Question 1

Shared ideas about what is socially desirable, good or bad, beautiful or ugly are called ________.

Accepted Answer

Values are shared ideas about what is socially desirable, good or bad, beautiful or ugly. Beliefs are individual ideas or convictions that people hold to be true. Truths are objective facts or reality. Mores are norms or rules of behavior that carry a strong moral component and are seen as strictly enforced in society.

Question 2

Tastes and creations supported and used by the upper classes to distinguish themselves from those beneath them in the social hierarchy are called ________.

Accepted Answer

High culture is the term used to describe tastes and creations supported and used by the upper classes to distinguish themselves from those beneath them in the social hierarchy. Popular culture, on the other hand, refers to cultural products and activities that are enjoyed and consumed by the masses. Real culture and ideal culture are concepts used in anthropology to describe the difference between what people actually do (real culture) and what they claim to do or believe in (ideal culture).

Question 3

How will the media respond to the growing numbers of people age 64 and older worldwide in the next 25 years?

Accepted Answer

As the number of people age 64 and older grows worldwide, the media is likely to shift their cultural approach to the middle-aged and older consumer. This demographic will become an important market for the media, and they will likely cater to their interests and needs. This shift will be evident in the type of content produced by the media, as they try to capture the attention and loyalty of older consumers. Therefore, Choice D is the best answer.

Question 4

In an elaborate ceremony held at the White House, Captain Bill Bender has just received the Medal of Honor from the president for bravery above and beyond the call of duty. Such a situation is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

A formal ceremony held at the White House to award the Medal of Honor, a highly prestigious military award, is an example of a formal sanction. The awarding of the Medal of Honor is a formal acknowledgement of exemplary military service and is regarded as a significant form of reward or punishment for actions that go beyond the call of duty.

Question 5

A complex system of symbols with conventional meanings that people use for communication is called ________.

Accepted Answer

The definition provided in the question matches the definition of language. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect as they refer to different aspects of culture.

Question 6

Approximately how long ago did the first great technological revolution that turned hunting and gathering societies into farming societies occur?

Accepted Answer

The first great technological revolution that turned hunting and gathering societies into farming societies occurred approximately 10,000 years ago during the Neolithic Era. This period saw the development of agriculture and the domestication of plants and animals, which allowed for more settled and complex societies to emerge.

Question 7

Inconsistencies in a cultural system, especially in the relationship between technology and nonmaterial culture, are called ________.

Accepted Answer

Cultural lag refers to an inconsistency in a cultural system, especially in the relationship between technology and nonmaterial culture. The term was coined by sociologist William F. Ogburn to describe how material culture (e.g., technology) changes more quickly than nonmaterial culture (e.g., beliefs and values), creating a lag or discrepancy between the two. This can lead to conflicts, misunderstandings, and resistance to change as people struggle to adapt to new technologies and their implications for society. The other options (A, B, D) are unrelated to cultural lag. The Thomas theorem refers to the idea that "if people define situations as real, they are real in their consequences." Cultural hegemony refers to the dominant cultural ideology or worldview that is imposed on a society by those in power. The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis suggests that language shapes the way people think and perceive the world around them.

Question 8

What was the classic work published by Charles Darwin in 1859 that brought about a revolution in scientific thinking about all living things?

Accepted Answer

Charles Darwin's classic work published in 1859 that brought about a revolution in scientific thinking about all living things is "On the Origin of Species".

Question 9

The sociologist who listed a number of values that he believed were widely shared in the United States, including individualism and freedom, equality, achievement, and others, was ________.

Accepted Answer

Robin Williams listed common values in American society, including individualism and freedom, equality, achievement, efficiency, progress, material comfort, and humanitarianism.

Question 10

What is the central institution that has the greatest effect on all other institutions in the technological, fast-paced modern society?

Accepted Answer

The media is the central institution that has the greatest effect on all other institutions in the technological, fast-paced modern society. The media shapes our perceptions of the world, influences our values and beliefs, and even affects our behavior.

Question 11

Which of the following societies is characterized by global information and the service economy?

Accepted Answer

A postindustrial society is characterized by a shift from manufacturing to a service-based economy and a focus on information and technology. This society is characterized by global information networks, communication technology, and a highly skilled workforce.

Question 12

In what type of society would an explorer find people using hand tools to grow domesticated crops?

Accepted Answer

Horticultural societies rely on hand tools to grow domesticated crops, while hunting-gathering societies primarily rely on foraging for food, pastoral societies rely on animals for sustenance, and agrarian societies use more advanced farming techniques and tools.

Question 13

What is the term sociologists use to describe cultural trends associated with prosperous high-tech societies that have a high degree of security, such as the quality of life and greater openness to change and diversity?

Accepted Answer

Sociologists use the term "postmodern values" to describe cultural trends associated with prosperous high-tech societies that have a high degree of security, such as the quality of life and greater openness to change and diversity.

Question 14

Functionalism helps sociologists understand how cultural practices that may seem unusual actually fit together, such as the understanding of why bovine veneration is important to the Hindu society. What is this concept called?

Accepted Answer

The concept referred to in the question is cultural integration, which is the idea that different cultural practices and beliefs work together to create a functioning society. Functionalism is a theoretical perspective that emphasizes the importance of cultural integration in understanding how society functions. Choice A (dramaturgical analysis) and choice B (ethnomethodology) are different theoretical perspectives in sociology, and choice D (the socio-ecological approach) is a related but distinct theoretical perspective.

Question 15

Taboos, mores, laws, and folkways are collectively classified as ________.

Accepted Answer

Taboos, mores, laws, and folkways are all different types of norms, which are the social rules that guide behavior in a particular culture or society. While values and beliefs are also important components of culture, they are not specifically related to the regulation of behavior through norms. Norms can vary widely between different societies and communities, and they can change over time as values and beliefs shift.

Question 16

Eating human flesh and sibling sex both qualify as ________ because they are behaviors that members of a group consider as being repugnant and unthinkable.

Accepted Answer

Taboos are behaviors that are strictly prohibited within a society or culture and are considered to be repugnant or unthinkable. Eating human flesh and sibling sex are considered taboos in most societies. Folkways are informal norms that govern everyday behavior and are not strictly enforced, while idiosyncrasies are personal quirks or eccentricities. Sanctions are punishments or rewards used to enforce social norms.

Question 17

Catherine is taking a Latin culture cluster course in Peru as a part of an international studies program. Although the practices of the Peruvian natives with whom she is living are very strange to her, she is doing her best to understand the Peruvian culture and has not passed judgment on it. This perspective, which asks that we evaluate other cultures according to their standards and not our own, is called ________.

Accepted Answer

The perspective of evaluating other cultures according to their own standards and not our own is called cultural relativism. Ethnocentrism is the opposite of cultural relativism, in which we judge other cultures based on our own cultural beliefs and practices. The relativist fallacy is a logical fallacy that occurs when a person argues that because there are different opinions or beliefs about something, there is no objective truth or reality. Ideal culture refers to the values, beliefs, and behaviors that a society ideally practices, but which may not always be reflected in actual practice.

Question 18

Traditionally, what term describes people who live in a specific geographic territory, interact with one another, and share many elements of a common culture?

Accepted Answer

The term that describes people who live in a specific geographic territory, interact with one another, and share many elements of a common culture is "society." Choice A (territory) refers only to the geographical area, not the people who live in it. Choice B (aggregate) refers to a collection of people or things but does not necessarily imply interaction or a shared culture. Choice C (regime) refers to a system of government, not necessarily a group of people who share a common culture. Therefore, the best choice is D, society.

Question 19

A(n) is a society that depends on crops raised with plows, draft animals, and intensive agricultural methods.

Accepted Answer

An agrarian society is one that depends on crops raised with plows, draft animals, and intensive agricultural methods.

Question 20

According to sociologists, what determines human behavior?

Accepted Answer

Sociologists generally believe that human behavior is learned and culturally patterned within groups. This means that socialization, or the process of learning societal norms and values from those around us, plays a key role in determining how individuals behave. While genetics and environmental factors can also influence behavior, sociologists tend to focus on cultural and social factors as the primary drivers of human behavior.

Quiz 3: Society and Culture