Deck 4: Social Structure and Social Interaction

Question 1

When incompatible role demands develop within a single status,one experiences role:

A) exit.
B) strain.
C) conflict.
D) distancing.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Simply given the number of Hispanics living in Texas and in North Dakota,it is more likely that European Americans will have a Hispanic friend if they live in El Paso,Texas,than if they live in Devil's Lake,North Dakota.This fact illustrates the importance of understanding:

A) the number and types of statuses available.
B) the consequences of occupying a particular status.
C) what combination of statuses is possible.
D) the distribution of people across different statuses.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of these statements about the number of racial statuses in the U.S.is TRUE?

A) The number of racial statuses in the U.S. is unchanging.
B) In 2000, the census added the category of "mixed race," increasing the number of racial statuses.
C) The number of racial statuses has been reduced to just two: white and people of color.
D) The census no longer tracks data on race.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

A person __________ a status,but __________ a role.

A) occupies; plays
B) plays; constructs
C) constructs; occupies
D) fulfills; holds

Question 5

A status:

A) is a position in a group relative to other positions.
B) is a situation for an individual who has achieved celebrity or fame.
C) refers to the amount of wealth a person has.
D) is the set of behaviors considered appropriate depending on one's position in a group.

Question 6

Being a mother is no guarantee that a woman will fulfill the duties and obligations associated with motherhood.This illustrates that social structures do not always work in practice because:

A) sanctions penalize nonconformity.
B) social structures are illogical.
C) role conflict creates mental disorders.
D) people occupy statuses, but must play roles.

Question 7

When studying the relationship between social structures and statuses,sociologists are concerned with four issues.Which of the following is NOT one of those issues?

A) the identification of the statuses that are available in a society
B) the elimination of statuses that do not benefit society
C) the distribution of people among different statuses
D) the consequences of occupying a particular status

Question 8

The set of rights and obligations associated with a status is called:

A) a status network.
B) a status set.
C) an institution.
D) a role.

Question 9

The patterned behavior within the social structure:

A) keeps us from doing what we would like to do.
B) may be both constraining and enabling.
C) is individualized and free from social constraints.
D) must have formal rules and laws in order to support it.

Question 10

A ____ is a recurrent pattern of relationships at all levels of society.

A) social structure
B) role
C) status
D) interaction

Question 11

According to the text,if sociologists want to understand society and social problems,they must look at:

A) classical sociological theory.
B) social norms and values.
C) social structure and social interaction.
D) deviance and social control.

Question 12

Which of the following is the best example of an achieved status?

A) convict
B) child
C) female
D) Native American

Question 13

Currently,African Americans comprise ____ of all nurse's aides and _____ of physicians.

A) 12%; 14%
B) 23%; 19%
C) 34%; 6%
D) 8%; 13%

Question 14

In analyzing the reward,resources,and opportunities attached to different statuses within the U.S.,sociologists find that compared to whites,African Americans are _________ as likely to die in infancy and ______ more likely to be murdered.

A) 2 times; 2 times
B) equally; 2 times
C) 2 times; 8 times
D) 6 times; 10 times

Question 15

Which of the following is the best example of a status?

A) being a student
B) studying hard to achieve good grades as a student
C) typing a paper
D) talking to your mother on the telephone

Question 16

Susan is a wife and mother.She is also employed as an emergency room physician.Being a wife,mother,daughter,and doctor is her:

A) role.
B) status.
C) status set.
D) master status.

Question 17

Which of the following is the best example of an ascribed status?

A) teacher
B) child
C) father
D) wife

Question 18

A social position that is fixed by birth or inheritance is called:

A) an achieved status.
B) an ascribed status.
C) a social structure.
D) an identity.

Question 19

The basic building blocks of society are:

A) norms.
B) cultures.
C) statuses.
D) values.

Question 20

?A position in the social structure that a person can obtain during a lifetime is:

A) an ascribed status.
B) an achieved status.
C) an identity.
D) a distribution of power.

Question 21

____ societies produce no surplus.

A) Agricultural
B) Industrial
C) Postindustrial
D) Hunting-and-gathering

Question 22

According to structural functionalists,social institutions are functional for all of the following reasons EXCEPT they:

A) are perceived as morally right.
B) provide individuals with security.
C) make daily life easier.
D) contribute to inequality.

Question 23

In very simple societies:

A) the concept of family is not well-defined.
B) all major social needs are met by the family and kinship.
C) the definition of family is universal.
D) education and defense are the only responsibilities of the government.

Question 24

The most critical characteristic of a hunting-and-gathering society is that:

A) there is great inequality.
B) individuals are homogenous and have the same everyday experiences.
C) women's and men's roles are not distinct.
D) providing food is relatively easy.

Question 25

An enduring social structure that serves basic human needs is:

A) a role.
B) a value.
C) an institution.
D) a group.

Question 26

When incompatible demands develop because of multiple statuses,one experiences role:

A) conflict.
B) strain.
C) distancing.
D) exit.

Question 27

Margaret is a university professor and required to teach courses and conduct research.She is contacted by an agency that wants to meet with her about a research project,but the administrators at the agency can only meet at the time that she teaches one of her courses.Margaret is trying to decide what to do.She is experiencing role:

A) conflict.
B) exit.
C) distancing.
D) strain.

Question 28

Which of these statements about the social structure is true?

A) Roles demand strict conformity so that there is no opportunity for deviance.
B) Roles are very fixed, while statuses are always changing.
C) How one plays a role is influenced by other statuses, resources, and roles.
D) Everyone must play the same role in the same way in order for society to function.

Question 29

A __________ would ask,"Who benefits from the current system of social institutions?"

A) conflict theorist
B) structural functionalist
C) symbolic interactionist
D) sociobiologist

Question 30

Which of these is an example of role conflict?

A) A student has trouble completing homework because things have been so hectic at work.
B) A student feels that she may have to drop out of school because she feels she is not "college material"
C) A student is tempted to cheat on an exam.
D) A student disagrees with a teacher about her grade.

Question 31

Which of the following statements about institutions is FALSE?

A) Institutional structures are static and do not change or grow.
B) In simple societies, many social needs are met through one social institution-the family.
C) Medicine, science, sports, and the law are all institutionalized social structures.
D) Institutional structures outside the family develop as societies become more complex.

Question 32

Inequalities in hunting and gathering societies are most likely to be based on __________ statuses.

A) occupational
B) religious
C) social class
D) age and sex

Question 33

The idea that each institution affects and is affected by the norms and values of other institutions is known as:

A) cultural fusion.
B) institutional interdependence.
C) cultural interdependence.
D) institutional fusion.

Question 34

Conflict theorists would argue that social institutions:

A) increase life satisfaction.
B) help maintain social inequality.
C) inspire social change.
D) give us a sense of security.

Question 35

Conflict theorists emphasize that institutions have a negative effect on society because they:

A) stifle social change.
B) create patterns of behavior.
C) help people learn what is approved.
D) meet basic human needs.

Question 36

Samantha is a full-time college student and a mother of two.Her daughter's school play is scheduled for the same night as one of her classes.Samantha is trying to decide whether to skip class and go to the play or to try to explain to her daughter that she can't make it to the play because of her class.Samantha is experiencing role:

A) strain.
B) conflict.
C) exit.
D) distancing.

Question 37

When analyzing social institutions,structural-functional theorists begin with the question:

A) Who benefits most from the institutional arrangements?
B) What is the meaning of the different elements of the social institutions for the participants?
C) How do institutions help stabilize society?
D) Do social institutions rationalize inequality?

Question 38

The increase in the number and diversity of social institutions in society is primarily the result of:

A) an increase in population.
B) the ability to generate an economic surplus.
C) an intermingling of cultures.
D) a change in the environment.

Question 39

Each institution can be seen as providing a solution to a universal problem.Community coordination and defense are supplied by:

A) family.
B) government.
C) religion.
D) education.

Question 40

The five basic institutions-family,economy,government,education,and religion-are common to:

A) industrialized nations only.
B) less-developed countries only.
C) only the U.S.
D) every society.

Question 41

Education has become particularly important within _________ societies in which high-paying jobs are sharply divided from very low-paying jobs.

A) industrial
B) postindustrial
C) agricultural
D) gemeinschaft

Question 42

In __________ societies,a digging stick was used to cultivate the land and produce a surplus.

A) horticultural
B) agricultural
C) industrial
D) postindustrial

Question 43

What effect did the move to government-built housing have on the Ojibwa community?

A) It created stability.
B) It improved education.
C) It destroyed Ojibwa institutions.
D) It decreased the poverty rate among the Ojibwa.

Question 44

Leisure time and occupational diversity led to the development of inequality and warfare in __________ societies.

A) agricultural
B) horticultural
C) industrial
D) hunting-and-gathering

Question 45

The major unit of social control among the Ojibwa prior to their relocation to Grassy Narrows in 1963 was:

A) the family.
B) a tribal police force.
C) agents from the Department of Indian Affairs.
D) a fraternal order of adult males known as the Ojibwanati.

Question 46

Characterized by simple crop cultivation with some surplus and exchange,the Incas were an example of __________ society.

A) an industrial
B) a hunting-and-gathering
C) an agricultural
D) a horticultural

Question 47

A complex class system was first seen in which type of society?

A) horticultural
B) agricultural
C) industrial
D) postindustrial

Question 48

In simple societies,major social needs are met by:

A) the government.
B) the family.
C) the education institution.
D) religion.

Question 49

_________ societies are characterized by the production of information and services.

A) Industrial
B) Postindustrial
C) Agricultural
D) Gemeinschaft

Question 50

According to your text,the Ojibwa community at Grassy Narrows fell apart because:

A) a high percentage of adults and children had alcohol problems.
B) boarding schools took the children away from their families.
C) new housing and school arrangements undermined the family structure without allowing new structures to develop.
D) the Ojibwa did not have enough to eat.

Question 51

According to your text,Native Americans are __________ other Americans to report abuse of alcohol or illicit drugs.

A) half as likely as
B) two times more likely than
C) four times more likely than
D) ten times more likely than

Question 52

A sociological approach to the problem of alcoholism and drug abuse would begin with the question:

A) What has caused parents to stop raising their children with morals and values?
B) What aspects of the culture are keeping people from being interested in creating better lives?
C) What social structures encourage substance abuse, and why don't structures reward those who avoid substance abuse?
D) What kinds of personalities are most likely to become addicted to drugs and alcohol?

Question 53

Agricultural societies are distinguished from horticultural societies in that they:

A) plant crops rather than rely on what nature provides.
B) include social institutions in addition to the family.
C) rely less on military conquest.
D) use more advanced technology and sources of energy.

Question 54

The development of irrigation systems and the use of metal tools and the wheel in cultivating land occurred in __________ societies:

A) horticultural
B) agricultural
C) industrial
D) postindustrial

Question 55

The first major breakthrough from subsistence economy to surplus came with the development of:

A) a system of legal money.
B) organized religion.
C) a nationalized education system.
D) agriculture.

Question 56

Societies that are built around the mass production of goods and the use of various forms of energy are known as ????_____________ societies.

A) agricultural
B) horticultural
C) industrial
D) hunting-and-gathering

Question 57

The argument that Native American alcoholism is caused by whites systematically stripping Native Americans of their means of economic production is characteristic of:

A) structural functionalists.
B) conflict theorists.
C) symbolic interactionists.
D) macrosociology.

Question 58

The term _________ is used to refer to societies in which people share a close personal bond with most of the people around them.

A) industrial
B) postindustrial
C) gesellschaft
D) gemeinschaft

Question 59

Societies that are tied together by impersonal,practical bonds are called:

A) foraging.
B) gemeinschaft.
C) gesellschaft.
D) horticultural.

Question 60

In horticultural societies:

A) no surplus is produced.
B) few people are involved in food production.
C) there is a small surplus from simple crop cultivation.
D) advanced energy sources are used in farming the land.

Question 61

Which of the following is an example of how identity issues are a hidden agenda in interaction?

A) A teacher asks a student, "What is your religion?"
B) An interviewer asks a respondent, "What is your income level?"
C) A male lawyer asks a female lawyer, "How do you, as a woman, feel about this case?"
D) A female patient in a hospital requests a female doctor.

Question 62

According to an AMA (American Medical Association)study,_____ female college students on spring break reported that engaging in casual sex is a way to fit in.

A) no
B) about one quarter of
C) more than half of
D) almost all

Question 63

The authors of your text conclude that the only effective way to treat alcoholism among Native American Indians is to:

A) make alcohol illegal on reservations.
B) make drugs like Antibuse, which makes people sick if they drink, widely available.
C) provide 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous.
D) prevent it from happening in the first place by providing opportunities for people.

Question 64

Negotiating which identities will be granted in an encounter:

A) is simply a question of attaching names to actors.
B) is usually a matter of one actor imposing a frame on everyone else.
C) involves determining which particular identity an actor is are presenting in the current situation.
D) usually occurs ex post facto-that is, after the encounter has taken place.

Question 65

According to the text,all of the following is true of the drinking and sexual rituals of university spring break EXCEPT that these:

A) occur because students are free from the institutions that normally restrict their behavior.
B) are supported by corporations who profit from them.
C) emerge as new norms in situations that are not governed by conventional norms.
D) have no serious or long term results for any of the participants.

Question 66

The problems of alcoholism,abuse,and poverty among the Ojibwa in Grassy Narrows are widespread throughout the community.Your text suggests that any solution to these problems requires:

A) individual therapy directed at personal problems.
B) improved welfare payments and individual therapy.
C) community mental health clinics to treat the chronic problems.
D) a structural approach involving rebuilding social institutions.

Question 67

In the sociology of everyday life,a frame is used to:

A) dictate the script that all actors must follow.
B) create new and unfamiliar identities for the actors.
C) evaluate an encounter as deviant or normal and guide the action.
D) set expectations about the interaction.

Question 68

The frame we use to define a given situation:

A) takes its final shape as a result of a negotiation between the actors.
B) will always be shared by all other actors in routine encounters.
C) is not needed if the situation is a routine encounter.
D) determines the identities the actors will use in the interaction.

Question 69

Which of these statements about resolving identities within social interaction is FALSE?

A) Most often, identities are not a problem in social encounters.
B) Differences about how to define identity may be the cause of serious conflict.
C) Negotiation of identity involves manipulating others into playing roles we've assigned to them.
D) Resolving identity issues in interactions usually involves further talk.

Question 70

Which of the following have experts concluded is the key to maintaining sobriety among Native Americans?

A) wealth
B) having lots of friends
C) a steady rewarding job to give people a reason to stay sober
D) moving off of the reservation

Question 71

From the perspective of the sociology of everyday life,at the beginning of any encounter,individuals must resolve the two issues of:

A) who will lead and who will follow.
B) when the encounter will start and when it will end.
C) what is the nature of the action and who are the actors.
D) what will be accomplished and what is in it for each individual.

Question 72

After framing an encounter and defining what is going on,the second question individuals must resolve is:

A) What is the purpose of this interaction?
B) Is this situation problematic or routine?
C) Which identities pertain to this particular situation?
D) Why am I doing this?

Question 73

The version of symbolic interaction that views social situations as scenes manipulated by actors delivering a message to an audience is called:

A) the sociology of everyday life.
B) dramaturgy.
C) ethnomethodology.
D) taking the role of the other.

Question 74

Most of the time,other actors we encounter will:

A) share our frames.
B) misjudge our frames.
C) deny our frames.
D) renegotiate our frames.

Question 75

A frame is roughly equivalent to:

A) a conflict over who is responsible.
B) an encounter.
C) the social process of competition.
D) the "definition of the situation."

Question 76

The idea that high rates of alcoholism among Native Americans result from the destruction of the Native American culture and the absence of harmony between their institutions and those of the white society is consistent with:

A) conflict theory.
B) symbolic interaction.
C) structural functionalism.
D) Freudian theory.

Question 77

Most of our daily life:

A) involves complicated strategies for saving face and protecting our identities.
B) we are consciously trying to manipulate the behavior of others.
C) consists of routine social interactions.
D) we are not engaged in impression management.

Question 78

Which image of culture is closest to that used by the sociology of everyday life?

A) culture as a blueprint for living
B) culture as a total way of life
C) culture as language and education
D) culture as a tool kit

Question 79

The chief architect of the dramaturgical perspective is:

A) Erving Goffman.
B) George Mead.
C) Karl Marx.
D) Charles Cooley.

Question 80

The focus on the social processes that structure our experience in ordinary face-to-face situations is known as:

A) structural-functionalism.
B) the sociology of everyday life.
C) conflict theory.
D) socialization.