Question 1

Metaphorically,what part of sociology is a zoom lens on a camera most like?

Accepted Answer

A zoom lens on a camera allows the user to zoom in and focus on small details, just like microsociology allows sociologists to focus on small social interactions and individual behaviors.

Question 2

What was probably Harriet Martineau's most important contribution to the development of sociology as a discipline?

Accepted Answer

Harriet Martineau's most important contribution to the development of sociology as a discipline was her translation of the work of Auguste Comte into English. This allowed English-speaking scholars to have access to Comte's ideas about positivism, the classification of the sciences, and the importance of understanding social phenomena. Martineau's translation also helped to popularize Comte's ideas among a wider audience.

Question 3

You are looking over the courses that are offered at your school and you see a class called "The Sociology of Media and Popular Culture." You don't think you need this course,because you listen to lots of music,watch a wide variety of television,and often go to the movies.What would a sociologist tell you?

Accepted Answer

A sociologist would likely tell you that your personal experiences with media provide practical knowledge, but the course would offer a deeper, theoretical understanding of media's role in society.

Question 4

The reality television show Wife Swap exchanges the matriarchs from two very different families and films the result as the participants are exposed to radically different ways of life.Although the television network is simply trying to be entertaining,the show also demonstrates the sociological principle of:

Accepted Answer

The scenario described in the question clearly represents the concept of culture shock. The matriarchs are exposed to a lifestyle that is completely different from their own, leading to feelings of disorientation and discomfort.

Question 5

Why are there disagreements among sociologists about how to define sociology?

Accepted Answer

Sociology is a broad discipline that covers a wide range of subjects, making it difficult to pin down a single, universally agreed-upon definition. Additionally, the field of sociology is constantly evolving and changing as new theories and approaches emerge. As such, there is ongoing debate and discussion among sociologists about how best to define and approach the discipline.

Question 6

Together and in groups,people organize their lives and their social interactions to produce a real and meaningful world.Sociologists can study this because:

Accepted Answer

Sociology is interested in the ways in which people organize their lives and social interactions, and recognizes that we do so in patterned ways. This includes the ways in which we form groups and assign roles, as well as how ideas and beliefs are shared within those groups. Understanding these patterns is essential to understanding broader social phenomena and the complex interactions that occur within societies.

Question 7

If you possess a sociological imagination and someone asks you to study unemployment rates in a city of fifty million people where fifteen million are unemployed,where should you start?

Accepted Answer

Starting with the economic and political structures of the society is the best choice when studying unemployment rates in a city of fifty million people. This will help to understand the factors contributing to high unemployment rates, such as government policies, economic inequalities, and market conditions.  Considering the work ethic, intelligence level, or desires of the unemployed individuals may be relevant, but it should be secondary to analyzing the larger societal factors at play.

Question 8

There is a close relationship between sociology and the other social sciences.Given how much overlap there is between these fields,why does sociology still exist as a discipline?

Accepted Answer

Sociology covers a broad intellectual territory that includes topics such as social inequality, institutions, social change, culture, and social behavior. While there is overlap with other fields such as psychology, anthropology, economics, and political science, sociology offers a distinct perspective on these topics and is necessary for a comprehensive understanding of society.

Question 9

Harriet Martineau supported many ideas that were radical for her time,including:

Accepted Answer

Harriet Martineau was a supporter of workers' rights and believed in the abolition of slavery. She wrote strongly in favor of labor unions and even took part in organized labor actions. She was also a vocal opponent of slavery, and her writings on the subject helped to inspire the abolitionist movement of the mid-19th century. While she was a supporter of social and political reform, there is no evidence to suggest that she supported international communism or the French Revolution. She was also critical of imperialism and colonialism, but it is not clear if she specifically supported the liberation of French colonies in Africa.

Question 10

Unlike earlier religious traditions that attempted to determine the ultimate cause or source of reality,Auguste Comte developed positivism in order to:

Accepted Answer

Auguste Comte developed positivism as a scientific approach to understanding the social world. Positivism emphasized the use of empirical observation and measurement to identify laws that describe the behavior of society, rather than speculating about ultimate causes or sources of reality.

Question 11

Look at the graphic representation of sociology's family tree.Given that they were both very influential in the classical stage of sociological theory,why are Karl Marx and Émile Durkheim depicted so far apart?

Accepted Answer

Marx founded the conflict theory perspective, which emphasizes social inequality and class struggle, while Durkheim founded functionalism, which emphasizes the importance of social institutions and their contributions to society. These perspectives are fundamentally different and thus they are depicted far apart on the family tree of sociology.

Question 12

Many everyday cultural practices-such as greeting a friend,giving someone flowers,or using the thumbs-up sign-seem like natural ways of acting.Why does having an awareness of how these practices vary across cultures demonstrate a healthy sociological imagination?

Accepted Answer

Having an awareness of how cultural practices vary across cultures demonstrates a healthy sociological imagination because it can help us understand that everyday interactions are connected to larger social structures. This understanding allows us to view these practices in a broader context and recognize how they may be influenced by cultural values, beliefs, and norms.

Question 13

The divorce rate has steadily increased over time,and now more than a quarter of all marriages end within the first four years.What sort of factors would C.Wright Mills suggest investigating to explain this increase?

Accepted Answer

C.Wright Mills would suggest investigating structural factors such as changes in the economy, cultural norms, and gender roles, as these factors can have a significant impact on marriage rates and stability. Additionally, Mills may also investigate broader social and political issues such as access to education, healthcare, and social programs.

Question 14

What historical events convinced Auguste Comte that society needed to be guided by thinkers who understood social laws?

Accepted Answer

Auguste Comte witnessed the instability that followed the French Revolution, including the Reign of Terror and the collapse of Napoleon's empire. These events convinced him that society needed to be guided by thinkers who understood social laws in order to prevent such chaos from happening again.

Question 15

Who coined the phrase "the survival of the fittest"?

Accepted Answer

The phrase "the survival of the fittest" was coined by Herbert Spencer, an English philosopher and sociologist who popularized the concept of social Darwinism. While Charles Darwin popularized the theory of evolution, he did not use this particular phrase in his works.

Question 16

Some sociologists use a macrosociological approach,whereas others take a microsociological approach.How does this difference affect the ultimate goal of their research?

Accepted Answer

The ultimate goal of both macrosociological and microsociological approaches is to understand the connection between the individual and society, even though they approach this goal from different levels of analysis. Both methods are valuable in sociology and contribute to a better understanding of social phenomena. Therefore, option C is the best answer as it is the only one that accurately reflects the general purpose of sociological research regardless of the approach used. Options A, B, and D are all incorrect as they make irrelevant, incomplete, or inaccurate statements about sociological research.

Question 17

If you didn't know anything about Pam fishman except that she studied conversation patterns,what could you logically determine about her?

Accepted Answer

The study of conversation patterns falls under the category of microsociology, which focuses on small-scale social interactions and individual experiences. Therefore, the best choice is D, that she is a microsociologist. The other choices are not relevant to her field of study.

Question 18

A sociology student is taking a course on the sociology of the economy.In this class,she learns that even though she always thought of her family as middle class,her parents' income actually qualifies them as upper class compared with that of the rest of the country.What just happened?

Accepted Answer

The student has moved from thinking about her family in everyday terms to analyzing their socioeconomic status in comparison to the rest of the country. This reflects a shift from everyday actor to social analyst, demonstrating an understanding of macro-level sociology.

Question 19

Many Marxist sociologists assume that large-scale economic structures are the most important factors in people's lives.This assumption is an example of:

Accepted Answer

The assumption that large-scale economic structures are the most important factors in people's lives falls under macrosociology, which focuses on the broader social structures and systems rather than individual experiences or interactions. This is in contrast to microsociology, which looks at individual experiences and interactions. Qualitative sociology involves studying the subjective experiences and meanings people attach to their actions and interactions, while conservative sociology tends to prioritize traditional values and social order.

Question 20

Researcher Pam fishman noticed that within heterosexual couples,women are more likely than men to use questions in conversation.Why is this finding sociologically important?

Accepted Answer

Fishman's research demonstrates a connection between general social structures and individual behaviors as women using questions in conversation often indicates that they hold less power than their male partners. This finding sheds light on how gender roles and power dynamics play out in everyday conversation, which is sociologically significant.

Quiz 1: Sociology and the Real World