Exam 4: Social Structure and Interaction in Everyday Life

The need for personal space appears to decrease as one ages.

We act on reality as we see it. Sociologists describe this process as the __________ , meaning that we analyze a social context in which we find ourselves, determine what is in our best interest, and adjust our attitudes and actions accordingly.

Marital inequality, conflict over parenting responsibilities, unclear expectations, and lack of emotional support may contribute to __________ for both men and women.

__________ include our family, close friends, and school- or work-related peer groups.

People engage in civil inattention in an elevator, regardless of where the elevator is located. This illustrates that meanings shared across situations serve to regulate the form and process of interaction, but not the content. Microsociologists use the term__________ to refer to this.

The expectations attached to any particular status depend on the person who occupies it at that time.

When __________ occurs, we may feel pulled in different directions. We may prioritize our roles and first complete the one we consider to be most important. Or we may compartmentalize our lives and "insulate" our various roles.

__________ are based on technology that mechanizes production. New technologies, such as cars, computers, electric lights, stereos, and cell phones, are products of these societies.

Describe what symbolic interactionists mean by the social construction of reality.

When Darlene takes a seat at the local diner, the server approaches the table and says, "Hi, I'm Matt. I'll be taking care of you today." This is an example of__________ .

Describe Arlie Hochschild's concept of feeling rules and emotional labor.

Most students behave differently in the classroom than they do in their own room or with friends. For most students, the classroom would be considered __________ .

According to Durkheim, social solidarity in industrialized societies is sustained by __________ .

The same status symbol may convey different meaning depending upon the status of the person who has it.

Which of these statements about social networks is false?

__________ occurs when people disengage from social roles that have been central to their self-identity.

Social networks function equally well for members of all social classes.

According to ethnomethodologists, interaction is based on assumptions of shared expectancies.

The sociological term for the process by which people act toward and respond to other people, and which is considered the foundation for all relationships and groups in society, is__________ .

Durkheim used the term __________ to refer to the social cohesion of preindustrial societies, in which there is minimal division of labor and people feel united by shared values and common social bonds.