SOC200 Midterm

Who are the four people associated with Structural-Functionalism theory?

Auguste Comte Herbert Spencer Emile Durkheim Robert K. Merton

Define Ethnomethodology

Harold Garfinkel's term for the study of the way people make sense of their everyday surroundings

What are the three ways that culture changes?

Invention Discovery Diffusion

Who are the two people associated with conflict theory?

Karl marx W.E.B. DeBois

Who are the four people associated with symbolic-interactionism theory?

Max Weber George Herbert Mead Erving Goffman George Homans and Peter Blau

Define Beliefs

Our perception of the truth

What are the three myths about rape?

Rape always involves strangers. Women provoke their attackers. Rape is simply sex.

What are the three frameworks of Sociological Investigation

Scientific Sociology Interpretive Sociology Critical Sociology

Herbert Spencer is associated with ?

Social Darwinism

Define Structural-Functionalism

Society is viewed as a complex system of parts (structures) that interact to perform various necessary functions, Shared values, norms, attitudes and beliefs. Change is disruptive

What are the four agents of socialization?

The Family The School The Peer Group The Mass Media

Define the social construction of reality

The process by which people creatively shape reality through social interaction;Situations that are defined as real are real in their consequences.

Define ideal culture

The way things should be Social patterns mandated by values and norms

Define real culture

They way things actually occur in everyday life Social patterns that only approximate cultural expectations

Define dramaturgy

a sociological perspective starting from symbolic interactionism and commonly used in microsociological accounts of social interaction in everyday life. social interaction is analyzed in terms of how people live their lives like actors performing on a stage.

7. Which of the following is an accurate criticism of the structural-functional approach? a. It ignores inequality that can generate tension and conflict. b. It focuses too much on social dysfunction. c. It focuses too much on power divisions in society. d. It is a politically liberal view of society.

a. It ignores inequality that can generate tension and conflict.

2. Which of the following concepts refers to the biological distinction between males and females? a. Sex b. Primary sex characteristics c. Gender d. Gender roles

a. Sex

6. Which theoretical approach states that the stability of U.S. society rests on core values shared by most people? a. The structural-functional approach b. The social-conflict approach c. The symbolic-interaction approach d. The sociobiology approach

a. The structural-functional approach

4. To evaluate a theory, sociologists: a. gather data or facts. b. follow the conventional wisdom of their society. c. are guided by what they personally want to be true. d. All of the above are correct.

a. gather data or facts.

7. A feminist theoretical analysis of language in the U.S. suggests that cultural patterns support ________ a. gender inequality. b. gender equality. c. a capitalist economy. d. the family system.

a. gender inequality.

1. In Mead's model, which sequence correctly orders stages of the developing self? a. imitation, play, game, generalized other b. imitation, generalized other, play, game c. imitation, game, play, generalized other d. imitation, generalized other, game, play

a. imitation, play, game, generalized other

10. Cultural change is set in motion in three general ways. What are they? a. invention, discovery, and diffusion b. invasion, invention, and experiment c. immigration, imagination, and innovation d. adaptation, integration, and immigration

a. invention, discovery, and diffusion

5. The Harlow experiments to discover the effects of social isolation on rhesus monkeys showed that _______ a. monkeys isolated for six months were highly fearful when they were returned to others of their kind. b. isolated monkeys able to cuddle artificial mothers developed normally. c. even several days of social isolation permanently damaged infant monkeys. d. prolonged isolation had little effect on infant monkeys.

a. monkeys isolated for six months were highly fearful when they were returned to others of their kind.

9. Erik H. Erikson's view of socialization states that _______ a. personality develops over the entire life course in patterned stages. b. personality involves tensions between the forces of biology and forces of culture. c. we come to see ourselves as we think others see us. d. most of our personality development takes place in childhood.

a. personality develops over the entire life course in patterned stages.

1. A reason to study sexuality using the sociological perspective is ________ a. sexuality is both an important and controversial element of social life. b. most people understand sexuality very well. c. sexuality plays a minor part in many areas of social life. d. sexuality has already been thoroughly studied.

a. sexuality is both an important and controversial element of social life.

8. The reality we construct through social interaction is likely influenced by our ________ a. social class background. b. soft reality. c. hard reality. d. spirituality.

a. social class background.

2. What concept refers to the lifelong social experience by which human beings develop their potential and learn culture? a. socialization b. personality c. human nature d. behaviorism

a. socialization

10. Based on what you have read in this chapter, you would correctly conclude that _______ a. society shapes how we think, feel, and act. b. human beings lack spontaneity and creativity,. c. human beings are locked in the prison of society. d. human beings are unwilling to change society.

a. society shapes how we think, feel, and act.

1. Which discipline defines itself as "the systematic study of human society"? a. sociology b. psychology c. economics d. history

a. sociology

6. The main characteristic of the _____ approach is its view of society as orderly and stable. a. structural-functional b. social-conflict c. social-interaction d. None of the above is correct.

a. structural-functional

5. The theoretical approach in sociology that assumes society is a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability is the: a. structural-functional approach. b. social-conflict approach. c. symbolic-interaction approach. d. None of the above is correct.

a. structural-functional approach.

7. Garfinkel's research, an approach called ethnomethodology, involves ________ a. studying the way people make sense of their everyday surroundings. b. tracking people's roles over the life course. c. the study of interaction in terms of theatrical performance. d. studying unfamiliar cultural systems.

a. studying the way people make sense of their everyday surroundings.

7. George Herbert Mead considered the self to be _______ a. the part of an individual's personality that is composed of self-awareness and self-image. b. the presence of culture within the individual. c. basic drives that are self-centered. d. present in infants at the time of their birth.

a. the part of an individual's personality that is composed of self-awareness and self-image.

7. The idea that society needs to regulate human sexuality is highlighted by ________ a. the structural-functional approach. b. the symbolic-interaction approach. c. the social-conflict approach. d. queer theory.

a. the structural-functional approach.

9. Assume that you are investigating the consequences of the incest taboo for kinship organization in a number of societies. You are using ________ a. the structural-functional approach. b. the symbolic-interaction approach. c. the social-conflict approach. d. queer theory.

a. the structural-functional approach.

6. Which of the following statements about technology is true? a. Nations with more advanced technology are always superior to nations with less advanced technology. b. Advanced technology improves life in some ways but also threatens it in other ways. c. Access to technology is evenly distributed across any society's population. d. All of the above are correct.

b. Advanced technology improves life in some ways but also threatens it in other ways.

1. __________ are rules about everyday, casual living; __________ are rules with great moral significance. a. Mores; folkways b. Folkways; mores c. Proscriptive norms; prescriptive norms d. Prescriptive norms; proscriptive norms

b. Folkways; mores

2. What concept refers to the lifelong social experience by which human beings develop their potential and learn culture? a. Socialization b. Personality c. Human nature d. Behaviorism

b. Personality

3. Which of the following concepts refers to genitals that distinguish females and males? a. Gender b. Primary sex characteristics c. Secondary sex characteristics d. Sexual chromosomes

b. Primary sex characteristics

5. Which of the following concepts refers to a person's romantic and emotional attraction to another person? a. Sex role b. Sexual orientation c. Sexual experience d. Personal transsexuality

b. Sexual orientation

5. Which concept is used to designate the process by which people creatively shape reality as they interact? a. Status interaction b. Social construction of reality c. Interactive reality d. Role reality

b. Social construction of reality

2. Which of the following concepts defines a social position that a person holds? a. Role b. Status c. Role set d. Presentation of self

b. Status

5. The dominant values of U.S. culture share which of the following? a. a deep respect for the traditions of the past b. a belief in equality of condition for all c. a belief in individuality d. All of the above are correct.

b. a belief in equality of condition for all

9. Sociologists refer to tangible or physical human creations as ________ a. nonmaterial culture. b. artifacts. c. technology. d. values.

b. artifacts.

12. The practice of understanding another culture on its own terms and using its own standards is called: a. ethnocentrism. b. cultural relativism. c. cultural diffusion. d. cultural integration.

b. cultural relativism.

5. The practice of understanding another culture on its own terms and using its own standards is called ________ a. ethnocentrism. b. cultural relativism. c. cultural diffusion. d. cultural integration.

b. cultural relativism.

5. In Freud's model of personality, which element of the personality represents a person's efforts to balance the demands of society and innate pleasure-seeking drives? a. id b. ego c. superego d. generalized other

b. ego

6. Applying Freud's thinking to a sociological analysis of personality development, you would conclude that _______ a. human behavior is basically random. b. humans have basic, self-centered drives that must be controlled by learning the ways of society. c. societies encourage people to become self-centered. d. humans can never become cultural creatures.

b. humans have basic, self-centered drives that must be controlled by learning the ways of society.

8. Mead would agree that _______ a. socialization ends with the development of self in childhood. b. if you won $100 million in a lottery, your "self" might change. c. people are puppets with little control over their lives. d. human behavior reflects both nature and nurture.

b. if you won $100 million in a lottery, your "self" might change.

2. Cars, computers, and iPhones are all examples of which of the following? a. high culture. b. material culture. c. norms. d. nonmaterial culture.

b. material culture.

3. In the nature versus nurture debate, sociologists claim that _______ a. nature is far more important than nurture. b. nurture is far more important than nature. c. nature and nurture have equal importance. d. neither nature nor nurture creates the essence of our humanity.

b. nurture is far more important than nature.

3. In the nature versus nurture debate, sociologists claim that: a. nature is far more important than nurture. b. nurture is far more important than nature. c. nature and nurture have equal importance. d. neither nature nor nurture creates the essence of our humanity.

b. nurture is far more important than nature.

7. When Cooley used the concept "looking-glass self," he meant to say that: a. people are self-centered. b. people see themselves as they think others see them. c. people see things only from their own point of view. d. our actions are a reflection of our values.

b. people see themselves as they think others see them.

9. According to Erving Goffman, we engage in a _____ when we use costumes, props, tone of voice, and gestures to convey information to others. a. role b. performance c. status d. self

b. performance

6. From a global perspective, prostitution is most common in ________ a. high-income nations, where women are free to choose their profession. b. poor nations, where women have fewer economic opportunities. c. all nations, because prostitution is found in every country to about the same extent. d. Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iran, where women have fewer choices about their lives.

b. poor nations, where women have fewer economic opportunities.

8. The "framework for building theory that sees society as an arena of inequality that generates conflict and change" is the: a. structural-functional approach. b. social-conflict approach. c. symbolic-interaction approach. d. All of the above are correct.

b. social-conflict approach.

8. The theoretical approach that highlights the link between culture and social inequality is the ________ a. structural-functional approach. b. social-conflict approach. c. symbolic-interaction approach. d. sociobiology approach.

b. social-conflict approach.

1. The tragic case of Anna, the isolated girl who was studied by Kingsley Davis, shows that _______ a. humans have most of the same instincts found in other animal species. b. without social experience, a child is incapable of thought or meaningful action. c. personality is present in humans at birth. d. many human instincts disappear after the first few years of life.

b. without social experience, a child is incapable of thought or meaningful action.

10. Which of the following questions is the focus of the symbolic-interaction approach? a. How is society held together? b. How is society divided? c. How do people experience society? d. How do some people protect their privileges?

c. How do people experience society?

10. The social-conflict approach emphasizes that ________ a. the process of reality construction is highly variable, so that one group's views of sexuality may well differ from another's. b. sexuality plays an important role when it comes to the organization of society. c. U.S. culture often depicts sexuality in terms of sport and violence, such as when we speak of men "scoring" with women, and men "hitting on" women. d. different societies attach different meanings to sexual behavior.

c. U.S. culture often depicts sexuality in terms of sport and violence, such as when we speak of men

4. The social sciences, including sociology, make the claim that _______ a. humans have instincts that guide our lives. b. biological forces underlie human culture. c. as humans, to nurture is our nature. d. Darwin's model of biological evolution explains the patterns of human culture.

c. as humans, to nurture is our nature.

2. Cultural integration refers to the fact that ________ a. U.S. society contains many cultural patterns. b. European cultural patterns dominate U.S. society. c. change in one cultural pattern is usually linked to changes in others. d. everyone in the United States shares most cultural values.

c. change in one cultural pattern is usually linked to changes in others.

7. Subculture refers to: a. a part of the population lacking culture. b. people who embrace popular culture. c. cultural patterns that set off a part of a society's population. d. people who embrace high culture.

c. cultural patterns that set off a part of a society's population.

1. What is the term for the beliefs, values, behavior, and material objects that together make up a people's way of life? a. social structure b. social system c. culture d. society

c. culture

4. Our basic drives or needs as humans are reflected in Freud's concept of: a. superego. b. ego. c. id. d. generalized other.

c. id.

11. Ethnocentrism refers to: a. people taking pride in their ethnicity. b. claiming that another culture is better than your own. c. judging another culture using the standards of your own culture. d. understanding another culture using its own standards and values.

c. judging another culture using the standards of your own culture.

4. Ethnocentrism refers to ________ a. people taking pride in their ethnicity. b. claiming that another culture is better than your own. c. judging another culture using the standards of your own culture. d. understanding another culture using its own standards and values.

c. judging another culture using the standards of your own culture.

3. Cultural transmission refers to the process of: a. cultural patterns moving from one society to another. b. using the oral tradition. c. passing cultural patterns from one generation to another. d. using writing to enshrine cultural patterns.

c. passing cultural patterns from one generation to another.

9. The social-conflict approach draws attention to: a. how elements contribute to the overall operation of society. b. how people construct meaning in their interaction. c. patterns of social inequality. d. the stable aspects of society.

c. patterns of social inequality.

10. Elements of social control in everyday life include shame, guilt, and ________ a. ideal culture. b. real culture. c. sanctions. d. material culture.

c. sanctions.

6. Mead placed the origin of the self in: a. biological drives. b. genetics. c. social experience. d. the functioning of the brain.

c. social experience.

8. Based on what you know about the history of human sexuality, once a society gains birth-control technology ________ a. social control of sexuality becomes more strict. b. families, rather than individuals, make choices about sexual partners. c. social norms regarding sexuality become more permissive. d. the incest taboo no longer is observed.

c. social norms regarding sexuality become more permissive.

6. Flirting is a playful way of seeing if someone is interested in you without risking outright rejection. Therefore, flirting provides a good illustration of ________ a. the Thomas theorem. b. the process of role exit. c. the social construction of reality. d. street smarts.

c. the social construction of reality.

Define role conflict

conflict among the roles connected to two or more statuses (Ex. police officer catches son using drugs)

8. Family is important to the socialization process because: a. family members are often what Mead called "significant others." b. families pass along to children social identity in terms of class, ethnicity, and religion. c. parents greatly affect a child's sense of self. d. All of the above are correct.

d. All of the above are correct.

2. The term "sociology" was coined in 1838 by: a. Karl Marx. b. Herbert Spencer. c. Adam Smith. d. Auguste Comte.

d. Auguste Comte.

4. Which concept refers to humans who have some combination of female and male sexual characteristics? a. Multi-sexed b. Bisexual c. Transsexual d. Intersexual

d. Intersexual

4. Alex is an honors student. In sociological terms, being an honors student is an example of ________ a. role conflict. b. master status. c. ascribed status. d. achieved status.

d. achieved status.

10. Looking at humor from a structural-functional viewpoint, jokes ________ a. tend to bring people together. b. can be a way of making one category of people feel good at the expense of another. c. are a good way of reducing conflict in society. d. are often used to relieve tension—"lightening" a situation.

d. are often used to relieve tension—"lightening" a situation.

8. Counterculture refers to: a. people who differ in some small way. b. popular culture. c. high culture. d. cultural patterns that oppose those that are widely held.

d. cultural patterns that oppose those that are widely held.

3. The spread of cultural traits from one society to another is called ________ a. immigration. b. cultural transmission. c. popular culture. d. diffusion.

d. diffusion.

1. The process by which people act and react in relation to others is called ________ a. social connectedness. b. social construction. c. social dynamics. d. social interaction.

d. social interaction.

9. The term "cultural lag" refers to the fact that: a. the rate of cultural change has been slowing. b. some societies advance faster than others do. c. some people are more cultured than others. d. some cultural elements change more quickly than others.

d. some cultural elements change more quickly than others.

3. At any given time you occupy a number of statuses. These statuses make up your ________ a. master status. b. role set. c. achieved statuses. d. status set.

d. status set.

3. A statement of how and why specific facts are related is called a(n): a. approach. b. precept. c. concept. d. theory.

d. theory.

4. Standards by which people who share culture define what is desirable, good, and beautiful are called: a. folkways. b. norms. c. mores. d. values.

d. values.

Define ethnocentrism

evaluation of other cultures according to preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of one's own culture.

Define symbolic interactionism

focus on the subjective aspects of social life, rather than on objective macro-structural aspects of social systems (A product of everyday interactions of individuals: micro-level, Explains social behavior in terms of how people interact with each other via symbols.)

Is conflict theory micro or macro

macro

Is structural functionalism macro or micro?

macro

Is symbolic interactionism micro or macro?

micro

Define Norms

rules and expectations by which a society guides the behavior of its members

Define role strain

tension among the roles connected to a single status (Ex. manager balancing concern for workers and task requirements)

Define Values

the ideas, beliefs, and attitudes about what is important that help guide the way you live

Define socialization

the lifelong process of social interaction through which individuals acquire a self-identity and the physical, mental, and social skills needed for survival in society

Define cultural relativism

the practice of judging a culture by its own standards

Define cultural transmission

the process by which one generation passes culture to the next

Define Conflict Theory

views society as an unequal system that brings about conflict and change; focuses on macro issues and supports the idea that the struggle for scarce resources holds a society together; concerned with inequality as it relates to wealth and power