Chapter 1 Assessment : Understanding Sociology

A theory is not an absolute, final statement about human behavior. Why not? A. As more information becomes available, the theory will be modified to provide a better explanation. B. A theory is just a guess, and someone always comes up with another guess to replace the most recent one. C. No sociologist is smart enough to produce a theory that is absolutely correct. D. As time goes by, we change our ideological beliefs about things and change our theories to match our new beliefs.

A. As more information becomes available, the theory will be modified to provide a better explanation.

Which of the following statements about W. E. B. DuBois's beliefs is true? A. DuBois believed Blacks needed full political rights to progress socially and economically. B. DuBois believed that religious beliefs blocked economic progress for Blacks. C. DuBois, though he was Black, believed in upholding the status quo. D. DuBois was a strong supporter of theorist Herbert Spencer.

A. DuBois believed Blacks needed full political rights to progress socially and economically.

While Marx lived in exile in Paris, France, he met _____, with whom he formed a lifelong friendship. A. Friedrich Engels B. Herbert Spencer C. Auguste Comte D. Max Weber

A. Friedrich Engels

Which of the following statements about sociological approaches are true? (Choose every correct answer.) A. No one sociological approach is correct by itself. B. Sociologists draw on all of the approaches for various purposes. C. Sociologists choose their approach based on the results they desire for a particular study. D. Sociologists tend to attack every approach except the one they prefer.

A. No one sociological approach is correct by itself. B. Sociologists draw on all of the approaches for various purposes.

Which of the following sociologists contributed to the discipline by successfully combining theory and research in his sociological work? A. Robert Merton B. Robert Merton C. Pierre Bourdieu D. Charles Horton Cooley

A. Robert Merton

Cow worship in Indian society, a provision of which prohibits eating beef, is a functioning part of that country's society for which of the following reasons? A. The cow produces dung used for cooking fuel and fertilizer. B. The cow meat is coveted for its much-needed protein. C. The cow provides a means of producing milk. D. The cow is used for plowing fields.

A. The cow produces dung used for cooking fuel and fertilizer. C. The cow provides a means of producing milk. D. The cow is used for plowing fields.

Unlike other sociological disciplines, ______ sociology is less concerned with practical applications and instead aims for a deeper understanding of the fundamental aspects of social issues. A. basic B. applied C. clinical D. medical

A. basic

An interactionist sociologist would be likely to study which of the following? (Choose every correct answer.) A. behavior in small groups B. the effects of social institutions on social stability (this is a grand social issue) C. how workers communicate on the job D. the role of gender and race in social inequality (this is a grand social issue)

A. behavior in small groups C. how workers communicate on the job

The division of an individual's identity into two or more social realities is known as _______ and is a term coined by W. E. B. DuBois. A. double consciousness B. dual realities C. double vision D. bipolar vision

A. double consciousness e.g. experience of being Black in White America

Charles Horton Cooley studied society from a sociological perspective but focused on ______. A. families and other small groups B. functions and dysfunctions C. conflict between the social classes D. large, abstract social institutions

A. families and other small groups (gangs, friendship networks)

Which of the following forms of symbolic interaction are forms of nonverbal communication? (Choose every correct answer.) A. gestures B. facial expressions C. postures D. arguments

A. gestures B. facial expressions C. postures

Sociologists have identified additional levels of research beyond those that Robert Merton used. These include which of the following? A. global sociology B. functional sociology C. microsociology D. macrosociology E. mesosociology

A. global sociology - makes comparisons among nations, typically using entire societies as the unit of analysis E. mesosociology - intermediate level of analysis embracing study of formal organizations and social movements

Charles Horton Cooley pursued the discipline of sociology by studying which of the following? A. group of friends B. families C. governments D. corporations

A. group of friends B. families

Jane Addams did which three of the following? A. helped create a women's trade union B. helped industrial leaders work together C. helped people establish successful farms D. helped prevent racial segregation in Chicago public schools E. helped establish a juvenile court system

A. helped create a women's trade union D. helped prevent racial segregation in Chicago public schools E. helped establish a juvenile court system

A good theory ______. A. is both explanatory and predictive B. is both systematic and conclusive C. is explanatory but not predictive D. confirms what people already believe

A. is both explanatory and predictive

Durkheim worried that ______ posed a danger for modern industrial societies. A. isolation and loneliness B. population growth C. wealth distribution D. labor unions

A. isolation and loneliness

Durkheim concluded that social and economic changes lead to higher suicide rates. This type of theory has predictive power because ______. A. it suggests that the suicide rate will rise or fall as those social changed occur B. it was based on visions of the future C. there is no way to tell what might make the rate go up or down in the future D. Durkheim predicted that there would one day be no suicide at all

A. it suggests that the suicide rate will rise or fall as those social changed occur

Marx's view of society describes social institutions as a means of _______. A. keeping some groups subservient to others. B. maintaining functional social order. (conflict theorists are interested in how social institutions may help to maintain the privileges of some groups and keep others in a subservient position. C. improving society gradually over time. D. distributing power equally throughout society (conflict theorists are interested in how social institutions may help to maintain the privileges of some groups and keep others in a subservient position)

A. keeping some groups subservient to others.

If sociologists were studying the social ranking of women in a sorority using Weber's verstehen, they would likely do which of the following? (Choose every correct answer.) A. learn how sorority members relate to other members of differing status B. examine nightmares the women experienced during childhood C. consider the women's beliefs and attitudes D. examine the women's grades, social skills, or seniority within the sorority

A. learn how sorority members relate to other members of differing status C. consider the women's beliefs and attitudes D. examine the women's grades, social skills, or seniority within the sorority

Which of the following are examples of something a clinical sociologist might do? A. restructure a medical center B. family therapy C. prescribe a drug therapy with weekly therapy sessions D. micromanage a business

A. restructure a medical center B. family therapy

When you are offered a job because your uncle's best friend owns the company, you are benefiting from what sociologist Pierre Bourdieu referred to as A. social capital B. micro-level capital C. cultural capital D. double consciousness

A. social capital

According to French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, the collective benefit of social networks, which are built on reciprocal trust, is known as ______. A. social capital B. social reform C. the status quo D. technical capital

A. social capital importance of family and friendship networks in providing people with an opportunity to advance

Parsons's functionalist theory rests upon the idea that ______. A. social components work together to maintain society B. sociologists should understand society as a result of small-group interactions (symbolic interactionists study small-group interaction) C. those with power constrain those without (conflict theory) D. clashes within society result in the strong surviving (Herbert Spencer)

A. social components work together to maintain society

Comparing the life of a company president or CEO with a dishwasher or taxi driver shows us glaring examples of ______. A. social inequality B. theory C. sociological imagination D. anomie social inequality

A. social inequality

Auguste Comte advocated for a systematic study of social behavior that he believed would lead to more rational human interactions, calling it ______. A. sociology B. human psychosis C. metaphysics D. psychology

A. sociology

Sociology is a science because ______. A. sociology involves organized, systematic observation B. it was started by physicists C. the people who study sociology have to go to school for a long time D. studying individuals lifestyles adds to society's problem

A. sociology involves organized, systematic observation

To go beyond individual personal experiences and observations to gain an understanding of broader public issues, such as realizing that divorce is not a personal problem but a societal issue, requires using ______. A. the sociological imagination B. materials science C. common sense D. the concept of the self

A. the sociological imagination

A set of statements that seeks to explain social problems, actions, or behaviors is called a sociological ______. A. theory B. experiment C. hypothesis D. survey

A. theory

Why did Marx leave his homeland of Germany? A. He wanted to embrace the academic institutions of France. B. A paper he wrote in Germany was suppressed (censored). C. He was retiring from a successful academic career. D. England was the hotbed of intellectual writing at that time.

B. A paper he wrote in Germany was suppressed (censored). The Communist Manifesto

Harriet Martineau contributed to the study of sociology by translating the writings of which early French philosopher of sociology into English? A. Emile Durkheim B. Auguste Comte C. Herbert Spencer D. Karl Marx (most of his writings were published in English by his partner Engels)

B. Auguste Comte

Which of the following early social thinkers created the term sociology? A. Emile Durkheim B. Auguste Comte C. Karl Marx D. Max Weber

B. Auguste Comte

The concept of the sociological imagination was developed by ______. A. Karl Marx B. C. Wright Mills C. Max Weber D. W.E.B. Du Bois

B. C. Wright Mills

Comparing everyday life to theater and stage, the dramaturgical approach to sociology was made popular by ______. A. Karl Marx B. Erving Goffman C. Robert Merton D. C. Wright Mills

B. Erving Goffman

Which sociologist is widely considered to be the founder of the interactionist perspective? A. Emile Durkheim (founder of the functionalist perspective) B. George Herbert Mead C. Karl Marx (founder of the conflict perspective) D. Jane Addams ( founder of "applied" or "interpretive" sociology, not symbolic interactionism)

B. George Herbert Mead

Which English sociologist wrote the first book on sociological research methods? A. Max Weber (german) B. Harriet Martineau C. Herbert Spencer D. Auguste Comte (french, created term sociology)

B. Harriet Martineau Martineau wrote the first book entirely dedicated to discussing the research methods sociologists should use.

Although sociologists draw on all approaches for various purposes, they do tend to favor one particular perspective over others. Which of the following statements about this tendency is true? A. It creates irrelevant research results. B. It influences their choice of what to study and how to study it. C. It results in a broad and general view with no specifics. D. It favors the functionalist perspective.

B. It influences their choice of what to study and how to study it.

Which of the following illustrate the level of globalization in our world today? A. An American chain restaurant putting local diners out of business in a small U.S. small-town B. Unemployment in the U.S. caused by production shifting overseas C. Worldwide economic downturn in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks D. Rock songs by Australian artists recorded by American record companies owned by Japanese corporations E. Changes in U.S. gas prices caused by oil production fluctuations in the Middle East

B. Unemployment in the U.S. caused by production shifting overseas C. Worldwide economic downturn in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks D. Rock songs by Australian artists recorded by American record companies owned by Japanese corporations E. Changes in U.S. gas prices caused by oil production fluctuations in the Middle East globalization - worldwide integration of government policies, culture, social movements, and financial markets through trade and the exchange of ideas

Emile Durkheim ignored accepted explanations of the causes of suicide and instead relied on which of the following? A. common sense B. careful scientific research C. divine inspiration D. the opinions of those he trusted

B. careful scientific research

Sociologist Jane Addams cared for immigrants entering the United States, specifically those migrating to ______. A. farmlands B. cities C. coastal areas D. suburbs

B. cities Reason: Addams lived in Chicago and focused her energies there.

Which theoretical perspective best helps shed light on the tensions and problems society faces? A. functionalist B. conflict C. libertarian D. interactionist

B. conflict

The ______ proposes that social behavior can best be understood by looking at tension between groups over power or the allocation of resources. A. functionalist perspective (interested in functions and benefits, not power and conflict) B. conflict perspective C. dramaturgical approach D. interactionist perspective

B. conflict perspective

Which sociological perspective has as its central tenet that gender inequality is central to all behavior and organization? A. transgender B. feminist C. misogynist D. functionalist

B. feminist

Natural science is the study of the physical features of nature and the ways in which they interact and change. Which of the following are examples of natural science? (Choose every correct answer.) A. history B. geology C. anthropology D. biology

B. geology D. biology

The conflict perspective focuses on A. interaction between individuals within society (symbolic interactionists) B. inequality of power and the tension between groups. C. ways to increase efficiency within corporations. D. the interrelated functions of social units (functionalists)

B. inequality of power and the tension between groups.

What does Robert Merton call someone who engages in deviant behavior in order to achieve socially approved goals? A. retreatists B. innovators C. ritualists D. rebels

B. innovators who accept the goal of pursuing material wealth but use illegal means to do so.

Examining social problems through smaller groups and more intimate settings would be an example of which of the following? A. macrosociology (focuses on society as a whole, not small groups) B. microsociology C. minisociology D. introspection (thinking quietly, usually about oneself. It has nothing to do with sociological research)

B. microsociology

Herbert Spencer argued that social change would eventually happen on its own and opposed taking action for immediate social change. For this reason, Spencer was most accepted by ______. A. the working class and poor immigrants B. people in position of power or influence B. academia D. politicians and activists supporting emancipations of slaves

B. people in position of power or influence

According to Durkheim's research, which of the following people are least likely to commit suicide? A. people who lead more solitary lives B. people socially connected to others C. newly divorced people D. people without religious affiliations

B. people socially connected to others

The study of society from the perspective of a broad spectrum of sexual identities is known as ______. A. nonverbal communication B. queer theory C. conflict theory D. double consciousness

B. queer theory

The systematic study of human groups and social behavior is referred to as A. anthropology (people's way of life) B. sociology C. physics D. psychology (individual human behavior)

B. sociology

Social science is the study of human interaction and change. Which of the following are examples of social science? A. physics B. sociology C. anthropology D. astronomy

B. sociology C. anthropology

How are the findings of sociologists different from common sense? A. they deal with facets of everyday life B. such finding have been tested by researchers C. they are based on commonly held beliefs D. they focus on human behavior

B. such finding have been tested by researchers

Marx and Engels, writing in The Communist Manifesto, were concerned about which of the following? A. the cooperation between the wealthy and the poor ( There was no cooperation between the wealthy and the poor when the manifesto was written. Wealthy company owners paid as little as possible for dirty, dangerous, exhausting work.) B. the domination of the poor by the wealthy C. the way in which the government overprotected the poor (Governments did virtually nothing to protect the poor when the manifesto was published in 1848. That is why death by accident and starvation were so common) D. the positive and uplifting role of religion in society (Marx and Engels argued that religion lent legitimacy to the system of economic exploitation and therefore stood in the way of real progress.)

B. the domination of the poor by the wealthy

Marx and Engels authored The Communist Manifesto, wherein they argued that ______. A. the weak should perish so that the strong could thrive B. the proletariat workers should unite and overthrow the capitalists C. capitalists should continue to dominate the proletariat D. government should continue to dominate the proletariat masses

B. the proletariat workers should unite and overthrow the capitalists argued that the wealthy would perish and the workers would survive workers can oversee themselves and do not need a government to do so. proletariat - masses of people with no resources other than their labor

Sociologists will accept something as fact under which of the following conditions? A. "everyone knows it" B. they test, record, and analyze data C. common sense says it must be true D. scientific studies confirm it

B. they test, record, and analyze data C. scientific studies confirm it

W. E. B. DuBois advocated research on the lives of which of the following? A. wealthy white farmers B. urban Blacks C. rural whites D. religious leaders

B. urban Blacks

Which of the following best describes the interactionist perspective? A. It analyzes patterns of human behavior viewing humans as independent, individual beings. B. It analyzes large-scale, society-wide patterns of behavior. C. It generalizes about everyday forms of social interaction in order to explain society as a whole. D. It uses research data focused on ethnic groups.

C. It generalizes about everyday forms of social interaction in order to explain society as a whole.

Crime is generally viewed as a dysfunction in society, but the criminal justice system employs millions of people to keep crime in check. Therefore, the dysfunction of crime ______. A. will ultimately destroy our society B. is the result of defective individuals within society C. also serves functions for society D. should be eliminated completely

C. also serves functions for society

Which of the following best describes the sociological imagination? A. a view of society through the theories of biology B. imagining what the world would be like without sociology C. an awareness of the relationship between individuals and the society they live in D. a study of the way nations clash with one another

C. an awareness of the relationship between individuals and the society they live in

Weber identified various characteristics of bureaucracy in order to provide a standard for measuring how bureaucratic an actual organization is. He called this standard ______. A. rationalization (Rationalization is the process of making society less personal and more bureaucratic) B. anomie (sense of feeling disconnected) C. an ideal type (hypothetical examples that illustrate something real - construct or model for evaluating specific cases) D. model behavior

C. an ideal type

Durkheim believed that the growing division of labor in industrial societies caused laborers to become more specialized in their tasks, leading to a loss of direction he called ______. A. capitalism B. functionalism C. anomie D. verstehen

C. anomie

Which of the following refers to Durkheim's notion on the loss of direction felt by individuals when social control becomes ineffective? A. social contraint B. functionalism C. anomie D. communion

C. anomie

Using sociology to yield practical applications for human behavior and organizations is better known as ______. A. sociological perspectives B. sociological theory C. applied sociology D. feminist view

C. applied sociology

When an immigrant family arrives in a new country and engages in previously functional behavior that no longer serves a social function in the new cultural environment, the functionalist perspective predicts that the ______. A. behavior will intensify over time B. family will return to its country of origin C. behavior will not be passed on to a new generation D. family unit will dissolve

C. behavior will not be passed on to a new generation

Common sense ______. A. always leads a person to the fact of a situation (often leads to beliefs and conclusions that are incorrect) B. is completely ineffective way of viewing the world (some are useful and accurate) C. cannot always be relied upon to discover the truth of a situation D. is the only tool we really have to understand the world around us (science is the best tool we have to understand out world

C. cannot always be relied upon to discover the truth of a situation

Karl Marx's view of social classes is best described as part of which of the following sociological perspectives? A. latent B. interactionist C. conflict D. functionalist

C. conflict

According to French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, which of the following refers to noneconomic goods, such as family background and education, which are reflected in a knowledge of language and the arts? A. micro capital B. theoretical capital C. cultural capital D. social capital

C. cultural capital

An effective theory may have the ability to ______ relationships between seemingly isolated things and to ______ how a change in an environment will lead to other changes. A. envisions; ignore B. alter; envision C. explain; predict D. confound; confuse

C. explain; predict

The sociological perspective that focuses on how parts of society contribute to help maintain social stability is known as the _______ perspective. A. conflict (conflict perspective focuses on the tensions and conflicts in society) B. feminist C. functionalist D. interactionist

C. functionalist

The feminist perspective in sociology focuses on the study of ______ inequity. A. racial B. ethnic C. gender D. age

C. gender

The disciplines of sociology and ______ are both interested in how people and events of the past are important to current society. A. biology B. geology C. history D. psychology

C. history

The functionalist perspective emphasizes ______. A. how looking at society from a micro level contributes to understanding B. shared understandings of everyday behavior C. how parts of a society are structured to maintain stability D. how social order is based on coercion and exploitation

C. how parts of a society are structured to maintain stability emphasizes the contribution that it makes to overall stability e.g. Hindu prohibition of slaughtering cows

Some sociologists, notably Karl Marx, Jane Addams, and Ida Wells-Barnett, have used their understanding of social inequality to advocate for social ______. A. dysfunction B. Darwinism C. justice D. feminism

C. justice

Parsons believed an aspect of society that does not contribute to society's survival or stability will ______. A. eventually find a way to do so (Parsons believed aspects of society either served an important function or they faded away. He did not believe they would somehow find a way to serve that function) B. produce productive social changes within the society (Parsons thought nonfunctioning parts of society would fade away over time) C. not be passed on from one generation to the next D. continue to persist and potentially destroy society

C. not be passed on from one generation to the next

George Herbert Mead studied social issues from the interactionist point of view, thereby gathering his information from which of the following? A. census data B. social structure C. small groups D. deviants

C. small groups

Cultural capital refers to the kind of education that is valued by which of the following? A. uneducated immigrants B. the poor C. the socially elite D. manufacturers

C. the socially elite cultural capital - noneconomic goods, such as family background and education (reflected in knowledge of language and arts)

Durkheim believed that understanding human behavior required looking at the behavior ______. A. on an individual basis (Durkheim was the first to successfully show that "individual" behavior actually follows social patterns and is influenced by social forces) B. through rational thinking C. within a broader social context D. from the perspective of the actor (Durkheim was not interested in anyone's "perspective" and focused his research on social forces and dynamics within society.)

C. within a broader social context

Which of the following did queer theorist Eve Sedgwick argue? A. Sexual identifications other than heterosexuality should be considered abnormal and invalid. B. All men and women are heterosexual. C. Any analysis of society should be limited to heterosexuals. D. Any analysis of society is incomplete if it does not include the spectrum of sexual identities.

D. Any analysis of society is incomplete if it does not include the spectrum of sexual identities.

Which of the following early thinkers advocated that it was "natural" for some people to be rich and others poor (i.e., "survival of the fittest")? A. Emile Durkheim B. Max Weber (taught his students to employ understanding and insight in their intellectual work) C. Auguste Comte D. Herbert Spencer

D. Herbert Spencer

Durkheim was concerned about modern industrial societies having a detrimental effect on the individual due to social change and argued that in order to adapt to these changes, the individual should ______. A. create small, isolated societies B. establish rational political institutions C. face the social problem alone D. become a member of a group

D. become a member of a group

Which theoretical perspective takes the view that the social world is characterized by continual struggle between competing groups? A. functionalist B. global C. interactionist D. conflict

D. conflict

The theory that explains the methods individuals use to "put on a show" in order to manage how others view them is called ______. A. sociological imagination B. conflict theory C. sociological theory D. dramaturgy

D. dramaturgy

An element or a process of a society that may actually disrupt the social system or reduce its stability is known as ______. A. manifest function B. conflict perspective C. latent function D. dysfunction

D. dysfunction

The three theoretical perspectives most widely used by sociologists are ______. A. physical, biological, and psychological B. socialist, communist, and feminist C. liberal, conservative, and libertarian D. functionalist, conflict, and interactionist

D. functionalist, conflict, and interactionist

According to Merton, _______ use illegal or deviant means of obtaining the accepted goal of achieving material wealth. A. conformists (use accepted means to pursue accepted goals) B. retreatists (do not pursue accepted goals) C. ritualists (do not pursue accepted goals) D. innovators

D. innovators

Studying a society through the lens of large-scale phenomena would be an example of which of the following? A. megasociology B. microsociology C. globalization (integration of nations around the world due to trade and exchange. It is an economic and social term, not a kind of sociology) D. macrosociology

D. macrosociology

Michael Burawoy encouraged scholars to engage a broader audience in bringing about positive outcomes through what he called ______. A. advanced sociology B. clinical sociology C. macro sociology D. public sociology

D. public sociology

In the most general terms, sociology is the study of A. individual behavior in the exchange of goods and services (economists) B. abnormal psychology and criminal groups (Criminology, abnormal psychology, and the sociology of deviance) C. psychological behavior and political groups D. social behavior and human groups

D. social behavior and human groups

When referring to the division of an individual's identity into two or more social realities, W. E. B. DuBois was describing which of the following? A. the experience of being an academic and white B. holding two jobs to try to make ends meet C. being part of the status quo and fighting to maintain power D. the experience of being Black in white America

D. the experience of being Black in white America

The ability to recognize the connection between our own lives and larger social trends, including present and past relationships, is called ______. A. the functionalist perspective (functionalist perspective looks at the benefits of social patterns for society and largely ignores individuals) B. anomie (a state of normlessness or disconnection from society. The sociological imagination is the ability to see the connections between social trends and our own lives) C. the conflict perspective (examines social inequality and power in society and largely ignores individuals) D. the sociological imagination

D. the sociological imagination

Sociologists use ______ to explain social problems, actions, or behaviors. A. definitive statements B. guesses C. hypotheses (a statement about a relationship between two or more variables. It is an educated guess that must be tested) D. theories (explanation for observed facts)

D. theories

Robert Merton's contribution to the study of sociology combined ______. A. philosophy and theology B. surveys and interviews C. activism and social work D. theory and research

D. theory and research noted different ways people attempt to achieve success in life

True or false: Although sociology is considered a science, sociologists avoid the careful recording of observations and accumulation of data.

False

True or false: When examining the members of a social organization using Weber's verstehen, one would need to understand only how the members function within the organization and not the members' beliefs, attitudes, and emotions regarding the organization.

False verstehen - german word for understanding or insight

Sociology is not related to economics, because economists do not study human behavior.

False Economics is related to sociology because economists study the way people produce and exchange goods and services, which is a specific category of human behavior.

True or false: Sociologists often accept the explanation "everybody knows it" when given an explanation for a social phenomenon.

False Sociologists never accept common beliefs about social phenomena, because what everybody "knows" often turns out to be false once real research is performed.

True or false: People use verbal and nonverbal symbols in social interaction.

True A symbol is anything that conveys a shared meaning, whether verbal or nonverbal

Microsociology

examining how a family goes on after the death of a loved one

Macrosociology

studying how different societies educate their children