SOCIOLOGY FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS

The social sciences include all of the following except

a. sociology.

b. psychology.

c. anthropology.

d. economics.

e. biology.

biology

If you are a researcher interested in knowing how many people in your city live below the poverty line, you might get census data to find that information. Then, you could count the number of people that meet your criteria. What kind of research are you doing?

a. Quantitative

b. Qualitative

Quantitative

If you are a researcher interested in the relationship between cultural values and national suicide rates, your analysis will likely focus on social processes occurring at which level?

a. Micro

b. Macro

Macro

Structural Functionalist theorists are primarily concerned with social processes at which of the follow levels of analysis?

a. Micro

b. Macro

Macro

Dramaturgy, a term describing the strategic presentation of ourselves to others, is related to which school of thought?

a. Structural Functionalism

b. Conflict Theory

c. Symbolic Interactionism

d. Queer Theory

Conflict Theory

The sociological imagination gives us a way to look at the world beyond our own personal experience.

a. True

b. False

True

Abstract propositions that both explain the social world and make predictions about future events are known as

a. theories.

b. social inequalities.

c. ideas.

d. social assumptions.

e. means of production.

theories.

What are paradigms?

a. Broad theoretical perspectives

b. Specific research methods

c. Dominant sociological applications

d. All of the above

e. None of the above

Broad theoretical perspectives

Marx believed that there was a class struggle between

a. groups of people who worked alongside one another.

b. groups of people who practiced different religions.

c. people who owned the means of production versus people who worked for a wage.

d. people who were born rich versus people who earned their wealth.

e. people who were born poor versus people who fell into poverty due to a poor work ethic.

people who owned the means of production versus people who worked for a wage.

Which of these sociological paradigms has proved to be the most influential of the twentieth century?

a. structural functionalism

b. conflict theory

c. symbolic interactionism

d. world-systems theory

e. critical race theory

symbolic interactionism

If researchers wanted to do a study that required them to analyze income per household and average age of people living in the house, they would likely do what kind of research?

a. quantitative

b. qualitative

c. interviews

d. participant observation

e. ethnography

quantitative

If researchers wanted to do a study that required them to determine the quality of life in a residential campus dorm, they would likely do what kind of research?

a. quantitative

b. qualitative

qualitative

You're doing interview research and you ask the following question: "So, will you tell me about your childhood?" What kind of question did you ask?

a. closed-ended question

b. open-ended question

open-ended question

You're doing interview research and you ask the following question: "So, what year did you get your first car?" What kind of question did you ask?

a. closed-ended question

b. open-ended question

closed-ended question

Sociological research methods are unique from the methods used in all other social sciences.

a. True

b. False

False

The U.S. Census is best described as:

a. a survey

b. an interview

c. field notes

d. participant observation

a survey

Sociologists must have their research methods reviewed by:

a. a local government agency

b. the federal government

c. a university-wide board of professors

a university-wide board of professors

Experiments are unique from other sociological research methods in that they:

a. include independent variables

b. obtain thick description

c. result in a large amount of data

d. control all aspects of the research setting

control all aspects of the research setting

When William goes on vacation to Germany, he sees older children having a small glass of wine with their parents while at dinner. William, being from the United States, believes this is wrong. This is an example of

a. ethnocentrism.

b. multiculturalism.

c. cultural relativism.

d. normlessness.

ethnocentrism.

Which of the following is not an example of material culture?

a.__ the “play” icon on Netflix or YouTube

b.__ a spatula

c.__ a Little Mermaid DVD

d.__ a hammer

the "play" icon on Netflix or YouTube

Culture is more innate than learned.

a. true

b. false

false

Norms can be categorized from least serious to most serious. Rank the following types of norms accordingly:

a. mores

b. taboos

c. folkways

c, a, d

In Pennsylvania, there is a large neighborhood primarily consisting of Amish people. They live harmoniously with their non-Amish neighbors. They are distinctive because of the clothes they wear and the horses and buggies they opt to drive in the neighborhood. The Amish are an example of a

a. counterculture.

b. dominant culture.

c. subculture.

d. cultural dichotomy.

subculture.

_____ is the dissemination of beliefs and practices from one group to another.

a. Cultural relativism

b. Cultural diffusion

c. Cultural sharing

d. Cultural leveling

Cultural sharing

Which perspective explores the ways in which components of culture such as norms and values contribute to the organization and stability of society?

a. structural functionalism

b. conflict theory

c. symbolic interactionism

d. post modernism

structural functionalism

•It is easy for us to perceive our own culture and see how it shapes and defines who we are.

a. true

b. false

false

•When a person uses his or her own culture as a standard to evaluate another group or individual, this is called

a. egotism.

b. egocentrism.

c. ethnocentrism.

d. material culture.

ethnocentrism.

Which of the following is a component of culture?

a. material culture

b. signs

c. language

d. symbolic culture

e. All of the above are components of culture.

All of the above are components of culture.

Which norm has the greatest moral significance?

a. folkways

b. pathways

c. mores

d. symbolic culture

mores

Which of the following groups within society openly rejects, and may actively oppose, society's values and norms?

a. the dominant culture

b. a subculture

c. a counterculture

d. a materialistic culture

a counterculture

Ways of thinking and acting reflect a society's

a. dominant culture.

b. material culture.

c. symbolic culture.

d. counterculture.

symbolic culture.

The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis is the idea that language structures:

a. actions.

b. thoughts.

c. technology.

thoughts.

Cultural diffusion, cultural leveling, and cultural imperialism are all processes of

a. ideal culture.

b. real culture.

c. social control.

d. cultural change.

cultural change.

____________includes the objects associated with a cultural group, such as tools, machines, utensils, buildings, and artwork

Material culture

____________occurs when people use their own culture as a standard to evaluate another group or individual, leading to the view, that cultures other than their own are abnormal.

Ethnocentrism

______________ is the process of understanding other cultures on their own terms, rather than judging according to one's own culture.

Cultural relativism

_____________are shared beliefs about what a group considers worthwhile or desirable; they guide the creation of norms.

Values

_____________what kinds of behavior are acceptable and appropriate within a culture.

Norms

______________ is a loosely enforced norm that involves common customs, practices, or procedures that ensure smooth social interaction and acceptance.

Folkway:

_____________ is a norm that carries moral significance, is closely related to the core values of a group, and often involves severe repercussions for violators.

More

____________ is a norm engrained so deeply that even thinking about violating it evokes strong feelings of disgust, horror, or revulsion for most people.

Taboo

•The _____________ refers to the values, norms, and practices of the group within society that is most powerful in terms of wealth, prestige, status, and influence.

dominant culture

______________ are values diverse racial, ethnic, national, and linguistic backgrounds and thus encourages the retention of cultural differences within society, rather than assimilation.

Multiculturalism

•A ______________ is a group within society that is differentiated by its distinctive values, norms, and lifestyle.

subculture

•A _______________ is a group within society that openly rejects and/or actively opposes society's values and norms.

counterculture

_____________developed the idea of the subconscious mind and the unconscious mind, which he believed control most of our drives, impulses, thoughts, and behaviors.

O�e

Freud

______________ believed that the sense of self depends on seeing oneself reflected in interactions with others. 

Charles Cooley

•The ____________refers to the notion that the self develops through our perception of others’ evaluations and appraisals of us.

looking-glass self

______________ expanded Cooley’s ideas. Mead also believed that the self was created through social interaction and that this process started in childhood.

George Herbert Mead

______________believed that the self develops through three stages: the preparatory stage, the play stage (taking the role of the significant other), and the game stage.

George Herbert Mead

______________believed that meaning is constructed through interaction.

Erving Goffman

dramaturgy is an approach of _____________ which compares social interaction to the theater, where individuals take on roles and act them out for an audience.

Erving Goffman

_______________ saw social life as a sort of game, where we work to control the impressions others have of us, a process he called impression management.

Erving Goffman

_______________stated that "if people define situations as real, they are real in their consequences."

W. I. Thomas

_____________ is the process of replacing previously learned norms and values with new ones as a part of a transition in life.

Resocialization

The process of learning and internalizing the values, beliefs, and norms of a social group is called

a. culturization.

b. nature.

c. socialization.

d. social isolation.

socialization

In the nature vs. nurture debate, nurture refers to the

a. environment you were raised in.

b. genetics you were born with.

environment you were raised in.

Sociologists primarily view the self as

a. fixed at an early age and based largely on genetics.

b. created and modified through interaction with others.

created and modified through interaction with others.

When does the process of socialization end?

a. once a child begins to understand language

b. when a child starts school

c. when a person gets their first job

d. when a person gets married

e. never—the process lasts throughout the lifetime

never—the process lasts throughout the lifetime

Who stated, "If we define situations as real, they are real in their consequences"?

a. Sigmund Freud

b. Charles Cooley

c. George Herbert Mead

d. Karl Marx

e. W. I. Thomas

W. I. Thomas

A big agent of socialization for Americans is

a. the family.

b. schools.

c. peers.

d. the mass media.

e. all of the above

all of the above

A status that seems to override all others and affects all other statuses that we possess is called a(n)

a. ascribed status.

b. achieved status.

c. master status.

d. embodied status.

master status

Given what you have learned about roles, if your boss calls and asks you to work during class time, you will know you are experiencing

a. role conflict.

b. role strain.

role conflict.

____________ stated that many institutions in our society now operate much like a fast food restaurant, focusing on efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control.

Ritzer

A collection of people who share a physical location but do not have lasting social relations is called a/an

a. social network.

b. category.

c. social group.

d. aggregate.

aggregate

A bunch of people standing at a terminal in an airport is a/an

a. group.

b. aggregate.

c. social network.

d. club.

aggregate

Your parents would probably be considered a part of your

a. primary group.

b. secondary group.

primary group

A group that provides standards by which we evaluate our own personal attributes is known as a/an

a. in-group.

b. out-group.

c. loyal group.

d. secondary group.

e. reference group.

reference group

Which of the following is the strongest type of conformity?

a. identification

b. peer pressure

c. compliance

d. Internalization

Internalization

Teams become more efficient as members are added.

a. True

b. False

False

________ can be defined as the ability to control the actions of others.

a. Leadership

b. Power

c. Authority

d. Internalization

e. Groupthink

Power

For Max Weber, authority based in laws, rules, and procedures is called

a. Traditional authority

b. Legal-rational authority

c. Charismatic authority

Legal-rational authority

Which of the following is not a key characteristic of bureaucracies?

a. efficiency

b. rationalization

c. cohesion

d. specialization

e. hierarchy

cohesion

Max Weber identified six characteristics of bureaucracies:

a. specialization &technical competence,

b. hierarchy & impersonality

c. rules and regulations,

d. formal written communication.

e. all of the above

all of the above

_________ is a behavior, trait or belief that departs from a norm that generates a negative reaction in a particular group.

Deviance

According to _______________, deviance serves a positive social function by clarifying moral boundaries and promoting social cohesion.

Émile Durkheim

Structural strain theory developed by _______________

states that there are goals in our society that people want to achieve, but they cannot always reach these goals.

Robert Merton

A symbolic interactionist perspective developed by _______________states that we learn deviance from interacting with deviant peers.

Edwin Sutherland

A symbolic interactionist perspective developed by _______________states that deviance is caused by external judgments (labels) that change a person’s self-concept and the way others respond to him or her.

Howard Becker

_____________ describes any physical or social attribute that devalues a person or group's identity.

Stigima

_____________ is self-fulfilling prophecy in which the fear of performing poorly, and thereby confirming stereotypes about one’s social group, causes students to perform poorly.

Stereotype Threat

_____________ is self-fulfilling prophecy in which positive stereotypes lead to positive performance outcomes.

__________ is the violation of a norm that has been codified into law.

Crime

________crime is a threatening harsh penalty

Deterrence

___________ is to take revenge of a crime that is been committed.

Retribution

_____________ is the remove of criminal from the society by imprisoning them

Incapacitation

_______________ is the reform of criminal so that they may reenter society.

Rehabilitation

________________ is defined as an act that is outside of the norm, but may actually be heroic rather than negative.

Positive deviance

According to structural strain theory, which group of people would be most likely to renounce the culture's goals and means entirely and live outside of conventional norms altogether?

a. deviants

b. innovators

c. ritualists

d. retreatists

e. rebels

retreatists

A professional gambler who makes $250,000 per year would likely be considered what, according to structural strain theory?

a. a deviant

b. an innovator

c. a ritualist

d. a retreatist

e. a rebel

an innovator

Eddie's family just moved to a new city. He finds new friends, but they're always "up to something" according to Eddie's mom. For instance, all of the kids dyed their hair green, and so did Eddie. Then, all of the kids got their noses pierced, and so did Eddie. Which sociologist would be interested in studying this situation?

a. Robert Merton

b. Edwin Sutherland

c. Howard Becker

d. Erving Goffman

Jack Katz dy>

Edwin Sutherland

Body modification used to be used as a way to mark someone in society with shame. Now, however, body modification is now generally considered a voluntary mark of body decoration. What does this tell us about society?

a. body modifications always been artistic, people just used to interpret it the wrong way

b. Acts considered "deviant" changes over time.

c. Subcultures have always been around; they just don't have to hide anymore.

d. all of the above are true

e. one of the above is true.

Acts considered "deviant" changes over time.

According to Merton's structural strain theory, an individual who deals drugs in order to get rich would be called a/an

a. conformist.

b. innovator.

c. ritualist.

d. retreatist.

innovator.

The case of a student who was continually told that he was stupid and would never amount to anything and who eventually drops out of school is an example of

a. tertiary deviation.

b. anomie.

c. self-fulfilling prophecy.

d. sanctions.

self-fulfilling prophecy.

The philosophy of punishment that justifies punishment on the grounds that it will prevent future crime is called:

a. prevention.

b. retribution.

c. deterrence.

d. rehabilitation.

deterrence.

The philosophy of punishment that justifies punishment on the grounds that those who break laws deserve to be punished is called:

a. prevention.

b. retribution.

c. deterrence.

d. rehabilitation.

retribution.

____________ is the division of society into groups arranged in a social hierarchy.

Social stratification

_____________ is the unequal distribution of wealth, power, or prestige among members of a society.

Social inequality

____________is the most extreme form of social stratification and is based on the legal ownership of people.

Slavery

•A _________ is a form of social stratification in which status is determined by one’s family history and background and cannot be changed.

caste system