Question 1

Our perceptions about the meaning of a situation vary widely based on the statuses we occupy and our unique personal experiences. In her study of women's reactions to street encounters, sociologist Carol Brooks Gardner determined that women __________.

Accepted Answer

According to the study by Carol Brooks Gardner, women generally fear for their personal safety and try to avoid comments and propositions that are sexual in nature when they walk down the street. This indicates that their perceptions of street encounters are different from those of men, and they do not view them in the same way. Option A is incorrect because Gardner's study did not suggest that women perceive such encounters as routine rituals. Option B is also incorrect because the study found that women experience fear during street encounters. Option D is incorrect because the study found that women's perceptions of street encounters are different from those of men.

Question 2

Suppose that a person is told repeatedly that she or he is not a good student. Eventually, this person might come to believe it to be true, stop studying, and receive failing grades. This scenario exemplifies a __________.

Accepted Answer

This situation represents a self-fulfilling prophecy, where beliefs become reality through the actions that follow. The person's belief that they are not a good student leads to actions (not studying) that result in failing grades, reinforcing their belief.

Question 3

According to sociologist Erving Goffman, ___________ refers to the strategies we use to rescue our performance when we experience a potential or actual embarrassing situation.

Accepted Answer

Face-saving behavior refers to the strategies we use to rescue our performance when we experience a potential or actual embarrassing situation. Goffman emphasized the importance of face-saving behavior in maintaining our social identity and status.

Question 4

Sociologist Emile Durkheim believed that people in industrial societies come to rely on one another in much the same way that the organs of the human body function interdependently. Social interaction is less personal, more status oriented, and more focused on specific goals and objectives. He referred to this condition as __________.

Accepted Answer

Durkheim referred to this condition as organic solidarity, which is characterized by interdependence based on specialized roles and tasks in a complex division of labor. In contrast, mechanical solidarity is based on similarity and shared values, such as in traditional societies. Collective solidarity refers to the shared consciousness of individuals in a group with similar experiences or interests. Specialized solidarity is not a term used by Durkheim.

Question 5

Sociologist Erving Goffman noted that people consciously participate in __________, a face-saving technique in which one role player ignores the flaws in another's performance to avoid embarrassment for everyone involved.

Accepted Answer

Studied nonobservance is the face-saving technique described by Goffman in which one role player ignores the flaws in another's performance to avoid embarrassment for everyone involved. Choice B refers to the process of defining a situation as a way of managing social interactions, while choices C and D refer to different types of behavior in Goffman's dramaturgical approach to social interaction.

Question 6

Sociologist Erving Goffman's term __________ refers to the ways in which an individual shows awareness that another is present without making this person the object of particular attention.

Accepted Answer

Civil inattention is a term coined by Erving Goffman in his book "Behavior in Public Places". It refers to the subtle ways in which individuals acknowledge the presence of others in public spaces without drawing too much attention to them. This includes practices such as avoiding direct eye contact, using peripheral vision to monitor others' movements, and positioning oneself in a way that acknowledges the presence of others without invading their personal space. Civil inattention is seen as a way to maintain social order and respect for personal boundaries in public spaces.

Question 7

The fact that people engage in civil inattention demonstrates that interaction does have a pattern, or __________, which regulates the form and processes (but not the content) of social interaction.

Accepted Answer

The term "interaction order" refers to the underlying pattern or structure of social interaction, which governs how people behave in certain situations. Civil inattention is an example of a behavior that reflects adherence to this order, as people follow an unspoken rule to briefly acknowledge each other's presence without disrupting their own activities or those of others. While there may be some variation in content or context, the overall form and process of social interaction tends to follow these patterns. Choice A (patterned interaction) and Choice C (socially programmed interaction) are similar in meaning, but not as commonly used in sociology. Choice D (reasonable interaction expectation) does not accurately reflect the concept being described.

Question 8

According to sociologist Ferdinand Tonnies, the __________ is a traditional society in which social relationships are based on personal bonds of friendship and kinship and on intergenerational stability.

Accepted Answer

According to Tonnies, Gemeinschaft is a traditional society in which people are bound by personal relationships and a sense of community. In this type of society, social bonds are based on shared culture, values, and kinship ties. Intergenerational stability is also an important aspect of Gemeinschaft, as families tend to stay in the same community for generations. Patriarchy and matriarchy refer to systems of government or social organization based on gender, while Gesellschaft refers to a more modern society based on impersonal relationships and exchange.

Question 9

A(n) __________ is one in which technology supports a service- and information-based economy.

Accepted Answer

A postindustrial society is characterized by a shift away from industrial manufacturing and towards a service- and information-based economy, which is heavily supported by technology. This includes industries such as IT, entertainment, and finance, which rely on advanced technologies to deliver their products and services.

Question 10

A(n) __________ is a false belief or prediction that produces behavior that makes the originally false belief come true.

Accepted Answer

A self-fulfilling prophecy is a false belief or prediction that leads to actions or behavior that make the original belief or prediction come true. The person holding the belief may unknowingly or unintentionally act in a way that causes others to respond in a manner that confirms the belief or prediction. This can create a cycle where the false belief reinforces behavior that supports it, leading to further reinforcement of the original belief.

Question 11

__________ are based on technology that mechanizes production. New technologies, such as cars, computers, electric lights, stereos, and cell phones have stimulated many changes.

Accepted Answer

Industrial societies are based on mechanized production technologies, which has led to significant changes in society through the introduction of new products and services, and changes in the way people work and live their lives. The other options (A, C, and D) are based on other forms of technology and economic systems.

Question 12

Some symbolic interaction theorists believe that there is very little shared reality beyond that which is socially created. They refer to this as the __________, which is the process by which our perception of reality is largely shaped by the subjective meaning that we give to an experience.

Accepted Answer

The term "social construction of reality" refers to the idea that our understanding of reality is largely shaped by the social and cultural context in which we live. This means that there is no objective reality that exists beyond our subjective interpretations of it. Instead, our perception of reality is largely influenced by the meanings and symbols that we assign to different experiences, which are created through our interactions with others.

Question 13

From sociologist Emile Durkheim's perspective, __________ refers to the social cohesion found in industrial societies, in which people perform very specialized tasks and feel united by their mutual dependence.

Accepted Answer

Emile Durkheim believed that organic solidarity is the social cohesion found in industrial societies, in which people perform very specialized tasks and feel united by their mutual dependence. Organic solidarity is different from mechanical solidarity, which is the social cohesion found in traditional, pre-industrial societies, in which people perform similar tasks and feel united by shared values and common beliefs.

Question 14

Based on sociologist Emile Durkheim's viewpoint, __________ derives from a society's social structure, which, in turn, is based on the society's division of labor. This division of labor refers to how the various tasks of a society are divided up and performed.

Accepted Answer

Emile Durkheim believed that social solidarity, or the degree to which individuals feel connected to and dependent on their society, is based on the society's social structure. This social structure, in turn, is determined by the society's division of labor, or how tasks are divided and performed.

Question 15

Based on sociologist Erving Goffman's perspectives, __________ is the study of social interaction that compares everyday life to a theatrical presentation.

Accepted Answer

Dramaturgical analysis is a framework developed by sociologist Erving Goffman that compares social interaction to the production of a theatrical performance. According to this perspective, individuals present themselves in a certain way to others, like actors engaged in a performance. They use techniques of impression management, or the control of information to influence how others perceive them. Ethnomethodology is a perspective that focuses on how people make sense of their social world in everyday life. Presentational analysis is a method used to investigate how people use language and other resources to present themselves in communication.

Question 16

According to _____________, interaction is based on assumptions of shared expectancies. For example, when you are talking with someone, what expectations do you have that you will take turns?

Accepted Answer

Ethnomethodologists argue that interaction is based on shared expectancies, or assumptions about how interactions should be conducted and what is considered appropriate behavior. They focus on understanding how individuals create and make sense of social order in their interactions with others. Conflict theorists, functionalists, and rational choice theorists focus on different aspects of social behavior and do not specifically address shared expectancies in interaction.

Question 17

From sociologist Emile Durkheim's perspective, __________ refers to the social cohesion of preindustrial societies, in which there is minimal division of labor and people feel united by shared values and common social bonds.

Accepted Answer

Mechanical solidarity refers to societies where individuals are united by common values, beliefs, and emotional ties, rather than by divisions of labor. Such societies are characterized by low levels of complexity and a high degree of social integration, where individuals are closely connected to one another through shared norms and traditions. In contrast, organic solidarity refers to modern societies where individuals are bound together by functional interdependence and mutual reliance, rather than by common values or emotional ties.

Question 18

__________, or presentation of self, refers to people's efforts to present themselves to others in ways that are most favorable to their own interests or image.

Accepted Answer

Impression management is the practice of attempting to control or influence other people's perceptions or opinions of oneself or a particular situation through the use of various strategies and tactics. It involves presenting oneself in a way that is most favorable, such as through self-promotion, selective disclosure, or image enhancement. This concept is often used in social psychology and sociology to understand how individuals manage their interactions with others and navigate social situations. Choices B, C, and D are related concepts, but not the best answer in this context. Presentational analysis focuses on examining how meaning is created through various forms of communication, including text, images, and gestures. Dramaturgical presentation refers to the idea that individuals are like actors on a stage, performing different roles and managing their impressions to create desired reactions from others. Ethnomethodological introduction refers to the practice of introducing oneself in a particular social setting, often by sharing information about one's background, interests, or affiliations.

Question 19

We act on reality as we see it. Sociologists describe this process as the __________, meaning that we analyze a social context in which we find ourselves, determine what is in our best interest, and adjust our attitudes and actions accordingly.

Accepted Answer

The process described in the question is known as the "definition of the situation," which involves individuals analyzing their social context, determining what is in their best interest, and adjusting their attitudes and actions accordingly. It is a concept frequently used in sociology to understand how individuals make sense of their surroundings and interact with others.

Question 20

According to sociologist Ferdinand Tonnies, the __________ is a large, urban society in which social bonds are based on impersonal and specialized relationships, with little long-term commitment to the group or consensus on values.

Accepted Answer

Gesellschaft is a term used by Tonnies to refer to a type of society characterized by impersonal and specialized relationships, such as those found in large urban areas. In contrast, Gemeinschaft refers to a type of society characterized by close-knit relationships and a strong sense of community. Patriarchy and matriarchy refer to systems of social organization based on male or female authority, respectively.

Quiz 4: Social Structure and Interaction in Everyday Life.