Deck 1: Thinking Like a Sociologist

Question 1

Social statics explores how individuals and societies change over time.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Functionalism often glosses over the inequality that a handful of powerful people create and maintain.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Sociology is subjective.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Which of the following is an accurate definition of sociology?

A) Sociology is the enigmatic study of social interaction at the micro level.
B) Sociology is the enigmatic study of psychological interactions of people with their society.
C) Sociology is the enigmatic study of phenomenal changes that occur in a society.
D) Sociology is the systematic study of human behavior in society.
E) Sociology is the systematic study of physiological changes that people encounter in a society.

Question 5

Because common sense is _____, there's little room for facts that might be disturbing or challenge cherished beliefs.

A) subjective
B) realistic
C) unaffected
D) logical
E) rational

Question 6

The sociological imagination is at the center of the sociological perspective.

Question 7

Microsociology and macrosociology differ conceptually, but they're interrelated.

Question 8

Conflict theorists see disagreement and the resulting changes in society as natural, inevitable, and even desirable.

Question 9

Macrosociology examines the patterns of individuals' social interaction in specific settings.

Question 10

The sociological imagination emphasizes the connection between men and women.

Question 11

A researcher who is value free is one who separates her or his personal values, opinions, ideology, and beliefs from scientific research.

Question 12

Recognizing and understand diversity is one of sociology's central themes.

Question 13

The sociological perspective analyzes how social context influences people's lives.

Question 14

Émile Durkheim is known as the "father of sociology."

Question 15

When sociologists refer to the systematic study of behavior, they mean that social behavior is:

A) erratic.
B) clustered.
C) asymmetrical.
D) regular and patterned.
E) intentional and premeditated.

Question 16

Sociology is also known as conventional wisdom.

Question 17

Social dynamics investigates how principles of social order explain a particular society, as well as the interconnections between institutions.

Question 18

Sociologist C.Wright Mills called the ability to see the relationship between individual experiences and larger social influences the _____.

A) sociological imagination
B) social stratification
C) enigmatic perspective
D) enigmatic behavior
E) conventional wisdom

Question 19

According to sociologist C.Wright Mills, a person's individual behavior is influenced by _____.

A) social factors
B) conventional wisdom
C) genetics
D) random thoughts
E) greed

Question 20

Microsociology focuses on large-scale patterns and processes that characterize society as a whole.

Question 21

According to a study in 2001 by Adams and Sydie, like Auguste Comte, Émile Durkheim also ignored:

A) Martineau's contributions on the importance of systematic and objective data collection.
B) the fact that the study of society is empirical.
C) the fact that people in a society are bound together by common interests and attitudes.
D) societies that are characterized by unity and cohesion.
E) the relationships between education and politics, as well as how such interconnections change over time.

Question 22

According to a study in 1992 by Ritzer, which of the following is a reason why sociology is a powerful tool in understanding people's behavior and society at large?

A) Examining micro, macro, and micro-macro forces
B) Accepting conventional wisdom
C) People's thoughts being subjective
D) Having a single point of view
E) Being irrational

Question 23

For contemporary sociologists, social facts include collecting and analyzing data on _____, such as collective behavior and social movements.

A) material facts
B) social perspectives
C) social statics
D) social dynamics
E) social currents

Question 24

A sociologist is conducting a study on a small group of poverty-stricken individuals.She understands that an individual's poverty status is the result of larger economic situations and unemployment rates in the local community rather than an individual's personal problem.The ability to see the relationship between the personal troubles of the group and the larger economic situations is known as:

A) social stratification.
B) microsociology.
C) enigmatic perspective.
D) conventional wisdom.
E) sociological imagination.

Question 25

Auguste Comte saw sociology as the scientific study of two aspects of society, namely:

A) social statics and social dynamics.
B) history and biography.
C) conventional wisdom and facts.
D) ideology and intuition.
E) self-assessment and self-realization.

Question 26

According to Durkheim, Comte didn't show that:

A) societies are characterized by unity and cohesion.
B) people in a society are bound together by common interests and attitudes.
C) sociology could be scientific.
D) sociology considers many points of view.
E) society must be empirical.

Question 27

Comte maintained that the study of society must be _____.

A) personal
B) spiritual
C) empirical
D) ideological
E) intuitive

Question 28

Sociologists can gauge _____, such as communication processes, by observing everyday behavior and how people relate to each other.

A) non material facts
B) enigmatic perspectives
C) social statics
D) social dynamics
E) non empirical facts

Question 29

Which of the following is true of theories?

A) Theories examine the patterns of individuals' social interaction in specific settings.
B) Theories produce knowledge, guide people's research, and help them analyze their findings.
C) Theories offer explanations that can greatly disrupt the quality of one's everyday life.
D) Theories are proposed explanations, which are made on the basis of limited evidence.
E) Theories are known and proved to be true in all cases.

Question 30

_____ coined the term sociology and is often described as the "father of sociology."

A) Auguste Comte
B) Émile Durkheim
C) Karl Marx
D) Charles Wright Mills
E) Max Weber

Question 31

Place of residence is an example of a(n):

A) material fact.
B) social perspective.
C) enigmatic perspective.
D) social imagination.
E) empirical fact.

Question 32

Which of the following is true of sociology?

A) Knowing some sociology can help people make more informed decisions.
B) Knowing sociology makes people's thinking subjective and irrational.
C) Sociology strengthens people's faith in myths and misconceptions.
D) Sociology supports conventional wisdom.
E) Sociology ignores facts.

Question 33

_____ are aspects of social life, external to the individual that can be measured.

A) Social perspectives
B) Enigmatic perspectives
C) Behavioral facts
D) Social facts
E) Social statics

Question 34

Communication process is an example of a(n):

A) non material fact.
B) social perspective.
C) enigmatic perspective.
D) social imagination.
E) non empirical fact.

Question 35

Jennifer is studying how welfare policies affect working families.She has paid several visits to families that have agreed to be a part of her study and interviewed them.She has also requested them to fill a questionnaire that asked about the issues in their daily lives such as the household budget and marital harmony.With this information, Jennifer tries to link the effect of welfare policies to these issues.In this scenario, Jennifer most likely studies:

A) microsociology.
B) macrosociology.
C) physiology.
D) conflict theories.
E) symbolic interactions.

Question 36

Sociologists can determine _____ by examining demographic characteristics such as age, place of residence, and population size.

A) material facts
B) social perspectives
C) social statics
D) social dynamics
E) empirical facts

Question 37

Sociologist C.Wright Mills used the term sociological imagination to describe the connection between:

A) men and the physical environment.
B) personal troubles and structural issues.
C) men and biography.
D) history and the physical environment.
E) men and women.

Question 38

According to sociologist James White, which of the following best describes theories?

A) Theories are tools that don't profess to know the truth but may need replacing over time as our understanding of society becomes more sophisticated.
B) Theories refer to the ability to see the relationship between individual experiences and larger social influences.
C) Theories offer explanations that can greatly improve the quality of one's everyday life and overall behavior.
D) Theories are proposed explanation, which are made on the basis of limited evidence.
E) Theories are known and proved to be true in all cases.

Question 39

Thomas is conducting a study on the work patterns and personal habits of his family members.He shadows them each day to record their daily interactions with each other and with the outside world-be it at school, work, or even the supermarket.In this scenario, Thomas most likely studies:

A) microsociology.
B) macrosociology.
C) physiology.
D) conflict theories.
E) symbolic interactions.

Question 40

Which of the following is a difference between social statics and social dynamics?

A) Social statics investigates how principles of social order explain a particular society, while social dynamics explores how individuals and societies change over time.
B) Social statics explores about ideology, religion, intuition, or conventional wisdom, while social dynamics investigates the interconnections between institutions.
C) Social statics examines the patterns of individuals' social interaction in specific settings, while social dynamics focuses on large-scale patterns and processes that characterize society as a whole.
D) Social statics is subjective, while social dynamics is non subjective.
E) Social statics focuses on a single point of view, while social dynamics considers many points of view.

Question 41

Weber posited that an understanding of society requires a subjective understanding of behavior.Such understanding is known as _____.

A) entwicklung
B) gemeinschaft
C) gesellschaft
D) kapitalismus
E) verstehen

Question 42

According to Durkheim, as the division of labor becomes more specialized, _____.

A) individuals become autonomous and take their own decisions irrespective of its impact on others
B) people become increasingly dependent on others for specific goods and services
C) people believe in myths, misconceptions, and follow conventional wisdom
D) suicide rates increase
E) social unity decreases

Question 43

For Marx, _____ is a class system in which conflict between the classes is common and society is anything but cohesive.

A) socialism
B) communism
C) capitalism
D) fascism
E) altruism

Question 44

Unlike his predecessors and contemporaries, Marx maintained that:

A) social cohesiveness creates disunity.
B) harmony seldom leads to unity in real world.
C) capitalism leads to the downfall of economy.
D) economic issues produce divisiveness rather than social solidarity.
E) the Industrial revolution brought down social cohesiveness.

Question 45

Which of the following statements is true of functionalist theory?

A) Society is a complex system of interdependent parts that work together to ensure a society's survival.
B) Society has continuous struggles about how and why groups disagree, struggle over power, and compete for scarce resources.
C) Gender inequality is the major source of inequality in society.
D) People act on the basis of the interpreted meanings attached to interaction with others.
E) People always separate their personal values, opinions, ideology, and beliefs from scientific research.

Question 46

Social solidarity, or social cohesiveness and harmony, according to Durkheim, is maintained by a(n) _____.

A) division of labor
B) enigmatic perspective
C) social perspective
D) social imagination
E) social current

Question 47

Some criminologists suggest that criminals learn more about being a criminal in prison than they might learn on streets.This situation is an example of a(n) _____.

A) intentional function
B) beneficial function
C) manifest function
D) latent function
E) dysfunction

Question 48

Marx, like Comte and Durkheim, tried to explain the changes that were taking place in society during _____.

A) the Enlightenment
B) the Discovery of the New World
C) the French Revolution
D) the Industrial Revolution
E) the Great World War

Question 49

In industrial capitalist systems, workers feel _____ because they don't own or control either the means of production or the product.

A) alienated
B) cohesive
C) harmonious
D) socially static
E) socially dynamic

Question 50

The _____ of the purchase of a new car is the requirement of transportation.

A) latent function
B) manifest function
C) dysfunction
D) social system
E) criticism

Question 51

Karl Marx believed that society is divided into:

A) capitalists and proletariat.
B) social statics and social dynamics
C) conventional wisdom and facts.
D) ideology and intuition.
E) social imagination and social stratification.

Question 52

In ______, the social scientist observes a person's facial expressions, gestures, and listens to his/her words.

A) direct observational understanding
B) explanatory understanding
C) surveillance understanding
D) common understanding
E) dynamic understanding

Question 53

Matt saw Julie laughing in the hallway with a friend.Matt knows that Julie probably just heard a joke from her friend or saw something funny in the hallway.Matt is using Max Weber's:

A) direct observational understanding.
B) explanatory understanding.
C) surveillance understanding.
D) common understanding.
E) dynamic understanding

Question 54

In _____, the social scientist tries to grasp the intention and context of a person's behavior.

A) direct observational understanding
B) explanatory understanding
C) surveillance understanding
D) common understanding
E) dynamic understanding

Question 55

Unlike Karl Marx, Max Weber focused on:

A) social organization, a subjective understanding of behavior, and a value-free sociology.
B) emphasizing economics as a major factor in explaining society.
C) capitalism and its impact on workers' social behavior.
D) capitalists and the proletariat.
E) a class system in which conflict between the classes is common and society is anything but cohesive.

Question 56

The major focus for capitalists is on:

A)
Increasing profits as much as possible.
B) feeling connected to the products or services they sell.
C) maintaining overall social harmony in their company.
D) social cohesiveness and social solidarity.
E) employee satisfaction.

Question 57

_____ are intended and recognized; they're present and clearly evident.

A) Manifest functions
B) Latent functions
C) Dysfunctions
D) Social systems
E) Criticisms

Question 58

According to Karl Marx, history is a series of class struggles between:

A) capitalists and workers.
B) men and women.
C) men and the environment.
D) social statics and social dynamics.
E) social perspective and social imagination.

Question 59

Matt saw Julie laughing in the hallway with a friend.He knows that Julie must be feeling happy or joyful.In this scenario, Matt is using Max Weber's _____ to deduce that Julie is happy.

A) direct observational understanding
B) explanatory understanding
C) surveillance understanding
D) common understanding
E) dynamic understanding

Question 60

In his classic study _____, Durkheim relied on extensive data collection to draw conclusions about social integration.

A) Social Issues
B) Social Assimilation
C) Cohesion
D) Suicide
E) Integration

Question 61

Who was described as the "father of sociology?" Explain how he contributed to the field of sociology.

Question 62

Explain the concept of dysfunctions with an example.

Question 63

Many people purchase an expensive car because it serves as a status symbol.The car serving as a status symbol is an example of a:

A) latent function
B) manifest function
C) dysfunction
D) social system
E) criticism

Question 64

What are the several ways in which society goes well beyond conventional wisdom?

Question 65

What are social facts?

Question 66

Which of the following statements is true of symbolic interaction theory?

A) Society is composed of interrelated parts that work to maintain society's cohesion.
B) Society has continuous struggles about how and why groups disagree, struggle over power, and compete for scarce resources.
C) Gender inequality is the major source of inequality in society.
D) People act on the basis of the meaning they attribute to others.
E) People always separate their personal values, opinions, ideology, and beliefs from scientific research.

Question 67

_____ are unintended and unrecognized; they're present but not immediately obvious.

A) Manifest functions
B) Latent functions
C) Dysfunctions
D) Social systems
E) Criticisms

Question 68

How does studying sociology shape social and public policies and practices?

Question 69

Which of the following statements is true of conflict theory?

A) Society is composed of interrelated parts that work to maintain society's cohesion.
B) It examines how and why groups disagree, struggle over power, and compete for scarce resources.
C) Gender inequality is the major source of inequality in society.
D) It acts on the basis of the interpreted meanings attached to interaction with others.
E) People always separate their personal values, opinions, ideology, and beliefs from scientific research.

Question 70

How is a sociological imagination helpful?

Question 71

How does studying sociology help people to understand diversity?

Question 72

Briefly explain microsociology.

Question 73

Who is a value-free researcher?

Question 74

How does knowing sociology influence one's decision-making skills?

Question 75

Explain the concept of social interaction with an example.

Question 76

One of the common criticisms of functionalist theory is that it:

A) is so focused on order and stability that it often ignores social change.
B) is too focused on social change and often ignores social cohesion.
C) often ignores the contribution of gender in understanding social change.
D) often focuses too much on discrimination and inequality.
E) is too focused on micro-level factors.

Question 77

What are the two types of functions in functionalism? Explain with examples.

Question 78

Is common sense subjective? Explain with an example.

Question 79

What are the two aspects of society according to Auguste Comte?

Question 80

Define petit bourgeoisie and proletariat.