01 - Sociology Unit I Study Guide

__________________ is the scientific study of society, social relationships, and human behavior.

Which sociological theory, associated with Emile Durkheim, views society as being made up of different parts that work together to maintain stability?

• Conflict Theory

• Symbolic Interactionism

• Structural Functionalism

• Dramaturgical Analysis

A sociologist examines the U.S. wedding industry and concludes that it plays a crucial role in the economy by creating jobs for planners, photographers, and caterers. They also note that the industry supports cultural norms about family and commitment, which helps maintain social order. This view of the industry's role in maintaining a stable society is characteristic of:

• Structural Functionalism

• Symbolic Interactionism

• Conflict Theory

Answer explanation

This macro-level perspective analyzes how different parts of society, like a major industry, contribute to the overall function and stability of the whole.

A researcher argues that the U.S. wedding industry profits by marketing an idealized and extremely expensive version of a wedding, which puts immense financial pressure on working-class and middle-class couples. They point out that this competition for a 'perfect' wedding reflects and reinforces broader economic inequalities in society. This critical analysis of the industry is an example of:

• Conflict Theory

• Symbolic Interactionism

• Structural Functionalism

Answer explanation

This perspective is directly concerned with how economic systems and cultural industries create and perpetuate class-based conflict and inequality.

A sociologist studies how couples use wedding magazines and websites like Pinterest to decide what an engagement ring or a wedding dress should look like. The research focuses on how the industry creates and sells symbols, and how couples, in turn, interpret and use these symbols to create a wedding that feels personal and meaningful. This focus on symbols and their constructed meanings is central to:

• Structural Functionalism

• Conflict Theory

• Symbolic Interactionism

Answer explanation

This micro-level theory is perfectly suited for analyzing how meanings and symbols (like the 'perfect dress') are socially constructed and shared through media and personal interactions.

The city government builds a new public transit system. Its intended and stated purpose is to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution. A sociologist studying this would classify these goals as:

A sociologist studies the public education system. They conclude that in addition to its primary goal of teaching knowledge and skills, the system also serves to create social networks and friendships among students. According to structural functionalism, these unintended social benefits are known as:

• Manifest Functions

• Latent Functions

Answer explanation

Latent functions are the unintended and often unrecognized consequences of a social structure, such as schools fostering friendships.

Elements of society that disrupt its stability, such as widespread unemployment, are known as a ____________________.

A researcher is investigating ongoing protests where fast-food workers are demanding higher wages and better working conditions from the large corporations that employ them. The researcher's analysis focuses on the power imbalance and economic struggle between the workers (proletariat) and the corporation owners (bourgeoisie). This perspective is most directly inspired by:

• Jane Addams

• Emile Durkheim

• Karl Marx

• W.E.B. Du Bois

Answer explanation

Marx's conflict theory is centered on the struggle between social classes over resources and power, which perfectly describes this scenario.

A sociologist is studying interactions on a playground. They observe how children create and enforce rules for a game, use specific gestures to signal friendship or exclusion, and develop a shared understanding of what it means to 'play fair.' This focus on small-scale, face-to-face interactions is characteristic of which theory?

Answer explanation

This micro-level theory focuses on how individuals use symbols like gestures and language to create shared meanings in their day-to-day interactions.