sociology is to generate social change.

False

The corners of life that people occupy such as jobs, income, education, gender, age, and race are referred to as the social imperative.

False

The first step in the research model is to formulate a hypothesis.

False

Why did a number of sociologists think Laud Humphreys' research on tearooms was unethical?

He did not identify himself as a researcher.

The theorist who is sometimes referred to as "the second founder of sociology" was ________.

Herbert Spencer

What is the defining characteristic of a random sample?

It gives each person in the population of interest an equal chance of being chosen.

There is a high correlation between the number of Americans who pay income tax in the month of April and the number of swimsuits sold. Which of the following statements is the best description of this relationship?

It is a spurious relationship.

In research, to generalize one's findings to a total population, what is the most important quality that the sample must possess?

It must be representative of the total population.

What is the major problem with using participant observation as a research tool?

It often leads to findings that lack generalizability.

Michael is going to survey members of the gay and lesbian student union and gather data on their personal lives, interests, and demographics to develop a profile of their membership. To be most successful and receive the most valid responses, what should Michael do?

Michael should begin the questionnaire by asking neutral questions.

Which sociological perspectives are best to use in developing an accurate understanding of society?

No single perspective is best, so all three must be utilized.

Max Weber referred to the self-denying approach to life characterized by people living frugal lives and saving their money as the ________.

Protestant ethic

Which of the following represents a correct sequence of steps in the research process?

Select a topic, review the literature, collect the data, share the results.

Juanita is conducting survey research for the Colgate-Palmolive Company. The company recently sent several cases of personal-sized toothpaste to Dr. Yankum as a part of a promotion. Juanita is surveying patients as they leave Dr. Yankum's office to ask if the dentist gave them any hygiene items to continue quality dental care. Juanita has discovered that practically every patient received Colgate and has concluded in her report that dentists prefer Colgate toothpaste over other brands. What flaw exists in Juanita's research?

She is using a biased sample to collect her data.

What distinction did sociologist Frances Perkins hold in American history?

She was the first woman to hold a presidential cabinet position.

The American sociologist who focused on social analysis, developing abstract models showing how parts of society harmoniously work together, was ________.

Talcott Parsons

A correlation simply means that two or more variables are present together

True

According to Max Weber, the "sign" Calvinists looked for as an indication they were saved was their successful investment in capital.

True

C. Wright Mills urged American sociologists to concentrate on social reform, developing the concept of the power elite to illustrate how top leaders of business, politics, and the military were an imminent threat to American freedom.

True

Despite her acclaimed research on social life, until recently Harriet Martineau was best known for translating Comte's works on sociology into English.

True

For an independent variable to be the cause of an event, it must precede that which is changed (the dependent variable).

True

Interviewer bias may occur because of a researcher's sex, race, or perceived ethnicity.

True

One of the liabilities in using the participant observation as a research method is that findings are difficult to generalize.

True

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

True

Sociologists who use the functionalist perspective stress how industrialization and urbanization have undermined the traditional functions of the family.

True

The individuals that are intended to represent the population to be studied are referred to as the sample

True

When sociologists Diana Scully and Joseph Marolla (1984, 2014) interviewed convicted rapists in prison they were concerned that the prisoners might shift their answers depending on which researcher was interviewing them because one was male and one was female. They were concerned that gender might lead to

interviewer bias.

College provides a haven for several million potential workers who are classified as "students" rather than "unemployed," which helps stabilize the job market. This situation represents what Merton would describe as a ________.

latent function

Cindy is interested in how the movement of Maytag production plants and other industries from the Midwest to Mexico has changed the lives of thousands of unemployed workers and their communities. Cindy is conducting a ________ analysis.

macro-level

The methodical and exacting process by which a researcher measures a variable is known as ________.

operational definition

Precise ways to measure variables in research so that comparisons can be made and replications can later be done are referred to as ________.

operational definitions

Jarod is conducting research on the homeless. For six weeks, he has lived among the homeless "24/7," sleeping on the street or at a shelter, and engaging in the same activities as the population he is studying. By doing so, Jarod has been able to gather a broad understanding of the homeless, their needs, and characteristics. In view of this, Jarod is using ________ as a method of gathering data.

participant observation

Matthew is completing his master's thesis, which addresses the culture of outlaw motorcycle gangs. For the past six months, he has been riding with a gang, observing and describing behaviors in an attempt to present a view of these groups from a gang member's perspective. Like Mario Brajuha, he is determined to keep the identities of his subjects confidential. Which research method is Matthew employing?

participant observation

The feeling of trust that researchers establish with their respondents is referred to as

rapport

The French sociologist Emile Durkheim is most identified with which of the following areas of study?

social integration

When sociologists' group people into categories based on their age, gender, educational level, job, and income, they are trying to determine

social location

Which research method involves collecting data by having people answer a series of questions?

survey

Sociologists who analyze how social life depends on the ways that people define themselves and others are most likely ________.

symbolic interactionists

In experimental research, the variable that is the cause of change (the independent variable) must precede that which is changed (the dependent variable). This condition is called

temporal priority

What was the social event that most influenced Auguste Comte to explore patterns within society and become interested in what holds society together?

the French Revolution

Dr. Zimbardo is examining the effect that pornographic movies have on the ways in which single men respond to the needs of women. He has one group of men watch pornographic films and another watch Three Stooges episodes. He then tests their reactions to women in need by showing them short film clips and following up with a series of questions. What research method is Dr. Zimbardo using?

the experiment

Using Facebook to study the race-ethnicity of friendships among college students would be an example of which research method?

the experiment

What is the use of objective and systematic observation to test theories, one that is often employed by sociologists?

the scientific method

Steve and Naomi are counting the empty whiskey bottles in trashcans to measure the level of whiskey consumption in town. These researchers are using a method of research referred to as ________.

unobtrusive measures