Deck 2: Social Theory

Question 1

The argument that was most central to Karl Marx's theory of society is that __________.

A) human history is best understood through the history of a society's economic system
B) society does not change as a result of how societies produce goods
C) the socialist movement is what allows society to change
D) social classes ease tension in society

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Emile Durkheim claimed that any regularity or rule of everyday life in human communities is a __________.

A) social fact
B) social law
C) social pattern
D) socialization

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Susan worked tirelessly as an activist trying to stop the use of children in sweatshop labor. She organized protests, started a boycott campaign of major clothing brands, and founded her own charitable organization to fight against the use of children in sweatshops. How would Weber describe Susan's identity as an activist?

A) this is her charisma
B) this is her status group membership
C) this is her form of legitimacy
D) this is her spirit of capitalism

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Unwritten rules of society, such as social norms, are an example of __________.

A) social theories
B) social perspectives
C) community forces
D) social facts

Question 5

According to Weber the mechanisms that make individuals respect hierarchies and obey orders in society are __________ and __________.

A) the sacred; the profane
B) the individual; behavior
C) charisma; power
D) power; authority

Question 6

The basis of social order, the nature of the individual, and the circumstances of social change are three themes associated with __________.

A) social perspectives
B) social approaches
C) sociology
D) social theories

Question 7

According to Max Weber, interpretative sociology is a method for understanding society by focusing on _________.

A) interpreting the economic system
B) understanding the religious system
C) understanding the motivations of social action
D) interpreting the spirit of capitalism

Question 8

Sociology is different from some of the other social sciences because it has __________ and __________ social theories.

A) similar; consistent
B) singular; dominant
C) multiple; competing
D) abundant; unified

Question 9

Weber's __________ have similar kinds of attributes and identities. These may be based on a wide variety of attributes such as race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or social class.

A) social groups
B) economic groups
C) reference groups
D) status groups

Question 10

Durkheim argues that individuals in modern societies have the freedom to express their own unique preferences, tastes, and beliefs and that this freedom, also referred to as __________, is the basis of social solidarity in modern society.

A) "the sacred and the profane"
B) "mechanical solidarity"
C) "organic solidarity"
D) "the cult of the individual"

Question 11

Marx argued that the __________ would overthrow capitalism in favor of __________.

A) proletariat; socialism
B) proletariat; communism
C) bourgeoisie; socialism
D) bourgeoisie; communism

Question 12

Marx argued that groups of people who were treated differently by the economic system would inevitably be in conflict with each other. This is called the theory of __________.

A) the bourgeoisie and the proletariat
B) capital
C) class struggle
D) economic struggle

Question 13

One of the three common themes of social theory is social order. This theme is chiefly concerned with __________.

A) what holds society together
B) what is the nature of the individual
C) how societies change
D) how we use social theory

Question 14

Max Weber focused primarily on individual action as a foundation of __________.

A) social order
B) material conditions
C) morality
D) social forces

Question 15

Each year millions of people watch, and many attend, the Super Bowl. This sporting event brings people together in a shared activity where team logos, colors, the field, and the half-time show are considered to be "sacred" objects and events. What sociological concept best explains football in contemporary America?

A) religion
B) authority
C) intersectionality
D) charisma

Question 16

Organic solidarity describes a(n) __________ society that is characterized by __________.

A) modern; an extensive division of labor
B) modern; a dominant form of solidarity
C) undeveloped; a minimal division of labor
D) undeveloped; extended families linked horizontally

Question 17

According to Marx, an automated welding machine used to assemble automobile bodies would be an example of __________.

A) capital
B) forces of production
C) social relations of production
D) modes of production

Question 18

When Bill started talking on his cellphone during class, he was probably __________.

A) demonstrating socialization
B) subject to social forces
C) breaking a social norm
D) proving a social fact

Question 19

People, more often than not, obey firefighters in emergency situations because they believe it is the "right thing to do." Weber would refer to this as an example of __________.

A) legitimacy
B) charisma
C) power
D) morality

Question 20

While driving on the highway, David was pulled over to the side of the road by the police. Weber would say David obeyed the police as a result of __________.

A) power
B) respect
C) authority
D) conformity

Question 21

Simmel argued that group membership in society was a series of __________.

A) social systems
B) horizontally aligned groups
C) overlapping social circles
D) structures of social order

Question 22

When Derek arrived at his new high school for the first day of school he noticed that there weren't any other black students in his classrooms. Derek had never felt so aware of his race before. Du Bois would argue that Derek is experiencing __________.

A) double consciousness
B) overt discrimination
C) institutional racism
D) limited opportunities

Question 23

Dominant theories of race during the time of W. E. B. Du Bois claimed that race __________.

A) was not important in daily life
B) was a socially created distinction
C) had deep cultural patterns that shaped individuals' lives
D) biologically determined different levels of intelligence in individuals

Question 24

A(n) __________ is when different groups have inequality that persists over time and can result in conflict between those groups.

A) moral system
B) economic system
C) group status system
D) stratification system

Question 25

According to structural functionalism, individuals act a certain way in the social system by taking on particular __________.

A) statuses
B) jobs
C) roles
D) positions

Question 26

For symbolic interactionists, social order __________.

A) starts from individuals and the meanings they give to objects
B) is the foundation of all institutions and has real consequences for social actors
C) is created through the struggle of opposing groups fighting for resources
D) is the basis for social inequality and needs careful guidance through social policy

Question 27

By attempting to develop a unified theory for sociology, Talcott Parsons argued that the key elements of any society were __________.

A) inherently embroiled in constant conflict
B) constructed through the interactions of social actors
C) aspects of social control and constraint on the individual
D) organized around the broader and often hidden needs of society

Question 28

Simmel's concept of social distance can be used as __________.

A) a way to describe how close or distant an individual feels from others within a group
B) a way to explain how group membership defines our identity
C) an explanation of the different social statuses we occupy simultaneously
D) a measure of the physical distance between individuals as a way of understanding group membership

Question 29

A number of popular celebrities, such as Morgan Freeman, have fallen victim to rumors of their death spread on the Internet. Whether the news is passed through electronic messages or face-to-face, insights gleaned from __________ could help to explain how this misinformation is passed through social circles.

A) class fractions
B) stratification
C) symbolic interaction
D) network analysis

Question 30

Conflict theory was developed primarily from the work of sociologists looking for new ways of thinking about __________ and __________.

A) society; individuals
B) social institutions; social structures
C) conflict; social order
D) inequality; social justice

Question 31

Which of the following statements about social theorists is chronologically accurate?

A) Foucault wrote before Weber.
B) Marx wrote before Bourdieu.
C) Parsons wrote before Durkheim.
D) Du Bois wrote before Marx.

Question 32

The structural functionalist view on social change is that society __________.

A) changes only after significant technological changes occur
B) changes gradually by norms and institutions adapting to new social challenges
C) only changes after deep divisions of inequality result in violent revolution that reestablishes institutions
D) only changes as governments create social policies and laws that redefine our relationship to society

Question 33

Luthor has been part of the football team for two years, but he still feels like an outsider with many of the players. His teammates never ask him to hang out after practices or get together at any other time separate from team functions. Simmel would describe Luthor's experience as being a result of his __________.

A) social circles
B) social distance
C) status group membership
D) social closure

Question 34

Parsons's theory of an overarching social system guiding the individuals, groups, and social institutions of society would become known as __________.

A) structural functionalism
B) conflict theory
C) symbolic interactionism
D) social constructionism

Question 35

Christine works at the high school, is a deacon at her church, a den mother for the Girl Scouts, a sergeant in the National Guard, and a kickboxing instructor at her gym. What concept best describes Christine's associations with others?

A) social networks
B) social solidarity
C) social cohesion
D) social class

Question 36

Conflict theorists were critical of Parsons's structural functionalist theory because they argued it presented __________.

A) an unrealistic image of consensus and harmony in society
B) a biased view of the power of institutions
C) an overemphasis on the individual's role in creating social structure
D) an inaccurate view of revolutions in society

Question 37

The rigorous training and licensing of doctors controlled by the American Medical Association is an example of Weber's concept of __________.

A) social closure
B) social solidarity
C) social stratification
D) social distance

Question 38

According to C. Wright Mills, President Barack Obama, Bill Gates, and Rupert Murdoch are all members of the __________.

A) governing economy
B) power hierarchy
C) power elite
D) social order

Question 39

According to Bourdieu, what differentiates "social" from "symbolic" capital?

A) Symbolic capital is how much capital you want whereas social capital is how much capital you have.
B) Social capital can be earned whereas symbolic capital is inherited.
C) Social capital is your support system whereas symbolic capital is your reputation.
D) Symbolic capital is more powerful than social capital.

Question 40

By carefully researching the lives of African Americans in a predominantly black neighborhood of Philadelphia, W. E. B. Du Bois demonstrated that __________ and __________ shaped every aspect of the lives of African Americans.

A) class membership; social circles
B) limited opportunities; racism
C) prejudice; social justice
D) double consciousness; prejudice

Question 41

Imagine you are sitting at a table thinking about love. How would Herbert Blumer distinguish the three types of objects that could be subject to interpretation in your situation?

A) the table (physical), the person (abstract), and the idea (social)
B) the table (social), the person (physical), and the idea (abstract)
C) the table (physical), the person (social), and the idea (abstract)
D) the table (abstract), the person (physical), and the idea (social)

Question 42

According to __________, social programs such as food stamps and "Obamacare" are concessions made to the working class to save capitalism from its own worst tendencies.

A) symbolic interactionists
B) globalists
C) neo-Marxists
D) structural functionalists

Question 43

Sandy and John recently went to an art museum together. While they were there, Sandy discovered that John was very knowledgeable about art history and contemporary art. Bourdieu would argue that John has high __________.

A) economic capital
B) habitus
C) cultural capital
D) social capital

Question 44

Structural individualism is a theory of analytical sociology that argues that society is based on the choices and actions that individuals and groups make, while __________.

A) their choices only influence other social actors immediately around them
B) the actions that follow from these choices are constrained by society
C) other groups and individuals make their own choices
D) their choices are actually meaningless compared to the power of social institutions

Question 45

In The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, Goffman compares social life to __________ and claims that we are __________.

A) the theater; actors playing roles
B) the government; officials making rules
C) the corporation; workers with the same goals
D) the church; players in the ritual of social life

Question 46

Emile Durkheim's definition of religion is centered on those parts of society that are considered sacred. How does Durkheim explain the sacred in society? In your answer describe at least three examples of sacred elements in contemporary society.

Question 47

The "dramaturgical" approach to social life outlined by Erving Goffman uses the stage as a metaphor for understanding how individuals behave in society. He argues that social actors use "impression management" to present themselves to others in all social situations. Explain "impression management" and present an example of how you have used this in your own life.

Question 48

One perspective from feminist theory points to the interlocking nature of inequality. This perspective is referred to as intersectionality. Using yourself as an example, apply the concept of intersectionality to three aspects of your identity.

Question 49

Georg Simmel discusses social circles and social distance to demonstrate how individuals are connected to the rest of society. Explain what a social circle is using two that you are a member of. Include in your explanation how the idea of social distance applies to your two example social circles.

Question 50

The interlocking nature of social inequality that shapes how gender is constructed and performed is also known as __________.

A) patriarchy
B) social construction
C) gender assignment
D) intersectionality

Question 51

The NSA's ability to tap phone lines and review our email is a form of surveillance that Foucault would argue is part of __________.

A) the modern-day Panopticon
B) the process of globalization
C) intersectionality
D) a modern form of punishment

Question 52

The capitalist world system is a theory of globalization that argues __________.

A) capitalism is an economic system that has consequences between countries and not just within them
B) the economic systems of other nations have no influence on the U.S. economy
C) each nation has an economy that is independent of all other economies in the world
D) capitalism is an economic system that only has consequences within nations

Question 53

Understanding everyday social interactions, such as having dinner with friends, going out on a date, or attending a football game, are at the center of understanding society according to __________.

A) conflict theory
B) symbolic interactionism
C) structural functionalism
D) feminist theory