Question 1

After working at a minimum wage job for three years, Catherine has decided to apply to the local polytechnic school to receive training to be a medical laboratory technician. She checked various job websites across the country and discovered that there was a significant shortage of lab techs and that she would have no trouble finding work. According to structural functionalists, Catherine's choice pertains to what kind of functionality?

Accepted Answer

Catherine's choice pertains to a manifest functionality, as she is intentionally seeking out training for a specific job in response to the demand for that job in the labor market. This is a clear and intentional purpose of her actions.

Question 2

Feminist theory, like the conflict perspective, draws from both the "darker" and "brighter" sides of society.

Accepted Answer

Feminist theory acknowledges the oppression and inequality faced by women in society (the "darker" side) but also sees the potential for gender equality and social change (the "brighter" side).

Question 3

Your personal choice is made independent of outside influence.

Accepted Answer

No choice is entirely independent of outside influence, as various factors such as culture, upbringing, social interactions, and media can shape and affect decision-making processes.

Question 4

Postdisciplinarity refers to research done after the social sciences were divided into disciplines.

Accepted Answer

Postdisciplinarity refers to an approach to research that transcends the boundaries of traditional disciplines, integrating and synthesizing perspectives, theories, and methodologies from various fields, rather than being tied to the historical division of the social sciences into distinct disciplines.

Question 5

Despite efforts to integrate our thinking, dualistic thinking implies that we often having opposing viewpoints about topics,
Indicate the answer choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Despite efforts to integrate our thinking, dualistic...

Question 6

There is a small group of people in town who seem to have all the money and make all the rules. The rules they make (especially around employment) are intended to ensure they continue to have all the money. Which theoretical perspective would be most effective to analyze the activities in this town?

Accepted Answer

Conflict theory focuses on the power struggles between different groups in society, and how the dominant group (in this case, the wealthy individuals) use their power to maintain their position of privilege while keeping others from rising up. This perspective would be most effective in analyzing the activities in this town, as it directly addresses the conflict between the wealthy and the rest of the population.

Question 7

A branch of which theoretical framework proposes men and women are inherently similar and that the differences are sociologically constructed?

Accepted Answer

The branch of Feminist theory proposes that men and women are inherently similar and that the differences between them are sociologically constructed. Feminist theory seeks to eliminate gender-based discrimination and promote gender equality.

Question 8

Suicide rates in some Aboriginal communities are among the highest rates in Canada. While suicide is often characterized as an individual's response to pain, emotional, psychological, and/or other mental health concerns, what term might Durkheim use to describe what appears to be a specific issue within an entire community of people?

Accepted Answer

Durkheim would use the term anomie to describe the phenomenon of high suicide rates in certain Aboriginal communities. Anomie refers to a state of normlessness or a breakdown of social norms and values, which can lead individuals to feel disconnected from their community and sense of purpose. In the case of these communities, the historical and ongoing trauma of colonization, forced assimilation, and other forms of systemic oppression have contributed to a deep sense of alienation and disconnection, which can increase the risk of suicide.

Question 9

Once significant others are identified, they retain their importance for the individual's entire life.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Once significant others are identified, they retain...

Question 10

According to the text, various sociological approaches are linked to specific theoretical sociological perspectives. Some of these theoretical perspectives are focused on the individual as the main element of society. Which level of society is featured in this perspective?

Accepted Answer

The micro level of society is featured in perspectives that focus on the individual as the main element of society, such as symbolic interactionism and phenomenology.

Question 11

Norms are society's ever-changing expectations for how we are supposed to act, think, and look.

Accepted Answer

Norms are indeed society's expectations for behavior, thought, and appearance, and they may vary based on cultural, historical, and social contexts.

Question 12

In Canadian society, divorce rates are relatively high. According to structural functionalists, what is the term used to describe the family structure when problems result in divorce?

Accepted Answer

According to structural functionalists, divorce results in a dysfunctional family structure.

Question 13

What might Tanis learn if she is "thinking critically" as she reads a text?

Accepted Answer

Thinking critically involves analyzing the text for potential biases, including the author's point of view and any potential assumptions they may have.

Question 14

Once Ruth got married, she quit her job, had two children, and stayed at home to raise them. Although Ruth had wanted to be a doctor, raising her children was what her family and friends expected her to do. Her decision to follow "the expected path" can be seen as what kind of influence on her actions?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Once Ruth got married, she quit her...

Question 15

Behaviours, appearances, and thoughts that are readily accepted by a society are given which of the following sociological labels?

Accepted Answer

Behaviours, appearances, and thoughts that are readily accepted by a society are known as "normative" because they conform to or follow the norms, or expected standards, of that society. Although "acceptable" and "proper" may also be used to describe such behaviours, they do not have the same sociological connotation as "normative." "Popular" may refer to behaviours or trends that are currently in vogue, but it does not necessarily imply social acceptance or conformity to norms.

Question 16

George Herbert Mead and Herbert Blumer are credited with pioneering work for which sociological perspective?

Accepted Answer

Mead and Blumer are known for their development of the symbolic interactionist perspective, which focuses on how individuals use symbols and language to interact and create meaning in social situations.

Question 17

C. Wright Mills suggested that the sociological imagination should be used by instructors and students in the examination of sociological concepts.

Accepted Answer

The answer of C. Wright Mills suggested that the sociological...

Question 18

Harriet Martineau publicly disagreed with most of Auguste Comte's ideas.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Harriet Martineau publicly disagreed with most of...

Question 19

Dorothy Smith proposes that since men and women experience different positions in society, they form different life perspectives.

Accepted Answer

Dorothy Smith's standpoint theory argues that individuals' social positioning shapes their perspectives and experiences, including the differences between men and women due to patriarchal structures in society.

Question 20

According to Marx, the proletariat comprises those who own and control the means of production.

Accepted Answer

According to Marx, the proletariat comprises the working class who do not own or control the means of production, while the bourgeoisie are the owners and controllers of the means of production.

Quiz 1: Seeing and Acting Through the Lens of Sociology