Question 1

Stereotypes deeply influence how we react to one another.

Accepted Answer

Stereotypes often lead to assumptions and preconceived notions about individuals or groups, which can lead to biased treatment and unfair judgments. This can negatively impact relationships and interactions between individuals.

Question 2

Ascribed status is involuntary and achieved status is voluntary.

Accepted Answer

Ascribed status refers to the status that is given at birth and is not dependent on any individual efforts. It is involuntary and includes characteristics such as gender, race, and ethnicity. Achieved status, on the other hand, is attained through individual efforts and is voluntary. It includes education, occupation, and income.

Question 3

Roles are like fences - they allow a certain amount of freedom but that freedom does not go very far.

Accepted Answer

Roles provide boundaries or limitations within which a person can operate freely, but if a person attempts to go beyond those boundaries, it could lead to negative consequences. This is similar to a fence that serves the purpose of keeping one within a defined area.

Question 4

To belong to a group is to yield to others the right to make certain decisions about our behavior.

Accepted Answer

Belonging to a group often involves following certain norms or rules established by the group, and allowing others in the group to have some influence on our behavior. This may include decisions about how to act in certain situations or what is considered acceptable behavior within the group.

Question 5

The amount of personal space people require is a cultural universal that is consistent from one culture to the next.

Accepted Answer

The amount of personal space people require can vary depending on cultural, social, and individual factors. While there may be certain cultural norms or standards for personal space, it is not a universal and can differ between cultures and individuals.

Question 6

Mechanical solidarity and Gemeinschaft both describe the most intimate societies that are personal and have close kinship connections.

Accepted Answer

Mechanical solidarity and Gemeinschaft both describe societies characterized by strong bonds and personal connections, often based on kinship and common values.

Question 7

The difference between role and status is that we occupy a status and play a role.

Accepted Answer

A status is the position or place that someone occupies in society, while a role is the set of behaviors and expectations associated with that position. So, we are assigned a status but we actively perform a role associated with it.

Question 8

Some people have a contradiction or a mismatch between their statuses.

Accepted Answer

Some people may have a contradiction between their legal status and social status, or between their occupational status and educational status, for example. This can create a mismatch or conflict between different aspects of their identity.

Question 9

Status inconsistency is always detrimental to society and creates interpersonal conflicts that must be resolved.

Accepted Answer

Status inconsistency can lead to social mobility and change, challenging existing structures and potentially leading to societal improvements. It does not always result in negative outcomes or interpersonal conflicts.

Question 10

All master statuses are achieved statuses.

Accepted Answer

Master statuses can be achieved or ascribed. Ascribed statuses are those that are assigned at birth or based on certain characteristics, such as race or gender, while achieved statuses are attained through personal effort and accomplishments, such as education or career success.

Question 11

In studied nonobservance, the individual in a compromised position is able to successfully rationalize the reason for his or her awkward behavior.

Accepted Answer

Studied nonobservance involves others ignoring or pretending not to notice someone's awkward behavior, not the individual rationalizing their own behavior.

Question 12

Of all the social institutions, the mass media is one of the oldest.

Accepted Answer

The mass media is not one of the oldest social institutions, as it has only emerged in its modern form in the last century or so. Institutions such as religion, family, and government are much older.

Question 13

The sociological significance of social structure is that it guides our behavior.

Accepted Answer

Social structure refers to the patterned relationships between individuals that create a society. It influences our behavior by establishing norms, roles, and expectations, which guide our actions and interactions with others.

Question 14

When Professor Jones is before his class lecturing, he has assumed the front stage, based on the terminology used in dramaturgy.

Accepted Answer

Front stage refers to the area where a person performs a role in front of an audience. In this case, Professor Jones is performing the role of a lecturer in front of his class, and thus he is on the front stage.

Question 15

Because of their close-knit structure and separation from modernization, the Old Order Amish have been able to resist all change that has challenged the core values of their community.

Accepted Answer

While the Old Order Amish community is known for its resistance to many forms of modern technology and change, it has adapted in various ways over time to meet the needs of its members and to deal with external pressures, showing some flexibility within their core values.

Question 16

Although social structure acts as a major control mechanism to preserve order, it has little to do with what we actually do, feel, or think.

Accepted Answer

Social structure plays a significant role in shaping what we do, feel, and think. It provides norms, values, and expectations that guide behavior and shape individual attitudes and beliefs. Therefore, social structure has a strong influence on our actions, emotions, and thoughts.

Question 17

Conflict theorists and functionalists would most likely focus on such things as social class and group relationships and would use the macrosociological approach.

Accepted Answer

Conflict theorists and functionalists both focus on larger social structures and systems, and would therefore use the macrosociological approach to studying these phenomena. They would also be interested in analyzing social class and group dynamics, as these are important factors in shaping social inequality and power dynamics.

Question 18

As our military faces the threat of attacks from unidentifiable individuals in civilian areas throughout the world, understanding body language can be utilized as a tool to help them detect threats.

Accepted Answer

Understanding body language can provide valuable insight into a person's intentions and potential threat level, which can be useful for military personnel in identifying and responding to potential dangers in civilian areas.

Question 19

The more industrialized a society becomes, the less formal its social institutions tend to be.

Accepted Answer

Industrialization often leads to the development and strengthening of formal social institutions, such as legal systems, educational systems, and government bureaucracies, to manage the complexities of industrial society.

Question 20

The broadest framework that determines what kind of people we will become is social status.

Accepted Answer

Socialization, which includes a wide range of factors such as family, education, peer groups, media, and culture, plays a more comprehensive role in determining the kind of people we will become, rather than social status alone.

Quiz 4: Social Structure and Social Interaction