Question 1

Sociologists define social change as fundamental alterations in the patterns of culture, structure, and social behavior over time.

Accepted Answer

Social change refers to significant alterations in the patterns of culture, social structures, and behaviors within a society over time, encompassing changes in norms, values, laws, and social institutions.

Question 2

The study of social change exists so that we can try to understand change and thus prevent it from occurring.

Accepted Answer

The study of social change aims to understand how and why societies evolve over time, not necessarily to prevent change but to comprehend its dynamics, causes, and effects.

Question 3

Contemporary research suggests that the primary agent in prehistoric and early-historic societal collapses was climate change.

Accepted Answer

Many studies have shown that significant climate changes, including prolonged droughts and temperature shifts, played a crucial role in the collapse of various prehistoric and early-historic societies by disrupting agriculture and water supplies.

Question 4

Contemporary research shows that the collapse of prehistoric and early-historic societies was caused by combinations of social, political, and economic factors.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Contemporary research shows that the collapse of...

Question 5

Innovations that incorporate both discoveries and inventions are changes that result from new combinations of old cultural elements plus new elements.

Accepted Answer

Innovations often involve combining existing cultural elements in new ways, along with introducing entirely new elements, to create something novel or significantly improved.

Question 6

The cyclical perspective on social change suggests that culture passes through the same stages of growth and decline as individuals.

Accepted Answer

The cyclical perspective on social change posits that societies and cultures go through cycles of growth, peak, decline, and regeneration, much like the life stages of individuals, suggesting a pattern of rise and fall over time.

Question 7

One of the features of a system stressed by structural-functional theorists is its tendency toward equilibrium.

Accepted Answer

Structural-functional theorists argue that societies tend to evolve systems and structures that work together to maintain stability and equilibrium, adjusting to changes and challenges to continue functioning effectively.

Question 8

Ogburn's "cultural lag" theory proposed that nonmaterial culture is constantly in the process of catching up with changes in material culture and that this produces changes in the society.

Accepted Answer

Ogburn's theory of cultural lag suggests that there is often a delay (lag) in the adaptation of nonmaterial culture (values, beliefs, and norms) to changes in material culture (technology, inventions, physical objects), which can lead to social problems and adjustments as society works to catch up with technological advancements.

Question 9

One view of the role of the mass media is that they afford the public a "marketplace of ideas" through which the public becomes enlightened about a variety of attitudes and behaviors.

Accepted Answer

The "marketplace of ideas" is a metaphor suggesting that in a free, unregulated market of ideas, the truth will emerge from the competition of ideas in public discourse, implying that the mass media serve as a platform for various viewpoints, thereby enlightening the public on diverse attitudes and behaviors.

Question 10

In 1893, 74 prominent Americans successfully predicted that in 100 years the country would depend primarily on the automobile for transportation.

Accepted Answer

In 1893, the automobile was in its infancy, and the prediction of its dominant role in transportation by a specific group of 74 prominent Americans is not documented in historical records. The widespread adoption and impact of the automobile on transportation became more apparent in the early 20th century, especially after the introduction of the Ford Model T in 1908.

Question 11

Arnold Toynbee suggested that civilizations arise in response to some challenge that can be met with an adequate response by a creative minority.

Accepted Answer

Arnold Toynbee, in his study of world history, proposed that civilizations arise in response to challenges that are met by the creative responses of a minority within the society, which he termed the "creative minority." This concept is a key part of his theory on the rise and fall of civilizations.

Question 12

An invention represents an addition to knowledge, whereas a discovery uses existing knowledge in some new way.

Accepted Answer

An invention is the creation of a new device, method, or process as a result of study and experimentation, representing a new addition to the human-made environment. A discovery, on the other hand, is the finding of something that already exists in the natural world but was previously unknown to humans.

Question 13

The inventor of ideas is often referred to as a revolutionary.

Accepted Answer

The term "revolutionary" can indeed refer to someone who introduces new ideas, inventions, or methods that cause a significant change or shift in the way things are understood or done, thus revolutionizing a field or society.

Question 14

Diffusion is a "people process" and is expedited or hindered by the social environment.

Accepted Answer

Diffusion is influenced by social networks and interactions, which can either speed up or slow down the spread of innovations, ideas, or behaviors within a community.

Question 15

Humans seem to be more likely to accept changes in institutions such as religion or the family than to accept technological innovations.

Accepted Answer

Humans are generally more resistant to changes in deeply rooted institutions like religion or the family, which are tied to identity and tradition, than to technological innovations, which are often embraced for their potential to improve efficiency and quality of life.

Question 16

According to symbolic interactionists, the primary task of the media is to make the public aware of the objective realities of everyday life.

Accepted Answer

Symbolic interactionists focus on how media shapes perceptions and creates shared meanings and realities through interaction, rather than simply making the public aware of objective realities.

Question 17

The classic satire, One Hundred Percent American by anthropologist Ralph Linton, showed that everything Americans need comes from the United States.

Accepted Answer

One Hundred Percent American by Ralph Linton actually illustrates how daily routines and items in American life are influenced by cultures from around the world, highlighting the global influences rather than everything being sourced from the United States.

Question 18

The study of social change is an attempt to understand and predict changes in the world.

Accepted Answer

The study of social change involves analyzing and understanding the transformations in societal structures, practices, and institutions over time, with the aim of predicting future changes and trends.

Question 19

According to the conflict perspective, class conflict is a particularly powerful source of change.

Accepted Answer

The conflict perspective, rooted in Marxist theory, posits that class conflict between the bourgeoisie (owners of the means of production) and the proletariat (workers) is a primary driver of social change and development.

Question 20

Some communications experts suggest that the media produce a "cultivation effect" in which fictional images of life influence public attitudes and behavior about a number of policy issues such as crime, violence, and welfare.

Accepted Answer

The cultivation theory, proposed by George Gerbner in the 1960s, suggests that long-term exposure to media content can shape viewers' perceptions of reality, leading to the "cultivation effect" where fictional portrayals influence public attitudes and beliefs about various social issues.

Quiz 13: Social Change