Deck 5: Social Structure and Social Interaction

Question 1

Which of the following characteristics does a society not possess?

A) People think of themselves as distinct from other societies.
B) Members maintain ties of interaction.
C) Individuals have a high degree of interdependence among their members.
D) Groups resemble society, but are similar in size..

Answer 1

D

Question 2

From the perspective of conflict theorists, social institutions

A) exist to protect the rights of those with less power in society.
B) provide for some members of society more than for others.
C) create meaning for the people who participate in them.
D) hold society together.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Sociologists who study the large patterns of social interactions that are vast, complex, and highly differentiated are using .

A) microanalysis
B) macroanalysis
C) content analysis
D) organic analysis

Answer 3

B

Question 4

In which of the following is Durkheim most interested?

A) How society changes.
B) The ways that interaction creates innovation.
C) Power.
D) The ways society is held together.

Question 5

Which of these is an example of something a sociologist would consider from the microlevel analysis of social interaction?

A) Day to day life in a sorority house
B) Poverty in the U.S.
C) The causes of homelessness
D) Rates of urban crime

Question 6

Which of these would interest a sociologist who prefers macroanalysis of social interaction?

A) The pattern and content of cliques in a high school
B) How laws governing family leave have affected families in the U.S.
C) How members of a gang feel about the crimes they commit
D) The daily lives of people in a homeless shelter

Question 7

Which of the following is not a social institution?

A) Education
B) Family
C) Friends
D) Religion

Question 8

What is the relationship between culture and society, from a sociological perspective?

A) The members of a society share a culture to some extent.
B) A society is much larger and more widespread than culture.
C) A society involves social interaction; culture does not.
D) Culture is a subset of society.

Question 9

Which of the following describes a society according to sociologists?

A) Highly independent individuals living together.
B) Members who share common culture.
C) Members who are unaware of other societies.
D) Members who exhibit constant harmony.

Question 10

According to the text, social institutions are an important concept within sociology for all of the following reasons, except:

A) they shape life within any particular society.
B) they meet certain needs that are necessary for society to exist.
C) they exist outside of individual experience.
D) they are natural extensions of society.

Question 11

Which of the following is not a function of social institutions?

A) The socialization of new members of the society
B) Providing members with an ultimate sense of purpose
C) Replacement of societys members
D) Supporting members economically

Question 12

According to the text, functionalist theorists contend that social institutions:

A) assure the stability and continuance of society.
B) provide for some segments of society at the expense of others.
C) distribute power to the various segments of society unequally.
D) shape individual identity and personality.

Question 13

Emile Durkheim described society as sui generis. This means that society:

A) is made up of a lot of individualized social interaction.
B) is the term for a set of groups and organizations in the same location.
C) is greater than the sum of its parts.
D) lacks order because it has such great diversity.

Question 14

According to the text, social organization:

A) is most common in industrial societies.
B) brings predictability to human behavior.
C) only applies to very large organizations.
D) is only apparent to researchers.

Question 15

Sociologists use the term to refer to the organized pattern of social relationships and social institutions that together comprise society.

A) cultural complex
B) social structure
C) infrastructure
D) social network

Question 16

The importance of Durkheim's sui generis is that _.

A) society is much more than the sum of the individuals in it
B) society is simpler than once thought.
C) social interaction is more important than social structure.
D) culture and society are not equivalent.

Question 17

According to the text, a is a broad system that organizes specific functions in society.

A) social organization
B) social institution
C) social structure
D) socialization

Question 18

According to the text, social institutions:

A) cannot be observed directly.
B) are only found in large societies.
C) do not serve any particular function in society.
D) are rare in our society.

Question 19

Sociologists use the term to describe the order established in social groups at any level.

A) social interaction
B) infrastructure
C) social design
D) social organization

Question 20

Sociologists who study relatively small, less-complex, and less differentiated patterns of social interaction are using .

A) microanalysis
B) macroanalysis
C) structural analysis
D) organic analysis

Question 21

In most contemporary societies create consistent patterns in the division of labor.

A) intelligence and ability
B) age, gender, race, and social class
C) interest and enthusiasm
D) religion and moral beliefs

Question 22

In answer to the question, "What holds society together?" Durkheim answered:

A) division of labor.
B) collective consciousness.
C) social structure.
D) social interaction.

Question 23

Within a gemeinschaft society, how is social control achieved?

A) Through social institutions such as the legal system
B) Through a system of written laws that apply equally to members of society
C) Through an internal sense of belonging that member of society share
D) Through a strict division of labor.

Question 24

According to the text, social structures

A) are a part of large, but not small organization.
B) only have an influence on impersonal aspects of our lives, like education and religion.
C) are difficult to see for the untrained observer.
D) do not have any connection to each other.

Question 25

According to Emile Durkheim, gives groups social solidarity because members of a group feel they are part of one society.

A) the social macrostructure
B) collective consciousness
C) class consciousness
D) popular culture

Question 26

Which of these is true about gesellschaft societies?

A) They have no social cohesion.
B) Primary relationships are dominant in society.
C) The division of labor creates organic solidarity.
D) Mechanical solidarity creates social control.

Question 27

Society is a network of:

A) roles.
B) statuses.
C) social structures.
D) divisions of labor.

Question 28

The key factor that distinguishes types of societies is the

A) kinship system.
B) division of labor.
C) development of technology.
D) economic system.

Question 29

Which of the following reflects a gemeinschaft society?

A) Strangers on a street corner.
B) Individuals talking in a cubicle in a large corporation.
C) A small communitys tomato festival.
D) A large city park.

Question 30

According to the text, Durkheim defined division of labor as:

A) the relatedness of different tasks.
B) the integration of male tasks and female tasks.
C) unity within diversity.
D) important secondary relationships.

Question 31

The type of social solidarity that exists in the United States and other industrialized societies is solidarity.

A) communal
B) mechanical
C) organic
D) integrated

Question 32

In a society where mechanical solidarity exists

A) solidarity is created by individuals playing a great variety of different roles.
B) unity is based on role differentiation, not similarity.
C) individuals share the same values, hold the same things sacred, and frequently play the same roles.
D) the performance of multiple roles is necessary for the execution of societys complex and integrated functions.

Question 33

According to the text, those societies that are gemeinschaft are characterized by:

A) a sense of "we" feeling.
B) extensive division of labor.
C) strong secondary relationships.
D) organic solidarity.

Question 34

Durkheim argued that complex societies are held together by the systematic interrelatedness of different tasks. He used the term to refer to this interrelatedness.

A) bureaucracy
B) the division of labor
C) social superstructure
D) social infrastructure

Question 35

Preindustrial societies are those that

A) do not raise any crops.
B) only forage for food.
C) work directly with the land.
D) no longer manufacture; they produce information.

Question 36

Ethnic conflict is most likely within societies and between societies.

A) gesellschaft / gemeinschaft
B) gemeinschaft / gesellschaft
C) mechanical / organic
D) traditional / contemporary

Question 37

Which of these types of society has the greatest amount of social differentiation?

A) Foraging
B) Pastoral
C) Agricultural
D) Horticultural

Question 38

According to the text, is characterized by less prominence of personal ties, a somewhat diminished role of the nuclear family, and a lessened sense of personal loyalty to the total society.

A) Gemeinschaft
B) Gesellschaft
C) Verstehen
D) Sue Generis

Question 39

In a society marked by organic solidarity:

A) individuals play a great variety of different roles and unity is based on role differentiation.
B) the roles people play are very similar.
C) individuals share the same values and hold the same things sacred.
D) there is a complete lack of collective consciousness.

Question 40

Sociologists distinguish six different types of societies based on

A) the complexity of their social structure and level of technology.
B) locations in the world.
C) their political systems-whether they are democratic or totalitarian.
D) their economic system-whether capitalist or socialist.

Question 41

Pastoral societies are based on the domestication of animals. In addition, they are characterized by

A) having no material wealth.
B) being nomadic.
C) their location in rich farmlands.
D) a lack of any division of labor.

Question 42

According to the text, which type of society may include a system of slavery?

A) Foraging
B) Industrial
C) Horticultural
D) Agricultural

Question 43

In societies, there is a clearer division of labor than pastoral societies, but less than in industrial societies.

A) foraging
B) horticultural
C) pastoral
D) post-industrial

Question 44

The established position that one occupies within a social structure and that carries with it a degree of prestige is called a(n) .

A) status
B) occupation
C) role
D) role set

Question 45

Which of the following is not an example of a social group?

A) The elderly
B) Nurses
C) Veterans
D) American Idol fans

Question 46

In postindustrial societies

A) the economy is dependent on the production and distribution of services and knowledge.
B) there is very little social differentiation or division of labor.
C) religion and family are the most vital social institutions.
D) social inequality is rare.

Question 47

According to the text, which of these is nota characteristic of most industrial societies?

A) Use of machines to produce goods and services
B) Increased death rates and a lowered life expectancy
C) Highly differentiated labor force
D) Social cohesion achieved through structures of social institutions

Question 48

From a sociological perspective, which of these is not necessarily characteristic of a group?

A) Interaction is face-to-face.
B) Members communicate with each other.
C) Members share goals and norms.
D) Members possess an awareness of themselves as "we."

Question 49

A pastoral society is unlike a forging society because:

A) it lacks a division of labor.
B) a forging society is more complex.
C) it develops a division of labor.
D) it lacks surplus.

Question 50

In light of what is said in the text about groups, if I am a member of a parent-teacher association (PTA), which of the following am I involved in?

A) An audience
B) An informal organization
C) A formal organization
D) A private organization

Question 51

How does post-industrialism impact members of society?

A) Most have more leisure time
B) New kinds of jobs pay better so most make more money
C) Education, particularly science, takes on paramount importance
D) Full employment as new kinds of jobs are created

Question 52

It is possible for members of an audience or a category to become a group, but in order to do so they must

A) meet face-to-face.
B) interact with each other.
C) be well-organized.
D) share other things in common.

Question 53

The faithful fans of the original Coke form a(n) .

A) social group
B) social constituency
C) audience
D) social category

Question 54

An immigrant from Vietnam was a lawyer in his home country. In the U.S. he cannot practice law, and so he drives a cab for a living. His experience is an example of .

A) role conflict
B) status inconsistency
C) role strain
D) ascribed status

Question 55

Today, the United States would be described as

A) an agricultural society.
B) between industrial and post-industrial phases.
C) moving beyond post-industrial society.
D) no longer manufacturing any products for itself.

Question 56

When the different statuses of a person each brings with them significantly different amounts of prestige this causes .

A) role strain
B) status inconsistency
C) role conflict
D) status ambivalence

Question 57

In industrial societies, social cohesion is achieved through .

A) organic solidarity
B) kinship systems
C) religious beliefs
D) shared ethnic heritage

Question 58

Which of the following is not characteristic of foraging societies?

A) Simple technologies for harvesting food surpluses.
B) Being nomadic.
C) Society organized around the family.
D) Role differentiation based on gender.

Question 59

Postindustrial societies are characterized by

A) the production of information services.
B) an increase in manufacturing jobs.
C) a large working class of industrial laborers.
D) a strict division of labor.

Question 60

In light of what is said in the text about the types of societies, if my occupation involves scientific research or management of information, then the type of society I represent is _.

A) postindustrial
B) industrial
C) forging
D) pastoral.

Question 61

Nonverbal communication:

A) varies very little from one society to another.
B) is of little interest to sociologists because it is so difficult to observe.
C) varies according to ones race, class, and gender.
D) is usually one-way.

Question 62

When the roles in ones role set clash with one another, the result is role _.

A) inconsistency
B) conflict
C) strain
D) breakdown

Question 63

Parents vary their pattern of touch or tactile communication most often based on .

A) age
B) gender
C) race
D) communication style

Question 64

Students are expected to spend a lot of time on their studies, but students are also increasingly expected to perform some sort of volunteer work and socialize in their residence halls. The result is:

A) role strain.
B) anomie.
C) role conflict.
D) role breakdown.

Question 65

According to the text, in the study of social interaction, sociologists find that:

A) social status influences the meaning of nonverbal behaviors.
B) nonverbal communication, such as silence, has universal interpretations.
C) the vast majority of human communication is verbal.
D) although men and women have different speech patterns, they use nonverbal communication in the same ways.

Question 66

Gender may be considered an achieved status as well as an ascribed status for all of the following reasons, except:

A) gender is socially constructed.
B) people enact their gender through behaviors and appearance.
C) some people transition in some way from the sex into which they were born.
D) gender and sex are unique concepts.

Question 67

A status that is earned is called an:

A) acquired status.
B) achieved status.
C) assumed status.
D) ascribed status.

Question 68

When a person defines her identity as a mechanic, she is creating her .

A) master or achieved status
B) ascribed status
C) role set
D) none of the above

Question 69

Your age and race are examples of:

A) ascribed statuses.
B) achieved statuses.
C) assumed statuses.
D) acquired statuses.

Question 70

A medical doctor and a judge are examples of .

A) ascribed statuses
B) achieved statuses
C) assumed statuses
D) acquired statuses

Question 71

A student who admires her basketball coach and plans to become a coach herself is an example of .

A) role reversal
B) role modeling
C) role imitation
D) taking the role of the other

Question 72

An ascribed status is one that is .

A) beyond the individuals control
B) the responsibility of the individual
C) an earned status
D) a low rank

Question 73

Anne is a college student, a full-time employee, and a mother of two young children. Anne is likely experiencing:

A) role conflict.
B) role strain.
C) status inconsistency.
D) status sets.

Question 74

Which of the following is false in regards to social interaction?

A) Everyday behaviors are shaped by society.
B) Most behaviors are inherently positive or negative, regardless of the situation is.
C) The cultural context is important in determining the meaning of a behavior.
D) An action that is positive in one culture may be negative in another.

Question 75

A condition wherein a single role brings conflicting expectations is called role .

A) strain
B) breakdown
C) conflict
D) confusion

Question 76

According to the text, patterns of touch are strongly influenced by gender. Which of the following statements regarding gender and touch is false?

A) Women are more likely to use touch for emotional support than men are.
B) Boys tend to be touched by their parents more roughly than girls are.
C) In an interaction, which people touch others is a reflection of the relative social status of the participants.
D) In everyday interaction men and women tend to use touch about equally.

Question 77

are statuses that demonstrate that it is difficult to draw a firm line between ascribed and achieved statuses.

A) Occupation and education
B) Social class and gender
C) Age and occupation
D) Being a parent and being a student

Question 78

Which of the following is likely not an example of one's master status?

A) Age
B) Race
C) Gender
D) Heterosexual

Question 79

Sociologist Arlie Hochschilds concept of "the second shift" is discussed in the text as an example of _.

A) a role set
B) role conflict
C) role strain
D) taking the role of the other

Question 80

A status that is occupied from the moment of birth (e.g., your sex or race) is called an .

A) acquired status
B) assumed status
C) ascribed status
D) achieved status