Deck 1: Sociology in a Changing World

Question 1

Which of the following characteristics is NOT part of the move toward modernity?

A) the growth of democracy
B) the shift to urban living spaces
C) a move towards industrial economies
D) an increased confidence in religion

Answer 1

D

Question 2

A sociologist would understand the phenomena of poverty by examining

A) why individuals fail to find jobs that pay more.
B) the ways that employment is structured.
C) the race, class, and gender of individuals.
D) the neighborhood an individual lives in.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Who used the term "sociological imagination" to describe a way of viewing the connections individuals have to their social worlds?

A) Karl Marx
B) Max Weber
C) Emile Durkheim
D) C. Wright Mills

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The historical period marked by a shift to urban industrial economies and increased faith in science and reason is known as

A) modernity.
B) postmodernity.
C) industrialization.
D) democracy.

Question 5

Which of the following topics is NOT among those a sociologist would study?

A) why people commit crimes
B) how children learn about gender
C) how personality develops
D) why homelessness exists

Question 6

Sally grew up in the middle class. For school, she volunteered at a soup kitchen and, for the first time, met individuals her own age who had grown up in poverty. Instead of dismissing these individuals as lazy, she sought to understand what social forces worked to shape her life differently from those she met at the soup kitchen. This is an example of

A) everyday sociology.
B) the sociological perspective.
C) a social viewpoint.
D) doing sociology.

Question 7

What is industrialization?

A) the creation of jobs that pay workers by the hour
B) the shift from living on farms to living in cities
C) the use of products in farming to increase crop yield
D) the use of machines to mass produce items for purchase

Question 8

Which of the following questions would a sociologist ask?

A) How does collecting government assistance impact future employment?
B) How can politicians use government assistance policies in their campaigns?
C) What are the personalities of individuals on public assistance?
D) All these answers are correct.

Question 9

In order to understand our lives, sociologists would argue that we need to

A) examine the contexts in which we live.
B) explore the motives behind our actions.
C) examine the way we interact with others.
D) explore the ways in which other people live.

Question 10

Maria lives in a society where physical illness is viewed as being caused by germs and unsanitary conditions and does not occur as the product of a curse or spell. In what historical context is she living?

A) modernity
B) capitalism
C) the Early Modern period
D) the Middle Ages

Question 11

The systematic study of the relationship between individuals and society is called

A) psychology.
B) anthropology.
C) sociology.
D) political science.

Question 12

Maria wants to write a paper for her college class that explores how married couples divide household chores. She wants to argue that gender shapes how couples share housework. Given her topic and argument, her class is a part of what discipline?

A) psychology
B) sociology
C) statistics
D) economics

Question 13

Which concept describes how logic and the systematic collection of evidence are used to support theories about the natural and social world?

A) sociology
B) science
C) common sense
D) logic

Question 14

Which of the following questions would sociologists NOT ask about race?

A) How does living on a reservation shape how American Indians view their culture?
B) What is the racial composition of college students' friendship networks?
C) What are the major personality characteristics of Asian Americans?
D) How do African American parents teach their children about race?

Question 15

Which of the following research questions would a sociologist ask?

A) How does being homeless impact people's ability to find work?
B) Does being homeless change someone's personality?
C) How do anti-poverty policies influence voting behaviors?
D) All these answers are correct.

Question 16

Which concept describes the processes of examining the social world though understanding how individuals are connected to the societies in which they live?

A) structural-functionalist theory
B) social viewpoint
C) sociology
D) sociological perspective

Question 17

A sociological understanding of homelessness would include all of the following EXCEPT

A) an individual's social status.
B) the local employment structure.
C) an individual's personal failures at locating work.
D) stratification in the society an individual lived in.

Question 18

To what group of research-based disciplines does sociology belong?

A) the research sciences
B) the humanities
C) the hard sciences
D) the social sciences

Question 19

Julian and his friends like to watch movies together. One movie focused on a young black man who rose out of poverty by playing basketball. His friend N'Cola commented that there would be no poverty if poor people simply tried to find employment. Julian said that the solution to poverty was not that simple and that N'Cola's understanding of how poverty worked was mistaken. What was the problem with N'Cola's argument?

A) It ignores the context of broader social conditions.
B) It used the sociological perspective.
C) It ignores the rules of sociology as a discipline.
D) It viewed an individual problem as a social problem.

Question 20

To what aspect of life is it impossible to apply the sociological perspective?

A) economics
B) politics
C) religion
D) The sociological perspective can be applied to all aspects of life.

Question 21

In his study of suicide, Emile Durkheim argued that egoistic suicides were the result of

A) too much integration.
B) too little integration.
C) too much regulation.
D) too little regulation.

Question 22

Which term refers to the use of factories and mills to mass produce goods for sale?

A) urbanization
B) capitalism
C) modernity
D) industrialization

Question 23

Sociology emerged from all of the following revolutions EXCEPT

A) religious.
B) economic.
C) cultural.
D) political.

Question 24

What was Immanuel Kant describing with the motto "Dare to know"?

A) modernity
B) urbanization
C) industrialization
D) the Enlightenment

Question 25

Which of the following events did NOT occur during the Industrial Revolution?

A) industrialization of goods
B) increased influence of religion
C) the growth of cities
D) the development of democracy

Question 26

Collective conscience focuses on

A) individuals' desire to do good for others.
B) how religion organizes a society.
C) shared understandings of how society works.
D) common values shared by members of a society.

Question 27

Which of the following is the core belief of positivism?

A) People must do the best for the greater good.
B) Society is shaped by capitalism.
C) Knowledge must be based on evidence.
D) Truth is found in religious faith.

Question 28

Auguste Comte is associated with which foundation of sociological thought?

A) positivism
B) structural-functionalism
C) conflict
D) postmodernity

Question 29

Which of the following best summarizes Karl Marx's view of the social world?

A) Society is shaped by the competing interests of workers and capitalists.
B) Religion is the basis of social bonds.
C) Societies' shared values and goals allow for cultural growth.
D) The nature of capitalism creates great wealth and crushing poverty.

Question 30

Before 1800, approximately what percentage of Europeans lived in rural areas?

A) 90 percent
B) 50 percent
C) 30 percent
D) 70 percent

Question 31

The movement of individuals from living in rural farming towns to living in centralized cities is known as

A) urbanization.
B) suburbanization.
C) gentrification.
D) industrialization.

Question 32

The principle that true knowledge must be based on the scientific method is known as

A) postmodernity.
B) positivism.
C) science.
D) structural-functionalism.

Question 33

In the United States, common shared values include social freedom, individualism, and self-sufficiency. What term would sociologists use to define these characteristics?

A) collective conscience
B) culture
C) social values
D) social structure

Question 34

Historically, which of the following happened first?

A) urbanization
B) industrialization
C) consumerism
D) All these changes took place at the same time.

Question 35

Which of the following best summarizes Emile Durkheim's view of the social world?

A) Society works because there is a collective understanding of behaviors.
B) Society is shaped by the competing interests of workers and capitalists.
C) Religion is the basis of social bonds.
D) Societies' shared values and goals allow for cultural growth.

Question 36

Monty is a rich man who invests his money in small businesses. He recently purchased a small bakery and hired a new manager to oversee changes to the business to make it more profitable. His investment has paid off, since he now makes more money than he spent to acquire the bakery. What term describes Monty's role in this scenario?

A) industrialist
B) innovator
C) consumer
D) capitalist

Question 37

What term did Emile Durkheim use to explain a sense of normlessness?

A) egoism
B) anomie
C) fatalism
D) altruism

Question 38

Which of the following terms refers to the shared values within a society?

A) culture
B) mechanical solidarity
C) organic solidarity
D) collective conscience

Question 39

During the Middle Ages, who or what dominated European intellectual life?

A) enlightened monarchs
B) the Church and its clergy
C) science
D) philosophers

Question 40

The rise in scientific thought, the Age of Enlightenment, and the declining influence of religion in everyday life are associated with ________ revolution.

A) social
B) economic
C) political
D) cultural

Question 41

Janet believes that two-parent families are the best for society. She notes that having a mother and father helps to define work roles and provides children with strong role models. Which theoretical perspective best matches her views?

A) structural-functionalist theory
B) feminist theory
C) conflict theory
D) symbolic interactionist theory

Question 42

What term did Emile Durkheim use for how individuals employed specific skills to complete specialized work within a society?

A) rationalization of society
B) rationalization of work
C) capitalism
D) division of labor

Question 43

Which term refers to the social bonds that connect individuals to each other?

A) collective conscience
B) organic solidarity
C) social solidarity
D) social structure

Question 44

In 1997, members of the Heaven's Gate religious cult committed mass suicide because they believed that after death their souls would be transported to a level of existence beyond human. According to Emile Durkheim's theory, what type of suicide did these members commit?

A) egoistic
B) altruistic
C) fatalistic
D) anomic

Question 45

Which social theories focus on how people use shared symbols and construct society as a result of their everyday interactions?

A) feminist theories
B) symbolic interactionist theories
C) conflict theories
D) structural-functionalist theories

Question 46

The argument that social structures moved from being based on tradition to being based on logic and reason is called

A) collective consciousness.
B) the rationalization of society.
C) the industrialization of society.
D) postmodernity.

Question 47

In his study of suicide, Emile Durkheim argued that fatalistic suicides were the result of

A) too much integration.
B) too little integration.
C) too much regulation.
D) too little regulation.

Question 48

Two sociologists explain that individuals "do gender" in their everyday interactions with others in society. They argue that being a "man" or "woman" is not natural but is instead a product of shared meanings of how "men" and "women" interact with others in society. Under which sociological theory does their work best fit?

A) structural-functionalist theory
B) symbolic interactionist theory
C) conflict theory
D) feminist theory

Question 49

Which theory views society as being shaped by competition, the struggle for power, and an unequal distribution of resources?

A) symbolic interactionist theory
B) conflict theory
C) structural-functionalist theory
D) feminist theory

Question 50

Which term do sociologists use for a collection of propositions that work to explain how social phenomena operate?

A) sociology
B) social theory
C) levels of analysis
D) structural theories

Question 51

Mario believes in the phrase "the rich get richer and the poor get poorer." Which theoretical perspective would best match Mario's worldview?

A) feminist theory
B) conflict theory
C) symbolic interactionist theory
D) structural-functionalist theory

Question 52

Which of the following social thinkers is NOT correctly matched to his or her key work?

A) Marx: The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
B) W. E. B. Du Bois: The Souls of Black Folk
C) Emile Durkheim: Suicide
D) Jane Addams: Hull House Maps and Papers

Question 53

Emile Durkheim believed that social norms helped to maintain social order. For example, he explained that suicide is a result of a lack of balance in an individual's social world and not an event that is based on an individual's free will. Into which sociological theory does this best fit?

A) structural-functionalist theory
B) symbolic interactionist theory
C) feminist theory
D) conflict theory

Question 54

Karl Marx believed that society was shaped by the power differences of workers and capitalists. Into which sociological theory does this best fit?

A) conflict theory
B) feminist theory
C) structural-functionalist theory
D) symbolic interactionist theory

Question 55

Which theory views society as working toward agreement and believes that each aspect of a society works to ensure society's smooth operation?

A) feminist theory
B) conflict theory
C) structural-functionalist theory
D) symbolic interactionist theory

Question 56

Which social thinker produced ground-breaking research on race in America?

A) W. E. B. Du Bois
B) Harriet Martineau
C) Jane Addams
D) Emile Durkheim

Question 57

Which social thinker believed that a rational view of the social world replaced tradition as the basis for organizing society?

A) Karl Marx
B) Max Weber
C) Emile Durkheim
D) Harriet Martineau

Question 58

Kimberly grew up in a close-knit farming community, which values sharing and cooperation. For example, after a fire destroyed some of Kimberly's neighbor's crops, others in the community came to help the family by sharing their own crops so that they would have enough to eat. What is this an example of?

A) mechanical solidarity
B) collective conscience
C) social solidarity
D) organic solidarity

Question 59

Randy's wife of fifty years recently passed away. They had no children and Randy felt isolated and alone. He fell into a depression and committed suicide. According to Emile Durkheim's theory, what type of suicide is this?

A) egoistic
B) altruistic
C) fatalistic
D) anomic

Question 60

What did Emile Durkheim mean by the term "division of labor"?

A) Individuals were classified as workers or capitalists.
B) Men and women performed different kinds of work.
C) Individuals specialized in jobs that highlighted their skills.
D) Workers were placed in jobs based on how hard they worked.

Question 61

Sociologists who study the meanings individuals attach to smiling in various contexts work at which level of analysis?

A) mini
B) meso
C) macro
D) micro

Question 62

The rules we use to understand the relationship we have with our girlfriends or boyfriends reflect ________ in our lives.

A) power
B) structure
C) function
D) culture

Question 63

A society's values, knowledge, language, interactions, and material objects reflect its

A) culture.
B) structure.
C) power.
D) organization.

Question 64

Which level of analysis focuses on small social interactions?

A) macro
B) meso
C) mini
D) micro

Question 65

Persistent patterns in how people act in society are called

A) power.
B) culture.
C) structure.
D) functions.

Question 66

Which theoretical perspective would argue that culture is created through the ways that individual members interpret the meanings of material objects and their exchanges with others?

A) structural-functionalist theory
B) symbolic interactionist theory
C) conflict theory
D) feminist theory

Question 67

Which theoretical perspective argues that social structure is maintained by those with power to maintain the values and ideals of dominant groups?

A) symbolic interactionist theory
B) conflict theory
C) feminist theory
D) structural-functionalist theory

Question 68

Which level of analysis focuses on large social structures?

A) micro
B) meso
C) mini
D) macro

Question 69

Which of the following is NOT a latent function of attending college?

A) increased independence from family
B) finding a marriage partner
C) developing job skills
D) learning to live independently

Question 70

Which of the following is an aspect of a society's culture?

A) the language spoken
B) the artifacts produced
C) the values held
D) All these answers are correct.

Question 71

Inequalities based on race and gender in American society are the result of ________ differences.

A) cultural
B) functional
C) structural
D) power

Question 72

Which of the following is NOT a core concept in sociology?

A) power
B) structure
C) theory
D) culture

Question 73

A person's ability to impose his or her will on another person is called

A) power.
B) culture.
C) structure.
D) function.

Question 74

The intended results of social phenomena are called

A) manifest functions.
B) latent functions.
C) dysfunctions.
D) functions.

Question 75

Sociologists who study crime statistics for the United States work at which level of analysis?

A) micro
B) meso
C) macro
D) mini

Question 76

The unintended results of social phenomena are called

A) manifest functions.
B) latent functions.
C) dysfunctions.
D) functions.

Question 77

Which level of analysis focuses on areas between large-scale social structures and small-scale interactions?

A) meso
B) mini
C) macro
D) micro

Question 78

Jennie believes that one's virginity only means as much as the value you attach to it. Which theoretical perspective would best match her view of virginity?

A) symbolic interactionist theory
B) feminist theory
C) structural-functionalist theory
D) conflict theory

Question 79

Which of the following is NOT a manifest function of attending college?

A) to become prepared to enter the workforce
B) to earn a college degree
C) to learn how to live independently
D) All these answers are correct.

Question 80

Which theoretical perspective would argue that power differences have a positive effect on society because they provide motivation for individuals to compete for highly rewarded positions?

A) feminist theory
B) symbolic interactionist theory
C) conflict theory
D) structural-functionalist theory