Question 1

Second Thoughts explains our resistance to the sociological perspective by citing ______.
A) our cultural emphasis on "me"
B) our preference for certain rather than probable answers
C) our innumeracy
D) All of these choices are correct.

Accepted Answer

Second Thoughts explains our resistance to the sociological perspective by citing all of these choices: our cultural emphasis on "me," our preference for certain rather than probable answers, and our innumeracy. These factors contribute to the difficulty in adopting a sociological perspective, which often requires considering broader societal factors and embracing complexity and uncertainty.

Question 2

Ruane and Cerulo attribute our resistance to the sociological eye to ______.
A) our culture's "social" bias
B) our preference for "certain" over probable answers
C) the staid quality of social life
D) All of these choices are correct.

Accepted Answer

B

Question 3

A major takeaway from the introduction is that conventional wisdom often fails us because ______.
A) it is advice out of context
B) the situation giving rise to the advice may not be generalizable
C) the advice may not transcend specific circumstances or experiences
D) All of these choices are correct.

Accepted Answer

All of the options (A, B, C) describe ways in which conventional wisdom can fail, indicating that it might be too context-specific, not generalizable, or not applicable beyond specific circumstances.

Question 4

Sociologists are interested in learning more about ______.
A) social context
B) individual motives
C) social statics
D) All of these choices are correct.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Sociologists are interested in learning more about...

Question 5

Michael Moss talks about the "bliss point" of food which refers to ______.
A) the point when our eating washes away our troubles
B) the precise amount of sweetness that makes foods most appealing to us
C) the point when our brains signal happiness
D) None of these choices are correct.

Accepted Answer

The "bliss point" is a term used by food scientists, as explained by Michael Moss, to describe the optimal level of sweetness in a food product that makes it most appealing and pleasurable to the consumer, without being overpoweringly sweet.

Question 6

According to Second Thoughts, which of the following account(s) for resisting the sociological perspective?
A) our rejection of commonsense approaches to understanding
B) our preference for the "me, me, me" focus
C) our brains being hardwired to reject the social
D) All of these choices are correct.

Accepted Answer

The preference for the "me, me, me" focus reflects an individualistic mindset that resists the sociological perspective, which emphasizes understanding human behavior in a broader social context.

Question 7

According to Second Thoughts, our current obesity crisis is in large measure due to ______.
A) lack of individual self-discipline
B) Earl Butz' food policies
C) a genetic disorder
D) our love affair with the food network

Accepted Answer

Earl Butz's food policies are often cited in discussions about the origins of the current obesity crisis. As the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Butz made significant changes to agricultural policies in the 1970s, promoting high-yield, low-cost farming practices that led to an abundance of cheap corn and soy. This, in turn, led to an increase in processed foods, high in calories and low in nutritional value, contributing to the obesity epidemic.

Question 8

According to Second Thoughts, our current obesity crisis is the result of ______.
A) changes in school budgets and curriculum
B) lifestyle changes that see more of us sedentary
C) changes in food production policies dating back to the 1970s
D) All of these choices are correct.

Accepted Answer

The obesity crisis is attributed to a combination of factors including changes in school budgets and curriculum, lifestyle changes leading to increased sedentary behavior, and changes in food production policies dating back to the 1970s. These factors collectively contribute to the current obesity crisis.

Question 9

A self-fulfilling prophecy refers to the process whereby ______.
A) that which we think is true becomes true
B) if we can imagine it, it is possible
C) we see the "social" in everything
D) we are what we eat

Accepted Answer

A self-fulfilling prophecy occurs when an originally false expectation leads to its own confirmation. In other words, a belief or expectation, whether correct or not, affects the outcome in such a way that the belief becomes true.

Question 10

The maxim "If we define situations as real, they are real in their consequences" is most consistent with ______.
A) the structural functional paradigm
B) the order paradigm
C) the conflict paradigm
D) a self-fulfilling prophecy

Accepted Answer

This maxim is most consistent with a self-fulfilling prophecy, which suggests that a belief or expectation, whether correct or not, can bring about consequences that confirm the belief or expectation. This concept is central to symbolic interactionism, which focuses on the meanings people derive from social interactions.

Question 11

The sociological imagination refers to ______.
A) the ability to think outside the box
B) the ability to see the intersection between the personal, social, and historical
C) creative problem-solving
D) concept mapping

Accepted Answer

The sociological imagination is a term coined by C. Wright Mills, referring to the ability to understand how personal experiences are connected to larger social and historical contexts.

Question 12

The sociological imagination ______.
A) shows the influence of personal, historical, and social forces on our private lives
B) allows individuals to look at life from a psychological perspective
C) becomes less and less necessary as society becomes more technologically driven
D) helps us understand and solve our "troubles."

Accepted Answer

The sociological imagination, a concept coined by C. Wright Mills, enables individuals to understand the relationship between personal experiences and larger social influences, highlighting how personal issues are often rooted in broader social and historical contexts.

Question 13

A cultural value is best thought of as a ______.
A) belief
B) sentiment about what is right or wrong
C) morally charged idea
D) positive ideology

Accepted Answer

A cultural value is a sentiment about what is considered right or wrong within a culture, guiding behavior and social norms.

Quiz 1: Introduction: The Sociological Perspective

Second Thoughts explains our resistance to the sociological perspective by citing ______.

Ruane and Cerulo attribute our resistance to the sociological eye to ______.

A major takeaway from the introduction is that conventional wisdom often fails us because ______.

Sociologists are interested in learning more about ______.

Michael Moss talks about the "bliss point" of food which refers to ______.

According to Second Thoughts, which of the following account(s) for resisting the sociological perspective?

According to Second Thoughts, our current obesity crisis is in large measure due to ______.

According to Second Thoughts, our current obesity crisis is the result of ______.

A self-fulfilling prophecy refers to the process whereby ______.

The maxim "If we define situations as real, they are real in their consequences" is most consistent with ______.

The sociological imagination refers to ______.

The sociological imagination ______.

A cultural value is best thought of as a ______.