Unit 1
Which of the following is a difference between a fashion and a fad? A) A fashion is longer lasting than a fad. B) A fad is more widespread than a fashion. C) A fashion is a form of popular culture, whereas a fad is a form of high culture. D) A fad is primarily followed by the dominant class, whereas a fashion is primarily followed by the subordinate classes.
A) A fashion is longer lasting than a fad.
Yasmin, a sociologist, wants to study the attitudes of the American public on gun control legislation. For her study, she wants to study the attitudes and beliefs of a sample of 10,000 people, but she does not have time to interview each of them. Which of the following research methods should Yasmin use? A) A survey B) An experiment C) An ethnography D) A case study
A) A survey
At the same time that urban problems were growing worse as a result of industrialization, social thinkers started to believe that by applying the methods developed by natural sciences, they might discover the laws of human behavior and apply these laws to solve social problems. This period is referred to as the __________. A) Age of Enlightenment B) Social Age C) Age of Discovery D) Early Modern Period
A) Age of Enlightenment
_____ gave sociology its name and emphasized that the field should use _____ to understand society. A) Auguste Comte the scientific method B) Émile Durkheim prevailing cultural beliefs C) Max Weber the scientific method D) Karl Marx prevailing cultural beliefs
A) Auguste Comte the scientific method
Who among the following sociologists is most likely to conduct a macrolevel analysis? A) Rubin, who believes that a society is composed of institutions such as family and government that contribute to the stability of the society B) Georgia, who believes that a society is the sum of the interactions of people and groups C) Rebecca, who believes that behavior is the result of the communication between people D) Matthew, who believes that an individual's interpretation of events and the situations he or she encounters becomes the individual's subjective reality
A) Rubin, who believes that a society is composed of institutions such as family and government that contribute to the stability of the society
Cars are examples of material culture, and the type of car a person owns is an example of how material culture helps people communicate information about their interests, likes, and status. A) True B) False
A) True
Computer software that enables us to create and edit documents and perform calculations is part of material culture. Correct Answer A) True B) False
A) True
One advantage of self-administered surveys is that they can easily be given to large numbers of people. A) True B) False
A) True
Sociological studies of high culture and popular culture suggest that high culture is a device used by the dominant class to exclude the subordinate classes and maintain the existing class structure. Correct Answer A) True B) False
A) True
If research clearly established that "study time determines the grades that a student earns," grades are the _____ variable. A) dependent B) independent C) control D) intervening
A) dependent
All cultures have formulas for A) expressing social emotions. B) evaluating cultural particulars. C) identifying cultural markers. D) acquiring cultural traits.
A) expressing social emotions
Functionalist Talcott Parsons suggested that complementary roles of men and women in the family contribute to social stability. The wife/mother performs the tasks that include housework, caring for the children, and providing emotional support for the entire family. What is the name of these tasks? A) expressive tasks B) instrumental tasks C) reproductive tasks D) interdependent tasks
A) expressive tasks
In a hypothesis, the researcher considers the __________ to cause or determine the dependent variable. A) independent variable B) latent variable C) extraneous variable D) control variable
A) independent variable
A researcher who lives among the homeless in an effort to understand their norms is carrying out A) participant observation. B) content analysis. C) unobtrusive observation. D) survey research.
A) participant observation
The basis for Durkheim's theory of society is the principle that _____________. A) people are the products of their social environments B) the evolution of society is based on the concept of "survival of the fittest" C) society consists of the dual processes of social statics and social dynamics D) conflict between different economic classes is necessary to produce social change
A) people are the products of their social environments
According to Durkheim, during an economic crisis A) people will blame marginalized groups, like immigrants, for taking their jobs. B) inequality among social classes will cause the rich to gain. C) people will look to themselves, not the system, for failure. D) open, sometimes violent conflict between classes is inevitable.
A) people will blame marginalized groups, like immigrants, for taking their jobs.
In Suicide, _____ explored _____. A) Émile Durkheim the social ties that suicide severed B) Émile Durkheim the contribution of troubles to suicide C) C. Wright Mills the contribution of troubles to suicide D) C. Wright Mills the social ties that suicide severed
A) Émile Durkheim the social ties that suicide severed
A strength of survey research is that it forces respondents to provide self-reported information, which is generally considered more reliable than information gathered by third-party observations. A) True B) False
B) False
Because cultures typically have distinguishing markers, the boundaries of a culture are very easy to identify. A) True B) False
B) False
Gestures such as a salute to convey respect are part of material culture. A) True B) False
B) False
Language, beliefs, values, rules of behavior, family patterns, and political systems are examples of material culture. A) True B) False
B) False
Those who do not share the language of a group can still participate fully in its culture since most of what constitutes culture is independent of language. A) True B) False
B) False
From agriculture to manufacturing, massive social changes occurred as technological innovations shifted the economic base of countries in Europe and, later, the economic base of the United States during the _________. A) Renaissance B) Industrial Revolution C) Age of Enlightenment D) Neolithic Revolution
B) Industrial Revolution
Which of the following would most likely constitute an ethnic subculture in the United States? A) blue-collar workers B) Latino/a/x Americans C) college graduates D) Christians
B) Latino/a/x Americans
Sociologists use the term __________ to refer to the practice of judging all other cultures by one's own culture, assuming that one's own way of life is superior to all others. A) authoritarianism B) ethnocentrism C) cultural relativism D) self-centeredness
B) ethnocentrism
The strength or seriousness of social sanctions is A) harsh regardless of how strictly the norm is held. B) generally lighter for violations of folkways than violations of mores. C) unrelated to the type of norm that is violated. D) not something that sociologists consider in the study of norm violations.
B) generally lighter for violations of folkways than violations of mores.
Anne, a teenager, is constantly bullied by her peers in school because of her dark skin color. She frequently hears her peers say remarks such as "You are so unattractive" and "You are inferior." Despite being a good student, Anne develops an inferiority complex and starts believing that she is ugly. This leads to her being aloof and actively shying away from social events. This scenario most likely illustrates that __________. A) words can promote xenocentrism B) language can determine reality C) language is a means of cultural transmission D) words reflect cultural heritage
B) language can determine reality
Megan pushes a new student's bags off his desk and then pushes him out of the seat because she wants to sit at that particular desk in their classroom. As a result, Megan faces a lot of ridicule from the other students present in the classroom because she has violated a __________. Incorrect Response A) sanction B) more C) law D) taboo
B) more
Because _____ are viewed as _____, people who violate them are punished. A) folkways essential to society's survival B) mores essential to society's survival C) mores divinely inspired D) folkways divinely inspired
B) mores essential to society's survival
A majority of upper-class people in a society attend opera, ballet, and live theater. These people have the time, money, and knowledge to appreciate these activities. On the contrary, people of the subordinate classes usually attend rock concerts and spectator sports as they lack the financial resources available to the elite. In this context, people of the subordinate classes most likely appreciate and participate in __________. A) tangible culture B) popular culture C) high culture D) counterculture
B) popular culture
A researcher who is conducting a study on how religious views impact the voting behavior of the elderly sends an e-mail with a questionnaire to all members of the population being studied. The people who complete the questionnaire and thereby provide data for analysis are called __________. A) observers B) respondents C) placebos D) controlled variables
B) respondents
Asher and Deepanshu decide to conduct a study on the effectiveness of the Gardasil vaccine but lack time and money to gather their own data. As a result, they analyze the data that were gathered by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In this case, Asher and Deepanshu are conducting __________. A) an experiment B) secondary analysis C) survey research D) participant observation
B) secondary analysis
Durkheim conceptualized social facts as A) One's personal drives and motivations. B) social patterns that are external to individuals. C) society as the sum of its parts. D) the direct outgrowth of our biological drives.
B) social patterns that are external to individuals.
Which of these statements is the best description of a variable? A) A variable is something the researcher believes is irrelevant to the research outcome. B) A variable is something that can have only one value. C) A variable is something that can have more than one value or score. D) A variable is a scientific statement of observation.
C) A variable is something that can have more than one value or score.
Which of the following statements is true of the beliefs of German social scientist Max Weber? A) He stressed the social environment of people and emphasized how it contributes to their behavior. B) He believed that sociological values cannot be separated from the research process. C) He disagreed with Marx's idea that economics is the central force in social change. D) He believed that class struggle is the most significant factor in social relations between people.
C) He disagreed with Marx's idea that economics is the central force in social change.
__________ is defined as a set of symbols that expresses ideas and enables people to think and communicate with one another. A) A value B) Culture C) Language D) A norm
C) Language
_____ consists of the physical objects that people make, use, and share. A) Nonmaterial culture B) Traditional culture C) Material culture D) Normative culture
C) Material culture
_____ consist(s) of the abstract or intangible human creations of society that influence people's behavior. A) Material culture B) Technology C) Nonmaterial culture D) Resource
C) Nonmaterial culture
________ refers to the process of collecting systematic impressions while being part of the activities of the group that the researcher is studying. A) Experimental research B) Survey research C) Participant observation D) Secondary analysis
C) Participant observation
Which concept best describes rewards for appropriate behavior or penalties for inappropriate behavior? A) Folkways B) Mores C) Sanctions D) Taboos
C) Sanctions
Which of the following groups would most likely be an example of a subculture in the United States? A) a group of people who celebrate Thanksgiving B) a group of college students C) a group of Muslims D) a group of English-speaking individuals
C) a group of Muslims
Durkheim used which term to refer to a condition in which social control becomes ineffective as a result of the loss of shared values and of a sense of purpose in society? A) social disorganization B) social dysfunctionalism C) cultural breakdown D) anomie
C) cultural breakdown
A sociologist studied the learning capacity of toddlers by joining a preschool for six months. During this period, he observed the activities of toddlers and asked questions related to their development to their parents and teachers. In this scenario, the sociologist most likely conducted __________. A) a survey B) secondary analysis C) field research D) an experiment
C) field research
Sociologist Emile Durkheim used the degree of social integration in society to determine its influence on the rate of suicide. In this example, the degree of social integration is the __________ variable. A) extraneous B) dependent C) independent D) control
C) independent
Angela, a scientist, identifies a strain of DNA that is resistant to AIDS. This information was previously unknown and is therefore of significant importance in the medical world. In this scenario, Angela has __________. A) invented something new B) assisted the diffusion of existing cultural items C) made a discovery D) eliminated value contradictions
C) made a discovery
During a classical music performance, two concertgoers talk loudly to each other. A person in another seat turns around, frowns, and says "Shh." This illustrates a __________. A) negative informal norm B) positive formal sanction C) negative informal sanction D) prescriptive informal norm
C) negative informal sanction
To understand the process coroners use to determine whether or not a death is a suicide, a sociologist works for six months in the coroner's office and spends as much time as possible observing coroners at work. This is an example of __________. A) an experiment B) survey research C) participant observation D) secondary analysis
C) participant observation
According to Mills, the sociological imagination enables one to distinguish between personal troubles, which must be solved within the immediate social setting, and __________, which affect large numbers of people and often require solutions at the societal level. A) unimportant troubles B) nonprivate difficulties C) public issues D) societal dysfunctions
C) public issues
Sociological imagination refers to the ability to A) create meaningful sociological theories and test those theories. B) develop methods to modify society and thus improve the lives of individuals. C) see the societal patterns that influence the individual as well as groups of individuals. D) identify societal needs and develop ways to address those needs.
C) see the societal patterns that influence the individual as well as groups of individuals.
When studying the problem of suicide, sociologists are most interested in explaining its __________. A) psychological dimensions B) association with biological abnormalities C) societal patterns D) media coverage
C) societal patterns
Individuals who sexually assault children are often severely sanctioned. Such severe sanctions are a result of their having broken a A) folkway. B) more. C) taboo. D) custom.
C) taboo
A researcher wishes to study the attitudes of the people of specific income groups toward capital punishment. For this purpose, the researcher plans to select a representative sample of 5000 individuals, with each income group being represented by 1000 individuals. Which of the following research methods would be the best for this research? A) Content analysis B) An experiment C) Participant observation D) A survey
D) A survey
Which of these is not a type of survey? A) A mailed-out questionnaire asking people about the characteristics of their neighborhood B) A telephone or Internet poll asking about intention to vote in an upcoming election C) An in-person interview conducted with unemployed young adults D) An experiment in which passersby are asked for help by individuals of varying appearances
D) An experiment in which passersby are asked for help by individuals of varying appearances
Values provide ideals of beliefs about behavior but do not state explicitly how we should behave. _____ are established rules of behavior or standards of conduct. A) Mores B) Folkways C) Sanctions D) Norms
D) Norms
In their study of _____, sociologists focus on the meanings and uses of its components. A) nonmaterial culture B) cultural universals C) cultural particulars D) material culture
D) material culture
Culture is best described as A) unitary. B) monolithic. C) singular. D) multifaceted.
D) multifaceted.
Luis has just received a stern lecture from his parents about his poor grade in algebra. His parents' lecture is an example of a __________. A) value reinforcer B) positive sanction C) norm violation D) negative sanction
D) negative sanction
Lucy wanted to gather inside information on how volunteers at a social welfare center assist children with special needs and cater to their problems. To learn more about this, Lucy spent over six months at the center, gathering systematic data based on what she saw while being part of the activities of the group. In this scenario, Lucy used __________ as a method of gathering data. A) survey research B) secondary analysis C) content analysis D) participant observation
D) participant observation
Anomie, as defined by Durkheim, is frequently referred to as a state of A) extreme depression. B) excessive social integration. C) total detachment from society and societal forces. D) relative normlessness caused by the breakdown of social influences.
D) relative normlessness caused by the breakdown of social influences.
George and his colleague Rodrigo are sociologists who believe that people change and maintain culture through their daily communication with others. They also believe that people reinterpret their values and norms to determine the appropriate behavior for a specific situation. In the context of major sociological perspectives, George and Rodrigo are most likely __________. A) conflict theorists B) functionalists C) postmodern theorists D) symbolic interactionists
D) symbolic interactionists
