Sociology Chapter 1 : the Sociological Perspective – Flashcards

Sociology

Sociological Perspective

Social Institutions

Examples of social institutions

Careers in sociology

Social psychologist

August Comte

3 Stages of Society

Theological Stage

Metaphysical Stage

Scientific Stage

Positivism

Sociology's 4 Theoretical Perspectives

Theory

global perspective

high income countries

middle-income countries

low-income countries

sociological imagination

Structural-functional approach

theoretical approach

social structure

social functions

manifest functions

latent functions

social dysfunction

social-conflict approach

gender-conflict approach

feminism

race-conflict approach

macro-level orientation

micro-level orientation

symbolic-interaction approach

stereotype

According to sociologists, human behavior reflects our personal "free will." T or F

Sociology is defined as the systematic study of human society. T or F

Sociologists focus only on unusual patterns of behavior.

Using the sociological perspective, we would conclude that people's lives are mostly a result of what they decide to do.

College students in the U.S. tend to come from families with above-average incomes.

Durkheim documented that categories of people with weaker social ties have lower suicide rates.

In the United States, African Americans have a higher suicide rate than whites.

People with lower social standing are usually more likely to see the world from a sociological perspective than people who are well off

In the United States, men have a higher suicide rate than women.

A global perspective has little in common with a sociological perspective.

U.S. sociologist C. Wright Mills argued that times of social crisis foster widespread sociological thinking.

C. Wright Mills claimed that, most of the time, people must learn to take responsibility for their own problems.

Studying other societies is a good way to learn about our own way of life

Societies around the world are more interconnected than ever before.

Based on the work of Barbara Ehrenreich, who tried to live by working at low-wage jobs, we should expect most people in such jobs to be able to move ahead to better paying work.

Sociological research may be interesting, but it is of little use in shaping public policy, including legislation.

The sociological perspective reveals the truth of the "common sense" beliefs we tend to take for granted.

Understanding how society operates benefits only the most privileged people.

Sociology is useful training for any job that involves working with people.

Revolutionary changes in European societies sparked the development of sociology

The term "sociology" was coined by Emile Durkheim in 1898.

As a discipline, sociology first took root in France, Germany, and England.

Ancient philosophers, including Plato, were primarily interested in imagining the "ideal" society rather than studying society as it really is.

The last of Comte's three stages is the metaphysical stage, in which people know the world in terms of God's will.

Among all academic disciplines, sociology is one of the youngest.

Auguste Comte was a positivist who believed that there were laws of society in the same way that there are laws of physics that describe the operation of the natural world.

The English philosopher Thomas Hobbes believed that society reflected the basic goodness of human nature.

Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)

W.E.B. Du Bois translated the writings of Auguste Comte from French into English.

Sociologists test their theories by gathering facts in order to confirm, reject, or modify them.

The structural-functional, social-conflict, and symbolic-interaction approaches are three basic theoretical approaches in sociology.

According to Robert K. Merton, social patterns are always good and have the same effect on all members of a society.

Rarely are people aware of all the functions of any social structure.

To say that a social pattern is "dysfunctional" means that it has more than one function for the operation of society.

Keeping young people out of the labor market is one latent function of higher education.

The manifest functions of our society's reliance on personal automobiles include tens of thousands of deaths each year in traffic accidents.

The goal of the structural-functional approach is not simply to understand how society operates, but to reduce social inequality.

In the United States, secondary schools place students in college preparatory tracks that partially reflect the social background of their families.

W.E.B. Du Bois wrote a classic study of the African American community in Philadelphia.

Both Karl Marx and W.E.B. Du Bois carried out their work following the structural-functional approach.

Both feminism and the gender-conflict approach highlight ways in which women are unequal to men.

Both Jane Addams and Harriet Martineau are remembered today because they were married to important sociologists.

Like the gender-conflict approach, the race-conflict approach is concerned with social inequality.

The symbolic-interaction approach is a micro-level orientation.

The focus of the symbolic-interaction approach is how society is divided by class, race, and gender.

Social-exchange analysis is one micro-level approach to understanding social interaction.

social-exchange analysis

Sociological research shows that all categories of people have had the same opportunities to participate in sports.

Stacking" in sports is the pattern by which people of one racial category disproportionately play in favored positions.

The meaning people find in competitive sports would be one focus of a symbolic-interaction approach.

A symbolic-interaction analysis focuses on how social interaction in any everyday life setting involves social inequality

Sociological generalizations are the same as simple stereotypes.

What might a sociologist say about people's selection of marriage partners? a. People marry because they fall in love. b. When it comes to romance, it's all a matter of personal taste. c. Typically, a person marries someone of similar social position. d. When it comes to love, opposites attract.

What does the idea that the social world guides our actions and life choices just as the seasons influence activities and choice of clothing describe? a. the basis of what philosophy calls "free will" b. the essential wisdom of the discipline of sociology c. the fact that people everywhere have "common sense" d. the fact that people from countries all around the world make mostly identical choices about how to live

Which discipline defines itself as "the systematic study of human society"? a. sociology b. psychology c. economics d. history

Peter Berger describes using the sociological perspective as seeing the ______ in the _______. a. good; worst tragedies b. new; old c. specific; general d. general; particular

By stating that the sociological perspective shows us "the strange in the familiar," the text argues that sociologists a. focus on the bizarre elements of society. b. reject the familiar idea that people simply decide how to act in favor of the initially strange idea that society shapes our lives. c. believe that people often behave in strange ways. d. believe that even people who are most familiar to us have some very strange habits.

Three campus roommates are talking about why they are in college. A sociological view of going to college highlights the effect of a. only age, because college students tend to be young. b. only class, because college students tend to come from families with above-average incomes. c. only our place in history, because a century ago going to college was not an option for most people. d. age, class, and our place in history, because of these are all ways in which society guides college attendance.

The chapter's sociological analysis of childbearing around the world suggests that the number of children born to a woman reflects a. only her preference for family size. b. how many children she can afford. c. whether she lives in a poor or a rich society. d. simply the desires of her husband.

According to Emile Durkheim, people with a higher suicide rate typically have a. more clinical depression. b. less money, power, and other resources. c. lower social integration. d. greater self-esteem.

The pioneering sociologist who studied patterns of suicide in Europe was a. Robert K. Merton. b. Auguste Comte. c. Emile Durkheim. d. Karl Marx.

In the United States today, the suicide rate is highest for which of the following? a. white males b. African American males c. white females d. African American females

Because there is more social isolation in rural areas of the United States than in urban areas, we would expect suicide rates to be a. higher in urban areas. b. higher in rural areas. c. high in both urban and rural areas. d. low in both urban and rural areas.

Sociologists use the term "social marginality" to refer to a. people who have little understanding of sociology. b. people who have special social skills. c. people who are defined by others as an "outsider." d. people who are especially sensitive about their family background.

If marginality encourages sociological thinking, we would expect people in which category listed below to make the most use of the sociological perspective? a. the wealthy b. disabled persons or people who are a racial minority c. politicians d. the middle class

Following the thinking of C. Wright Mills, we would expect the sociological imagination to be more widespread in a population a. during times of peace and prosperity. b. among the very rich. c. among very religious people. d. during times of social crisis.

C. Wright Mills claimed that the "sociological imagination" transformed a. common sense into laws of society. b. people into supporters of the status quo. c. personal problems into public issues. d. scientific research into common sense.

The United States falls within which category of the world's nations? a. low-income nations b. middle-income nations c. high-income nations d. None of the above is correct.

Which of the following categories contains countries in which average income is typical for the world as a whole and in which people are as likely to live in a rural area as in an urban area? a. low-income nations b. middle-income nations c. high-income nations d. None of the above is correct.

The nations of Western Europe, Israel, Japan, and Australia fall into which of the following categories of countries? a. low-income nations b. middle-income nations c. high-income nations d. None of the above is correct.

Almost all of Latin America and Asia falls within which of the following categories? a. low-income nations b. middle-income nations c. high-income nations d. very rich nations

The text presents a portrait of a "global village." Which of the following statements about this village is true? a. More than half the people are North Americans. b. More than half the people are rich. c. More than half the people are Asians. d. More than half the people do not get enough to eat.

Read the following statements. Which one is TRUE? a. Because the United States is so rich, there is little reason for us to learn about other nations. b. Gaining a global understanding is important for college students because most new U.S. jobs involve international trade. c. There is no longer very much poverty in the world. d. People the world over have ways of life that are mostly the same.

About 1.4 million immigrants enter the United States each year and many (including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gloria Estefan) have become well known. These facts support the conclusion that a. the world's nations are increasingly interconnected. b. other nations have little effects on life in rich countries such as the United States. c. people around the world share little in terms of their ways of life. d. sociology does not have to pay attention to nations other than the United States.

Read the following four statements about social patterns we find in the world as a whole. Which statement is FALSE? a. The world is now home to 7 billion people. b. A majority of the world's people live in Asia. c. People in the United States make up one-third of the global population. d. Less than 10 percent of the world's people have completed a college degree.

Sarah is spending a summer living in another country where people have a way of life that differs from her own. A sociologist might expect that this experience would lead her to a. end up with a greater understanding of both a new way of life and her own way of life. b. accept what people in the United States call "common sense." c. assume that people's lives simply reflect the choices they make. d. gradually understand less and less about her own way of life.

Making use of the sociological perspective encourages a. challenging commonly held beliefs. b. accepting commonly-held wisdom. c. the belief that society is mysterious. d. people to be happy with their lives as they are.

Which of the following statements best illustrates the career advantage a person gains by studying sociology? a. A researcher discovers a new and effective vaccine. b. A person in retail sales knows how to exceed the monthly sales target. c. A police officer understands which categories of people who are at high risk of becoming victims of crime. d. A financial services worker devises a new type of hedge fund.

Sociologist Lenore Weitzman carried out research showing that women who divorce a. typically remarry within one year. b. claim they are happier than before. c. suffer a significant loss of income. d. have a happier sex life.

Learning more sociology can help you to do all but which one of the following? a. assess the truth of "common sense" b. assess the opportunities and constraints in our lives c. be more active participants in society d. see how individuals guide their own lives through "free will"

In the box about Barbara Ehrenreich working at low-wage jobs, we learned that she a. was able to make a good living right from the start. b. worked very hard, but never made enough money to pay for her basic needs. c. found most of her coworkers to be dull and lazy. d. ended up convinced that personal ability is everything.

Sociology provides an advantage to students preparing for later careers by preparing them for work a. only as teachers of sociology. b. only in criminal justice or social work. c. only as clinical sociologists. d. in teaching, criminal justice, business, and many other careers.

Examples of people applying their knowledge of sociology at work include people in a. law enforcement, understanding which categories of people are at high risk of becoming victims of crime. b. medicine, understanding patterns of health in a community. c. business, dealing with different categories of people. d. All of the responses included here are correct.

Which of the following historical changes is among the factors that stimulated the development of sociology as a discipline? a. the founding of the Roman Catholic church b. the rise of the industrial economy and growth of cities c. the power of tradition d. a belief that our futures are defined by "fate"

We would expect the sociological perspective to be most likely to develop in a place that was a. very traditional. b. experiencing many social changes. c. very poor. d. small and socially isolated.

In which of the countries noted below did sociology first appear as a formal discipline? a. the United States b. Japan c. France d. China

The concept "sociology" was coined in 1838 by a. Karl Marx. b. Herbert Spencer. c. Adam Smith. d. Auguste Comte.

Sociology differs from the older discipline of philosophy by focusing on a. what the ideal society should be. b. human nature. c. the place of God in shaping human events. d. how society actually operates.

The major goal of sociology's pioneers, including Auguste Comte and Emile Durkheim, was a. to serve the powerful. b. to help build an "ideal society." c. to discover how society actually operates. d. to prevent disruptive social change.

Comte described the earliest human societies as being at which stage of historical development? a. theological stage b. metaphysical stage c. scientific stage d. post-scientific stage

The ancient Romans saw the stars as being gods. Auguste Comte would classify Roman society as which of the following stages of history? a. scientific stage b. metaphysical stage c. theological stage d. post-scientific stage

According to Auguste Comte, people begin to see society as a natural—rather than a supernatural—phenomenon as their society enters which stage of development? a. theological stage b. metaphysical stage c. scientific stage d. post-scientific stage

Thomas Hobbes's idea that society reflects a selfish human nature illustrates the thinking common at which of Comte's historical stages? a. theological stage b. metaphysical stage c. scientific stage d. None of the above is correct.

According to Auguste Comte, people living in Europe during the Middle Ages thought of society as a. a system operating according to its own laws. b. chaotic and having little order or form. c. an expression of God's will. d. a system behavior according to natural laws

According to Auguste Comte, the type of thinking favored by people such as Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb, becomes common in a society at which stage of societal development? a. theological stage b. metaphysical stage c. scientific stage d. post-scientific stage

_____ is a way of understanding the world based on science. a. Tradition b. Positivism c. Metaphysics d. Free will

When did sociology become established as an academic discipline in the United States? a. during the Middle Ages b. about 1800 c. about 1900 d. about 2000

Most of today's sociologists agree with Auguste Comte's claim that a. no society has reached the scientific stage of history. b. human behavior is not patterned and orderly. c. sociology should be based on religion. d. science has an important place in sociology.

Sociologists cannot identify "laws of society" that allow us to precisely predict the behavior of an individual because a. human behavior may be patterned, but it is also spontaneous. b. sociology is still very young. c. no sociologist ever tried to discover such laws. d. no sociologist would wish to predict human behavior.

A statement that explains how and why specific facts are related is called a(n) a. approach. b. precept. c. concept. d. theory.

To evaluate a theory using evidence, sociologists a. gather data or facts. b. accept the conventional wisdom of their society. c. are guided by their personal feelings about the issue. d. look to the past for guidance.

If we state that children raised in single-parent families are at high risk of being single parents themselves, we have constructed a(n)_____ of family life. a. approach b. precept c. concept d. theory

In deciding what kinds of questions to ask in their research, sociologists are guided by a. one or more theoretical approaches. b. their own common sense. c. our society's traditional wisdom. d. sheer chance.

Looking at the United States, high suicide rates are typical of areas in which people a. live densely packed in cities. b. live spread apart in rural areas. c. have higher incomes. d. live in a warmer climate.

Which theoretical approach was used by the early sociologists Auguste Comte and Emile Durkheim? a. the structural-functional approach b. the social-conflict approach c. the symbolic-interaction approach d. no theoretical approach was used

The theoretical approach in sociology that assumes society is a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability is the a. structural-functional approach. b. social-conflict approach. c. symbolic-interaction approach. d. tradition-based approach.

Which concept is used to describe relatively stable patterns of social behavior? a. social structure b. eufunctions c. social functions d. social dysfunctions

Which of the following best describes the focus of the structural-functional approach? a. the meaning people attach to their behavior b. patterns of social inequality c. the consequences of social patterns for the operation of society d. ways in which each person differs from all others

Using the structural-functional approach, which of the following questions might you ask about marriage? a. What do people think marriage means? b. How does marriage benefit women and men unequally? c. What are the consequences of marriage for the operation of society? d. How can we help people find more pleasure in their marriages?

Social structures sometimes have negative consequences for the operation of society as a whole. What is the term for these negative consequences? a. social structure b. eufunctions c. social functions d. social dysfunctions

Identify the three sociologists who played a part in the development of sociology's structural-functional approach. a. Auguste Comte, Karl Marx, W.E.B. Du Bois b. Auguste Comte, Herbert Spencer, Emile Durkheim c. Herbert Spencer, Karl Marx, Auguste Comte d. Harriet Martineau, Robert Merton, W.E.B. Du Bois

Herbert Spencer described human society as a complex system having much in common with a. animal societies. b. planets and stars. c. the human brain. d. the human body.

Who was the U.S. sociologist who distinguished between the manifest functions and the latent functions of social patterns? a. Robert K. Merton b. William Graham Sumner c. Talcott Parsons d. C. Wright Mills

The recognized and intended consequences of a social pattern are referred to as a. latent functions. b. manifest functions. c. eufunctions. d. dysfunctions.

Unrecognized and unintended consequences of a social pattern are called a. latent functions. b. manifest functions. c. eufunctions. d. dysfunctions.

Which of the following is the best example of a latent function of going to college? a. providing skills needed for later jobs b. keeping young people out of the labor force, which may not have jobs for them c. gaining the knowledge required to be an active and thoughtful citizen d. giving young people experience living on their own

Robert Merton explained that what is functional for one category of a society's population a. is always functional for everyone. b. may not be functional for another category. c. is unlikely to change over time. d. can never be functional in the future.

The main characteristic of the _____ approach is its view of society as being orderly and stable. a. structural-functional b. social-conflict c. social-interaction d. tradition-based

Which of the following is an accurate criticism of the structural-functional approach? a. It ignores inequality that can generate tension and conflict. b. It focuses too much on social dysfunction. c. It focuses too much on power divisions in society. d. It is a politically liberal view of society.

The "framework for building theory that sees society as an arena of inequality that generates conflict and change" is the a. structural-functional approach. b. social-conflict approach. c. symbolic-interaction approach. d. tradition-based approach.

The social-conflict approach draws attention to a. how elements contribute to the overall operation of society. b. how people construct meaning in their interaction. c. patterns of social inequality. d. the stable aspects of society.

Looking at the operation of U.S. schools, the social-conflict approach might lead a sociologist to conclude that a. the function of schools is to teach needed skills. b. the meaning of schooling varies from child to child. c. schools have been a major path to social advancement. d. tracking provides some students with far better schooling than others.

Which of the following statements might be made by a sociologist using the gender-conflict approach? a. Men and women share in the joys of family life. b. In many ways, men are in positions of power over women. c. Gender functions in an important way to keep society operating. d. All of the above are correct.

Who helped launch the discipline of sociology by studying the evils of slavery and also by translating the writings of Auguste Comte? a. Harriet Martineau b. Jane Addams c. Elizabeth Cady Stanton d. Dorothea Dix

Which pioneering sociologist founded Chicago's Hull House to assist immigrants and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize? a. Jane Addams b. Harriet Martineau c. W.E.B. Du Bois d. Herbert Spencer

Karl Marx, speaking for the social-conflict approach, argued that the point of studying society was a. to understand how society really operates. b. to compare U.S. society to others. c. to foster support for a nation's government. d. to bring about greater social justice.

Which of the following early sociologists had an important influence on the development of the social-conflict approach? a. Karl Marx b. Talcott Parsons c. Emile Durkheim d. Herbert Spencer

Which early sociologist received the first doctorate ever awarded by Harvard University to a person of color? a. Jane Addams b. Harriet Martineau c. W.E.B. Du Bois d. Herbert Spencer

Which early U.S. sociologist studied the African American community and served as a founding member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)? a. Jane Addams b. Harriet Martineau c. W.E.B. Du Bois d. Herbert Spencer

Which theoretical approach would highlight the fact that, on average, African American families have less income than white families? a. the race-conflict approach b. the gender-conflict approach c. the structural-functional approach d. the symbolic-interaction approach

Using the social-conflict approach, a sociologist might highlight which of the following? a. income differences among young people in high school b. gender inequality in college sports c. racial inequality in a company's hiring and promotion practices d. the functions of a social institution such as the family

W.E.B. Du Bois claimed that _____ was the major problem facing the United States during the twentieth century. a. class b. race c. gender d. ethnicity

W.E.B. Du Bois described African Americans as having a "double consciousness" because a. most felt that, compared to white people, they had to be twice as careful in how they acted. b. there is a double disadvantage in being both poor and black. c. black people have to work twice as hard as whites to get the same reward. d. they are American citizens who have a second identity based on skin color.

The social-conflict approach sometimes receives criticism for a. focusing on values that everyone shares. b. being openly political. c. promoting the status quo. d. All of the above are correct.

The _____ approaches are macro-level, describing societies in broad terms. a. structural-functional and social-conflict b. structural-functional and symbolic-interaction c. social-conflict and symbolic-interaction d. All of the above are correct.

Which of the following examples illustrates a micro-level focus? a. the operation of the U.S. economy b. patterns of global terrorism c. two people on an airplane getting to know one another d. class inequality in the armed forces

The basic idea of the symbolic-interaction approach is that society is a. an arena of conflict between categories of people. b. the product of people interacting in countless everyday situations. c. a system that operates to benefit people. d. a system that generates social inequality.

Which theoretical approach claims that it is not so much what people do that matters as much as what meaning they attach to their behavior? a. structural-functional approach b. social-conflict approach c. symbolic-interaction approach d. social-exchange approach

Which of the following founding sociologists urged sociologists to understand a social setting from the point of view of the people in it? a. Karl Marx b. Emile Durkheim c. Auguste Comte d. Max Weber

Which of the following statements reflects a social-exchange analysis? a. People typically seek mates who offer as much as they do b. Class differences are reflected in favored sports c. People build reality as they introduce themselves d. People who do more important work usually earn more pay

A criticism of the symbolic-interaction approach is that it a. calls attention to major social institutions. b. ignores the influence of factors such as culture, class, gender, and race. c. paints a very positive picture of society. d. says little about how individuals actually experience society.

Which of the following questions is the focus of the symbolic-interaction approach? a. How is society held together? b. How is society divided? c. How do people experience society? d. How do some people protect their privileges?

Which of the following is a manifest function of sports? a. providing recreation and physical conditioning b. fostering social relationships c. generating jobs d. teaching a society's way of life

Building social relationships and creating tens of thousands of jobs are two of the ____ of sports. a. manifest functions b. latent functions c. dysfunctions d. non-functions

Which of the following would be the focus of a social-conflict analysis of sports? a. the way in which sports help encourage competition b. the importance of physical ability in success c. how sports reflect social inequality d. the different meanings people attach to games

Racial discrimination in professional sports is evident today in a. the positions typically played by white and black players. b. the exclusion of African American players from professional sports. c. the fact that most managers and team owners are African American. d. the fact that women's sports attract less attention than men's sports.

Which of the following statements is based on a symbolic-interaction analysis of sports? a. Winning at sports means different things to different people. b. Some categories of people benefit more than others from sports. c. Sports help develop important cultural values. d. "Stacking" is a type of racial inequality in sports.

Using the symbolic-interaction approach, sports becomes a. a structure that contributes to the functioning of society. b. a matter of social inequality. c. less a system than an ongoing process. d. just a game without any meaning.

A simplified description unfairly applied to every person in some category is called a. a sociological insight. b. a sociological generalization. c. a stereotype. d. an act of discrimination.

Unlike simple stereotypes, sociological generalizations a. do not apply to all individuals in some category. b. are based on all available facts. c. are offered fair-mindedly with an interest in the truth. d. All of the responses given here are correct.

Which of the following is a limitation of the symbolic-interaction approach? a. not being concerned with the meaning people attach to behavior b. not focusing on macro-level social structures c. not using the sociological perspective d. not focusing on interaction in some everyday situation

Which of the following is a limitation of the structural-functional approach? a. not being concerned with the meaning people attach to behavior b. not focusing on macro-level social structures c. not using the sociological perspective d. not focusing on the consequences of patterns for society as a whole