Soc Exam 2 Essay prompts

1.     What does it mean to say that the self is socially constructed? In your answer, summarize Charles Horton Cooley's looking-glass-self theory. How does this theory explain the development of an individual's self-concept?

1.     According to George Herbert Mead, the final step in the socialization process is when a person has developed the concept of the generalized other. Explain this concept in your own words. List and explain two examples of how your perception of the generalized other affects your day-to-day behavior.

1.     Parents of different social classes socialize their children differently. Middle-class parents are more likely to stress independence and self-direction, whereas working-class parents prioritize obedience to authority. Using this example, explain how these different socialization experiences could perpetuate (reproduce) social inequality.

1.     Describe a status that is, at the same time, both ascribed and achieved. Which qualities of this status fit with the ascribed category, and why? Which qualities of this status fit with the achieved category, and why?

1.     Name and define three sociological concepts that are illustrated in the documentary titled The Split Horn. Describe how you better understand these concepts by making specific references to the documentary.

1.     John pushed Abel against a wall and robbed him of the gold coin he had in his pocket. What would happen to John in a society characterized by mechanical solidarity? What would happen to John in a society characterized by organic solidarity? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each type of punishment?

1.     What is social control? Distinguish between formal social sanctions and informal social sanctions. For what types of deviance are each sanction most effective, and why?

1.     Explain this paradox: It is the deviants among us who hold society together. Your answer should use at least three of the following concepts: social deviance, crime, social control, values, social cohesion, punishment, mechanical solidarity, and/or organic solidarity. In what ways can deviance serve a positive function in society?

1.     Describe and discuss Merton’s strain theory of deviance, comparing each of the types of individuals Merton describes in this means-end theory. In your answer, provide an example of each type of individual.

1.     Name and define three sociological concepts that are illustrated in the article titled “The Saints and the Roughnecks.” Describe how you better understand these concepts by making specific references to the article.