Sociology Quizzes Chapters 16-20 – Flashcards

1. Why did formal systems of education develop in modern societies? • Mass education promoted nationalism, helping to integrate citizens from different regions and backgrounds into a national society. • Schools promoted the development of personality traits, like self-discipline and obedience, which employers needed in their employees. • Schools provided the credentials needed for a job, and credentialism reinforced the class structure in a society. • All of the above. • None of the above

2. The credentialism approach in understanding sociology and education advocates: • That the content of education is its most important component. • Teaching a specific skill set because the credential implies having training and skills necessary to do a job. • That the credential is valid only if it stems from quality content and a common cultural environment in the classroom. • Creating a common culture in educational environments. • That the content is much less important than the diploma or credential itself.

*3. In what way is the cycle of social reproduction created within the school? • Blue-collar children are often uncomfortable in a middle-class school environment, so they rebel and are thereby limited to blue-collar jobs when they leave school. • Middle-class children are more accepting of the rules in school and are therefore more apt to succeed. • Working-class children increasingly see the school as not operating in their best interests; therefore, they are eager to get to work and earn money rather than continuing with schooling. • In many ways, working-class children have a more perceptive attitude toward the organization of the school than do middle-class children. However, the latter group sees the school as a vehicle for upward mobility. • All of the above.

*4. Why is the internationalization of education considered problematic by some? • Foreign students may deprive Americans of slots in competitive programs. • Some foreign students receive financial aid and scholarships, taking money that might otherwise go to Americans. • Foreign students are likely to return to their home countries and not contribute to American society. • All of the above. • None of the above.

5. Which group benefits from the tracking of students according to abilities? • Low-achieving students, because they can receive more individualized attention. • High-achieving students, because teachers do not have to spend time working with slow learners. • All students, because it allows teachers to help each group according to its abilities. • Average students, because in mixed classes they are usually ignored as teachers concentrate on slow learners and high achievers. • African American, Latino, and economically disadvantaged students.

6. Which of the following is NOT considered to be one of the reasons for the reversal of the gender gap in education? • Introduction of gender-neutral learning materials. • Encouraging girls to study "male" subjects. • More stay-at-home father role models. • A decline in traditionally male jobs in the economy. • Women's movement discouraging gender stereotyping.

7. A stereotype threat occurs: • Within groups that suffer from negative stereotypes. • Within groups that benefit from positive stereotypes. • When people believe they are being judged not as individuals but as members of a group. • When the media projects negative images of a particular group of people. • When negative stereotypes overwhelm positive stereotypes within a particular group.

8. What is an unintended consequence of school busing? • Tracking in schools became more problematical as school diversity increased. • Literacy rates increased in urban areas as poor students worked to keep up with wealthier ones. • Racial divisions in the United States were erased, particularly in center-city urban communities. • White families fled from the city into suburban areas, leaving the center cities to decay. • All of the above.

9. The mass media are important because they affect our attitudes and experiences, and because they: • Provide most of our entertainment. • Give us something to do with our free time. • Give us moral guidance. • Provide a means of access to knowledge. • Mean we are literate.

10. Sociological research shows the impact of the Internet on social interaction to be: • That new kinds of electronic interaction enhanced or added to face-to-face relationships. • That social networks have expanded and enriched relationships. • That social isolation and automation have increased. • All of the above. • None of the above.

1. What are the three key elements of the sociological definition of religion? • Religion is a form of culture; religion involves beliefs that take form in ritualized practices; religion provides a feeling that life is ultimately meaningful because it frames life in a way that other institutions do not. • Religion is a form of culture; religion involves beliefs that take form in ritualized practices; religion provides a feeling that life is ultimately meaningless. • Religion is a form of culture; religion involves beliefs that take form in ritualized practices; religion ultimately provides a feeling of peace and comfort. • Religion is a form of culture; religion involves beliefs that take form in private settings; religion provides a feeling that life is ultimately meaningful because it frames life in a way that other institutions do not. • Religion is a form of culture; religion involves beliefs that take form in private settings; religion ultimately provides a feeling of peace and comfort.

2. Which of the following questions about religion is sociological? • Is it true or false? • What are its principal beliefs and values? • Is it good or bad? • Should I believe in it? • None of the above are sociological questions.

3. Since religions are a major source of norms and values, sociologists understand them to be: • Among the most important institutions in society. • A significant source of social solidarity. • A frequent source of conflict. • All of the above. • None of the above.

4. Some researchers argue that people often "get religion" when their fundamental sense of ________ is threatened by economic hardship, loneliness, loss or grief, physical suffering, or poor health. • Religious upbringing • Religious order • Moral community • Social forces • Social order

5. According to Marx, religious beliefs can provide justifications for those people who are: • In a position of need. • In a position of power. • In need of moral, social, or economic support. • Responsible for a group of practitioners. • In need of a reason to change their geographic location.

6. What is the social function of religion, according to Émile Durkheim? • It provides justification for those who are in power. • It aids in cohering or providing solidarity by ensuring that people meet regularly to affirm common beliefs and values. • It contributes to the process of social transformation. • All of the above. • None of the above.

7. Weber regarded Christianity as a salvation religion, one in which human beings can be "saved" if they follow its moral tenets. How do Eastern religions differ from Christianity according to Weber? • Eastern religions tend to lack emotional dynamism and cultivate an attitude of passivity or acceptance. • Eastern religions demand a constant struggle against sin and because of that lead to revolt. • Eastern religions focus on economic progress rather than moral tenets. • Eastern religions focus on true spiritual concerns and so require that followers accept all of the beliefs of the religion. • Eastern religions lack specific moral tenets and instead focus on the emotional and physical involvement of their followers.

8. To assess the extent of secularization, sociologists examine: • The level of membership in religious organizations. • Trends in the amount of social influence, wealth, and prestige held by religious organizations. • The amount of religiosity among the population. • All of the above. • None of the above.

9. According to Max Weber's theory, leaders who are charismatic: • Have inspirational qualities capable of capturing the imagination and devotion of a mass of followers. • Are usually the main force behind a religious movement in its early phase. • May be political or religious leaders. • All of the above. • None of the above.

10. Who among the following is most likely to participate in the New Age movement? • A student who doesn't believe in a higher being. • The deacon at the local church. • A recently divorced man who just dropped out of college. • The president of a synagogue. • All of the above.

*1. Sociology of the body refers to: • The effects of social change on the body. • The increasing separation of the body from nature. • The increase of social technologies. • All of the above. • None of the above.

2. Why does the topic of eating disorders offer a good opportunity to apply the sociological imagination? • It is purely a personal trouble. • It is purely a public issue. • It is a case where what appears to be a personal trouble is part of a larger, public issue. • It is a product of people's imaginations. • Eating disorders have nothing to do with the sociological imagination.

3. Which of the following is an example of the socialization of nature? • Contraception • The medicalization of pregnancy and childbirth • Genetic engineering • All of the above • None of the above

*4. Why is there a social-class gradient in obesity in our society? • High-fat food and supersized meals are cheaper and more accessible than more nutritious foods. • Low education levels have a high impact on the lower socioeconomic strata. • Excessive frustration with social problems leads to people eating more. • People in lower socioeconomic strata are less concerned with body image. • All of the above.

5. When people have diseases like cancer, they receive comfort and compassion. Why are people with diseases like HIV/AIDS stigmatized? • Their disease is thought to be highly infectious. • The sick person is disgraced by the disease. • Others associate the ill person with shame. • Many people believe in false, negative rumors about the disease. • All of the above.

6. An example of the illegitimate sick role is: • AIDS/HIV • Acne • Common cold • Cancer • Irritable bowel syndrome

7. What was the major feature of the development of modern health-care systems? • Centering the treatment of serious illnesses in the home and family. • Applying science to medical diagnosis and cure. • Focusing on the balance of psychological and physical aspects of the person, with herbal remedies for imbalances. • All of the above. • None of the above

8. The notion that the power of modern medicine will continue to show improvements in public health indefinitely is unsatisfactory to sociologists because: • It is not based in fact. • The achievements have more to do with luck than science. • It ignores social and environmental factors in patterns of health and illness. • All of the above. • None of the above.

9. Why do differences in occupational status lead to inequalities in health and illness? • Those who work in offices are at less risk of injury or exposure to hazardous materials. • White-collar workers have more stressful jobs than do blue-collar workers. • In all societies, white-collar workers have better access to health care than do blue-collar workers. • All of the above. • None of the above.

10. Why do women report poorer health in spite of their longer life expectancies? • Longer life and aging bring more health problems. • Women are more likely to seek medical care. • Women are more likely to use preventive health-care services. • All of the above. • None of the above.

1. In modern societies, most of the population lives: • On small, isolated farms. • In the countryside. • In villages. • In small towns. • In cities.

2. What made suburbanization possible in the United States? • Belief in the "American dream"—that is, owning a house and some land. • Federal Housing Assistance (FHA) loans. • Federal Veteran Home Loans. • The massive highway program of the Eisenhower administration. • All of the above.

3. According to your textbook, minorities move to the suburbs for the same reasons other people move to the suburbs, such as better schools and less crime. Therefore, some sociologists argue that suburbanization: • Isn't about race but about social class. • Is about race because minorities are not welcomed. • Has been only for the upper-middle classes. • Really doesn't exist anymore. • None of the above.

4. Why have jobs shifted from manufacturing to service and from the Northeast to the South and West? • This is the natural evolution of the U.S. economy. • The jobs are following the population shift—more people migrating to those regions. • Globalization and the mobility of capital allow firms to seek areas where labor costs are lower due to weaker unions and bigger tax breaks. • There is greater wealth in the South and West, allowing for better technological resources. • The Northeast is running out of natural resources that are good for the manufacturing industry and so it has experienced a rapid decline.

5. Which of the following trends is a latent consequence of the decline in the manufacturing economy in the United States? • High unemployment in cities that relied on industry for their economy. • Increase in the feminization of poverty. • A lack of men considered desirable for marriage. • An increase in female-headed, single-parent households. • All of the above.

*6. More than half the Americans who move, move frequently, in a relatively short time span, to places within the same county. Why do people go to the trouble of moving, when they basically remain in the same place? • They are in search of better career opportunities. • They are looking for more diverse communities. • Their job requires them to move. • They want to be closer to their parents or children. • They want to improve their housing.

*7. At the beginning of the twentieth century fewer than one in seven people lived in cities. In 2008, the number of people living in cities ________ the number of people living in rural areas • Is irrelevant compared with • Has surpassed • Is equal to • Decreased below • None of the above

8. Cities can be seen as a series of concentric circles with the inner ring designated as the inner-city and the outer rings as: • Smaller neighborhoods. • Business districts. • Suburbs. • Conurbations. • Rural areas.

9. What is meant by a geography of "centrality and marginality" in global cities? • There are central zones and zones that are deemed marginal. • Central business districts reside in global cities. • Enormous affluence and acute poverty reside side by side with minimal interaction. • Some global cities are central and others are marginal. • Affluence and poverty are geographically separated in order to avoid interaction.

10. What are the most recent projections for global urban growth? • As more jobs move to the service sector, cities will continue to lose population to suburban communities. • Urban centers are declining in population in developing countries, whereas the city population in developed countries continues to grow. • With the exception of China, urban growth is expected to occur more often in North America and Western Europe than other places. • City populations throughout the world are growing more rapidly than rural communities. • By the year 2030, the current population trends will have reversed and small towns will contain the majority of the world's population.

1. Who among the following would most likely lament the movement toward globalization? • The president of a transnational corporation. • A computer engineer. • The head of a small-town historical society. • A university dean. • A Hollywood producer.

2. Which of the following factors has consistently influenced social change over time? • The physical environment. • Political organization. • Cultural factors. • All of the above.

3. Capitalism stimulates social change in an unprecedented way because it: • Involves the constant expansion of production. • Involves the ever-increasing accumulation of wealth. • Promotes constant revision of the technology of production, increasingly drawing science into the process. • All of the above.

4. Which of the following is the best example of social change? • The process of dropping a physics course and adding a sociology course. • Changing your clothes each day and washing them in a washing machine. • Accumulating thirty semester credits and thereby changing your status from freshman to sophomore. • The desegregation of colleges and universities in the United States. • The decline of homecoming events in liberal arts colleges.

*5. Many industrial workers have been left unemployed and without the skills required in a knowledge-based economy. This is due to: • New social problems, such as long-term unemployment. • New types of education, training workers for the knowledge economy. • Long-standing employment patterns. • Global trade and new forms of technology. • All of the above.

*6. Which of the following characterizes the shift to a global, rather than a national, outlook? • A man with a decidedly Italian accent telling a reporter he is from Europe. • The civil religion of the United States. • Demands from French citizens that McDonald's restaurants be removed from their cities. • The United Nations' refusal to send troops to Sudan to stop the genocide in southern Sudan.

7. Which of the following believes that globalization is challenging the power of nation-states? • Hyperglobalizers • Transformationalists • Skeptics • Believers • Transitionists

8. In terms of people's working lives, globalization makes it more likely that individuals will experience: • A stable job for life. • An exciting career in manufacturing. • An exciting career in agriculture. • A self-made career path, with several changes over their lifetime.

9. Why should farmers, cattle ranchers, and animal feed manufacturers accept responsibility for mad cow disease? • The three groups are responsible for the advertising campaigns for beef and beef by-products. • They are responsible for a plan to clone cattle and sell the beef as "natural." • They are feeding cows grains mixed with animal parts. • They are genetically altering the beef to lower cholesterol without acknowledging the potential harmful effects.

10. Which of the following is a manufactured risk? • Florida being pummeled with four hurricanes during 2004. • The 1979 Three Mile Island nuclear disaster in Pennsylvania. • The November 10, 1975, wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald in Lake Superior. • The smog and toxic gases released by the eruption of Washington State's Mount St. Helens in 1980 and 2004. • The destruction of Pompeii.