Intro to Sociology - Exam II

The family, religion, education, the economy, the government (politics), mass media, sports, science and medicine, and the military are examples of __________. A. Social institutions. B. Social associations. C. Working groups. D. Informal organizations.

A. Social institutions.

Criminologist Ronald Akers's theory on deviance that suggests that both deviant behavior and conventional behavior are learned through the same social processes is called __________ theory. A. Differential reinforcement. B. Illegitimate opportunity. C. Social bond. D. Strain.

A. Differential reinforcement.

The leader of a workgroup has proposed a solution to a problem. Some group members believe that the solution will lead to negative results. However, instead of discussing their concerns, they decide not to challenge the leader's authority. The result is an unwise decision. This scenario exemplifies __________. A. Groupthink. B. A self-fulfilling prophecy. C. Collective unconsciousness. D. The iron law of oligarchy.

A. Groupthink.

Burglary, larceny-theft, motor-vehicle theft, and arson are examples of __________ crimes. A. Property. B. Public order. C. Violent. D. Organized.

A. Property.

Which of the following occurs when the expectations associated with a role are unclear? A. Role ambiguity. B. Role relationality. C. Role alienation. D. Role exception.

A. Role ambiguity.

The sociological term for any physical or social attribute or sign that devalues a person's social identity and disqualifies that person from full social acceptance is __________. A. Stigma. B. Anomie. C. Deviance. D. Alienation.

A. Stigma.

Dyads are different from triads because A. The active participation of both members is crucial to the survival of dyads. B. Members of dyads are more likely to specialize in different tasks than members of triads. C. Dyads typically have less social solidarity than triads. D. Dyads typically have more formalized leadership structures than triads.

A. The active participation of both members is crucial to the survival of dyads.

Mikayla is told repeatedly that she is not a very good student. Eventually, she comes to believe it, puts in little effort in class, and receives a poor grade. This scenario illustrates the concept of__________. A. False consciousness. B. A self-fulfilling prophecy. C. The sociological imagination. D. Civil inattention.

B. A self-fulfilling prophecy.

A number of people who may never have met one another but share a similar characteristic, such as education level, age, race, or gender, is called a(n) __________. A. Aggregate. B. Category. C. Social group. D. Primary group.

B. Category.

According to Emile Durkheim, organic solidarity is __________. A. Found predominantly in preindustrial societies. B. Characterized by interdependence and practical considerations. C. Found in intimate, primary-group relationships. D. Characterized by shared values and common social bonds.

B. Characterized by interdependence and practical considerations.

According to Erving Goffman, social interaction can be compared to a theatrical presentation in that an individual is an actor, observers are audiences, and interactions are guided by social scripts. The study of social interaction in this context is referred to as __________. A. Ethnomethodology. B. Dramaturgical analysis. C. Impression management. D. Presentational analysis.

B. Dramaturgical analysis.

A highly structured secondary group formed for the purpose of achieving specific goals in the most efficient manner is called a(n) __________. A. Ingroup. B. Formal organization. C. Reference group. D. Primary organization.

B. Formal organization.

A socioeconomically disadvantaged teenager decides that she must resort to crime to buy some clothes she wants. In the context of Merton's types of social adaptation, the teenager's behavior is an example of __________. A. Ritualism. B. Innovation. C. Rebellion. D. Retreatism.

B. Innovation.

People engage in civil inattention in an elevator, regardless of where the elevator is located. This illustrates that meanings shared across situations serve to regulate the form and process of interaction, but not the content. Which of the following terms refers to this pattern? A. Mechanical solidarity. B. Interaction order. C. Impression management. D. Patterned interaction.

B. Interaction order.

Freida had been planning to buy a car and found a website that sells cars at low prices. The website claimed that she would receive the car in less than a week of making the payment. She found a car that matched all her requirements and completed the payment immediately because she did not want to lose the deal. However, she did not receive the car even after weeks of completing the payment. Which of the following crimes does this scenario most likely exemplify? A. Public order crime. B. Internet crime. C. Corporate crime. D. Organized crime.

B. Internet crime.

Which of the following terms refers to the social cohesion found in industrial societies in which people perform very specialized tasks and feel united by their mutual dependence? A. Collective solidarity. B. Organic solidarity. C. Specialized solidarity. D. Mechanical solidarity.

B. Organic solidarity.

Sean is a member of The Artists, a theater club in his college. Despite performing well, his club has lost many theater competitions to Rendezvous, a rival theater club. As a result, Sean feels hostile toward the members of Rendezvous. In this context, Rendezvous is an example of a(n) __________. A. Ingroup. B. Outgroup. C. Aggregate. D. Reference group.

B. Outgroup.

When police officers single out African Americans and Latin Americans during criminal investigations and subject them to discriminatory treatment, the police officers engage in __________. A. "Hands-on" policing. B. Racial profiling. C. Community-oriented policing. D. Selective incapacitation.

B. Racial profiling.

Katy is a member of the literature club in her college, but she neither accepts nor follows the values and norms of the club. She, however, follows the norms and values portrayed by the members of her college sorority because she is a member. In this scenario, Katy's college sorority is most likely an example of a(n) __________. A. Primary group. B. Reference group. C. Outgroup. D. Ingroup.

B. Reference group.

People who cannot obtain wealth may nevertheless seek to maintain the respect of others by being hard workers or honest individuals. In the context of Merton's types of social adaptation, this best exemplifies __________. A. Conformity. B. Ritualism. C. Retreatism. D. Innovation.

B. Ritualism.

Which of the following occurs when people disengage from social roles that have been central to their self-identity? A. Social rejection. B. Role exit. C. Role ambiguity. D. Role distancing.

B. Role exit.

A person may shoplift an item of clothing from a department store and be apprehended and labeled as a "thief," subsequently accept that label, and then go on to shoplift more in the future. This future behavior is an example of __________ deviance. A. Primary. B. Secondary. C. Tertiary. D. Career.

B. Secondary.

An organizational model characterized by a hierarchy of authority, a clear division of labor, explicit rules and procedures, and impersonality in personnel matters is called a(n) __________. A. Monarchy. B. Anarchy. C. Bureaucracy. D. Democracy.

C. Bureaucracy.

Ali is pursuing a medical degree at one of the best universities in the United States. He wants to become a successful surgeon and works hard to excel at what he does. In the context of Merton's types of social adaptation, Ali most likely subscribes to __________. A. Retreatism. B. Innovation. C. Conformity. D. Ritualism.

C. Conformity.

A homeless man appears at the door of a shelter 10 minutes after the deadline for intake. He is refused shelter for the night because he arrived late. In the context of the problems that arise within bureaucracies as a result of strict adherence to rules and regulations, this scenario exemplifies __________. A. Anomie. B. Trained incapacity. C. Goal displacement. D. Ethnocentrism.

C. Goal displacement.

In the context of conflict perspectives on deviance, which of the following statements is true about the critical approach? A. It is based on the assumption that society maintains order by punishing deviant behavior and reaffirming its commitment to social rules. B. It posits that a certain amount of deviance ensures balance in society and contributes to the smooth functioning of society. C. It is based on the assumption that the criminal justice system protects the power and privilege of the capitalist class. D. It primarily focuses on explaining the relationship between illegitimate opportunity structures and various forms of deviant behavior.

C. It is based on the assumption that the criminal justice system protects the power and privilege of the capitalist class.

Which of the following statements is true about rational choice theory? A. It suggests that most acts of crime are impulsive and that most people who commit crimes engage in random acts of antisocial behavior. B. It is based on the assumption that the primary participants in deviant and criminal behavior are people in the lower classes. C. It suggests that most people who commit crimes make careful decisions based on weighing the available information regarding situational and personal factors. D. It is based on the assumption that criminal tendency is innate and that people cannot be taught not to engage in crime.

C. It suggests that most people who commit crimes make careful decisions based on weighing the available information regarding situational and personal factors.

Which of the following terms refers to a set of behavioral expectations associated with a given status? A. Value. B. Position. C. Role. D. Character.

C. Role.

Amber is a first-grade teacher, a daughter, a wife, a mother, a Presbyterian, a soccer coach, and a Kansas resident. Taken together, all of these socially defined positions constitute her status __________. A. Diagram. B. Category. C. Set. D. Grouping.

C. Set.

Who among the following managers is most likely an authoritarian leader? A. Diana, who encourages discussion among her team members and consults with them before making any important group decision. B. Alexis, who is supportive of the suggestions of his team members and makes all decisions only after getting a consensus from them. C. Steve, who makes all major group decisions without asking for inputs from his team members and demands their compliance. D. Ethan, who is only minimally involved with his team members and leaves them to make their own decisions even in times of crisis.

C. Steve, who makes all major group decisions without asking for inputs from his team members and demands their compliance.

Which of the following terms refers to a social position a person assumes voluntarily as a result of personal choice, merit, or direct effort? A. Universal status. B. Central status. C. Ascribed status. D. Achieved status.

D. Achieved status.

Which of the following theories states that deviance is a socially constructed process in which social control agencies designate certain people as deviants and they, in turn, come to accept the tag placed upon them and begin to act accordingly? A. Differential association theory. B. Social control theory. C. Strain theory. D. Labeling theory.

D. Labeling theory.

True or False: Unlike secondary groups, primary groups are large groups in which members engage in goal-oriented relationships for a limited period of time.

False; Unlike primary groups, secondary groups are large groups in which members engage in goal-oriented relationships for a limited period of time.

True or False: In the context of leadership functions from a functionalist perspective, expressive leadership is task-oriented, whereas instrumental leadership provides emotional support for members.

False; In the context of leadership functions from a functionalist perspective, instrumental leadership is task-oriented, whereas expressive leadership provides emotional support for members.

True or False: Large groups typically have more social solidarity than small groups.

False; Large groups typically have less social solidarity than small groups.

True or False: The relative size of a group is the number of members the group actually has, and the absolute size is the number of potential members.

False; The absolute size of a group is the number of members the group actually has, and the relative size is the number of potential members.

True or False: An individual's perception about the meaning of a situation depends on his or her unique personal experiences. For example, unlike men, women often do not perceive street encounters to be routine rituals because of fear for their personal safety.

True; An individual's perception about the meaning of a situation depends on his or her unique personal experiences. For example, unlike men, women often do not perceive street encounters to be routine rituals because of fear for their personal safety.

True or False: External social control involves the use of negative sanctions that proscribe certain behaviors and set forth the punishments for rule breakers and nonconformists.

True; External social control involves the use of negative sanctions that proscribe certain behaviors and set forth the punishments for rule breakers and nonconformists.

True or False: Foucault's research on deviance and social control indicates that power, knowledge, and social control are intertwined.

True; Foucault's research on deviance and social control indicates that power, knowledge, and social control are intertwined.