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Chapter 1 The Sociological Perspective

1.1 Multiple-Choice Questions

1) Of the following influences, the one that C. Wright Mills most attributed to being the one that

sociologists would use to explain individual behavior is ________.

A) common sense B) instinct

C) external influences D) inherited abilities

Answer: C Diff: 1 Page Ref: 2Skill: Knowledge

2) Meegan is taking a course at a university in New Delhi, India as a part of a student exchange

program. She is having difficulty accepting many of the local customs including the status of

bovines and the apparent lack of respect women receive. Meegan is making a sincere effort,

however, to understand the Indian customs and to place this behavior within a broader social

context. In view of this, Meegan is engaging ________.

A) the sociological perspective B) ethnocentrism

C) the relativist fallacy D) the social imperative

Answer: ADiff: 2 Page Ref: 2Skill: Comprehension

3) When sociologists group people into categories based on their age, gender, educational level,

job and income, they are trying to determine their ________.

A) social network B) social location

C) social personality D) social skills

Answer: B Diff: 3 Page Ref: 2Skill: Application

4) Sociologists emphasize the notion that our thinking and motivation are largely determined by

________.

A) our individual personalities

B) our natural born instincts

C) our biologically inherited genetic structure

D) influences drawn from our life experiences


Answer: D Diff: 1 Page Ref: 3Skill: Knowledge

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5) Clarise is employed as an FBI profiler. She has been asked to identify the common personality

characteristics among a list of 15 serial killers. Clarise would most likely contact a[n] ________

to assist her in her efforts.

A) sociologist B) anthropologist C) psychologist D) economist

Answer: C Diff: 3 Page Ref: 4Skill: Application

6) James is studying for his doctorate. He is living among the homeless in Philadelphia. James

has stated he wants to experience everything the homeless experience to gain a broader

understanding into the culture of the homeless. James is probably studying for a doctorate in

________.

A) sociology B) anthropology

C) political science D) psychology

Answer: A Diff: 3 Page Ref: 4-5Skill: Application

7) The first goal of each scientific discipline is to ________.

A) explain why something happens

B) make generalizations why things happen

C) look for patterns when things happen

D) predict what will happen in the future

Answer: A Diff: 1 Page Ref: 5Skill: Knowledge

8) The two events that contributed the greatest incentive to the development of sociology because

they destroyed tradition and encouraged people to rethink social life were ________ and

________.

A) the Renaissance; the discovery of the new world

B) the invention of the printing press; the invention of the steam engine

C) the colonization of the Americas and Africa; the development of cities

D) the American Revolution; the French Revolution



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9) The first person to propose that the scientific method could be applied to the study of social

life was ________.

A) Emile Durkheim B) Max Weber

C) Karl Marx D) Auguste Comte

Answer: DDiff: 1 Page Ref: 7Skill: Knowledge

10) The notion that only the fittest members of society deserve to survive and that social programs

to help the poor will ultimately weaken the social order is a doctrine known as ________.

A) Social Darwinism B) positivism

C) post-modernism D) social welfare


11) Karl Marx suggested that the force which drives human history and is at the core of human

progress is ________.

A) class conflict B) religion C) family D) education


12) The Wall Street Journal has declared the ʺthree greatest modern thinkersʺ as being _________,

________, and _________.

A) Karl Marx; Sigmund Freud; Albert Einstein

B) Max Weber; B. F. Skinner; J. Edgar Hoover

C) Karl Marx; Louis Pasteur; Albert Einstein

D) Frank Lloyd Wright; Jonas Salk; Sigmund Freud


13) Tom works on the assembly line at the local automobile factory. Karl Marx would consider

Tom to be a ________ because he does not own the factory.

A) capitalist B) proletariat C) zeitgeist D) bourgeoisie

Answer: B Diff: 3 Page Ref: 9Skill: Application


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14) The social thinker of the 19th century who predicted that there would be a classless society

once the working class united and began a revolution was ________.

A) Emile Durkheim B) C. Wright Mills

C) Herbert Spencer D) Karl Marx


15) The early European sociologist known for his work on suicide and social integration was

________.

A) Emile Durkheim B) Auguste Comte

C) Max Weber D) Henri Saint Simon

Answer: ADiff: 1 Page Ref: 10Skill: Knowledge

16) Durkheim introduced the concept ________ to express the degree to which people feel part of

a social group.

A) conflict conflict B) social integration

C) sociopath D) social class

Answer: BDiff: 1 Page Ref: 10Skill: Knowledge

17) The early theorist who is sometimes referred to as ʺthe second founder of sociologyʺ because of

his contributions to the discipline and coined the phrase ʺsurvival of the fittestʺ was ________.

A) Henri Saint Simon B) Herbert Spencer

C) Emile Durkheim D) Karl Marx


18) Weber referred to the self-denying approach to life characterized by people living frugal lives

and saving their money as the ________.

A) spirit of capitalism

C) Protestant ethic

Answer: CDiff: 1 Page Ref: 11 Skill: Knowledge

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B) socialist conscience

D) Communist Manifesto

19) In contrast to Marx, Weber makes the argument that ________.

A) economics are the central force for social change

B) education provides the main force for social change

C) government and politics are the source of social change

D) religious beliefs are the central force in social change


20) According to Max Weber, the Protestant ethic was a central factor in the birth of ________.

A) capitalism B) democracy C) socialism D) bureaucracy


21) Max Weber termed the readiness to invest capital in order to make more money the ________.

A) Protestant ethic B) spirit of capitalism

C) the spirit of verstehen D) entrepreneurial ethic


22) Weber stressed the notion that sociological research should be ʺvalue free.ʺ This means that

sociologists should NOT ________.

A) develop personal opinions B) study social values

C) let personal values affect their research D) be social critics


23) According to Max Weber, ________ means ʺto grasp by insightʺ and to have an understanding

of the feelings and motivations of people being studied.

A) anomie B) Gemeinshaft

Answer: DDiff: 2 Page Ref: 12 Skill: Comprehension

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C) Gesellschaft D) verstehen

24) Art has an interest in developing psychological profiles and is an avid student of William

Sheldonʹs work on body types and personality. Art has submitted a research request to repeat Sheldonʹs classic study on body types to determine if Sheldonʹs original findings are still valid. This type of research is referred to as ________.

A) replication B) ethnography C) triangulation D) correlation


25) Durkheim stressed the need for sociologists to focus on ________, while Weber stressed that

________ should also be studied by sociologists.

A) subjective meanings; social facts

C) social facts; subjective meanings


B) empirical definitions; social facts

D) symbols; social facts

26) Durkheim referred to patterns of behavior that characterize a social group as ________.

A) a social profile B) stereotyping

C) social integration D) social facts


27) Over twenty years prior to the birth of Durkheim and Weber, Society in America, an analysis of

American customs, was published by sociologist ________.

A) W. I. Thomas B) W. E. B. DuBois

C) Harriet Martineau D) Ernest Burgess

Answer: CDiff: 1 Page Ref: 15Skill: Knowledge

28) Because of her outstanding and effective efforts at social reform as demonstrated in her work

as co-founder of Hull House, ________ was a co -winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931.

A) Elsie Clews Parsons

C) Alice Hamilton

Answer: DDiff: 1 Page Ref: 16 Skill: Knowledge

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B) Charlotte Perkins Gilman

D) Jane Addams

29) Sociology first took root as an academic discipline at ________ in 1890.

A) the University of Pennsylvania

C) Stanford University

Answer: BDiff: 1 Page Ref: 16 Skill: Knowledge

B) the University of Kansas

D) Princeton University

30) The university that dominated sociology as an academic discipline where Albion Smalls

headed the department was ________.

A) the University of California at Berkeley

C) Princeton University

Answer: DDiff: 1 Page Ref: 16 Skill: Knowledge

B) Harvard University

D) the University of Chicago

31) The book published by W.E.B. DuBois in 1899 that analyzed how African Americans in a

major United States city coped with racism was ________.

A) The Souls of Black Folk B) White Over Black

C) The Philadelphia Negro D) The Crisis


32) The first African American to earn a doctorate from Harvard University, spent his lifetime

studying race relations in America, and was one of the founders of the NAACP was ________.

A) W. E. B. DuBois B) Booker T. Washington

C) George Washington Carver D) Benjamin Quarles


33) The American sociologist who focused on social theory in the 1940s, developing detailed

models of how society harmoniously works together was ________.

A) Talcott Parsons B) Ernest Burgess

C) Robert Park D) W. I. Thomas


34) Dr. Zahn spends virtually all his academic interest in analyzing various aspects of society and

publishing his findings in sociological journals. In view of this, Dr. Zahn is considered to be

a[n] ________ sociologist.

A) applied B) practical C) pure D) reform

Answer: CDiff: 3 Page Ref: 19Skill: Application

35) Sociologists who analyze how behavior depends on the ways that people define themselves

and others are most likely ________.

A) ethnomethodologists B) functionalists

C) conflict theorists D) symbolic interactionists

Answer: DDiff: 2 Page Ref: 22Skill: Comprehension

36) The sociologist who developed the concept of the power elite was ________.

A) C. Wright Mills B) Talcott Parsons

C) Robert K. Merton D) F. Ivan Nye


37) Of the following social science theorists, which one least embraced the concepts associated

with symbolic interactionism?

A) William James B) Karl Marx

C) Charles Horton Cooley D) William I. Thomas

Answer: B Diff: 4 Page Ref: 21-22Skill: Analysis

38) According to symbolic interactionists, the deciding factor that determines if change in society

is good or bad requires ________.

A) an understanding of who benefited from the change

B) an understanding of who may have been victimized by the change

C) a value framework from which to view the change

D) a macroanalytical focus of the extent of the change


39) According to Robert Merton, ________ are the intended beneficial consequences of peopleʹs

actions.

A) latent functions B) manifest dysfunctions

C) manifest functions D) latent dysfunctions


40) College provides a haven for several million potential workers who are classified as ʺstudentsʺ

rather than ʺunemployedʺ which helps stabilize the job market. This situation represents what

Merton would describe as a ________.

A) manifest function B) latent dysfunction

C) manifest dysfunction D) latent function

Answer: D Diff: 3 Page Ref: 25Skill: Application

41) Functionalists generally agree that the family, as it exists today ________.

A) is an obsolete institution

B) is almost entirely self sufficient

C) has lost many of its traditional functions

D) is dysfunctional


42) Functionalists refer to how parts of a society fit together to form a whole as ________.

A) process B) synthesis C) integration D) structure


43) Karl Marx believed the key element in understanding human history is to understand

________.

A) family and its function

C) class conflict


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B) the role of education in society

D) the importance of religion

44) The contemporary conflict sociologist who pointed out that conflict is most likely to develop

among people in close relationships was ________.

A) Lewis Coser B) Ralf Dahrendorf

C) William Domhoff D) Howard Winet


45) Mark views society as a system of interrelated parts, while John views society as composed of

groups competing for scarce resources. Mark would be considered a ________ theorist and

John would be seen as a ________ theorist.

A) symbolic interactionist; functionalist

C) functionalist; symbolic interactionist

Answer: DDiff: 3 Page Ref: 24, 27 Skill: Application

B) conflict; functionalist

D) functionalist; conflict

46) Sociologist Lewis Coser pointed out that conflict is most likely to occur among people who are

________.

A) in close relationships B) have racial and ethnic differences

C) in different social classes D) less educated


47) Conflict theorists would contend that changes in ________ explain the high divorce rates in the

United States.

A) the functions of the family

C) the male-female power relationship

Answer: CDiff: 2 Page Ref: 28 Skill: Comprehension

B) our cultureʹs beliefs about marriage

D) the attitudes about commitment

48) The major difference between the three sociological perspectives is:

A) their degree of conservative ideology.

B) the personality profile of those who embrace each of the perspectives.

C) the impact each ideology has on the common person.

D) the level of analysis of each perspective.

Answer: D Diff: 4 Page Ref: 28Skill: Analysis

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49) Sergio is interested in how changes in society are related to homelessness. He is examining

how the movement of factory jobs from the United States to overseas locations have

contributed to the increase in the number of homeless. Sergio is conducting a ________

analysis.

A) macro level B) transactional C) micro level D) meso level

Answer: ADiff: 3 Page Ref: 28Skill: Application

50) In studying problems of the homeless, ________ would focus on the face -to-face micro level

interactions among the homeless.

A) symbolic interactionists B) functionalists

C) conflict theorists D) structuralists

Answer: A Diff: 2 Page Ref: 28Skill: Comprehension

51) Sara is conducting a study on how the North American Free Trade Agreement has resulted in

millions of Americans losing their jobs and how once prosperous manufacturing cities have

become ghost towns. Saraʹs research is being conducted at the ________ level of analysis.

A) macro B) theoretical C) pure D) micro

Answer: ADiff: 3 Page Ref: 28Skill: Application

52) Functionalist and conflict theorists tend to focus on the ________, or large scale patterns of

society, in conducting their analyses.

A) macro level B) micro level

C) symbolic level D) interactionist level


53) At the first meeting of the American Sociological Society, Albion Small announced the primary

reason for sociology was its ʺpractical application to the improvement of social life.ʺ Smalls

was expressing a goal of sociology aligned with the disciplineʹs ________ stage of development

in the United States.

A) first B) second C) third D) fourth


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54) Investing to make profits within a rational system is called ________.

A) globalization B) socialism C) capitalism D) investment


55) The breaking down of national boundaries because of advances in communication, trade, and

travel is referred to as ________.

A) multiculturalism B) colonialism

C) neo-colonialism D) globalization


1.2 True/False Questions

1) The term society traditionally refers to a group of people who share a culture and a territory.

Answer: TRUE Diff: 1 Page Ref: 2Skill: Knowledge

2) Sociologically, the term social location refers to oneʹs occupation, income, gender, education,

age, and ethnicity or race.


3) According to C. Wright Mills, the sociological perspective enables us the ability to grasp the

connection between social institutions and social dynamics.

Answer: FALSE Diff: 1 Page Ref: 2Skill: Knowledge

4) Although anthropologists study the same groups as sociologists, anthropologists place a

greater emphasis on processes that occur within the individual including emotions,

perceptions, and dreams.

Answer: FALSE Diff: 3 Page Ref: 4Skill: Application

5) Tradition and the scientific method share many similarities, including systematic observation

and common sense.

Answer: FALSE Diff: 1 Page Ref: 6-7Skill: Knowledge

6) Herbert Spencer believed the most capable and intelligent members of a society would survive

while the weak and ʺless fitʺ would die, thus improving society in a master plan he called

ʺsurvival of the fittest.ʺ

Answer: TRUE Diff: 2 Page Ref: 8Skill: Comprehension

7) Credited with the founding of sociology, Auguste Comte was well known for his rigorous

scientific studies of social life in nineteenth century France that are still used today to explain human behavior.


8) Karl Marx did not think of himself as a sociologist, preferring instead to concentrate his

research efforts on history, philosophy, economics, and political science.


9) Emile Durkheim showed, through rigorous scientific research, that social factors and not

spontaneous events, underlie the rates of suicide among different groups.


10) Max Weber argued that the central force in social change was religion.


11) Max Weber emphasized the subjective meaning of human behavior, while Durkheim stressed

what he called social facts, which he defined as the patterns of behavior that define a social

group.

Answer: TRUE Diff: 1 Page Ref: 12-13Skill: Knowledge

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12) Talcott Parsons was one of the major American social reformers of the 1940s, creating and

applying detailed models that demonstrated the ability of society to change and become more equitable for all classes.


13) C. Wright Mills urged American sociologists to concentrate on social reform, developing the

concept of the power elite to illustrate how top leaders of business, politics, and the military

were an imminent threat to American freedom.


14) According to the principles of symbolic interactionism, symbols not only allow relationships to

exist, they also allow society to exist.


15) To understand society, functionalists maintain that we need to examine both structure, how

parts of a society fit together to make the whole, and function, what each part contributes to

society.


16) Merton defines a latent dysfunction as an unintended negative outcome of an action which

was originally designed to benefit the social system.


17) Families today provide a greater number of functions for its members than ever before, which

has caused a strain in family relationships and a weakening of family bonds.


18) Sociologist Lewis Coser notes that conflict is especially likely to occur among

individuals who are in close relationships.


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19) Theorists using the symbolic interactionist perspective usually focus on social interaction

based on a micro-level of analysis.


20) Sociologists have always agreed the most important goal of sociology is to generate social

change.


1.3 Short Answer Questions

1) What is social location?

Answer: Social location is the group memberships that people have because of their location in

history and society. Diff: 1 Page Ref: 2Skill: Knowledge

2) Sociologist C. Wright Mills stressed ʺthe sociological perspective enables us to grasp the

connection between _________ and ________.ʺ

Answer: history; biography Diff: 3 Page Ref: 2Skill: Application

3) In addressing the sociological perspective, what did C. Wright Mills mean by history?

Answer: Each society is located on a broad stream of events. Because of this, each society has

specific characteristics, such as its ideas about the proper roles of men and women. Diff: 1 Page Ref: 2Skill: Knowledge

4) The social science whose emphasis is on processes that occur within the individual, within

what is called ʺthe skin bound organismʺ, and focuses on mental process is ________.

Answer: psychology Diff: 1 Page Ref: 4Skill: Knowledge

5) What is the primary difference between the social and natural sciences?

Answer: The social sciences examine human relationships and attempt to objectively

understand the social world while the natural sciences objectively try to understand the

world of nature and the lawful relationships that are not obvious but must be

discovered through controlled observation.

Diff: 4 Page Ref: 4Skill: Analysis

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6) The two goals of a scientific discipline are to ________ and ________.

Answer: explain why something happens; make generalizations that can be applied to a broader

group Diff: 1 Page Ref: 5Skill: Knowledge

7) What is the underlying difference between the justification for what is followed as tradition

and what is accepted as science?

Answer: Tradition is based on superstition, myth, the position of the stars, and other non-testable assumptions. Science is based on the development of theories that can be tested through research.

Diff: 3 Page Ref: 6Skill: Application

8) How did Comte and Spencer view the purpose of sociology?

Answer: Comte believed sociology should guide social reform. Spencer believed in a ʺsurvival of

the fittestʺ philosophy that discouraged aid to the poor, homeless, destitute, and

underprivileged. Diff: 1 Page Ref: 7-8Skill: Knowledge

9) The ʺsecond founderʺ of sociology who proposed that charity and helping the poor was wrong

and actually harmful to society was ________.

Answer: Herbert Spencer Diff: 1 Page Ref: 8Skill: Knowledge

10) Why did Durkheimʹs research support the position that suicide was more of a sociological

issue rather than one based on psychological theory?

Answer: Durkheimʹs comparison of suicide rates in several countries revealed that people are

more likely to commit suicide if their ties to others in their communities are weak. He also discovered how suicide rates within specific countries and cultures remain constant while they differ considerably between cultures. This suggests a social basis (sociology) rather than an individualistic basis (psychology) for the cause of suicide.

Diff: 4 Page Ref: 9-10Skill: Analysis

11) Karl Marx claimed that ________ was the central force of social change, while Max Weber

argued that ________ was actually the central force of social change.

Answer: economics; religion Diff: 1 Page Ref: 10Skill: Knowledge

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12) The German word that is literally translated as ʺto understandʺ and was used by Weber to

mean ʺto grasp by insightʺ is ________.

Answer: Verstehen Diff: 1 Page Ref: 12Skill: Knowledge

13) Harriet Martineau documented her research of American social institutions in her book Society

in America, but she is primarily known for ________.

Answer: translating Comteʹs books into English Diff: 1 Page Ref: 15Skill: Knowledge

14) What did C. Wright Mills mean by the term ʺthe power eliteʺ?

Answer: He referred to the top leaders of business, politics, and the military who made the major

policy decisions of the nation as the power elite. Diff: 2 Page Ref: 19Skill: Comprehension

15) Sociologically, we use the term symbols to mean ________.

Answer: the things to which we attach meaning Diff: 1 Page Ref: 22Skill: Knowledge

16) How did Robert Merton define the essence of functionalism?

Answer: Merton referred to functionalism as the image of society as a whole composed of parts

that work together. Diff: 2 Page Ref: 24Skill: Comprehension

17) What do a manifest function and a latent function have in common and how are they

different?

Answer: Both a manifest function and a latent function are beneficial consequences of an

individualʹs actions or an agencyʹs operation. The manifest function is intended while the latent function is unintended.


18) What are the similarities and differences between macro- and micro-levels of analysis?

Answer: Both macro- and micro-levels of analysis examine the patterns of society. Macro -level

analysis focuses on large scale patterns of society while micro-levels of

analysis are more concerned with social interaction and what people do when they are in

anotherʹs presence.

Diff: 6 Page Ref: 28Skill: Evaluation

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19) What were the three stages in the development of sociology in the United States?

Answer: Stage One: the need to do research in order to improve society. Stage Two: the emphasis on basic or pure sociology, research and theory aimed at making discoveries about life in human groups. Stage Three: an awareness of the potential sociologists have to bring about social change through an application of social findings.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 28-30Skill: Knowledge

20) What is public sociology?

Answer: Public sociology is an effort by the American Sociological Association to make the

public, especially politicians and policy makers, more aware of the sociological

perspective, to use data produced by sociologists, and to apply the sociological

understanding to how society works. Diff: 1 Page Ref: 30Skill: Knowledge

1.4 Essay Questions

1) Define what is sociologically meant by social location? Why do very few people share exactly

the same social location?

Answer: Social location is the group membership that people have because of their position in

history and society. In includes, but is not limited to, oneʹs occupation, income,

education, age, gender, race, ethnicity, and other characteristics that people occupy in

society. The reason every individualʹs social location is unique is because of the vast

diversity on individuals and the numbers of variables that come into play when

determining oneʹs precise social location. Diff: 4 Page Ref: 2Skill: Analysis

2) What four social sciences does the author cite as being most closely aligned with sociology?

What is the fundamental emphasis of each?

Answer: The answer is found on page four under the subheading The Social Sciences. The

disciplines are anthropology, economics, political science, and psychology. Summarize the emphasis of each discipline as described by the author.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 4Skill: Comprehension

3) Trace the historical development of sociology in Europe.

Answer: Refer to the subheading ʺOrigins of Sociologyʺ and describe the pre-19th century

thought popular at that time and how it challenged the more traditional thinking of the feudal period. Include the influence of industrialization, immigration, and urbanization and how these changes in society created a need to change the understanding of human interaction. Conclude the answer with a brief description of the contributions of Comte, Spencer, Durkheim, Marx, and Martineau. Be sure to explain the concept of positivism.

Diff: 1 Page Ref: 6-11Skill: Knowledge

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4) Explain the development of Social Darwinism and how this concept differs significantly from

the philosophical ideals held by most other sociologists.

Answer: Refer to the subheading on ʺHerbert Spencer and Social Darwinismʺ. Explain how

Spencer was influenced by Darwinʹs work On the Origin of Species and the importance of the ʺsurvival of the fittestʺ in explaining Social Darwinism. Define the concept, noting it rejected any notion of charity and helping the poor. Sociologists in America would be especially appalled by the notion of Social Darwinism because of their commitment to social reform. But even European sociologists who were more theoretical, did not embrace the concept.

Diff: 5 Page Ref: 7-8Skill: Synthesis

5) Identify and explain the position taken by Max Weber as it pertained to the values held by

researchers. What was the consensus held by sociologists as it pertained to research and

values?

Answer: Refer to the subheading ʺValues in Sociological Researchʺ. Explain how Weber insisted

on research being value free, that a sociologistʹs values, personal beliefs about what is

good or worthwhile in life and the way the world ought to be, should not affect

research. Weber stressed objectivity, or total neutrality, to be the hallmark of social

research. There is no consensus by sociologists in regard to the issue of values, although

there is agreement that bias, distorting data to make it fit preconceived ideas, and fraud

are unacceptable. Diff: 4 Page Ref: 11-12Skill: Analysis

6) How did Weber explain the emergence of the spirit of capitalism?

Answer: Weber believed that religion was the central force in social change. Protestants believed

that financial success was a ʺsignʺ by which they were saved and in ʺGodʹs will.ʺ To

enhance this ʺsignʺ of salvation, they began to live frugal lives and invest the surplus

money they made. As a result, they made more money. This readiness to invest money

was what Weber called ʺthe spirit of capitalism.ʺ Diff: 4 Page Ref: 11

Skill: Analysis

7) What is a ʺfunction?ʺ What is a ʺdysfunction?ʺ Briefly describe how functions and

dysfunctions can be ʺmanifestʺ as well as ʺlatent.ʺ

Answer: Functions are beneficial consequences of peopleʹs actions that help a system to remain in

balance. Dysfunctions are the human actions that hurt the system Manifest functions

and dysfunctions are those that are planned or intended: latent functions or dysfunctions are those that are not planned or intended.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 24-25Skill: Comprehension

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8) Summarize the main points of Karl Marxʹs theory of class conflict.

Answer: Marx felt the key to human history was based on class struggle. In every society there is

a small group that controls the means of production and exploits those who do not. In

industrialized society, this struggle is between the bourgeoisie, the small group of

capitalists, who own the means to produce wealth and the proletariat, the workers, who

are exploited by the capitalists. The capitalists are in control of the societyʹs politics and

use the power of the state to control the workers if they rebel. Diff: 2 Page Ref: 27-28Skill: Comprehension

9) Briefly describe the four factors which contributed to the emergence of sociology as a

discipline in the nineteenth century.

Answer: The four factors contributing to the emergence of sociology were: the Industrial

Revolution, the American and French revolutions, imperialism, and the success of the natural sciences in applying the scientific method in answering questions about the natural environment. The Industrial Revolution caused a great social upheaval in Europe, the shift from agriculture to factory production brought about many changes in peopleʹs lives. These changes included an increase in urbanization, horrible working conditions, and the failure of tradition in providing answers for their life experiences. Second, the American and French revolutions introduced new ideas about individualsʹ inalienable rights. As a result, more democratic forms of governance were introduced and tradition no longer provided adequate answers for individuals. Imperialism exposed Europeans to radically different cultures and brought up the question of why cultures differed. And, with the success of the natural sciences in answering questions about the natural environment by using the scientific method, some thought it logical to apply this method to questions about the social world.


10) What evidence supports the allegation of sexism being a major part of social interaction in

American society until at least the 1950s?

Answer: Sex roles were rigidly defined both in traditional practices as well as legally. Women

were expected to be devoted to the four Cs (Ks in German) which were church, cooking, children, and clothes. Women received less formal education than men and colleges and universities were biased towards accepting only men. Women were often barred from holding professional positions, legally prohibited from voting until 1920, and their writings were ignored. A woman did not hold a presidential cabinet position until the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt. There has never been a woman candidate by a major party for President in the United States and the only one vice -presidential candidate of a major party was a woman.

Diff: 4 Page Ref: 14Skill: Analysis

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11) Social life can be interpreted from one of three major theoretical frameworks. Describe the

major points of each framework. List at least one sociologist who has been identified with each of these three frameworks.

Answer: Summarize the subsection of the text, ʺTheoretical Perspectives in Sociologyʺ describing

symbolic interactionism, functional analysis, and the conflict perspective. Provide a

comprehensive definition of each as presented by the author. Theorists associated with

symbolic interactionism include Mead, Cooley, and Thomas. Those associated with

functional analysis include include Durkheim, Spencer, Parsons, and Merton. Marx,

Dahrendorf, Coser, and Domhoff represent the conflict perspective. Diff: 2 Page Ref: 21-28Skill: Comprehension

12) Describe the major differences between basic (pure) sociology and applied sociology.

Answer: Basic or ʺpureʺ sociology is directed toward the development of theory and research

which attempts to answer basic questions about human social groups, but not at making changes in these groups. Applied sociology involves the practical application of sociological knowledge to solve problems and shape social policy.


13) Summarize what Weber meant by verstehen and what Durkheim meant by social facts. How

does a sociologist utilize both concepts?

Answer: Refer to the subsection ʺVerstehen and Social Factsʺ that includes ʺWeber and Verstehenʺ,

ʺDurkheim and Social Factsʺ, and ʺHow Social Facts and Verstehen Fit Togetherʺ.

Address the subjective meaning of verstehen as it was intended by Weber and the

objectivity of social facts as it was intended by Durkheim. Address how qualitative

research involves working closely with, and appreciating the plight of those being

studied (homeless, poor, institutionalized, and others) while at the same time the

researcher must address the facts revealed through research. Diff: 2 Page Ref: 13-14Skill: Comprehension

14) Trace the development of sociology as an academic discipline in North America from the late

1800s until the mid 20th century.

Answer: Sociology first took root at the University of Kansas in 1890 followed by the University

of Chicago in 1892 and Atlanta University in 1897. The first actual sociology curriculum

is being credited as being established at the University of Chicago, primarily due to the

tremendous social change that Chicago was experiencing. Sociology didnʹt cross the

border into Canada until 1922 when it was adopted at McGill University. Some of the

most prestigious universities in America did not adopt sociology for a number of years.

It appeared in Harvard in 1930 and the University of California at Berkeley in the 1950s.

Although the University of Chicago was actually the second American university to

adopt sociology, it had the greatest impact in shaping the discipline as it is practiced

and taught in American society. Diff: 2 Page Ref: 16Skill: Comprehension

21

15) Describe how globalization is likely to have a significant effect on U.S. sociology.

Answer: With globalization, national boundaries are weakening and as a consequence sociologists will likely broaden their field of study and base more of their findings on global samples, rather than U.S. samples. This globalization is also likely to motivate sociologists to more vigorously pursue the identification of universal principles.

Diff: 6 Page Ref: 31Skill: Evaluation

1.5 Open Book Questions

1) Define social location, then provide a detailed account of your own social location, how it has

changed in the past year, and how you expect it to change in the next five years.

Answer: Answers might include: Social location is the group memberships that people have

because of their location in history and society. Oneʹs individual social location will

include age, occupation (part-time or full-time), sex, race or ethnicity, income, class,

marital status, and a number of other variables. Oneʹs social location changes constantly. A year ago the college student may have been a high school

student, a different age, holding a different part-time or full-time job. The ascribed

statuses of the student (race, ethnicity, sex, and others) are less likely to change. Five years

from now the student may expect to be five years older, a college graduate, holding a

professional position, holding a different marital status, and other changes that can be

predicted with some certainty.

Diff: 5 Page Ref: 2Skill: Synthesis

2) List and describe the various social sciences that are related to sociology. Point out the

similarities and differences between sociology and each of the related social sciences you have listed. Based on what you have learned so far about sociology and your knowledge of the other disciplines, which social science appeals the most to you and why?

Answer: Answers need to include political science, economics, anthropology, and psychology.

The similarities and differences between each of these disciplines and sociology can be

found under the subsection The Social Sciences. The personal choice of the student in

picking one of the social sciences over the others may be based on what they believe the

discipline entails and not necessarily what it actually addresses. Diff: 4 Page Ref: 3-5Skill: Analysis

3) Describe the historic major contributions made by women and minority sociologists as

documented in the text.

Answer: Answer needs to include the contributions of Harriet Martineau, Jane Addams, and

W.E.B. DuBois. Martineau distinguished herself by translating Comteʹs works into English, Addams by establishing Hull House and practicing applied sociology, and DuBois by working towards improving race relations and civil rights. The contributions of each individual should be explained in detail with special attention to the work of DuBois, the problems he faced, and the contributions he made.


22

4) The social Darwinist ideas of Herbert Spencer have been discredited, yet we still wrestle with

the issue of how to deal with people who are poor, disabled, criminal, ignorant, and lazy.

What social policies might Spencer have advocated to deal with such people? Compare

Spencerʹs likely response to the strategy underlying current social policies toward these

groups.

Answer: Answers might include: Spencer may have advocated refusing to provide public

support to such groups, isolating them to reduce the harm they could do, and preventing them from reproducing. Current social welfare policies are designed to provide some assistance for people who cannot provide for themselves, but to encourage people to take responsibility for their own welfare, to restrict the amount of public support for people who are physically and mentally able to support themselves, and to punish people who violate the law.

Diff: 6 Page Ref: 7-8Skill: Evaluation

5) Karl Marx predicted the proletariat would eventually overthrow the bourgeoisie in a violent

revolution. Why does Marxʹs analysis and prediction of class conflict, based on Marxʹs

observations of mid-nineteenth century England and Europe, not apply to Western,

industrialized societies today?

Answer: Answers might include: The class divisions that exist today are not so clear and sharp as

they were during Marxʹs lifetime. Although workers may still be ʺexploited,ʺ their lives

are not so miserable as in the nineteenth century. The division between ʺcapitalistsʺ and

ʺworkersʺ is also less clear in contemporary society, where a large proportion of the

population owns stock in corporations. Diff: 5 Page Ref: 8-9, 27-28Skill: Synthesis

6) Emile Durkheim identified low social integration as an important factor in suicide. How might

low social integration also be a factor in other types of destructive behavior crime, mental

illness, homelessness, and substance abuse?

Answer: Answers might include: People who are poorly integrated into social groups do not

have people watching their behavior closely, caring about them, making demands on

them, encouraging them, criticizing them, and providing for their physical and

emotional needs. Diff: 5 Page Ref: 9-10Skill: Synthesis

7) The proper role of values in sociology continues to be debated. Describe in your own words

John Galliherʹs position (page 12) on this question?

Answer: Answers might include: Galliher cites important historic and current incidents of

destructiveness of people toward one another and the natural environment. In writing ʺa value-free and nonjudgmental social science has no place in a worldʺ that has produced these events, he asserts that social science that is not guided by values is not worthy of study. He might also be thinking of the use of pseudo-science to justify some destructive policies (e.g., the Nazi theory of racial superiority).

Diff: 5 Page Ref: 12Skill: Synthesis

23

8) The social history of the family (pages 25 -26) clearly shows that many functions previously

performed by the family are now performed by other institutions. List the functions currently

performed by most families in your own experience. Do families provide fewer or different

functions than previously?

Answer: Answers might include: Functions currently performed by families include: providing

food, clothing, and shelter for young children; coordinating the work schedules of two

wage earners; providing transportation to work, school, after -school, and recreational

activities for adults and children; coordinating financial matters for all members;

providing moral guidance and supervision for children; providing for romantic and

sexual activities for marriage partners; providing for recreational activities for marriage

partners and young children. The discussion of changing functions should acknowledge

that families still perform many functions, although many are different from the

functions provided by families in earlier generations. In addition, families face a greater

and much different type of strain on families in todayʹs fiercely competitive society.

Children are subjected to greater and more dangerous temptations on the street and

from their peers. These greater dangers include drugs, sexual predators, and negative

peer influence. Raising a family is far more expensive in comparative dollars and

quality family time is less. Diff: 6 Page Ref: 25-27Skill: Evaluation

9) Combine verstehen and social facts (pages 12-14) to explain why your college or university

attracts students possessing similar characteristics.

Answer: Answers might include: Regarding verstehen, colleges and universities have images and

reputations that attract specific groups of students; answers might include the particular

image or reputation of the studentsʹ institution. Regarding social facts, each institution

has a market based on cost, geographical location, program offerings, and a tendency

for children of alumni to attend the same institution as their parents; answers might

include a description of these characteristics, which are unique to each

institution. Diff: 5 Page Ref: 12-14Skill: Synthesis

10) Imagine yourself as majoring in sociology or one of its subfields. What would be some of the

responsibilities listed in your job description? Describe what you would specifically do, the

type of people with whom you would interact, and your ultimate goal in being a sociologist.

How did your specific choice of sociology as a career compare to the major you have

declared?

Answer: Answers would probably conform to the boxed section ʺCareers in Sociology: What

Applied Sociologists Doʺ. Specific answers would be expected to be wide and varied. In many other disciplines there is a role sociology plays. Each of these should be explored in greater detail.

Diff: 6 Page Ref: 19-21Skill: Evaluation

24

1.6 Line Art Questions

Figure 1.1 How Americans Commit Suicide

1) After examining Figure 1.1 ʺHow Americans Commit Suicideʺ found on page 11, which of the

following conclusions is most accurate?

A) African Americans and whites commit suicide in similar ways.

B) More African Americans than whites commit suicide.

C) The availability of firearms is the cause of suicide.

D) Suicide has declined in the past ten years.


Figure 1.3 Comparing Basic and Applied Sociology

2) Elliot is a systems analyst for the Department of Health. In his position he evaluates the

effectiveness of health care programs in rural communities. Based on Figure 1.3 on page 19 ʺComparing Basic and Applied Sociologyʺ, which description best fits Elliotʹs role as a sociologist?

A) Elliot would best be classified as a dedicated basic sociologist.

B) Elliot would best be classified as a dedicated applied sociologist.

C) Elliot shares traits of both basic and applied sociologists but leans more towards the basic

model.

D) Elliot shares traits of both basic and applied sociologists but leans more towards the

applied model.

Answer: D Diff: 3 Page Ref: 19Skill: Application

3) Based on Figure 1.3 ʺComparing Basic and Applied Sociologyʺ, found on page 19, what is the

difference between basic and applied sociology in regards to the audience and product of the

effort?

Answer: In basic sociology the audience is fellow sociologists and the product of their effort is

knowledge. Applied sociologists attempt to achieve change for their audience which is

their clientele. Diff: 6 Page Ref: 19Skill: Evaluation

Figure 1.4 U.S. Marriage, U.S. Divorce

4) Figure 1.4 ʺU.S. Marriage, U.S. Divorceʺ found on page 24 generally indicates that ________.

A) both marriage and divorce have stabilized since 1980

B) marriage is on the decrease while divorce is on the increase

C) marriage is on the increase while divorce is on the decrease

D) both marriage and divorce have decreased since 1980


1.7 Vocabulary Matching

Match the term with the definition.

1) science A) the application of systematicDiff: 1 Page Ref: 3 methods to obtain knowledge andSkill: Knowledge the knowledge obtained by those

methods

2) generalizationDiff: 1 Page Ref: 5 B) total neutrality, as encouraged inSkill: Knowledge research

3) common senseDiff: 1 Page Ref: 5 Skill: Knowledge

4) positivismDiff: 1 Page Ref: 7 Skill: Knowledge

5) bourgeoisieDiff: 1 Page Ref: 8 Skill: Knowledge

6) proletariatDiff: 1 Page Ref: 9 Skill: Knowledge

7) replicationDiff: 1 Page Ref: 12 Skill: Knowledge

8) objectivityDiff: 1 Page Ref: 11 Skill: Knowledge

9) basic sociologyDiff: 1 Page Ref: 19 Skill: Knowledge

10) applied sociologyDiff: 1 Page Ref: 19 Skill: Knowledge

11) theoryDiff: 1 Page Ref: 21 Skill: Knowledge

12) micro-analysis Diff: 1 Page Ref:

28Skill: Knowledge

13) sociologyDiff: 1 Page Ref: 7 Skill: Knowledge

C) a general statement about how

some parts of the world fittogether and how they work

D) sociological research whose purpose is to make

discoveriesabout life in human groups

E) the scientific study of society and

human behavior

F) repeating a study in order to test

its findings

G) a statement that goes beyond the

individual case and is applied to a

broader group or situation

H) Marxʹs term for the exploited class, the mass of workers who

donot own the means of production

I) the application of the scientific

approach to the social world

J) the degree to which people feel a

part of social groups

K) an examination of large-scale

patterns of society

L) Marxʹs term for capitalists, those

who own the means of production

M) those things that ʺeveryone

knowsʺ are true

N) the use of sociology to solve

problems

O) an examination of small-scale

patterns of society

28

14) macro-analysis Diff: 1 Page Ref: 28Skill: Knowledge

15) social integrationDiff: 1 Page Ref: 10Skill: Knowledge

1) A 2) G 3) M 4) I 5) L 6) H7) F 8) B 9) D 10) N 11) C 12) O

13) E 14) K 15) J

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