Question 1

Which term describes a group of people who live in a defined territory and who share social structures and who interact with each other?

Accepted Answer

A society is a group of people who live in a defined territory and who share social structures and interact with each other. Culture refers to the shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that characterize a group or society. Commune refers to a small, usually rural, community whose members share resources and often hold common property. Institution refers to established patterns of behavior or structures that are widely accepted within a society, such as the family or government.

Question 2

Pamela is studying the existing structural elements of society. She is focusing on:

Accepted Answer

Social statics refer to the existing structural elements of society such as institutions, traditions, and customs. Pamela is focusing on analyzing these existing elements. The other answer choices do not directly pertain to the study of existing social structures.

Question 3

Because children are in school for most of the day, this makes it easier for parents to work. More parents working is a(n) _______________ function of the public school system.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a latent function of the public school system because it is an unintended consequence or side effect of the system's primary function, which is to educate children.

Question 4

Falen believes that society is best viewed as a system of interrelated parts. Falen's beliefs are in line with:

Accepted Answer

Falen's belief that society is best viewed as a system of interrelated parts is in line with the functionalist perspective, which sees society as a complex system of interdependent parts that work together to promote social stability and harmony. Functionalism emphasizes the functions and contributions of different social institutions (such as family, education, religion, and economy) and how they work together to maintain social order.

Question 5

Which term describes the practice of looking beyond the surface or obvious explanation and seeking out deeper explanations?

Accepted Answer

Debunking involves looking beyond the surface or obvious explanations to uncover deeper, more accurate truths, often by dispelling myths, rumors, or false beliefs.

Question 6

Marie views society as an unequal system that brings about conflict and change. Marie's beliefs are in line with:

Accepted Answer

Marie's beliefs align with conflict theory, which views society as a system of inequality and power struggles. This aligns with her perception of society as an unequal system that brings about conflict and change. Feminist theory also recognizes inequality, but specifically focuses on gender oppression. Social Darwinism, on the other hand, advocates for the survival of the fittest and natural selection in society. Symbolic interactionism focuses on how individuals interact and create meaning through symbols, which does not necessarily address larger societal issues.

Question 7

Comte felt that sociology should strive to discover statements of fact that are unchanging under given conditions and can be used as ground rules for any study of society. He referred to these statements as:

Accepted Answer

Comte referred to these unchanging statements of fact as "social laws." The other options - social statics, social dynamics, and social statistics - refer to different concepts introduced by Comte in relation to sociology but are not the specific term he used to refer to unchanging statements of fact.

Question 8

The expected outcome of the health care system is a lower rate of sickness. A lower rate of sickness is an example of a(n) _______________ function of the health care system.

Accepted Answer

Manifest functions are intended and recognized consequences of social practices or institutions. The expected outcome of the health care system is to improve health, which is a manifest function. A lower rate of sickness is a direct result of improving health through better access to treatment and prevention of illnesses.

Question 9

Samir is interested in how students interact with others in their everyday lives on campus. Samir's interest is in line with:

Accepted Answer

Symbolic interactionism focuses on how individuals interact and create meaning through symbolic communication. In Samir's case, he is interested in how students interact with others on campus, which aligns with the core principles of symbolic interactionism.

Question 10

After attending a few sociology classes, Roberto can see how many things in society are controlled by and benefit men. Roberto is looking at society from the perspective of:

Accepted Answer

Feminist theory focuses on analyzing and challenging the social, political, and economic inequalities between men and women. Roberto's awareness of how many things in society are controlled by and benefit men aligns with the central tenets of feminist theory.

Question 11

Tonisha and Samantha are discussing the collapse of Mayan civilization. Tonisha says, "Only weak societies become extinct, so the Mayans must have been weak." Tonisha's views are in line with:

Accepted Answer

Tonisha's statement reflects the belief of social Darwinism, which asserts that only the strong and fit societies survive and weaker societies inevitably perish. This idea is based on the principles of Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection and is often used to justify imperialism and colonialism.

Question 12

Today, Professor Lavoie will lecture on age and suicide in her class. The professor will explain that:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Today, Professor Lavoie will lecture on age...

Question 13

Sam owns a large factory that creates toys for children. According to Karl Marx, Sam is a member of the:

Accepted Answer

According to Marx's theory of class conflict, the bourgeoisie are the owners of the means of production, such as factories, and they exploit the labor of the proletariat to increase their profits. Sam owning a large factory puts him in the category of bourgeoisie.

Question 14

Durkheim believed that a vital component held society together. Which term did he use to identify this component?

Accepted Answer

Durkheim believed that solidarity, or the sense of belonging and interdependence within a society, was the vital component that held society together.

Question 15

Which perspective focuses on the personal problems of individuals?

Accepted Answer

The micro perspective focuses on the personal problems of individuals, such as their behaviors, emotions, and thoughts. It emphasizes the role of individuals in shaping their own lives and addresses their specific needs and concerns. The other choices (A, B, and C) are all macro perspectives, which focus on larger systems and structures rather than individual experiences.

Question 16

In Durkheim's study on suicide, he focused on which factors that influence suicide rates?

Accepted Answer

Durkheim's study focused on social factors that influence suicide rates, such as social integration, social regulation and levels of social support. He argued that suicide rates were higher among those who were less integrated into society and had weaker social ties. Economic, religious and psychological factors were seen as secondary to social factors.

Question 17

Which perspective focuses on how the social structure influences individuals?

Accepted Answer

The macro perspective focuses on the study of large-scale social structures and their impact on individuals, including institutions, organizations, and entire societies. Therefore, it is the perspective that focuses on how the social structure influences individuals.

Question 18

Yoshimi is writing a paper on the changes in the structural elements of society. Yoshimi's paper focuses on:

Accepted Answer

Social dynamics refers to the changes in the structural elements of society. Social laws refer to the rules and regulations that govern society, social statics refers to the study of social structures and their components, and social Darwinism is a theory that applies the concept of natural selection to human societies.

Question 19

When asked what he was majoring in, Randy replied, "I am majoring in the science guided by the basic understanding that our lives are affected not only by our individual characteristics but by our place in the social world." Randy is majoring in:

Accepted Answer

Randy's response mentions the "social world," indicating that he is studying the ways in which society and social structures impact individuals. This aligns with the field of sociology, making choice D the best fit. Theology, social work, and psychology all have different focuses and would not be a good fit for Randy's response.

Question 20

Sharonda is a sociology student who tutors two of her classmates. One tutee is doing very well, while the other has showed no signs of improvement. Sharonda looks beyond each individual to explain their success and failure, believing that the various opportunities offered by society explain the differences. Sharonda's thought process illustrates:

Accepted Answer

Sharonda's belief that larger social forces are responsible for her classmates' success or failure reflects the sociological imagination, which is the ability to connect personal experiences and situations to larger social forces and historical circumstances. Social statics refers to the study of existing social structures and their stability, while social dynamics refers to the study of how social structures and institutions change over time. Social Darwinism is a discredited and ethically problematic theory that suggests that certain groups or individuals are naturally superior to others in terms of ability or fitness.

Quiz 1: Sociology