Deck 5: Society and Social Institutions

Question 1

In order to qualify as a society, a social group must

A) be big (i.e., have a very large population).
B) have a language that sets its members apart from all other societies.
C) be self-sufficient.
D) have an organized military.
E) all of the above

Answer 1

be self-sufficient.

Question 2

According to most sociologists, which of the following does not qualify as a "society?"

A) National Multiple Sclerosis Society
B) Society for American Baseball History
C) Society for Creative Anachronism
D) The American Football League
E) All of the above

Answer 2

All of the above

Question 3

Sociologically speaking, a particular family is a ______________ but culturally approved ideas about what a family ought to be is a_________.

A) constellation of roles; set of beliefs
B) social hierarchy; social organization
C) social structure; social institution
D) belief; ideology
E) cultural value; cultural belief

Answer 3

social structure; social institution

Question 4

A(n) __________________ is an accepted and persistent constellation of values, norms, statuses, and roles that respond to important societal needs.

A) social structure
B) formal organization
C) bureaucracy
D) family
E) institution

Question 5

An institution is an accepted and persistent constellation of values, norms, statuses, and roles that respond to important

A) societal needs.
B) personal desires.
C) economic needs.
D) biological instincts.
E) political necessities.

Question 6

Which of the following statements is incorrect?

A) Institutions are generally unplanned, they develop gradually.
B) Institutions are inherently conservative; they change, but slowly.
C) Changes in one social institution tend to bring about changes in other institutions.
D)In every society there is a "master institution"-or an institution that is deemed most important by most of that society's inhabitants.
E) The statuses, roles, norms, and values associated with an institution in one society frequently bear little resemblance to the same institution in another society.

Question 7

Social institutions

A) must respond to basic societal needs.
B) have patterned statuses and roles, values, and norms.
C) manifest themselves in social structures.
D) are affected by changes in other social institutions.
E) all of these

Question 8

As societies become larger and more complex, their institutions

A) become more conservative (and less able to adapt to changes in the social environment).
B) tend to become less dependent upon one another.
C) tend to become more specialized.
D) become less efficient.
E) all of these

Question 9

Institutional ways of resolving societal problems must

A) fit with larger social values.
B) be very efficient.
C) be standardized.
D) ensure that everyone is treated equally.
E) all of these

Question 10

Sociologists say that routine or habitualized behavior is ____________ and institutionalized behavior is_________.

A) guided by folkways; guided by mores
B) done by particular social structures; done by institutions
C) the way we do it; the way it must be done
D) guided by mores; guided by taboos
E) guided by informal sanctions; guided by formal sanctions

Question 11

Evidence suggests that, when it comes to institutions,

A) change is impossible.
B) it takes something as dramatic as a war to bring about change.
C) change always occurs slowly.
D) change in one institution tends to bring about change in other institutions.
E) all of these

Question 12

The term "habitualized" refers to behavior that

A) is repeated frequently and becomes a pattern.
B) has significant meaning to social participants.
C) is what non-sociologists call "bad habits."
D) includes only social behavior.
E) has significant meaning to social participants AND includes only social behavior.

Question 13

Which of the following statements is true?

A) Although the values that guide institutions vary across societies, the statuses and roles do not.
B) Each society plans its institutions by selecting the most efficient responses to basic societal needs.
C) Every society shares certain basic problems/needs-e.g., socializing new members, providing for distribution of goods and services-and responds to these with institutions.
D) Overtime, the functions of particular social institutions tend to broaden.
E) The industrial revolution led to changes in every social institution-except religion.

Question 14

One reason it is difficult to change social institutions is that

A) changing them often seems illogical, unnatural (even immoral).
B) it is very expensive.
C) new institutional arrangements are not as efficient as old ones.
D) all of these
E) none of these

Question 15

Which of the following lists represents ways in which a society may respond to the societal need to search for "higher meanings"?

A) monarchy, aristocracy, theocracy
B) animism, monotheism, polytheism
C) polygyny, monogamy, polyandry
D) nuclear, extended, extra-extended
E) any of these, depending upon the society

Question 16

The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) provides that

A) anyone can marry but they must be in love.
B) only people intending to have children can marry.
C) marriage is a union between one man and one woman.
D) same-sex marriages contracted in one state must be respected in all states.
E) marriage is between one husband and one wife.

Question 17

Within the social institution of the military, "duty, honor, country" represent institutionalized

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

Question 18

The institution of science responds to society's need to create knowledge.

Question 19

People who attempt to create particular social structures in ways that violate institutionalized ideas will be subject to some sanctions.

Question 20

The institutions of education, religion and politics all respond to the societal need to promote social unity.

Question 21

As sociologists use the term, "society"refers to a group of people with a common goal.

Question 22

The concept of "habitualized behavior"refers to institutionalized activities.

Question 23

Describe the differences between habitualized and institutionalized behavior.

Question 24

Each social institution is a "constellation"of four kinds of basic social things-one of which is "roles."List the other three things and explain the place of each of the four things in social institutions.

Question 25

What is the basic function of social institutions in society? (Illustrate by using two examples of social institutions.)

Question 26

Was there one question that you were just sure would be asked on this exam but wasn't? There must have been one thing that you studied and then didn't find on the exam. In any case, take advantage of this opportunity to write your own question; create at least five answer categories, and indicate the correct answer.
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a. ____________
b. ____________
c. ____________
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e. ____________