Deck 1: A Sociology of the Family

Question 1

How did the United States v. Windsor ruling change the legal definition of marriage?

A) It supported the earlier Defense of Marriage Act.
B) It specified that couples legally married in certain states did have federal recognition of their marriage.
C) It resulted in the federal government recognizing all legal marriages performed in states.
D) It required all states to perform same-sex marriage.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which of the following is an example of a personal family?

A) a family friend who you call "auntie" but who does not consider herself part of your family
B) a stepchild who considers him- or herself part of the family and whose stepparent considers the stepchild part of the family
C) your best friend, who also considers you his or her best friend
D) your family pet

Answer 2

B

Question 3

There has been a nationwide count of people in the United States population every 10 years since 1790. This period count is known as a

A) family arena.
B) household count.
C) legal family.
D) census.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Appropriate parental discipline is decided by

A) permit approval.
B) a formal legal proceeding.
C) common cultural understandings.
D) the child.

Question 5

Philip Cohen writes that it is challenging to define family because

A) who counts as family is defined by the law.
B) only people who are biologically related are family.
C) no one has been able to define family before.
D) different people and cultures use different definitions.

Question 6

According to the reading, know the difference between family and nonfamily is important for children

A) so they know who is allowed to take them home from school.
B) for forming attachment and constructing personal identities.
C) for legal cases.
D) so that they can understand the family as an institutional arena.

Question 7

Why can family connections be described as symbolic?

A) Family connections are meaningful because people believe they are.
B) Families share DNA, which is represented with symbols.
C) Families must be established through symbolic events like weddings.
D) Family connections are not meaningful unless legally recognized.

Question 8

Why is college financial aid affected by how rich or poor a student's parents are?

A) Failing to pay for a child's college is considered abandonment.
B) Teachers are seen as extensions of parental authority.
C) Parents alone have the authority to decide whether their children attend college.
D) People are expected to sacrifice time, energy, and money for their families.

Question 9

Which of the following is an example of a legal family member?

A) a family friend whom you call "auntie"
B) your best friend
C) your little sister
D) your family pet

Question 10

Why did the idea of a "household head" come under attack during the 1960s?

A) Feminists didn't like the implied expectation of marriage.
B) The Census Bureau did not have a clear definition of family.
C) The Census Bureau only had six categories for family relationships.
D) Feminists didn't like the implied presumption of male authority.

Question 11

Vy Higginsen and Marion West discovered that they had a common ancestor through

A) extensive research in libraries and archives.
B) shared historical links to colonial settlers.
C) DNA testing.
D) stories from their grandparents.

Question 12

Which of the following is the sociological definition of family?

A) "a group of related people bound by connections that are biological, legal, or emotional"
B) "the people to whom we feel related and who we expect to define us as members of their family as well"
C) "a group of people that lives and eats separately from other groups"
D) "the place where family matters take place"

Question 13

In which of the following cases would the census include all members in the count of a family?

A) two unmarried people with a roommate
B) two married people with two college-age children who live on campus
C) two married people and their legally adopted child living in the same household
D) two married people with two children and a family friend whom they consider an aunt, all living in the same household

Question 14

Americans looking back through the generations for a feeling of connection to a larger family tree are interested in

A) genealogy.
B) exchange theory.
C) forming a breadwinner-homemaker family.
D) forming a legal family.

Question 15

Julia's friends visit her while she is babysitting her young nephew. Julia's nephew doesn't seem interested in any of the new people he is introduced to and prefers to be held by his aunt. What can be inferred from his behavior?

A) He considers Julia's friends part of his personal family.
B) He understands the family as an institutional arena.
C) He understands the difference between family members and others.
D) He is not receiving adequate emotional or physical care at home.

Question 16

Which of the following is an example of a family tie formed by legal recognition?

A) a family friend whom children refer to as "auntie"
B) two adults living together
C) people who are married
D) coworkers who see one another daily

Question 17

When giving a reason for missing a meeting, a staff member lets her boss know that she is unavailable because her grandmother is in the hospital. The boss accepts this as an excusable absence because

A) family commitments are privileged.
B) the staff member shows she cares about her grandmother.
C) the boss also has a grandmother.
D) the staff member is a single mother.

Question 18

Families are groups of related people, bound by .

A) their interest in genealogy
B) biological, legal, and emotional connections
C) birth, marriage, or adoption
D) experiencing an event together at the same time

Question 19

How does the census define a household?

A) a group of individuals related by birth, marriage, or adoption
B) a group of people that lives and eats separately from other groups
C) the people to whom we feel related and who we expect to define us as members of their family as well
D) groups of related people bound by connections that are biological, legal, or emotional

Question 20

By 1980, the census form dropped the category "household head" and replaced it with .

A) "householder"
B) "opposite-sex husband/wife/spouse"
C) "father/husband"
D) "father or mother"

Question 21

Economist Gary Becker proposed that husbands and wives make joint decisions to maximize the benefits for the entire family, such as deciding who works outside the home. These ideas are very closely related to which theoretical perspective?

A) consensus
B) exchange
C) symbolic interactionist
D) structural functionalist

Question 22

The Supreme Court decision Obergefell v. Hodges

A) granted same-sex couples the right to adoption in every state.
B) guaranteed same-sex couples the right to marriage in every state.
C) repealed the Defense of Marriage Act.
D) upheld the Defense of Marriage Act.

Question 23

In which institutional arena does facilitation of divorce take place?

A) the state
B) the market
C) the family
D) symbolic interaction

Question 24

A researcher is studying family interactions. She notices a common practice and asks, "What is the function of this practice? What good is it doing that permits it to survive?" The researcher is engaging with what perspective?

A) consensus
B) conflict
C) exchange
D) symbolic interaction

Question 25

Modernity theorists break the modern era of family into two periods, each with different characteristics. Since the 1970s, they argue we are currently in the second modernity. This era is characterized by which of the following?

A) significant diversity of family forms
B) gradual changes in family forms
C) increasing numbers of divorce
D) a return to traditional family forms

Question 26

An institutional arena is governed by

A) the law.
B) accepted rules of interaction.
C) government definitions of family.
D) the head of household.

Question 27

Which theoretical perspective does the following statement represent? "Society is the 'collective expression of shared norms and values.'"

A) consensus
B) conflict
C) exchange
D) symbolic interaction

Question 28

When a social position is accompanied by accepted patterns of behavior, it becomes .

A) a role
B) a family arena
C) an institutional arena
D) a census

Question 29

Which of the following is a criticism of Talcott Parsons's view of family structures?

A) He fails to understand that the experiences and roles of men and women are different.
B) His emphasis on socialization ignores the natural outcomes of biology.
C) His emphasis on power struggles ignores the positive aspects of families.
D) His views of gender roles rationalize male-domination.

Question 30

What theoretical perspective does the following statement represent? "The roles of men and women are part of an 'unstable system ripe for change.'"

A) consensus
B) conflict
C) structural functionalism
D) symbolic interaction

Question 31

Which of the following examples provides evidence that the role of the state is changing?

A) the growth of public services in health care and education
B) the growing number of divorces
C) the growing number of legal families
D) the growth of inequality in family definitions

Question 32

A group of citizens vote for politicians to represent them. Those politicians create a government agency that works to reduce domestic violence and assist victims of domestic violence. What does this describe?

A) the state arena
B) the market arena
C) the family arena
D) conflict theory

Question 33

What constitutes the breadwinner-homemaker family as understood as traditional in the 1950s?

A) either parent employed, while the other takes care of their children
B) an employed father, a mother without employment, and their children
C) an employed mother, a father without employment, and their children
D) two employed parents and their children

Question 34

Which of the following arguments would a conflict theorist make about the work wives have historically done at home without pay?

A) Women are naturally better at nurturing and caring.
B) Division of labor creates dependence and harmony.
C) It has allowed employers to pay men less.
D) It is an exchange that rewards all members.

Question 35

According to the author, the state affects families directly through regulations, like granting marriage licenses. This is an example of the

A) personal family.
B) legal family.
C) family as an institution.
D) market.

Question 36

In which institutional arena does wealth accumulation take place?

A) the state
B) the market
C) the family
D) symbolic interaction

Question 37

Some theorists argue that the unpaid work historically done by women (cooking, cleaning, and raising children) helps men while the financial support that employed husbands provide helps women.

A) consensus
B) feminist
C) conflict
D) symbolic interactionist

Question 38

Jenelle and Adham are about to have a child, but they cannot afford to pay for childcare. They agree that the person who earns less should stop working and take care of their child full time. What institutional arena is this decision related to?

A) the state
B) the market
C) the personal family
D) the legal family

Question 39

What did Talcott Parsons believe was necessary to preserve the family as an institution?

A) a legal family
B) the breadwinner-homemaker family
C) a family wage
D) a census

Question 40

A couple is in the process of adopting a child. They are very excited to become parents and often talk about introducing their child to their favorite foods, what kinds of outfits they will buy for their child, and what they hope to teach their child. This couple is discussing the arena.

A) state
B) market
C) family
D) genealogy

Question 41

What theoretical perspective does the following statement represent? "Family behavior and household structures contribute to larger population processes in many important ways."

A) demographic perspective
B) life course perspective
C) modernity
D) symbolic interaction

Question 42

Describe how you would use genealogical approaches to explore three elements of your background.

Question 43

A longitudinal survey is one that is sent

A) each year to a different group of high school students.
B) to twelfth graders in the same high school each year.
C) only once to a group of eighth, tenth, and twelfth graders.
D) to the same people every five years.

Question 44

What theoretical perspective does the following statement represent? "Individuals and groups with different resources, strengths, and weaknesses enter into mutual relationships to maximize their own gains."

A) structural functionalism
B) conflict
C) exchange
D) symbolic interaction

Question 45

What is one of the ways that sociologists attempt to reduce bias in their studies?

A) collecting their own data
B) writing their own survey questions
C) using publicly funded nationally representative studies
D) using data from Internet news sites

Question 46

Margaret's family of four was asked to be a part of a research project on the division of labor and daily chores. They were each asked to keep a detailed account of their activities for one week. This would be an example of a

A) longitudinal survey.
B) cohort study.
C) time use study.
D) in-depth interview.

Question 47

What theoretical perspective does the following statement represent? "Family structure is socially constructed."

A) consensus
B) feminism
C) structural functionalism
D) symbolic interaction

Question 48

Which of the following is an example of correlation?

A) Kids who sleep with a night-light more often turn out to be nearsighted in adulthood.
B) Children are often nearsighted.
C) A family includes siblings who are both nearsighted.
D) A family includes siblings who are both farsighted.

Question 49

What theoretical perspective revolves around people's ability to enact social roles based on the expectations of others?

A) conflict
B) feminism
C) modernity
D) symbolic interaction

Question 50

What is the benefit of time-use studies?

A) They allow researchers to collect detailed information on how families spend their time.
B) They allow researchers to collect survey data.
C) They are a substitution for in-depth interviews that give researchers the same data.
D) They replace large, national studies.

Question 51

What theoretical perspective does the following statement represent? "Family structure includes the progression from childhood to adulthood, which must be understood in a social and historical context."

A) demographic perspective
B) life course perspective
C) modernity
D) symbolic interaction

Question 52

A young girl likes stories about princesses who are kind and beautiful. Her parents praise her when she does something nice, and they compliment her when she plays dress up. As she grows older, the girl continues to emulate these qualities. Even as an adult, she always tries to be nice and look her best. A feminist theorist might say this is an example of what?

A) exchange theory
B) socialization
C) life course perspective
D) genealogy

Question 53

What theoretical perspective does the following statement represent? "It is critical to understand the process by which individuality changed personal and institutional relations."

A) demographic perspective
B) life course perspective
C) modernity
D) symbolic interaction

Question 54

Through what expression do symbolic interactionists determine meaning?

A) actions
B) words
C) ideas
D) emotions

Question 55

What is the difference between random selection and nonrandom selection?

A) Random selection ensures that a large number of people are selected, but nonrandom selection does not.
B) Nonrandom selection ensures that each person in the sample has the same likelihood of being chosen, while random selection does not.
C) Random selection is more regionally diverse than nonrandom selection.
D) Random selection ensures that each person in the population has the same likelihood of being chosen, while nonrandom selection does not.

Question 56

Which of the following is an example of a cohort?

A) a family with two children
B) baby boomers who all experienced the JFK assassination
C) siblings
D) a large group of pen pals

Question 57

What theoretical perspective does the following statement represent? "Studies of birth, death, and migration should occur at the population level to help us better understand families."

A) demographic perspective
B) life course perspective
C) modernity
D) symbolic interaction

Question 58

The process by which individuals internalize elements of the social structure in their own personalities is called

A) exchange theory.
B) socialization.
C) the life course perspective.
D) genealogy.

Question 59

Ibrahim believes that inequality and the struggles it causes are a main factor in driving history forward. What perspective would Ibrahim most likely identify with?

A) consensus
B) conflict
C) structural functionalism
D) symbolic interaction

Question 60

A husband, a wife, and their daughter are watching TV together. The husband decides what the family will watch, and when he says that he would like a glass of water, the wife gets up and brings it to him. Watching interactions like these influences how the daughter interacts with men. How might this be interpreted by feminist theory?

A) The breadwinner-homemaker family model creates conflict.
B) The legal family is where jobs are assigned to men and women by law.
C) The family arena is where unequal gender roles are created through socialization.
D) Families function best when women have an expressive role.

Question 61

How have theoretical approaches to understanding the family shaped the sociological understanding of family over time?

Question 62

What are the advantages of surveys, in-depth interviews, and time-use studies? Why would sociologists choose one method over another to study families?

Question 63

Based on what you have learned about the authority of the family, explain why teachers are allowed to exert corporal punishment on students, and discuss an argument families might make against the use of corporal punishment in schools.

Question 64

Compare and contrast the personal family, the legal family, and the family as an institutional arena. Give examples of each.

Question 65

Using the concepts of biological and symbolic family ties, explain how you know whom to call your "family."

Question 66

When it comes to understanding families, how are structural functionalists and conflict theoretical perspectives different? Based on what you read in the chapter, contrast how the two theories might explain the rise of the breadwinner-homemaker family.

Question 67

The definition of family has changed over time as a result of legal, cultural, and institutional shifts. Discuss two ways that the definition of family has changed over time and include which factors created this change.

Question 68

What are some of the strategies sociologists use to avoid bias in their research?

Question 69

Describe three significant contributions of feminist theory to sociologists' understanding of contemporary families.