Question 1

Maria believes that contemporary societies are primarily defined by the rise and maintenance of hierarchical bureaucratic forms of organizing large parts of social life.Her ideas most closely match with those of which theorist?
A) Karl Marx
B) Émile Durkheim
C) Harriet Martineau
D) Max Weber

Accepted Answer

Max Weber is known for his emphasis on the rise of bureaucracy in modern societies as a key defining characteristic. He believed that bureaucratic structures offered efficient and rational means of organizing large social systems, but at the same time they could also become oppressive and limit individual freedom.

Question 2

Karl Marx studied the development of capitalism in western Europe and the United States.One possible criticism of his research might be that:
A) his perspective was not sufficiently global in outlook
B) he ignored working-class experience
C) Marx never bothered to really understand the production of goods
D) his research was never used with the goal of improving society; instead,he simply tried to describe the world

Accepted Answer

Karl Marx's research focused on the development of capitalism in western Europe and the United States, which are only a small part of the world. He did not have a global outlook and did not study the development of capitalism in other parts of the world.

Question 3

__________ was perhaps most influential in sociology for his studies of bureaucracy.
A) Karl Marx
B) Auguste Comte
C) Émile Durkheim
D) Max Weber

Accepted Answer

Max Weber's studies on bureaucracy were revolutionary and have had a profound impact on sociology. Weber believed that bureaucracy was the most efficient form of organization, but also saw its potential limitations and negative consequences. His theory of bureaucracy helped shape modern ideas of organizational structure and management, and remains a key topic of study in sociology today.

Question 4

__________ argued that class struggles were what led to historical progress and development.
A) Karl Marx
B) Auguste Comte
C) Émile Durkheim
D) Max Weber

Accepted Answer

This is a core belief in Marxist theory, which emphasizes the role of economic and social class conflicts in shaping historical events and societal development.

Question 5

__________ refers to how human societies are reconstructed at every moment by the very "building blocks" that compose them-human beings.
A) Evolutionary biology
B) Structuration
C) Metatheory
D) Dramaturgy

Accepted Answer

The concept of structuration, developed by sociologist Anthony Giddens, suggests that human societies are not predetermined or fixed, but are constantly being shaped and recreated by the actions and interactions of individuals within them. This means that individual behavior and social structure are mutually constitutive, with human beings as the "building blocks" of society.

Question 6

In the midst of an economic crisis,when foreclosures have become a common feature in the country in response,Jenna and her family lose their home because her parents can no longer pay the mortgage.Sociologists would likely see this as:
A) a personal trouble
B) the fault of Jenna's father for not providing for the family
C) a socialist economy
D) a public issue

Accepted Answer

Sociologists view Jenna and her family losing their home due to the economic crisis and foreclosure as a public issue, rather than a personal trouble or the fault of Jenna's father. This is because the economic crisis is a societal problem that affects many people and their ability to pay mortgages and keep their homes. It is not simply a problem that affects Jenna and her family alone.

Question 7

According to the textbook,__________ involve constructing abstract interpretations that can be used to explain a wide variety of situations.
A) empirical answers
B) ideologies
C) theories
D) beliefs

Accepted Answer

Theories involve constructing abstract interpretations that can be used to explain a wide variety of situations, as stated in the textbook. Empirical answers are based on observed evidence, beliefs are personal convictions, and ideologies are sets of beliefs and values.

Question 8

Émile Durkheim believed that for a society to function and persist over time,its specialized institutions must work in harmony with each other and function as an integrated whole.He referred to this as:
A) democratic centralism
B) consensus
C) class consciousness
D) organic solidarity

Accepted Answer

Émile Durkheim believed that for a society to function and persist over time, its specialized institutions must work in harmony with each other and function as an integrated whole. He referred to this as organic solidarity. Organic solidarity refers to a type of social cohesion in which different groups are interdependent, with each group performing its own specialized function and relying on the other groups to fulfill its own needs. This concept emphasizes the importance of social integration and the interdependence of individuals within a society for the functioning of society as a whole.

Question 9

__________ invented the word sociology.
A) Karl Marx
B) Auguste Comte
C) Émile Durkheim
D) Max Weber

Accepted Answer

Auguste Comte is credited with inventing the term "sociology" in his philosophical work, "Cours de philosophie positive" (Course in Positive Philosophy) in 1838.

Question 10

When Juan drinks his morning coffee,he thinks about its production in Colombia,its transportation through many countries,the taxes and tariffs applied for international commerce,and the diverse array of social relations behind his drink.According to the textbook,one might say that Juan is using:
A) an internalized view of things
B) an individual framework of commodity production
C) a global perspective
D) a domestic view of labor

Accepted Answer

Juan's consideration of the production, transportation, taxation, and social relations behind his coffee indicates a global perspective, as he is taking into account the various actors and systems involved in its creation and distribution beyond his own individual experience.

Question 11

Karl Marx thought that society:
A) was a fully functioning grouping of social equals
B) was primarily divided by social class
C) had reached its historical apex
D) was a reflection of the mind of God

Accepted Answer

Karl Marx believed that society was primarily divided by social class, with those who owned the means of production (bourgeoisie) exploiting the working class (proletariat) for their own economic gain. This idea was central to his concept of communism and the "dictatorship of the proletariat" as a means to overthrow the bourgeoisie and create a classless society.

Question 12

Sociologists recognize that "personal" troubles,if occurring in patterned ways,to large numbers of individuals,reflect important __________ or consequences of social structures.
A) public issues
B) individualized problems
C) interest groups
D) family values

Accepted Answer

Sociologists recognize that patterns of personal troubles can reflect larger issues or consequences of social structures, meaning that they are not just individualized problems but rather public issues affecting many people. Interest groups and family values are not directly related to this concept.

Question 13

Kevon believes that society should be looked at like a body,with constituent parts necessary to the functioning of the whole.His ideas probably most closely mirror those of which theorist?
A) Karl Marx
B) Émile Durkheim
C) Harriet Martineau
D) Max Weber

Accepted Answer

Émile Durkheim's functionalist perspective views society as a complex system with interconnected parts, and each part has a necessary function to maintain the stability and harmony of the whole. This idea is similar to Kevon's belief that society should be seen as a body with constituent parts necessary for its functioning.

Question 14

Anita puts forward the idea that under capitalism,working people and the owners of the means of production will struggle,and from this struggle,a new kind of society will emerge.Her thoughts most closely mirror those of which theorist?
A) Karl Marx
B) Émile Durkheim
C) Harriet Martineau
D) Max Weber

Accepted Answer

Anita's idea that there is a struggle between the working class and the owners of the means of production leading to the emergence of a new kind of society aligns with Karl Marx's theory of historical materialism and his prediction of the eventual collapse of capitalism. Durkheim, Martineau, and Weber did not share this specific belief in the struggle of social classes as the driving force behind societal change.

Question 15

According to __________,to become a science,sociology must study social facts-aspects of social life that shape our actions as individuals.
A) Karl Marx
B) Auguste Comte
C) Émile Durkheim
D) Max Weber

Accepted Answer

Émile Durkheim is known for his theory on social facts which are external and objective phenomena that exist independently of individual consciousness and shape the behavior of individuals within society. He argued that sociology must study these social facts in order to become a science.

Question 16

The ideas of Karl Marx might be criticized for what reason?
A) He had no analysis of power imbalances.
B) His focus on class conflict risked minimizing or ignoring other social divisions,such as those around race and gender.
C) His materialist conception of history relied too much on the ideas people had instead of actual social events.
D) He paid no attention to how society produced and distributed goods.

Accepted Answer

Marx's focus on class conflict risked minimizing or ignoring other social divisions, such as those around race and gender.

Question 17

The German sociologist Max Weber was highly influential in sociology for his studies of:
A) the French Constituent Assembly
B) hunter-gatherer societies
C) bureaucracy
D) urban planning

Accepted Answer

Max Weber is best known for his studies on bureaucracy, which he saw as a dominant feature of modern society. He described bureaucracy as a hierarchical organization with clear rules and procedures, an emphasis on expertise and specialization, and a focus on efficiency and rationality. His ideas continue to shape our understanding of how organizations and institutions operate in contemporary society.

Question 18

When women began entering the workforce in larger numbers in the United States,until eventually it became normal,women's structural place in society was (somewhat)altered.This is an example of:
A) structuration
B) social stasis
C) wages for housework
D) the glass ceiling

Accepted Answer

Structuration refers to the process of social change where social structures are altered by individual actions and vice versa. The entry of women into the workforce in larger numbers is an example of structuration, as it led to changes in the structural place of women in society.

Question 19

In the midst of an economic crisis,when foreclosures have become a common feature in the country in response,Jenna and her family lose their home because her parents can no longer pay the mortgage.Jenna would be using a sociological imagination to think about this if she were to:
A) blame her mother for not working hard enough
B) wonder why her father does not just find a new job
C) consider how it might be strange that we live in a world that allows people to be thrown out of their homes
D) think about ways she can contribute financially to buying their house back

Accepted Answer

Using a sociological imagination involves looking beyond individual factors and considering the larger social context. Blaming Jenna's mother or questioning her father's job search focus on individual actions rather than the social structures and policies that allow foreclosure to happen. Thinking about the larger societal issue of people being forced out of their homes would be a more sociologically-minded perspective. D is not necessarily wrong, but may still focus too much on individual actions rather than societal structures.

Question 20

Following C.Wright Mills,sociologists refer to breaking free from the immediacy of personal circumstances and putting things in a wider social context as the:
A) accumulation of capital
B) sociological imagination
C) emergence theory
D) recognition of self

Accepted Answer

The term used by sociologists to describe breaking free from personal circumstances and understanding them in a wider social context is known as the sociological imagination, as coined by C. Wright Mills. The other options (accumulation of capital, emergence theory, and recognition of self) do not accurately describe this concept.

Quiz 1: Sociology: Theory and Method

Maria believes that contemporary societies are primarily defined by the rise and maintenance of hierarchical bureaucratic forms of organizing large parts of social life.Her ideas most closely match with those of which theorist?

Karl Marx studied the development of capitalism in western Europe and the United States.One possible criticism of his research might be that:

__________ was perhaps most influential in sociology for his studies of bureaucracy.

__________ argued that class struggles were what led to historical progress and development.

__________ refers to how human societies are reconstructed at every moment by the very "building blocks" that compose them-human beings.

In the midst of an economic crisis,when foreclosures have become a common feature in the country in response,Jenna and her family lose their home because her parents can no longer pay the mortgage.Sociologists would likely see this as:

According to the textbook,__________ involve constructing abstract interpretations that can be used to explain a wide variety of situations.

Émile Durkheim believed that for a society to function and persist over time,its specialized institutions must work in harmony with each other and function as an integrated whole.He referred to this as:

__________ invented the word sociology.

When Juan drinks his morning coffee,he thinks about its production in Colombia,its transportation through many countries,the taxes and tariffs applied for international commerce,and the diverse array of social relations behind his drink.According to the textbook,one might say that Juan is using:

Karl Marx thought that society:

Sociologists recognize that "personal" troubles,if occurring in patterned ways,to large numbers of individuals,reflect important __________ or consequences of social structures.

Kevon believes that society should be looked at like a body,with constituent parts necessary to the functioning of the whole.His ideas probably most closely mirror those of which theorist?

Anita puts forward the idea that under capitalism,working people and the owners of the means of production will struggle,and from this struggle,a new kind of society will emerge.Her thoughts most closely mirror those of which theorist?

According to __________,to become a science,sociology must study social facts-aspects of social life that shape our actions as individuals.

The ideas of Karl Marx might be criticized for what reason?

The German sociologist Max Weber was highly influential in sociology for his studies of:

When women began entering the workforce in larger numbers in the United States,until eventually it became normal,women's structural place in society was (somewhat) altered.This is an example of:

In the midst of an economic crisis,when foreclosures have become a common feature in the country in response,Jenna and her family lose their home because her parents can no longer pay the mortgage.Jenna would be using a sociological imagination to think about this if she were to:

Following C.Wright Mills,sociologists refer to breaking free from the immediacy of personal circumstances and putting things in a wider social context as the: