Exam 1: Introducing Sociology

Distinguish micro-, macro-, and global social structures. Explain with examples how microstructures can influence macrostructures and in turn global structures, and then explain how global structures can influence macrostructures, and in turn microstructures.

Participant observation is deficient when it comes to establishing reliability, generalizability, and general causality. Therefore, it is better suited for what kind of research, according to your textbook?

Aaron and Roberta dated for several years and fell in love. This social interaction would be an example of a microstructure.

Describe the benefits of having a sociological perspective by using the analogy of a map of social relations.

When a sociological researcher interviews workers about their opinions of their health insurance, what stage of research is the researcher engaging in?

What is a variable? Be sure to illustrate your answer.

How does the sociological study of suicide add to our understanding of behaviour?

Which of the following theorists was the originator of conflict theory?

Which of the following examinations undertaken by Durkheim led to the conclusion that behaviours that we believe to be purely individual are in fact influenced by social forces?

Which outcome results from the process of randomization?

Two different sociologists are studying the same religious movement and are wondering whether their interpretations are consistent. What are they concerned about?

Why do most people overlook social forces as causes of suicide?

According to the textbook, many contemporary leading sociologists attended graduate school in the 1960s and 1970s. Considering this fact, which theoretical perspective are they most likely to subscribe to?

Robert has just been laid off after 30 years working for the auto industry, and he understands that his layoff was due to the company moving its manufacturing plant to Cambodia. What has Robert used to understand his situation fully?

Émile Durkheim's analysis of suicide demonstrates how the process of taking one's life through violent means is an isolated and individualistic act.

What theoretical tradition focuses on how the major patterns of inequality in society produce social stability in some circumstances and social change in others?

List and briefly describe some of the possible positive consequences of globalization and postindustrialism that some sociologists believe will improve our quality of life in the years to come.

When people artificially pose for a photograph, what type of bias is occurring?

In his research on suicide, Émile Durkheim showed that unmarried adults are half as likely to commit suicide as married adults because there are fewer social regulations limiting their life choices.

Which of the following statements best describes why people interviewed haphazardly on a street corner do not constitute a representative sample of Canadian adults?