Deck 2: Social Theory

Question 1

Each year millions of people watch,and many attend,National Football League games.A sociologist,observing how the team logos,colours,the field,and the rivalries bring people together in ritual behaviour,would label these things as ______.

A)sacred
B)profane
C)intersectional
D)charismatic

Answer 1

A

Question 2

According to Weber,__________ 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

Answer 2

D

Question 3

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

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

Answer 3

A

Question 4

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 5

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 6

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 7

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)social institutions
D)social theories

Question 8

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

Question 9

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 10

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 11

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

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

Question 12

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

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

Question 13

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

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

Question 14

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 15

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;behaviour
C)charisma;power
D)power;authority

Question 16

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

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

Question 17

Karl Marx argued 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

Question 18

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 19

Social theories are analytical frameworks for understanding the relationship between __________ and __________.

A)universes;individuals
B)individuals;societies
C)social classes;social norms
D)nations;countries

Question 20

When Bill started talking on his cellphone during class he knew he violated a social norm when __________.

A)the person on the phone told him
B)he understood the social order
C)the class reacted negatively
D)the instructor allowed him to talk

Question 21

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 22

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 asked 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 23

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 24

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 25

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 26

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 27

A number of popular celebrities,such as Morgan Freeman,have fallen victim to rumours 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 28

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 29

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 30

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 31

According to C.Wright Mills,President Barack Obama,Bill Gates,and a CEO of a large company are all members of the __________.

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

Question 32

A(n)__________ is when 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 33

Susan worked tirelessly as an activist trying to stop the use of children in sweatshop labour.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.

Question 34

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 35

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 36

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 37

According to structural functionalism,within a social system individuals take on particular roles and while in those roles______.

A)behave as they please
B)focus on how to change
C)tend to act in a certain way
D)create conflict with others

Question 38

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

A)class membership
B)limited opportunities
C)prejudice
D)double consciousness

Question 39

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 40

Christine works at the high school,is a deacon at her church,a den mother for the Girl Scouts,a Sergeant in the Cadets,and a kickboxing instructor at her gym.The connection of Christine to other individuals in these groups are her _________.

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

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 Marx's theory of society,what social classes are in constant competition? What characterizes each of these social classes and overall class conflict in society? Finally,how can you apply this theory to contemporary social life?

Question 43

____________ theory focuses on how everyday social interactions and the meaning people give to objects,relationships,and events are the beginning of understanding social order.

A)Conflict
B)Symbolic interactionist
C)Structural functionalist
D)Feminist

Question 44

The interlocking nature of social inequality and how different inequalities are experienced together is also known as __________.

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

Question 45

Beauvoir was thus one of the first theorists to insist that gender and femininity are_______.

A)intersectionality constructions
B)gender constructions
C)social constructions
D)sex constructions

Question 46

CSIS'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 47

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 48

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 Canadian 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 49

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

A)the theatre;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 50

Emile Durkheim's definition of religion is centred 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 51

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 52

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 53

Beauvoir was thus one of the first theorists to insist that gender and femininity are_______.

A)intersectionality constructions
B)gender constructions
C)social constructions
D)sex constructions

Question 54

According to __________,social programs such as welfare and medicare are concessions made to the working class to make capitalism easier to accept for poor people.

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

Question 55

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 56

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.