Deck 5: Social Structure and Social Interaction

Question 1

Define nonverbal communication and discuss two examples of gender differences in nonverbal communication.

Answer 1

Nonverbal communication refers to the transmission of messages or information through nonverbal cues such as body language, facial expressions, gestures, and tone of voice. It plays a crucial role in interpersonal interactions and can often convey more meaning than verbal communication alone.

Two examples of gender differences in nonverbal communication include:

1. Eye contact: In many cultures, men are socialized to maintain more direct and prolonged eye contact during conversations, which can be perceived as a sign of confidence and assertiveness. On the other hand, women are often socialized to use less direct eye contact, as prolonged eye contact can be seen as confrontational or aggressive. This difference in eye contact can lead to misunderstandings and misinterpretations in communication between genders.

2. Gestures: Men and women may also use different types of gestures to express themselves. For example, men may use more expansive and open gestures to convey dominance and authority, while women may use more subtle and contained gestures to appear more approachable and nurturing. These differences in gesture usage can impact how individuals are perceived in social and professional settings.

Overall, understanding and being aware of these gender differences in nonverbal communication can help individuals navigate and improve their interactions with others, leading to more effective and meaningful communication.

Question 2

Identify a social group of which you are a member and then show how that group satisfies the sociological criteria for groups.

Answer 2

I am a member of a book club, and this social group satisfies the sociological criteria for groups in several ways. Firstly, it has a clear structure with designated leaders who organize meetings and facilitate discussions. This demonstrates the criteria of organization within the group.

Secondly, the book club has a sense of cohesion and shared identity among its members. We all have a common interest in reading and discussing books, and this shared interest creates a sense of belonging and unity within the group. This fulfills the criteria of cohesion and shared norms and values.

Additionally, the book club also has boundaries that distinguish it from other social groups. These boundaries are based on our shared interest in literature and our commitment to meeting regularly to discuss books. This meets the criteria of boundaries within the group.

Finally, the book club also exhibits patterns of interaction and communication among its members. We have regular meetings where we engage in discussions about the books we have read, and we also communicate outside of meetings through email or social media. This demonstrates the criteria of interaction and communication within the group.

Overall, my book club satisfies the sociological criteria for groups by having organization, cohesion, boundaries, and patterns of interaction, making it a clear example of a social group.

Question 3

Explain the principle of the social construction of reality and illustrate with an example from your own life.

Answer 3

The principle of the social construction of reality is the idea that our understanding of the world is shaped by the social and cultural context in which we live. This means that our perceptions, beliefs, and values are not solely determined by objective reality, but are influenced by the society in which we are a part of.

An example from my own life that illustrates this principle is the concept of beauty. Growing up, I was surrounded by media and societal messages that portrayed a certain standard of beauty as being ideal. This influenced my own perception of beauty and led me to internalize these standards. However, as I grew older and was exposed to different cultures and perspectives, I began to realize that beauty is subjective and can vary greatly across different societies and time periods. This experience made me question and challenge the socially constructed idea of beauty, and recognize that it is not an objective truth, but rather a product of the society in which it is constructed. This example demonstrates how our understanding of reality is shaped by the social and cultural context in which we live.

Question 4

Define Durkheim's concept of collective consciousness and explain why he believed this was essential for holding society together.

Question 5

Discuss Goffman's dramaturgical perspective and explain the role of impression management in the interactive process.

Question 6

How did Durkheim explain the cohesiveness of society?

Question 7

Explain how industrialization led to a wage gap between men and women that persists to this day.

Question 8

Explain how social control is related to an internal sense of belonging within a gemeinschaft type of society.

Question 9

Describe the characteristics of postindustrial societies.

Question 10

Explain why the line between achieved and ascribed statuses may not be clear. Give examples of statuses that are simultaneously achieved and ascribed and explain why this is so.

Question 11

Define the social construction of reality and provide an example. How this is different from objective reality?

Question 12

Compare and contrast achieved and ascribed statuses. Provide an example of each from your own life.

Question 13

Define roles, role conflict, and role strain and discuss examples of role conflict and role strain from your own life.

Question 14

Describe the importance of nonverbal communication, illustrating with two examples from different cultures.

Question 15

Catfishing refers to using a fake or stolen identity to lure someone else into a relationship and often begins with online contact. Analyze the phenomenon of catfishing using Goffman's impression management.

Question 16

According to the text, functionalist theorists contend that one purpose social institutions serve is to

A) ensure 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 17

Explain why the United States and Japan are not considered to be industrialized nations today.

Question 18

Define status inconsistency and, using an example, explain how it can impact those experiencing it.

Question 19

From a sociological perspective, what is the relationship between culture and society?

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 20

Are Facebook friends "real" friends? How does Facebook interaction differ from interaction in real life? What are the advantages and disadvantages on Facebook friends?

Question 21

Which of the following is not a function of social institutions as they are understood by the functionalist perspective?

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

Question 22

From the perspective of conflict theorists, social institutions

A) exist to protect the rights of those with less power in society.
B) do not provide equally for all members of society.
C) create meaning for the people who participate in them.
D) hold society together.

Question 23

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 24

Involvement with social institutions is changing in the United States, with lower rates of involvement with faith communities, lower rates of involvement in voluntary activities, and declining marriage and birthrates. Were he alive, Durkheim might be concerned about the effects of these changes on

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

Question 25

Which factor is most important in distinguishing among types of societies?

A) Kinship system
B) Division of labor
C) Development of technology
D) Economic system

Question 26

Which of the following is most consistent with a gemeinschaft society?

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

Question 27

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 28

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

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

Question 29

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 members of society share
D) Through a strict division of labor

Question 30

In fast-food restaurants, it is not uncommon for high school students and the elderly to be frontline employees, taking orders and serving customers, while young adults work as managers and older individuals manage groups of restaurants or regions. This illustrates what Durkheim referred to as division of labor and 

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

Which of the following is not characteristic of foraging societies?

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

Question 32

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 33

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 society's complex and integrated functions.

Question 34

The dramatic social inequities and rigid caste system associated with _____ societies may include slavery.

A) foraging
B) pastoral
C) horticultural
D) agricultural

Question 35

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

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

Question 36

In contemporary societies, division of labor is most likely to be based on

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

Question 37

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.

Question 38

Sociologists distinguish six different types of societies based on

A) the complexity of their social structure, amount of cultural accumulation, and level of technology.
B) locations in the world and resulting geographic and climate-related characteristics.
C) their political systems: democracy, monarchy/aristocracy, or oligarchy.
D) their economic system-command, market, or traditional economies.

Question 39

According to the text, social structures

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

Question 40

Ethnic conflict is most likely within _____ societies and between _____ societies.

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

Question 41

A pastoral society is unlike a forging society because

A) a pastoral society lacks a division of labor.
B) a pastoral society is less complex.
C) a pastoral society develops a division of labor.
D) a pastoral society lacks surplus.

Question 42

Which of the following characteristics is most likely to be perceived by others as a master status?

A) One's alma mater
B) Having a disability
C) Being an avid reader
D) Enjoying camping

Question 43

Postindustrial societies are characterized by

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

Question 44

An immigrant from Vietnam was a lawyer in his home country. In the United States, he cannot practice law, so he drives a cab for a living. He is experiencing

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

Question 45

In which of the following is Durkheim most interested?

A) How society changes
B) The ways that interaction creates innovation
C) The role of power in shaping society
D) The ways society is held together

Question 46

According to the text, which of these is not a characteristic of most industrial societies as they exist today?

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 47

As soon as it drops on Netflix, Zorah binge-watches the new season of Orange Is the New Black. Like the others watching it, Zorah is part of a(n)

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

Question 48

How does postindustrialism impact members of society?

A) More leisure time, even for working-class individuals
B) A burgeoning economy in which all classes gain substantial wealth
C) Education, particularly science, takes on paramount importance
D) Full, lifetime employment for everyone who wants a job

Question 49

An ascribed status is one that is

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

Question 50

Which of the following statuses 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 51

Today, the United States would best be described as

A) an agricultural society.
B) a postindustrial society.
C) an industrial society.
D) no longer manufacturing any products for itself.

Question 52

A status that is earned is referred to as an _____ status.

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

Question 53

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.

Question 54

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

A) The elderly
B) Nurses
C) Veterans
D) Fans of The Handmaid's Tale

Question 55

Faisal describes himself as a 42-year-old man. Faisal is describing his _____ status.

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

Question 56

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 57

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 58

Role _____ occurs when it becomes impossible to meet the expectations associated with all of the roles in one's role set.

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

Question 59

_____ is an established position in a social structure that carries with it a degree of social rank or value.

A) Status
B) Occupation
C) Role
D) Role set

Question 60

Which statement about gender is accurate?

A) Gender is the result of biology.
B) People enact their gender through behaviors and appearance.
C) Gender is solely an ascribed status.
D) Gender and sex mean the same thing.

Question 61

Research on the importance of attractiveness in human interactions indicates that

A) standards of attractiveness vary among cultures and among subcultures in the same society.
B) its significance is overrated in terms of whom we form relationships with.
C) attractiveness affects whom we are attracted to but not how we judge people.
D) people considered unattractive are generally thought of in very positive terms.

Question 62

Sociologist Arlie Hochschild's 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 63

Proxemic communication refers to

A) how individuals use nonverbal cues.
B) the amount of space between interacting individuals.
C) an individual's personal bubble.
D) the gender difference in nonverbal communication.

Question 64

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

A) role strain because of the conflicting expectations associated with being a student.
B) anomie because of the sometimes overwhelming stress associated with being a student.
C) role conflict because the scholar, community volunteer, and friend roles often conflict.
D) role breakdown because of the difficulty in figuring out what should be done at any given time.

Question 65

Jack and Carol are in a meeting at work, and Carol notices that Jack tends to lean forward when men are speaking but leans back and looks away when women are speaking. Jack maintains that he pays equal attention to male and female speakers, but Carol finds his _____ communication more persuasive.

A) authentic
B) idiosyncratic
C) nonverbal
D) incidental

Question 66

Which of the following is true about human relationships?

A) Most people do not seek affiliation.
B) Many people lack human contact.
C) Most people have a strong need for affiliation.
D) Most people are not conscious of their need for relationships.

Question 67

With respect to interpersonal attraction, sociological research tells us that

A) we must like someone in order to love and feel passion toward them.
B) it is possible to like someone a great deal and not love them.
C) the less we see of someone, the more desirable we find them.
D) most of the time, our evaluations of others are not influenced by their attractiveness to us.

Question 68

Which statement about proxemic communication is true?

A) People are generally aware of how they use personal space.
B) Women always stand close, regardless of the degree of friendship with the person they are talking to.
C) People who are sexually attracted to each other stand exceptionally close.
D) Hispanic people tend to stand farther apart than do non-Hispanic people.

Question 69

Every time he spends semester breaks at home, Sam's very traditional mother asks when she will be able to tell their large extended family there will soon be a wedding. Sam, who is extremely busy with schoolwork and isn't all that socially active, sometimes wonders as well. He very much wants to get married and have a family. One thing Sam should keep in mind is that

A) attraction to others is not subject to scientific prediction.
B) absence makes the heart grow fonder; we tend to find those who live farther away from us more attractive.
C) close proximity is one of the determinants of attraction between people.
D) people tend to fear too much personal disclosure when communicating online.

Question 70

Standards of beauty are culturally variable. In the United States,

A) White women are more concerned about weight than are African American women.
B) Hispanics and Whites have the same standard for thinness in women.
C) African American women are more self-critical of their bodies than are White women
D) Hispanic women are more interested in outward appearances of beauty than are White women.

Question 71

Herve, an avid observer of behavior, notices that when a man nods, it most often indicates he agrees, and when a woman nods, it most often indicates she is listening to what is being said. This fits with the observation of sociologists 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) the communication styles of men and women are inherently incompatible.

Question 72

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 affect families in the United States
C) How members of a gang feel about the crimes they commit
D) The daily lives of people in a homeless shelter

Question 73

According to the text, which of the following is true?

A) The more similar a couple is in terms of race and class, the more likely they are to break up.
B) The more similar a couple is in terms of race and class, the less likely they are to break up.
C) The more similar a couple is in terms of parental relationships, the more likely they are to break up.
D) The more similar a couple is in terms of parental relationships, the less likely they are to break up.

Question 74

Which of the following is false as it relates to social interaction?

A) Everyday behaviors are shaped by society.
B) Most behaviors are inherently positive or negative, regardless of the situation.
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

It is not uncommon for people, especially unattached young people, to wonder whether they will ever find their soul mate, the person with whom they will share love and life. What does research have to say about such matters?

A) Love is simply impossible to measure.
B) Science can predict with whom we will fall in love, at least to some extent.
C) Love is a matter of the heart and cannot be predicted.
D) There is really no pattern in whom we will be attracted to much less whom we will love.

Question 76

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

A) Describing day-to-day life in a sorority house
B) Comparing the correlates of poverty in the United States to those in other nations
C) Comparing communication patterns in regions without reliable cell phone coverage to those with reliable coverage
D) Analyzing temporal trends in rates of urban crime

Question 77

According to E. T. Hall, who coined the term proxemic bubble to refer to our personal, three-dimensional space,

A) we feel threatened when people we do not know enter our proxemic bubble.
B) the proxemic bubble is largely the same size, regardless of culture.
C) most people consciously use their proxemic bubble, especially when interacting with enemies.
D) positive emotions tend to cause the proxemic bubble to get larger, excluding more people.

Question 78

Anne is a college student, a full-time employee, and a mother of two young children. Anne may experience role conflict because

A) it is likely to be impossible for her to fully satisfy the expectations associated with all of those roles.
B) the roles of mother, especially of young children, and full-time employee are inherently incompatible.
C) she will demand that others help her and, when the help is not forthcoming, will relinquish a role.
D) society is still quite disapproving of working mothers and will sanction her in some way.

Question 79

Research has established that

A) there is no such thing as overexposure to someone you are attracted to.
B) if you find someone attractive, the more often you see them, the more attractive they become, at least up to a point.
C) if you start out disliking someone, the more you see that person, the more you will come to like them.
D) if you dislike a person, continued exposure to them will intensify those feelings.

Question 80

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) Social status has an influence on touching in terms of both who is touched and who is doing the touching.
D) In everyday interaction,, men and women tend to use touch about equally.