Sociology Midterm (chapter 1-4)

Who is the key founder of sociology?

Robert Park

When does socialization begin?

Socialization starts within families at infancy and continues throughout the life course.

Theoretical Perspectives in Sociology

Sociologists study culture and the media in a variety of ways, asking a variety of questions about the relationship of culture to other social institutions and the role of culture in modern life

What is popular culture?

The beliefs, practices, and objects that are part of everyday traditions, such as music and films, mass-marketed books and magazines, newspapers, and Internet websites.

What is dominant culture?

The culture of the most powerful group in a society.

What is subculture?

The cultures of groups whose values and norms of behavior differ to some degree from those of the dominant culture

How could we describe sociology in America?

The nation in the early twentieth century was moving to a more urban society, with a new mix of immigrants and visible problems such as those we face today: urban blight, hunger, poverty, and racial segregation

What is culture shock?

The power of culture is also revealed when you are placed into a new cultural situation.

What is social control?

The process by which groups and individuals within those groups are brought into conformity with dominant social expectations.

What do different sociological theories reveal about culture?

The sociological theory provides different perspectives on the significance of culture.

Is Sociology Value Free?

The study of social behavior can never be value-free if value freedom is interpreted in the sense of absence of values because values of the society under investigation form a part of the social facts to be studied by sociology.

What are countercultures?

The subcultures created as a reaction against the values of the dominant culture.

What does controlled experiment mean?

a method of collecting data that can determine whether something actually causes something else.

What is the disadvantage of doing a controlled experiment? a. Experiments may be artificial, eliminating any real-life effects. b. Experiments are not able to establish causation. c. Experiments rely on too many independent variables. d. Experiments are too expensive for most sociologists to conduct.

a. Experiments may be artificial, eliminating any real-life effects

Although the process of socialization promotes conformity, individuals are also shaped by resistance to oppression. This is an argument of _____ theory. a. conflict b. functionalist c. social learning d. symbolic interactionist

a. conflict

The habit of seeing things only from the point of view of one's own group is called a. ethnocentrism. b. xenocentrism. c. cultural relativism. d. multiculturalism.

a. ethnocentrism.

Which theorists are most likely to emphasize that cultural norms and beliefs integrate people into groups and create social bonds? a. functionalist theorists b. conflict theorists c. symbolic interactionist theorists d. new cultural studies theorists

a. functionalist theorists

Reasoning that begins with specific observations about which one draws conclusions is called _____ reasoning. a. inductive b. deductive c. conceptual d. applied

a. inductive

The specific cultural expectations for how to behave in a given situation are called a. norms. b. directives. c. belief-based actualizations. d. culture-constructs.

a. norms

Material culture consists of a. objects created in a given culture. b. ideas and beliefs of a group of people. c. laws, customs, and ideas. d. ideas about what is right and wrong.

a. objects created in a given culture.

A _____ gives everyone in the population an equal chance of being selected for a study. a. random sample b. stratified sample c. snowball sample d. biased sample

a. random sample

The expected behaviors associated with a given status in society are called a. roles. b. norms. c. folkways. d. values.

a. roles.

Folkways are a. the ordinary customs of different group cultures. b. strict norms that control moral and ethical behavior. c. often upheld through laws that bring serious repercussions. d. norms that provide strict codes of behavior.

a. the ordinary customs of different group cultures

What are the consequences of socialization?

1. socialization establishes self-concept 2. socialization creates the capacity for role taking 3. socialization creates the tendency for people to act in socially accepted ways 4. socialization makes people bearers of culture

What is culture?

A complex system of meaning and behavior that defines the way of life for a given group or society. It includes beliefs, values, knowledge, art, morals, laws, customs, habits, language, a way of thinking, and dress, among other things.

What is the term for an abstract characteristic that cannot be directly observed, but that can potentially be measured? a. variable b. concept c. hypothesis d. indicator

b. concept

A study of how women are depicted in advertisements is an example of what method? a. literature review b. content analysis c. questionnaire d. analysis of secondary data

b. content analysis

Within sociology, the concept of diversity a. applies only to different cultural orientations. b. encompasses a global perspective. c. is focused exclusively on different groups within the United States. d. is not considered one of the most important concepts for study.

b. encompasses a global perspective

Which of the following is NOT a step in the scientific research process? a. hypothesis testing b. finding funding for research c. observation d. data analysis

b. finding funding for research

The variable that is presumed to have an effect on or to cause something else is called the _____ variable. a. dependent b. independent c. intervening d. test

b. independent

According to Mead, children begin to take on the roles of significant people in their environment during the _____ stage of socialization. a. imitation b. play c. game d. preoperational

b. play

Resocialization is a process that a. takes place continually over the course of a lifetime. b. radically alters or replaces existing social roles. c. generally occurs in an informal setting, not an institutional setting. d. breaks down solidarity because it may be a humiliating process.

b. radically alters or replaces existing social roles.

According to the theory of socialization called _______, if Betty receives positive reinforcement, she will likely repeat a behavior. a. psychoanalysis b. social learning c. functionalism d. conflict theory

b. social learning

Peter Berger's concept of debunking refers to a. the ability to use common sense. b. the "unmasking" tendency of sociology. c. taking people's actions for granted. d. using empirical evidence to support common sense.

b. the "unmasking" tendency of sociology.

One advantage of surveys is that a. they are rigid. b. they can ask about a large number of topics. c. they do not need to relate to a hypothesis. d. they have a very high response rate.

b. they can ask about a large number of topics.

Weber defined verstehen as a. the multidimensionality of society. b. understanding social behavior from the point of view of those engaged in it. c. a constantly evolving organism. d. a hands-off approach to understanding society.

b. understanding social behavior from the point of view of those engaged in it.

The abstract standards that define the ideal principles of a society are called a. beliefs. b. values. c. myths. d. mores.

b. values.

An age cohort refers to a. the hierarchical ranking of different age groups in society. b. a type of age-based discrimination. c. an aggregate group of people born during the same time period. d. discrimination and prejudice toward a particular age group.

c. an aggregate group of people born during the same time period.

According to Mills, the specific task of sociology is to a. expose the exploitation of the proletariat by the bourgeoisie. b. help individuals solve their problems. c. comprehend human society and its influence on the lives of human beings. d. promote the use of "verstehen" to understand social behavior from the point of view of those who engage in it.

c. comprehend human society and its influence on the lives of human beings

Socialization agents are those who pass on social expectations. According to the text, a. social institutions are socialization agents in adulthood only. b. people are not socialization agents. c. everyone is potentially a socializing agent. d. it is impossible to identify the true socialization agents in society.

c. everyone is potentially a socializing agent.

"Inequality is inevitable and purposeful for society." This statement best represents which theoretical perspective? a. conflict theory b. feminism c. functionalism d. symbolic interactionism

c. functionalism

Emile Durkheim's work is the foundation for which major theoretical perspective? a. conflict theory b. symbolic interactionism c. functionalism d. feminism

c. functionalism

Sociologists refer to the concentration of cultural power as cultural a. borrowing. b. relativism. c. hegemony. d. pervasiveness.

c. hegemony.

As a means of social control, to enforce norms, sanctions a. are always negative. b. are always positive. c. may be mild or severe. d. are not very effective.

c. may be mild or severe.

Social scientists debate whether humanness is naturally occurring or socially created. This is called the _____ controversy. a. inherent-innate b. internal-external c. nature-nurture d. sociology-biology

c. nature-nurture

Members of a counterculture a. share many elements of the dominant culture and exist within it. b. conform to most of the standards of the dominant culture. c. reject the dominant cultural values of a society. d. seek to redefine the dominant culture.

c. reject the dominant cultural values of a society.

In sociology, the process by which groups and individuals within those groups are brought into conformity with dominant social expectations is called a. criminalization. b. socialization. c. social control. d. punishments.

c. social control.

Which theorists ask what meanings become attached to different age groups and to what extent these meanings explain how society ranks such groups? a. functionalists b. conflict theorists c. symbolic interactionists d. object relations theorists

c. symbolic interactionists

What is conflict theory?

A theory that emphasizes the role of coercion and power in society and the ability of some to influence and control others.

What are the characteristics of culture?

culture is shared, culture is learned, culture is taken for granted, culture is symbolic, culture varies across time and place

Which of the following is not a criticism of functionalism? a. Functionalism is inherently conservative, given its emphasis on stability. b. Functionalism understates the roles of power and conflict in society. c. Functionalism states that inequality is necessary for the equitable distribution of societal resources. d. Functionalism overstates the subjective basis of society

d. Functionalism overstates the subjective basis of society

Which of the following is not part of the definition of culture? a. language b. beliefs c. behavior d. globalization

d. globalization

Sociology is defined as the study of a. past societies. b. individuals and their personalities. c. past cultures. d. human behavior in society.

d. human behavior in society.

Qualitative research is based on a. survey data. b. statistics. c. replicated results. d. interpretive observations.

d. interpretive observations

When people must respond to a question from a fixed list of possible answers, this a. makes the findings more valid. b. increases reliability. c. is an open-ended question. d. is a closed-ended question.

d. is a closed-ended question.

Positivism refers to a. thinking very optimistically about society. b. being very certain of one's research methods. c. a belief system first suggested by Emile Durkheim. d. scientific observation and description as the highest forms of knowledge.

d. scientific observation and description as the highest forms of knowledge.

Alexis de Tocqueville referred to the ability of the majority in a democracy to impose its will on everyone else as a. the "tyranny of democracy." b. "unenlightened despotism." c. "manifest destiny." d. the "tyranny of the majority."

d. the "tyranny of the majority."

What are the agents of socialization?

family, school, peer group, mass media, religion, sports

What is the classical sociological theory? (Durkheim)

people in society are glued together by belief systems

What is evaluation research?

research assessing the effect of policies and programs.

What is content analysis?

the analysis of meanings in cultural artifacts such as books, songs, and other forms of cultural communication.

What is inductive reasoning?

the process of arriving at general conclusions from specific observations.

What is deductive reasoning?

the process of creating a specific research question about a focused point, based on a more general or universal principle.

What are the elements of culture?

It's language, norms, beliefs, and values

What is ethnocentrism?

It's the habit of seeing things only from the point of view of one's own group. This perspective prevents you from understanding the world as others experience it, and it can lead to narrow-minded conclusions about the worth of diverse cultures.

What is cultural relativism?

It's the idea that something can be understood and judged only in relation to the cultural context in which it appears.