Deck 1: The Sociological Imagination

Question 1

When understanding intimate relationships,a sociological imagination allows us to ________.

A)recognize that marriage is not always monogamous,but is a lifetime commitment between a man and a woman
B)challenge the assumption that particular forms of marriage are natural as opposed to social in origin
C)understand the lack of diversity in intimate relationships cross-culturally
D)observe the natural differences in intimate relationships within our own culture

Answer 1

B

Question 2

At each stage of our development,we are both individuals and __________.

A)products of our historical context
B)members of politicized bodies
C)social innocents
D)sole determiners of our own fate

Answer 2

A

Question 3

People in our society tend to think of themselves in terms of their individuality,but we are also all products of our __________,such as the time and place we live and the family we were born into.

A)social contexts
B)genetic makeup
C)likes and dislikes
D)interests and skills

Answer 3

A

Question 4

In an ongoing study of more than 2000 young adults as they progress through college and into their postcollegiate years,sociologist Richard Arum has found that __________.

A)all graduates in the study had jobs in their fields within five years of graduation
B)college had little impact on the earnings of graduates in the study
C)24 percent of graduates in the study were back living with their parents two years after graduation
D)sociology majors were 50 percent more likely to be employed than other students in the study

Question 5

The sociological imagination is the capacity to think systematically about how the things we experience as personal problems ________.

A)are really social issues shared by others living in a similar time and location
B)reflect our individual choices and not the culture as a whole
C)most likely do not have roots in social contexts
D)are the result of psychological forces,which guide our daily life

Question 6

Although psychologists and sociologists study similar subjects and phenomena,what is a significant difference in the types of questions they ask?

A)Sociologists are interested in understanding the philosophy of the individual;psychologists are interested in understanding the ideology of the individual.
B)Sociologists are interested in understanding how people think;psychologists are interested in understanding why people think.
C)Sociologists are interested in understanding the intrinsic causes of behaviour;psychologists are interested in understanding the motivational effects on behaviour.
D)Sociologists are interested in understanding broad social factors;psychologists are interested in understanding how individuals think.

Question 7

Why would sociologists who study academic performance be interested in the lives of first-year students before they enter college or university?

A)Sociologists are particularly well equipped to study individuals' intelligence quotients and the impact of intelligence on academic performance.
B)Sociologists are particularly well equipped to study the influences of students' backgrounds-such as family influences-on academic performance.
C)Sociologists who took sociology courses in high school are particularly well equipped to study the academic performance of students entering college or university for the first time.
D)Students who excel academically are likely to attend schools closer to home.

Question 8

Which of the following accurately connects the effect communities have on people's life pathways?

A)Living around people who encourage a child to be confident leads to children who are more ambitious in life.
B)Living in a safe neighbourhood has very little positive effect on children's school performance.
C)Living in a dangerous neighbourhood encourages a child to leave that neighbourhood by doing well in school.
D)Living in a dangerous neighbourhood has very little effect on a child's future employment.

Question 9

__________ refers to the way people act together,including how they modify and alter their behaviour in response to the presence of others.

A)Social interaction
B)Self-consciousness
C)Social structure
D)Presentation of self

Question 10

Which social context is likely to have a more significant impact on a child's life experience from birth than the others?

A)his or her parents' income and wealth
B)his or her parents' age
C)his or her parents' recycling habits
D)his or her birth order

Question 11

Two key components to understanding the social worlds humans create are __________.

A)social interaction and social structure
B)social space and social time
C)social deviance and social applications
D)social critique and social acceptance

Question 12

According to C.Wright Mills,the sociological imagination enables us to grasp the relations between __________ in society.

A)money and power
B)biology and destiny
C)history and biography
D)students and teachers

Question 13

Norms,the basic rules of society that help us know what is or is not appropriate in a social situation,govern_____.

A)the sociological imagination
B)social contexts
C)social interaction
D)historical contexts

Question 14

__________ refers to the enduring patterns that shape and guide social interaction.

A)Social role
B)Social strategy
C)Social normative behaviour
D)Social structure

Question 15

Living in high-crime areas has obvious risks: being a victim of physical violence,for example.What is one of the more subtle risks faced by people who live in high-crime areas that is mentioned by Pat Sharkey?

A)impaired job or school performance because of stress
B)increased forgetfulness because of rampant escapism
C)increased attention from politicians trying to court non-affiliated voters
D)decreased access to housing that allows pets

Question 16

What can applying the sociological imagination tell us about unemployment and homelessness?

A)Homelessness and unemployment are almost always the result of individual choices.
B)Unemployment,but not homelessness,is almost always the result of individual choices.
C)Anyone is just as likely as another to become either unemployed or homeless.
D)Unemployment and homelessness can be due to changing social forces beyond an individual's control.

Question 17

Which of the following is true of the sociological imagination?

A)It challenges stereotypes by proving that stereotypes benefit no one.
B)It shows that circumstances we take for granted are often simpler than they appear.
C)It raises questions about the origin,benefit,and harm of stereotypes.
D)It allows us to enjoy society without over complicating social life.

Question 18

Which of the following statements about social contexts would sociologists agree is true?

A)Social contexts can be easily overcome by the will of the individual.
B)Social contexts are important but ultimately cannot be used to determine anything about an individual.
C)Social contexts can sometimes be used to understand some types of group situations.
D)Social contexts can have a huge impact on where individuals end up in life.

Question 19

Sociologists' understanding of social contexts,social interactions,and social structures teaches us that people __________.

A)typically present themselves in the same way to everyone they meet
B)often behave in highly unpredictable ways
C)never present themselves in the same way twice
D)present themselves in different ways based on the social situation they are in

Question 20

Why is the family of interest to many sociologists?

A)Government funding generously supports family research.
B)Families are a key to understanding how individuals develop.
C)Families are a new area of sociological research.
D)Families,which tend to be similar,are ideal cross-cultural subjects.

Question 21

It is easy to see the importance of the social part of social interaction when we __________.

A)imagine the social sanctions for violating rules
B)reject social sanctions as unfairly applied
C)destroy social hierarchies of other cultures
D)reject social science as a soft science

Question 22

Imagine that you are a sociology student in the early twentieth century at the University of Chicago.You are trying to come up with an idea for a research project that you can easily conduct without leaving the city.Which of the following projects best embodies the sociological imagination?

A)You think the tenant in the apartment across the hall is stealing your clothes from the laundry room.You plan to hide in the laundry room to catch him in the act to figure out why he is a thief.
B)You suspect your older brother has some serious mental problems.You want to show him a series of ink blots and ask him what he thinks they look like.In this way,you will try to gain new insight into his mental health needs.
C)The sidewalk outside your dormitory is cracked and many people have injured themselves on it.You decide to organize volunteers so that you can repair the damage.
D)You have observed that the police force is made up almost entirely of a certain immigrant group.You want to interview members of that community and police officers to find out why this group might be drawn to police work.

Question 23

You,a sociology student,are approached by an anthropology student who would like to work with you.How should you respond to this offer to participate in an interdisciplinary study?

A)Sociology is a broad discipline that would benefit from the research anthropology has to offer.Accept.
B)Sociology is a very narrow field of study with very specific research methodologies.A project with an anthropologist just doesn't make sense.Decline.
C)Historical contexts and the nature of modern universities prevent sociologists from interacting effectively with anthropologists.Decline.
D)The project may work,but it is likely that you will come into conflict with your partner for theoretical reasons.This conflict could make the project very difficult to finish.Decline.

Question 24

__________,the social sciences began to divide into distinctive areas of research.

A)In the late Middle Ages
B)Shortly after the American Revolution
C)Between 1880 and 1910
D)In the 1950s and 1960s

Question 25

__________,who founded both the first European sociology department and the first major European journal of sociology,is called the "father of sociology."

A)Max Weber
B)Karl Marx
C)Claude Bordeaux
D)Emile Durkheim

Question 26

You are a first-year student at a major university.Which of the following describes a social context that could have a positive impact on your academic success?

A)After university,you plan on being a teacher.For this reason,you take your education very seriously.
B)You went to a high school that did not offer many Advanced Placement courses.
C)Your parents were able to hire summer tutors for you when you were in high school.
D)You are a perfectionist in all things.You always study very hard and have no intention of graduating with less than a perfect 4.0.

Question 27

Why is it sometimes difficult for sociologists to define their discipline in short,simple terms?

A)Sociologists do not use mathematical models to solve problems.
B)Sociologists do not have an established set of ideas that make up their theoretical core.
C)Sociologists cover a wider range of topics than other social sciences.
D)Sociologists do not publish their own academic journals.

Question 28

You are a social scientist in the mid-nineteenth century.You want to study the forces in society that are driving social change.What human subjects are you most likely to study?

A)farmers who live in rural Iowa
B)shrimpers who live in Louisiana
C)factory workers who live in New York City
D)members of the U.S.Army

Question 29

You are taking your first sociology course in the fall.About halfway through the semester,you go home for Thanksgiving.At Thanksgiving dinner,you plan to conduct an impromptu sociological experiment by violating some social norms.Which of following actions could you potentially take?

A)You eat your dinner and make polite dinner conversation with your family.
B)You help to make dinner and serve the guests as well.
C)You eat your dinner with your hands,even the mashed potatoes.
D)You excuse yourself from the table after dessert to answer your cell phone.

Question 30

John is taking an introductory sociology class.As a result,he is conscious of his environment and carefully thinks about what he sees rather than jumping to quick conclusions.He notices a homeless man on his way to class every day.Using his sociological imagination,what might John conclude about this man's circumstances?

A)John reacts with frustration.He considers the homeless man's situation as a personal problem.The man,obviously,is lazy and chooses not to work.
B)John reacts with indifference.Although he would not make the same choice,the homeless man,obviously,has chosen to live off handouts rather than work.
C)John reacts with sympathy.He considers the social circumstances that may have drawn the homeless man into poverty and wonders why so many are unemployed.He concludes that because of social change,the homeless man has lost his housing along with his job.
D)John is sympathetic and recognizes that the homeless man is an alcoholic,but his particular disease-alcoholism-is a personal,not a social,issue.

Question 31

Karen operates a clothing store.Last summer she hired a young man to work at her store.He was frequently late and did not work particularly hard when he did show up.Karen now feels that most young men do not have the work ethic necessary to meet her demands.Her belief that young men are lazy is an example of __________.

A)racism
B)the sociological imagination
C)discrimination
D)a stereotype

Question 32

How is a sociological study of the family more likely to differ from a psychological study of the family?

A)Psychological studies tend to focus on relationships;sociological studies tend to focus on individuals.
B)Psychological studies tend to study the minds of individuals in a family;sociological studies tend to study families within their larger social contexts.
C)Psychological studies tend to focus on context;sociological studies tend to focus on content.
D)Psychological studies tend to be large scale;sociological studies tend to be smaller in scale.

Question 33

Thomas,who has never been to a formal dinner,is attending one at his friend's house.Throughout the evening,Thomas observes his friend's behaviour in order to fit in and act appropriately.Thomas is learning the social ______ of a formal dinner.

A)norms
B)hierarchies
C)roles
D)structures

Question 34

Which of the following statements is true of urban environments that developed from the middle of the nineteenth century onward?

A)Cities had high rates of poverty.
B)The housing supply was abundant.
C)Factory wages were fair.
D)Crime and violence were rare.

Question 35

Why were lines between social sciences unclear when they first developed?

A)The backgrounds of early social scientists were diverse,and they often conducted work in multiple disciplines.
B)Early social scientists,who were educated as physicians,were reluctant to leave their medical school posts.
C)Social scientists lacked research topics and had to turn to other disciplines for ideas.
D)High degrees of social cohesion among social scientists made them reluctant to split apart.

Question 36

After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans,there were reports of increased criminal activity and looting.Looters broke into electronics stores and stole merchandise,and increasing numbers of violent attacks exceeded all police efforts to keep the rising levels of violence in check.How would a sociologist explain these phenomena?

A)Urban residents altered their behaviours to conform to the norms of a new social reality.
B)During times of crisis,social norms change but are more clearly defined.
C)In the absence of social structures,rules are unclear,and everyone has to improvise.
D)People always choose to act as criminals when they know police officers are not watching them.

Question 37

Among the social sciences,sociology is the discipline most concerned with __________.

A)the way the psyche develops in early childhood
B)how different parts of society link up to and mutually influence one another
C)predicting the future of humanity
D)accurately assessing the failures of twentieth-century regimes

Question 38

Which of the following factors was most significant in pulling people away from farms and into cities during the period of rapid industrialization?

A)drought
B)housing
C)jobs
D)urban agriculture

Question 39

It is the late nineteenth century.Robert is a young man who is fascinated by the social world.He is particularly interested in studying the problems of cities and their inhabitants,including the lives of new residents migrating to cities from farms and from abroad.He is familiar with an emerging discipline called sociology and wants to conduct field research as part of his university coursework in the city where he is being educated.What school should Robert contact to gain information about this new field of study?

A)University of British Columbia,in Vancouver,British Columbia
B)the University of Toronto,in Toronto,Ontario
C)the University of Chicago,in Chicago,Illinois
D)the University of Georgia,in Athens,Georgia

Question 40

Sociology laid the groundwork for which of the following academic disciplines?

A)Latino/a studies and industrial relations
B)philology and theosophy
C)history and psychology
D)anthropology and computer science

Question 41

Jessica stands up in class and starts to sing while her professor is giving a lecture.What has Jessica done?

A)utilized her sociological imagination
B)violated a norm
C)increased social interaction
D)improved the social structure of the classroom

Question 42

Which of the following is an example of social hierarchies?

A)social customs and traditions
B)posting on Facebook and Instagram
C)social positions that often grant some individuals and groups higher status and more
Power than others
D)longstanding and important practices

Question 43

Which of the following is an example of social hierarchies?

A)social customs and traditions
B)posting on Facebook and Instagram
C)social positions that often grant some individuals and groups higher status and more
Power than others
D)longstanding and important practices

Question 44

Which critical development influenced the development of sociology?

A)industrialization
B)urbanization
C)agriculturalization
D)population growth

Question 45

How does the neighbourhood we live in shape our social development?

Question 46

Which school developed many important ideas about society based on detailed studies conducted in the city the school was located in?

A)The University of Toronto
B)Paris University
C)Harvard University
D)The University of Chicago

Question 47

Which critical development influenced the development of sociology?

A)industrialization
B)urbanization
C)agriculturalization
D)population growth

Question 48

Which of the following is an example of an institution?

A)your home
B)marriage
C)playing basketball in a league
D)the shopping mall

Question 49

How do we exercise our sociological imaginations when we "people watch"?

Question 50

The term sociology was first used by_________.

A)Marx
B)Martineau
C)Comte
D)Durkheim

Question 51

Jessica stands up in class and starts to sing while her professor is giving a lecture.What has Jessica done?

A)utilized her sociological imagination
B)violated a norm
C)increased social interaction
D)improved the social structure of the classroom

Question 52

Which of the following is a discipline that emerged from sociology?

A)economics
B)political science
C)anthropology
D)criminology

Question 53

Which of the following is an example of an institution?

A)your home
B)marriage
C)playing basketball in a league
D)the shopping mall

Question 54

Which of the following is a discipline that emerged from sociology?

A)economics
B)political science
C)anthropology
D)criminology

Question 55

Urban areas have a population density of at least __________ people per square mile.

A)250
B)500
C)750
D)1000

Question 56

Which school developed many important ideas about society based on detailed studies conducted in the city the school was located in?

A)The University of Toronto
B)Paris University
C)Harvard University
D)The University of Chicago

Question 57

It is the late nineteenth century.Robert is a young man who is fascinated by the social world.He is particularly interested in studying the problems of cities and their inhabitants,including the lives of new residents migrating to cities from farms and from abroad.He is familiar with an emerging discipline called sociology and wants to conduct field research as part of his university coursework in the city where he is being educated.What school should Robert contact to gain information about this new field of study?

A)University of British Columbia,in Vancouver,British Columbia
B)the University of Toronto,in Toronto,Ontario
C)the University of Chicago,in Chicago,Illinois
D)the University of Georgia,in Athens,Georgia

Question 58

Industrialization is characterized by the transformation of economies based in agriculture to those based in __________.

A)large-scale manufacturing of goods
B)customer service and technology
C)family farming and urban development
D)environmental conservation

Question 59

The term sociology was first used by_________.

A)Marx
B)Martineau
C)Comte
D)Durkheim

Question 60

A large group of people who live in the same area and participate in a common set of norms and rules for social interaction is best known as a __________.

A)society
B)social structure
C)neighbourhood
D)role set

Question 61

In what different ways do we characterize ourselves in social settings?

Question 62

Although there is much common ground between sociology and economics,practitioners of the two disciplines often come to very different conclusions.Explain why this occurs.

Question 63

How does the time and place we are born into influence us and our behaviour? Give an example.