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WorksheetsSociology Final
Total questions: 110
Worksheet time: 55mins
According to C. Wright Mills, the sociological imagination enables us to grasp the relations between ___ & ___ in society.
History and biography
money and power
biology and destiny
students and teachers
When understanding intimate relationships, a sociological imagination allows us to...
recognize that marriage is not always monogamous, but is a lifetime commitment between a man and a woman
challenge the assumption that particular forms of marriage are natural as opposed to social in origin
understand the lack of diversity in intimate relationships cross-culturally
observe the natural differences in intimate relationships within our own culture
In an ongoing study of more than 2,000 young adults and they progress through college and into their post collegiate years, sociologist Richard Arum has found that
all graduates in the study had jobs in their fields within five years of graduation
college had little impact on the earnings of graduates in the study
24 percent of graduates in the study were back living with their parents two years after graduation
sociology majors were 50 percent more likely to be employed than other students in the study
Why is the family of interest to so many sociologists?
Government funding generously supports family research
Families are a key to understanding how individuals develop.
Families are a new area of sociological research.
Families, which tend to be similar, are ideal cross-cultural subjects.
What can applying the sociological imagination tell us about unemployment and homelessness?
Homelessness and unemployment are almost always the result of individual choices.
Unemployment, but not homelessness, is almost always the result of individual choices.
Anyone is just as likely as another to become either unemployed or homeless.
Unemployment and homelessness can be due to changing social forces beyond an individual's control.
Norms, the basic rules of society that help us know what is or is not appropriate in a social situation, govern ___.
the sociological imagination
social contexts
social interaction
historical context
Sociologists' understanding of social contexts, social interactions, and social structures teaches us that people __________.
typically present themselves in the same way to everyone they meet
often behave in highly unpredictable way
never present themselves in the same way twice
present themselves in different ways based on the social situation they are in
___ refers to the enduring patterns that shape and guide social interaction.
Social role
Social strategy
Social normative behavior
Social structure
Which of the following accurately connects the effects communities have on people's life pathways?
Living around people who encourage a child to be confident leads to children who are more ambitious in life.
Living in a safe neighborhood has very little positive effect on children’s school performance.
Living in a dangerous neighborhood encourages a child to leave that neighborhood by doing well in school.
Living in a dangerous neighborhood has very little effect on a child’s future employment.
Which of the following factors pulled people away from farms and into cities during the period of rapid industrialization more so than others?
drought
housing
jobs
urban agriculture
___, who founded both the first European sociology department and the first major European journal of sociology, is called the "father of sociology."
Max Weber
Karl Marx
Claude Bordeaux
Emile Durkheim
Among the social sciences, sociology is the discipline most concerned with ___.
the way the psyche develops in early childhood
how different parts of society link up to and mutually influence one another
predicting the future of humanity
accurately assessing the failures of twentieth-century regimes
How is sociological study of the family more likely to differ from a psychological study of the family?
Psychological studies tend to focus on relationships; sociological studies tend to focus on individuals.
Psychological studies tend to study the minds of individuals in a family; sociological studies tend to study families within their larger social contexts.
Psychological studies tend to focus on context; sociological studies tend to focus on content.
Psychological studies tend to be large scale; sociological studies tend to be smaller in scale.
Sociology laid the groundwork for which of the following academic disciplines?
Latino/a studies and industrial relations
philology and theosophy
history and psychology
anthropology and computer science
Imagine that you are a sociology student in the early 20th century at the University of Chicago. You are trying to come up with an idea for a research project that you can easily conduct without leaving the city. Which of the following projects best embodies the sociological imagination?
You think the tenant in the apartment across the hall is stealing your clothes from the laundry room. You plan to hide in the laundry room to catch him in the act to figure out why he is a thief.
You suspect your older brother has some serious mental problems. You want to show him a series of ink blots and ask him what he thinks they look like. In this way, you will try to gain new insight into his mental health needs.
The sidewalk outside your dormitory is cracked and many people have injured themselves on it. You decide to organize volunteers so that you can repair the damage.
You have observed that the police force is made up almost entirely of a certain immigrant group. You want to interview members of that community and police officers to find out why this group might be drawn to police work.
You are a first-year student at a major university. Which of the following describes a social context that could have a major positive impact on your academic success?
After college, you plan on being a teacher. For this reason, you take your education very seriously.
You went to a high school that did not offer many Advanced Placement courses.
Your parents were able to hire summer tutors for you when you were in high school.
You are a perfectionist in all things. You always study very hard and have no intention of graduating with less than a perfect 4.0.
Sociology is different from some of the other social sciences because it has ___ and ___ social theories.
similar; consistent
singular; dominant
multiple; competing
abundant; unified
Karl Marx argued that...
human history is best understood through the history of a society’s economic system
society does not change as a result of how societies produce goods
the socialist movement is what allows society to change
social classes ease tension in society
According to Marx, an automated welding machine used to assemble automobile bodies would be an example of ___.
capital production
forces of production
social relations of production
modules of production
Emile Durkheim claimed that any regularity of rule of everyday life in human communities is a ___.
social fact
social law
social pattern
socialization
Organic solidarity describes a(n) ___ society that is characterized by ___.
modern; an extensive division of labor
modern; a dominant form of solidarity
undeveloped; a minimal division of labor
undeveloped; extended families linked horizontally
Max Weber focused primarily on individual action as a foundation of ___.
social order
material conditions
morality
social forces
Each year millions of people watch, and many attend, NFL games. A sociologist, observing how the team logos, colors, the field, and the rivalries bring people together in ritual behavior, would label these things as ______.
sacred
profane
intersectional
charismatic
People, more often than not, obey firefighters in emergency situations because they believe it is the "right thing to do." Weber would refer to this as an example of ___.
legitimacy
charisma
power
morality
Weber's concept of ___ have similar kinds of attributes and identities. These may be based on a wide variety of attributes such as race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or social class.
social groups
economic groups
reference groups
status groups
According to Bourdieu, what differentiates "social" from "symbolic" capital?
Symbolic capital is how much capital you want whereas social capital is how much capital you have.
Social capital can be earned whereas symbolic capital is inherited.
Social capital is your support system whereas symbolic capital is your reputation.
Symbolic capital is more powerful than social capital.
Christine works at the high school, is a deacon at her church, a den mother for the Girl Scouts, a sergeant in the National Guard, and a kickboxing instructor at her gym. The connection of Christine to other individuals in these groups are her ___.
social networks
social solidarity
social cohesion
social class
Luthor has been part of the football team for two years, but he still feels like an outsider with many of the players. His teammates never asked him to hang out after practices or get together at any other time separate from team functions. Simmel would describe Luthor’s experience as being a result of his __________.
social circles
social distance
status group membership
social closure
A number of popular celebrities, such as Morgan Freeman, have fallen victim to rumors of their death spread on the Internet. Whether the news is passed through electronic messages or face-to-face, insights gleaned from ____ could help to explain how this misinformation is passed through social circles.
class fractions
stratification
symbolic interaction
network analysis
Which of the following statements of social theorists is chronologically accurate?
Foucault wrote before Weber.
Marx wrote before Bourdieu.
Parsons wrote before Durkheim.
Du Bois wrote before Marx.
By attempting to develop a unified theory for sociology, Talcott Parsons argued that the key elements of any society were ___.
inherently embroiled in constant conflict
constructed through the interactions of social actors
aspects of social control and constraint on the individual
organized around the broader and often hidden needs of society
Parson's theory of an over arching social system guiding the individuals, groups, and social institutions of society would become known as ___.
structural functionalism
conflict theory
symbolic interactionism
social constructionism
Conflict theory was developed primarily from the work of sociologists looking for new ways of thinking about ___ and ___.
society; individuals
social institutions; social structures
conflict; social order
inequality; social justice
For symbolic interactionists, social order...
starts from individuals and the meanings they give to objects
is the foundation of all institutions and has real consequences for social actors
is created through the struggle of opposing groups fighting for resources
is the basis for social inequality and needs careful guidance through social policy
Structural individualism is a theory of analytical sociology that argues that society is based on the choices and actions that individuals and groups make while...
their choices only influence other social actors immediately around them
the actions that follow from these choices are constrained by society
other groups and individuals make their own choices
their choices are actually meaningless compared to the power of social institutions
The capitalist world system is a theory of globalization that argues...
capitalism is an economic system that has consequences between countries and not just within them
the economic systems of other nations have no influence on the U.S. economy
each nation has an economy that is independent of all other economies in the world
capitalism is an economic system that only has consequences within nations
Qualitative research relies on ___.
numerical data
words, observations, or pictures
statistical analysis of data
variable analysis
Which of the following statements about a code of ethics and sociological research is true
Sociologists often disagree about the contents of their code of ethics.
The sociological code of ethics is not relevant for human subjects.
All social scientists commit to a shared code of ethics.
Informed consent satisfies the requirements of the code of ethics.
Along with informed consent, what other ethical obligation do sociologists have regarding their professional responsibilities and conduct?
They must disclose their epistemological orientations.
They must disclose their identity as researchers.
They must disclose their theoretical traditions.
They must disclose the true identities of their subjects.
What does it mean to operationalize a research question?
Operationalizing is finding out how research subjects will behave under test conditions
Operationalizing is testing the research question to find out if it will work.
Operationalizing is determining the operations and techniques to be used to assess a research question's key concepts.
Operationalizing is making agreements with publishers to produce copies of research study results.
In a hypothesis about crime that makes a causal claim that an increase in the level of inequality in society will result in an increase in the crime rate in that society, ___ is the independent variable.
the crime rate
rate of inequality
the level of inequality
the ratio of crime to inequality
What type of research method is good at generating data about an entire population?
in-depth interviews
participant observation
surveys
experiments
When research questions are about the thought processes that lead people to have certain opinions, what research method is usually best?
a survey
in-depth interviews
ethnographic observation
a social experiment
When research questions center on patterns of behavior among large groups, what research method is usually best?
a survey
in-depth interviews
ethnographic observation
a social experiment
Which of the following is a benefit of representative sampling?
Representative sampling allows researchers to approximate results with only minor statistical weighting.
Representative sampling is faster and easier than other types of sampling.
Representative sampling allows researchers to use a subset to approximate results to the entire population.
Representative sampling is more reliable than in-depth interviews.
Researchers whose questions explore understanding social variation over time and place are likely to use which research method?
demographic analysis
comparative–historical perspective
extended cases
ethnography
What is a spurious relationship?
an apparent relationship among three or more variables having causal relationships with each other
an apparent relationship between two factors that has the appearance of linkage but, in reality, does not
an apparent relationship between two factors with an established causal relationship
an apparent relationship between two variables for which a causal link has yet to be established
Primary-source data are data...
collected by researchers themselves
collected by others
expected to overturn previous findings
provided by the American Sociological Association
Research memos are to ___ thinkers as data displays are to ___ thinkers.
quantitative; qualitative
verbal; visual
convergent; divergent
independent; dependent
You want to study a riot that occurred over 60 years ago. You have access to a handful of survivors, but they likely cannot provide all the information you need. Which two research methods should you use to complete the study?
ethnography and interviews
interviews and historical research
surveys and ethnography
interviews and experiments
John views himself as a lazy person who is not very intelligent. His self-understanding comes from his overly critical father who continually belittled him when he was growing up. John's perception of himself is what a sociologist might refer to as ___.
the looking-glass self
backstage behavior
role consistency
the social construction of reality
According to Charles Horton Cooley, how do most people construct the way they view themselves?
We view ourselves based on how we think others view us.
We view ourselves based on our own personal philosophies.
We view ourselves based on the media we consume.
We view ourselves based on genetically based criteria.
What do we call the act of bowing out of a conversation when two or more people are talking at once?
a pause
taking turns
a repair
conversational permissiveness
According to Georg Simmel, ignoring someone, out of politeness, who is only inches away from you on a crowded bus is an example of ___.
self-presentation
industrial rudeness
zeitgeist
civil inattention
When we fail at public social performances, such as accidentally dropping a book in class, how do we repair our mistake?
Most people immediately stop what they are doing and launch into a detailed apology.
Most people signal that all is okay by quietly indicating that they have performed imperfectly.
Most people go on as though nothing has happened.
Most people involved in the scene will have an embarrassed reaction.
How do social media complicate our social interactions?
Social media can create confusion because typed communication lacks tone
Social media train us to be more attentive to our communications in the real world.
Social media damage our capacity for face-to-face social interaction.
Social media is basically equivalent to our interactions in the real world.
Imagine that you are a senior in college with one semester to go before graduation. You do not have a job yet, but you are looking for one. You have a good relationship with your parents, are married, but do not have children. Which of the following is one of your reference groups?
current high-school students
new parents
recent college graduates
business professionals
Sociologists argue that we know appropriate social behavior because of commonsense understandings based in ___.
cognitive psychology theory
the social construction of reality
a self-fulfilling prophecy
the generalized other
When we change statuses, what happens to our role sets?
Status change rarely results in a change in role set.
Status change can, but does not always, change the roles we are expected to play.
When our status changes, our corresponding role sets also change.
When our status changes, role conflict vanishes.
What causes role conflict?
individuals failing to compete fairly with others who have the same role
the expectations of one role preventing the fulfillment of other role expectations
individuals mistakenly taking on the wrong roles
individuals intentionally behaving in ways opposite to role expectations
What policy change did David Rosenhan's study "Being Sane in Insane Places" lead to?
The study contributed to the deinstitutionalization movement.
The study caused a cultural shift in how mainstream Americans view mental illness.
The study raised many ethical research concerns, resulting in the establishment of institutional research boards.
The study renewed long-terminated funding for mental hospitals and other similarly structured institutions.
Which of the following is an example of an informal rule?
Not driving while intoxicated.
Filing tax returns.
Respecting the needs of children.
Stopping at red lights.
What happens when individuals follow an organization's formal rules very strictly, but disregard its informal rules?
Organizations function better and more harmoniously because everyone is happy.
Productive output increases markedly because more work is getting done.
Social interaction continues more smoothly because the rules are being followed so closely.
Organizations suffer because no one is taking the necessary shortcuts to get all of the work done.
Public restrooms are a complex social space in which we are required to prepare for our public performances and deal with others who may view that performance. You want to study a similar backstage area. Which of the following spaces would suit your requirements?
the personal confession booth on a reality television show
the kitchen in a restaurant
the open-air amphitheater in a city park
the boardroom of a major corporation
Your evening is not going as planned. While at a bar you accidentally knock over a man's drink. Although the spill was an accident, it has ruined his date's clothing and he is very angry. What is the most likely next step in this conflict's interaction ritual chain?
You get punched in the face.
He begs you for mercy.
You get insulted.
A full-scale bar fight breaks out.
What key components makes up social structure?
roles and social hierarchy; norms and institutions
diversity and inequality; structuralism and conflict
institutions and personalities; interactionism and social arrangements
trends and traditions; determinism and flexibility
What is social hierarchy?
the status a person acquires as a result of merit
social arrangements in which some groups or individuals are elevated above others
a system of social arrangements that make society more egalitarian
a group of people who control a given social institution
Your position in key social hierarchies is likely to have the least impact on ___.
how well you do in school
whether or not you attend college
your eventual occupation
your food preferences
The glass ceiling is a barrier against the advancement of ___.
homosexuals
African Americans
women
low-income men
How do sociologists define power?
the ability to influence the behavior of others
the financial means to acquire resources
membership in dominant hierarchies
the ability to claim rewards
Why do institutions form?
to ensure consistency and continuity
to complicate social life
to quickly formalize social norms
to maintain the status quo
When ideas are passed down from one generation to another, they begin to solidify, become accepted, and then become ___.
obsolete
taboo
secondary
institutionalized
Which of these are the basic rules of society that help us know what is and isn't appropriate to do in any situation?
roles
laws
norms
structure
Of the following behaviors, which is least likely to be considered a norm violation?
talking too loud in a movie theater
physically assaulting a police officer
leaving a public restroom without washing your hands
standing too close to strangers at the bus stop
Where does the process of socialization typically begin?
in communities
in families
in schools
in peer groups
Which of the following statements about socialization is true? People who are socialized to the same norms ___.
make the same moral judgments
have the same tastes
respond to identical incentives in predictable ways
behave in different and occasionally unpredictable ways
In the debate between the power of social structure and free will, you fall on the side of free will. Which of the following statements are you most likely to believe?
Individuals have little control over the worlds they inhabit.
Individuals have a great deal of control when it comes to their day-to-day actions.
Agency is an illusion but so is social structure.
Agency is key to social power.
Social movements allow for the process of ____
social change
eliminating our legal foundation
causing social inequality
reinforcing stereotypes
Subordinate groups may challenge contemporary institutionalization practices because ___.
they want to gain access to more power
they want to resist contemporary norms
they have rejected the economic structure
their religious conviction is no longer critically important
How can path dependency impact the development of society?
It is far easier to use preexisting social structures than to develop new ones.
The paved means of production enhance opportunities for social change.
Path dependency helps societies resist institutionalization.
Governments cannot adequately respond to path dependency among the population.
Which of the following is an accurate example of norms?
Walking on the right side of a hallway full of people.
Getting a ticket for running a red light.
Planting a garden in the backyard.
Protesting a school board decision.
Studying symbols helps us understand things about society ___.
that are openly talked about
and the progression of technology
that are not often discussed
and the creative use of social structure
Ethnography is a research method based on ___.
lengthy and intimate observation of a group
detailed questionnaires and experiments
the reconstruction and interpretation of past cultures
experiential exchanges between two or more ethnicities
What is a cultural toolkit?
a set of research methods that ethnographers use
a set of symbolic skills that we apply to practical situations
a set of ideas and skills that we learn and use in daily life
a set of behaviors that we adopt to impress cultural elites
Research has shown that most Americans have two tools available to them in their cultural tool kits regarding romantic love. What are they?
love as a choice and love as a commitment
love as a conversation and love as a commitment
love as a choice and love as a challenge
love as a conversation and love as a challenge
What effect has the internet had on how people consume media?
Media have become less accessible.
Media have become more participatory.
Media have become less accurate.
Media have become less interpersonal.
Taylor is a teacher at a public school in a large city. She wants to assign her students a homework assignment that requires them to do research on the internet. She is concerned about whether or not all of her students will be able to complete the assignment. Which of the following concepts helps explain Taylor's concerns?
cultural capital
the digital divide
language
socialization
What principal purpose does group style serve?
It establishes acceptable forms of dress for group members.
It distinguishes a group from other groups through a set of norms and practices.
It is a measure of the formality of a group, whether high or low.
It allows groups to screen outsiders from group activities.
Which of the following groups is an example of a subculture?
online gamers
women
children
Americans
Which of the following groups is an example of a counterculture?
public school teachers
registered Republicans
Neo-Nazis
the U.S. army
The traditional concept of America as a melting pot is an example of ___.
multiculturalism
cultural relativism
ethnocentrism
the immigrant experience
In terms of how it influences out thinking, what does ethnocentrism lead to?
the evaluation of cultural meanings and practices in their own social contexts
thick descriptions of other cultures based on real understanding
incorrect assumptions about other cultures on the basis of our own experience
correct assumptions about other cultures on the basis of interpretations of shared meanings
What is cultural relativism?
the idea that cultural meanings and practices must be evaluated in their own social contexts
the idea that cultural meanings and practices must be evaluated in relation to other cultures
the idea that cultural meanings and practices are fundamental, inherited, innate, and fixed across cultures
the idea that cultural meanings and practices must be evaluated in relation to a control group
Kevin recently moved to France from the United States for a new job opportunity. Even though he is living and working in France, every morning he still reads the New York Times. Which concept helps explain Kevin's preference for American news?
cultural relativism
ethnocentrism
nationalism
cultural universalism
Which of the following phenomenon do sociologists suggest is a contributing factor to people's sense of national identity?
the ability to watch foreign films in any country of the world
mass production and consumption of print media written in local languages
the decline of indigenous languages
rising rates of urbanization
Sociologist Pierre Bourdieu thought about the kinds of resources that have a bearing on people's lives in terms of ___.
cultural capital, economic capital, and class capital
economic capital, political capital, and social capital
economic capital, social capital, and cultural capital
economic capital, political capital, and cultural capital
Through what process are class boundaries and distinctions maintained over time?
class reproduction
class warfare
class consciousness
class conditioning
German sociologist Jurgen Habermas's ideal of the public sphere is the vision of the ___.
equal participation in political life of all private citizens
balanced participation of corporate and public interests
balanced participation of conservative and liberal media
equal participation of private citizens, corporations, and the media
Exercising power by breaking the rules of the game ___.
doesn't work long term, since threats and bribes, for example, can fail
always works if powerful groups have enough resources
almost never works, since following the rules of the game is essential
only works if the power elite is in control of the game
Sociologists define status as ___.
the prestige accorded to individuals and to important social or economic roles
the views of individuals who have important social or economic roles
a classification system that dominates the upper levels of society
the right to lay claim to special rewards
Which of the following statements is indicative of the three-dimensional view of power?
Conflict is not necessary for power to exist.
Coercion is necessary to maintain the status quo.
Conflict is necessary for power to exist.
Power manifests itself as behavior.
Why is the image of the "invisible hand" in Adam Smith's analysis of capitalism said to be misleading?
For markets to function properly, rules must be enforced by the state when violated.
For markets to function properly, entrepreneurs must be admitted by lottery drawing.
For markets to function properly, competition must be enforced by supply and demand, not rules.
For markets to function properly there must be few if any rules.
Social security, health and unemployment insurance, and welfare for poor families comprise the ___.
bureaucratic state
pluralistic state
welfare state
disciplinary state
Medicare is health insurance for everyone ___.
over 65
over 65 under the poverty line
under the poverty line
without employer-funded health insurance
Loopholes in the progressive tax system mean the ___.
rich pay far less in taxes than the official tax rate suggests
middle-class is able to direct their taxes to specific programs
lower-class do not have to pay taxes
government accounts for the discrepancy in the wage gap
Billionaire __________ famously highlighted the extent of tax loopholes for the wealthiest Americans when he reported paying less in federal taxes on his income, in terms of percentage, than his secretary.
Bill Gates
Warren Buffett
Ted Turner
Mitt Romney
Major corporations that earn tax credits can use them ___.
to lavish pay and other perks on their top managers
as gifts for deserving public institutions
as cash reimbursements to employees
as cash advances on CEO salaries
In cross-country comparisons, the country that does the least to reduce poverty is ___.
the United States
the United Kingdom
Canada
Australia
Which of the following statements exemplifies the "conservative egalitarian" label, which sociologists apply to American voters who do not consistently connect their beliefs about inequality to support for government programs that might make our society more egalitarian?
Conservative egalitarian Americans want their opinions heard but do not want their privacy violated.
Conservative egalitarian Americans want to uphold democratic values but do not want to vote.
Conservative egalitarian Americans want to help the poor but do not want to pay higher taxes.
Conservative egalitarian Americans want the same quality schools and health care as the rich.
Eloise is a network executive at XYZ News Media. She has been instructed to prevent XYZ journalists from covering a breaking scandal involving XYZ's chief financial officer. She has the staff prepare filler stories instead. XYZ, with Eloise's complicity, is engaging in ___.
civil inattention
agenda setting
class preferences
framing
