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Sociology and Research Methods Quiz

Total questions: 30

Worksheet time: 15mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Sociology is defined as the study of

a)

individuals and their personalities

b)

past societies

c)

past cultures

d)

human behavior in society

2.

Weber defined verstehen as

a)

the multidimensionality of society.

b)

a constantly evolving organism.

c)

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

d)

a hands-off approach to understanding society.

3.

Emile Durkheim’s work is the foundation for which major theoretical perspective?

a)

feminism

b)

symbolic interactionism

c)

conflict theory

d)

functionalism

4.

Peter Berger’s concept of debunking refers to

a)

using empirical evidence to support common sense.

b)

the “unmasking” tendency of sociology.

c)

the ability to use common sense.

d)

taking people’s actions for granted.

5.

“Inequality is inevitable and purposeful for society.” This statement best represents which theoretical perspective?

a)

feminism

b)

conflict theory

c)

functionalism

d)

symbolic interactionism

6.

Alexis de Tocqueville referred to the ability of the majority in a democracy to impose its will on everyone else as

a)

“unenlightened despotism.”

b)

the “tyranny of the majority.”

c)

“manifest destiny.”

d)

none of the above

7.

According to Mills, the specific task of sociology is to

a)

expose the exploitation of the proletariat by the bourgeoisie.

b)

promote the use of “verstehen” to understand social behavior from the point of view of those who engage in it.

c)

help individuals solve their problems.

d)

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

8.

Within sociology, the concept of diversity

a)

is focused exclusively on different groups within the United States.

b)

is not considered one of the most important concepts for study.

c)

applies only to different cultural orientations.

d)

encompasses a global perspective.

9.

Which of the following is not a criticism of functionalism?

a)

Functionalism understates the roles of power and conflict in society.

b)

Functionalism is inherently conservative, given its emphasis on stability.

c)

Functionalism states that inequality is necessary for the equitable distribution of societal resources.

d)

Functionalism overstates the subjective basis of society.

10.

Positivism refers to

a)

thinking very optimistically about society.

b)

scientific observation and description as the highest form of knowledge.

c)

being very certain of one’s research methods.

d)

a belief system first suggested by Emile Durkheim.

11.

Material culture consists of

a)

laws, customs, and ideas.

b)

ideas about what is right and wrong.

c)

ideas and beliefs of a group of people.

d)

objects created in a given culture.

12.

The specific cultural expectations for how to behave in a given situation are called

a)

directives.

b)

belief-based actualizations.

c)

culture-constructs.

d)

norms.

13.

Folkways are

a)

strict norms that control moral and ethical behavior.

b)

norms that provide strict codes of behavior.

c)

often upheld through laws that bring serious repercussions.

d)

the ordinary customs of different group cultures.

14.

As a means of social control, to enforce norms, sanctions

a)

are always negative.

b)

are not very effective.

c)

are always positive.

d)

may be mild or severe.

15.

Members of a counterculture

a)

conform to most of the standards of the dominant culture.

b)

share many elements of the dominant culture and exist within it.

c)

seek to redefine the dominant culture.

d)

reject the dominant cultural values of a society.

16.

The abstract standards that define the ideal principles of a society are called

a)

beliefs.

b)

myths.

c)

mores.

d)

values.

17.

The habit of seeing things only from the point of view of one’s own group is called

a)

multiculturalism.

b)

cultural relativism.

c)

xenocentrism.

d)

ethnocentrism.

18.

Sociologists refer to the concentration of cultural power as cultural

a)

borrowing.

b)

pervasiveness.

c)

relativism.

d)

hegemony.

19.

Which theorists are most likely to emphasize that cultural norms and beliefs integrate people into groups and create social bonds?

a)

conflict theorists

b)

symbolic interactionist theorists

c)

new cultural studies theorists

d)

functionalist theorists

20.

Which of the following is not part of the definition of culture?

a)

beliefs.

b)

behavior.

c)

language.

d)

globalization.

21.

Which of the following is NOT a step in the scientific research process?

a)

observation

b)

data analysis

c)

hypothesis testing

d)

finding funding for research

22.

Reasoning that begins with specific observations about which one draws conclusions is called _____ reasoning.

a)

conceptual

b)

deductive

c)

applied

d)

inductive

23.

Qualitative research is based on

a)

replicated results

b)

survey data

c)

statistics

d)

interpretive observations.

24.

The variable that is presumed to have an effect on or to cause something else is called the _____ variable.

a)

intervening

b)

test

c)

dependent

d)

independent

25.

What is the term for an abstract characteristic that cannot be directly observed, but that can potentially be measured?

a)

hypothesis

b)

variable

c)

indicator

d)

concept

26.

A _____ gives everyone in the population an equal chance of being selected for a study.

a)

snowball sample

b)

biased sample

c)

stratified sample

d)

random sample

27.

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.

28.

What is the disadvantage of doing a controlled experiment?

a)

Experiments are not able to establish causation.

b)

Experiments are too expensive for most sociologists to conduct.

c)

Experiments rely on too many independent variables.

d)

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

29.

One advantage of surveys is that

a)

they are rigid.

b)

they have a very high response rate.

c)

they do not need to relate to a hypothesis.

d)

they can ask about a large number of topics.

30.

A study of how women are depicted in advertisements is an example of what method?

a)

questionnaire

b)

literature review

c)

analysis of secondary data

d)

content analysis