SOC101 midterm

What sociological concept explains why natives in remote South American jungles can be found using metal cooking pots, and American can be found eating Chinese food in Chicago?

Cultural diffusion

Sociologically, which of the following least qualifies as a group?

All African American women attending colleges and universities in the United States.

Which set of concepts does not illustrate material culture?

Beliefs, values, and norms

Which of the following statements is least accurate when addressing feminist theory?

Conflict between men and women is a relatively new phenomenon brought about by equal rights legislation.

Which of the following qualities least qualifies as a part of one's social environment?

His/her intellectual capability

What is the underlying principle of symbolic interactionism?

It explains how one's behavior depends on the way they define themselves and others.

Guy is a NASA engineer who is working on proposals for the first manned mission to Mars. Sociologically, what is NASA in relationship to Guy's life?

It is a secondary group because NASA serves as Guy's employer, and space travel is his vocational interest.

Which of the following conclusions would sociologists most likely agree upon when discussing the importance of the sociological perspective?

It opens a window to unfamiliar worlds and offers a fresh look at familiar worlds.

Which statement is least true of role-taking behavior as developed by George Herbert Mead?

Mead used the term "significant other" to indicate the self as subject.

When Judith Kleinfeld replicated Milgram's experiment on small group phenomenon, what did she discover?

Milgram's experiment was not representative of average people.

What is the single best reason why children of more affluent neighborhoods are supervised more by neighbors and other community members than children from poor neighborhoods?

More affluent neighborhoods have less transition and know the children better.

Psychologists Susan Goldberg and Michael Lewis observed the interactions of mothers and children to determine if the children were socialized differently, depending on the child's sex. What was the conclusion they reached following their research?

Mothers unconsciously rewarded daughters for being dependent.

What term best describes the emerging technologies that have a significant impact on social life, such as the emergence of computers, satellites, and the electronic media?

New technology

What conclusion can be drawn from a case study of Oskar and Jack, the two identical twins who were raised separately?

One's orientation to life is largely the result of environment.

According to Charles Horton Cooley, how do we develop our self-concept?

Our self-concept develops from interaction with others.

What conclusion can be drawn from Milgram's experiment involving the "small world Phenomenon"?

Society is unconsciously linked together by mutual acquaintances.

How does the manner in which sociologists apply the term deviant differ from the manner in which members of the general public apply the term?

Sociologists use the term deviance nonjudgmentally; members of the general public respond to it negatively.

In Nebraska, a man arranged for the marriage of his 13- and 14-year-old daughters to two 34- and 28-year-old Iraqi men who were also immigrants. Based upon this traditional and time-honored Islamic practice, what were the reactions of the citizens of Nebraska and Muslims in the Middle East?

The Muslims were unphased by the event while the Nebraska citizens considered it as rape.

What term refers to how language determines ones consciousness and perceptions of objects and events?

The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

Foster has developed an "excess of definitions" that support his rationalization for setting up an illegal "chop shop" to process stolen cars for their parts. He has weighed all the reasons why he shouldn't open the shop, as well as the reasons he should. Foster's decision to enter a life of crime can best be explained by which theory of deviance?

The Theory of Differential Association

What did the research of Kohn and Schooler reveal as being the reason for the difference in the goals of working class parents and middle class parents in rearing their children?

The degree of individual freedom the parents had on their jobs was the primary factor

What are the stages that people pass through from birth to death that include childhood, adolescence, transitional adulthood, the middle years, and the older years?

The life course

Tony is five years of age. He loves to dress up like the Lone Ranger and pretend to help people in need. According to Mead's theory, what stage best describes Tony's behavior?

The play stage

Based on the theories formulated by Karl Marx, what was the ultimate goal of the proletariat?

The proletariat sought to develop a classless society free of exploitation.

In the opening passage, the author discusses how trying to be polite while purchasing a ticket didn't work, and how he had to resort to forceful and aggressive tactics in order to receive service. In this case, the author's behavior can best be described by which statement?

The situation illustrates the differences in nonmaterial culture by Americans and Moroccans.

Frank is examining the broad stream of events that have occurred over the past 50 years, along with the specific experiences of his own life. By doing so, what sociological process has Frank undertaken?

The sociological imagination

What sociological phrase is used to describe "opening a window onto unfamiliar worlds and offering a fresh look at familiar worlds?"

The sociological perspective

When a member of society is tried, judged, and convicted of an act that results in their being expelled from that society for life, which of the following descriptions most likely applies to that act?

Their behavior can be classified as taboo.

Based on the research of Darley and Latene, what conclusion did they reach after observing the influence of group size on attitudes and behavior?

There is a diffusion of responsibility as groups increase in size.

Which of the following phrases is least descriptive of or related to the concept of culture?

There is one basic culture that acts as a standard to determine the appropriateness of values, norms, and behaviors.

What is the defining quality of hate crimes?

They are crimes motivated by bias against someone's ascribed status.

According to Rosabeth Moss Kanter, what purpose does an organization's "hidden values" serve?

They are self-fulfilling prophecies that affect people's corporate careers.

According to George Herbert Mead, how does a child learn to take the role of others?

Through play and social interaction

What is the major difference between white-collar crime and street crime?

White-collar crime is an act committed in the course of a legitimate occupation, but street crime is not.

Which of the following media least qualifies as being a form of mass media?

academic journals

A group of strangers waiting for a bus at the corner of Poplar and Main Streets is an example of a[n] ________.

aggregate

Carol communicates periodically with people on the Internet who are avid Pittsburgh Steeler fans. She has just spent several hours talking to Joann, Judy, Rhiannon, and Scott about "Big Ben's" motorcycle accident. Together, Carol and her Internet contacts comprise ________.

an electronic community

The type of leadership style that will most likely result in a high degree of internal solidarity among employees is the ________ style.

authoritarian

The degree to which members of a society feel united by shared values and other social bonds is what Durkheim referred to as ________.

social integration

The sociological focus of microsociology places its emphasis on ________.

social interaction

A group's customary social arrangements that provide stability to life are referred to as ________.

social order

The major difference between sociological and psychological theories used to explain deviance is that ________.

sociological explanations focus on factors outside the individual, and psychological explanations address conditions within the individual

Cordell Walker is a Texas Ranger, a husband, a father, a good friend to many, and a martial artist. Together, these titles comprise what sociologists would call Walker's _______

status set

A[n] ________ designates social position while a[n] ________ designates socially expected behavior.

status; role

When a group has a distinctive way of looking at life, but at the same time their values and norms reflect the dominant culture of their society, the group would be considered a[n] ________.

subculture

Many African Americans feel the flag of the Confederate States of America, "the stars and bars," is a sign of racial hatred. States' rights advocates view the same flag as "heritage, not hatred." Such a difference of opinion over the same material object is an illustration of which sociological perspective?

symbolic interactionism

The relativity of deviance is best explained by the ________ perspective.

symbolic interactionist

A group's nonmaterial culture is primarily shaped by ________, because, as this aspect of society changes, so do the ways people think and relate to one another.

technology

What are sociologists referring to when they address the culture within us?

the learned and shared ways of believing and doing that are a part of our behavior

Every human group develops a system of formal and informal social controls to enforce norms and discourage deviance. They do so because deviance ________.

undermines predictability, a necessity for social life

The passage of "three strikes and you're out" laws has, in some cases, resulted in mandatory life imprisonment sentences for relatively minor offenses. Such outcomes illustrate what functional theorists describe as ________.

unintended consequences

Jamaican women prefer portly men with rounded mid-sections while American women prefer men who have triangular physiques, big shoulders, and thin waistlines. This difference in what is socially desirable or undesirable is an example of differences in ________.

values

Based on Control Theory, when are inner controls more effective?

when we have strong attachments, commitments, and involvement with society

The basic premise of Piaget's model of development, which has remained unchanged, is that:

children begin with the concrete and move to the abstract.

Which sociological perspective is most closely aligned with a theorist that sees the law as an instrument of repression and a tool designed to maintain the powerful in their privileged positions?

conflict perspective

Viewing society as composed of groups that engage in fierce competition for scarce resources is the underlying premise in ________.

conflict theory

The two sociological perspectives that focus on the broader picture, or the macrosociological approach, are ________.

conflict theory and functionalism

The adoption of Western dress and culture in Japan, the presence of McDonald's restaurants in Moscow and Hong Kong, and Chinese restaurants in Chicago and Manhattan are examples of ________.

cultural leveling

In the wake of the World Trade Center attack by terrorists, government officials were quick to endorse measures that contradicted several rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. Opposition to these measures was seen by many as subversive. This is an example of ________.

groupthink

When members of a group begin to narrow their thoughts and feel that there is only one correct answer to a situation, and when suggesting an alternative is seen as being disloyal to the group, group members are experiencing a phenomenon that sociologists call _________.

groupthink

In the "nature v. nurture" controversy, which of the following terms least applies to nurture?

heredity

Leo is a college graduate, cello teacher, and a member of Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities. This would be an example of ________.

his achieved statuses

The significance of names or reputations given to people when they engage in certain types of behavior is the focus of ________ theory.

labeling

What is the primary reason for the differences people have in behavior and attitude?

location in the social structure

Jennie is studying how the President's new economic policies are affecting employment and unemployment rates, homelessness, and the amount of money people save. In view of this, Jennie is primarily utilizing which sociological approach?

macrosociology

According to Robert Merton, the intended beneficial consequences of people's actions that help a social system to be more efficient are ________.

manifest functions

According to Durkheim, the shared consciousness that people experience as a result of performing the same or similar tasks is called ________.

mechanical solidarity

The expectations, or rules of behavior, that develop out of values are referred to by sociologists as ________.

norms

Based on the Label Theory, labels work by

opening and closing doors of opportunity

The event that most inspired Auguste Comte to pose the question, "What holds society together?" and begin developing sociology as a science was the ________.

French Revolution

What conclusion did Georg Simmel reach with respect to the size of a group?

As groups grow smaller, they become less stable.

What is the primary difference between an ascribed status and an achieved status?

Ascribed statuses are involuntary while achieved statuses are voluntary.

What conclusion can be drawn from Solomon Asch's experiment on group conformity?

Because of group pressure, most people are willing to say things they know are not true.

Which of the following statements regarding deviance is least true?

Deviance is a universal term when applied within the same society.

Connie is six years of age. She can count to 100, but she is not sure what the numbers actually mean. According to Piaget, in what stage is Connie functioning?

Preoperational

What term do sociologists use to describe the norms and values that people actually follow, as opposed to those that they would follow if they lived in a perfect world?

Real culture

Which sociologist coined the term, the iron law of oligarchy?

Robert Michels

Which of the following would be the best example of a total institution?

a mental hospital

During the Cuban Missile Crisis, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy brokered options on how to address the problem with selected national leaders. After this group reached a consensus, the President made the final decision for a naval quarantine of Cuba. This scenario is an example of ________ leadership.

democratic

Mark and Sally went walking in the park. Both of them were wearing nothing on the upper half of their bodies. Mark would be violating a ________, Sally would be violating a ________.

folkway; more