DISS 1st Quarterly Assessment Test 2024

Which of the following best illustrates the difference between the goals of social sciences and natural sciences in studying human phenomena?

• The social sciences aim to explain natural events through observation, while the natural sciences focus on social behavior using experimentation.

• Social sciences seek to understand human interactions and societal structures, whereas natural sciences aim to explain the physical and natural world through empirical evidence.

• Social sciences and natural sciences both prioritize individual human behavior but differ in their use of quantitative versus qualitative methods.

• Both disciplines aim to understand human behavior, but social sciences focus on economic outcomes while natural sciences focus on cultural evolution.

A social scientist is researching the impact of economic inequality on educational outcomes. Which research approach is more suitable for this study compared to a natural sciences approach, and why?

• Controlled experiments, because they can isolate specific variables in human behavior.

• Ethnographic fieldwork, because it provides deeper insights into the lived experiences and societal context of the individuals involved.

• Mathematical modeling, because it allows for precise predictions of human behavior based on fixed natural laws.

• Chemical analysis, because it can determine the biological factors behind educational inequality.

A historian, sociologist, and physicist are tasked with understanding the causes of urbanization. How would a sociologist's approach differ from that of the physicist and historian, and what can be learned by integrating all three approaches?

• The sociologist would focus on social structures, while the physicist would examine physical infrastructures, and the historian would trace historical patterns. Integrating these approaches provides a multi-dimensional understanding of urban growth.

• The sociologist would study the history of urbanization, while the physicist would focus on social trends, and the historian would use natural laws. This interdisciplinary approach complicates urban studies.

• The sociologist would use experiments to test physical theories, while the physicist would look at the human experience, and the historian would analyze natural resources.

• The sociologist would focus on empirical evidence like the physicist, while the historian would rely on abstract theories, leading to conflicting results when combined.

Which of the following events played the most significant role in the emergence of social science disciplines, and why?

• The Scientific Revolution, because it encouraged the use of empirical evidence and the scientific method to study human behavior and society.

• The Enlightenment, because it promoted the idea that human reason could be used to understand and improve society.

• The Industrial Revolution, because it introduced complex social and economic changes that required systematic study of society.

• The Renaissance, because it revived interest in the humanities and the study of ancient civilizations.

How did the Enlightenment contribute to the development of social science disciplines, particularly in understanding human behavior and social structures?

• It emphasized the importance of scientific experimentation in understanding human emotions.

• It introduced new political and economic ideas that questioned traditional authority and highlighted the role of individual agency.

• It advocated for the study of natural laws to explain the workings of societies, disregarding cultural and historical contexts.

• It rejected the importance of empirical evidence in favor of abstract philosophical reasoning.

The Industrial Revolution brought about rapid urbanization and economic changes. How did this event lead to the establishment of new social science disciplines, and how might these disciplines work together to understand the consequences of industrialization?

• Sociology emerged to study the effects of urbanization, while economics analyzed the distribution of wealth. Both disciplines collaborate to understand how industrialization reshaped social structures and economic systems.

• Psychology developed to explore the mental health impacts of industrial work, while anthropology focused on industrial tools. These fields often contradict each other when examining industrialization.

• Political science emerged to support monarchies, while sociology ignored industrial labor. Both disciplines work separately, with little overlap in studying industrialization.

• Geography and history became dominant social sciences, focusing on the physical relocation of populations rather than social and economic outcomes.

Which of the following best demonstrates the difference between Symbolic Interactionism and Functionalism as major social science theories?

• Symbolic Interactionism focuses on social stability and the function of institutions, while Functionalism examines how individuals create and interpret symbols in everyday life.

• Symbolic Interactionism examines small-scale, everyday interactions to understand society, while Functionalism views society as a complex system where each part serves a purpose for overall stability.

• Functionalism focuses on power dynamics and inequality, while Symbolic Interactionism emphasizes social change and revolutions.

• Functionalism and Symbolic Interactionism both focus on large-scale societal structures but differ in their approach to political systems.

According to Conflict Theory, society is in a constant state of conflict due to competition for limited resources. Which real-world example best demonstrates the principles of Conflict Theory, and why?

• The peaceful resolution of a political debate, because it shows how society values cooperation over conflict.

• The unequal distribution of wealth and power between different social classes, because it highlights the struggle between dominant and oppressed groups.

• The shared cultural norms within a community, because it emphasizes the stability and cohesion in social relationships.

• The educational system promoting shared values and skills, because it shows how institutions support the functioning of society.

Imagine a scenario where a new law is passed to provide universal healthcare. How would a sociologist using Rational Choice Theory explain the behavior of individuals and groups in relation to this law?

• People would resist the law because all social change is met with opposition, regardless of the benefits.

• Individuals would evaluate the benefits and costs of supporting or opposing the law based on how it maximizes their personal gains, leading to different strategies for different groups.

• Social institutions would adapt to the law to ensure society remains cohesive and stable, with little conflict over the change.

• Society as a whole would reject the law because it challenges existing power structures and perpetuates inequality.

How would a sociologist applying Conflict Theory interpret the rise in income inequality in modern capitalist societies?

• As a natural outcome of meritocracy, where individuals are rewarded based on their talents and effort.

• As a result of competition between social groups for control of resources, with the wealthy maintaining power over the working class through unequal distribution of wealth.

• As a breakdown of social norms, where individuals no longer adhere to the values that promote equality and cooperation.

• As a temporary imbalance that will self-correct when government institutions intervene with policy adjustments.