Exam 4: Social Structure and Social Interaction

Of all the social institutions, the mass media is one of the oldest.

Why did Durkheim use the term "mechanical" to describe the intimate community that shared values?

List the ten major social institutions and briefly explain the assumptions that functionalist and conflict theorists have about social institutions. Pick three social institutions and explain the basic needs that each fulfills in society.

What are the five functional requisites that social institutions provide?

Based on Durkheim's classification of society, the Old Order Amish would fall into which category?

Leo, Ryan, and Matthew regularly interact with one another and share similar values, norms, and expectations. In view of this, which concept most applies to their relationship?

What is social class? How did Weber and Marx agree and disagree on the variables that contribute to determining social class?

The notion that the mass media represents the varied interests of many groups would reflect a position consistent with ________ theory.

Mechanical solidarity and Gemeinschaft both describe the most intimate societies that are personal and have close kinship connections.

What are background assumptions? Describe what happens when background assumptions are violated. What does the ethnomethodological study of background assumptions tell us about the nature of social life?

A focus on the broad features of society to analyze such things as social class and how groups relate to one another is called ________.

Which of the following topics would most likely be approached based on a macrosociological analysis?

Why do we lose rights to make certain decisions about our own behavior when we join a group?

When would a sociologist use the microsociological approach?

Erving Goffman introduced the idea that in everyday life we perform our assigned roles, and maintained that our social life was like a drama enacted on a stage. Discuss his approach to the study of everyday life. Include in your discussion his ideas of front and back stage, as well as impression management.

What is the sociological significance of social structure? Give examples of social structure in this course and how it affects your understanding of sociology.

Name five of the ten social institutions discussed in the text.

For a symbolic interactionist, what is the most important part of life in society?

How do social institutions affect the people of a society?

An approach to social interaction in which social life is analyzed in terms of the stage is called ________.