Question 1

You walk into your women's studies class,and you look at the person sitting to your left.He is the only male in the class;he is about 20 years old,wears a wedding ring,and carries a bag with a tennis racquet.Which of his characteristics is most likely his master status in the context of this class?
A)his age
B)his marital status
C)his gender
D)his interest in tennis

Accepted Answer

In a women's studies class, where the focus is on gender issues and women's experiences, the male student's gender is most likely to be seen as his master status. This means that it will be the defining characteristic that informs how others perceive and interact with him, and may influence his experiences and opportunities within the class. The other characteristics (age, marital status, interest in tennis) are all secondary to his gender in this context.

Question 2

An ascribed status is a social position
A)attained by a person largely through his or her own efforts.
B)"assigned" to a person by society without regard for the person's unique talents or characteristics.
C)that is earned.
D)that is reached as a result of negotiation.

Accepted Answer

Ascribed status is a social position that is assigned to a person by society without regard for the person's unique talents or characteristics. It is largely based on traits such as age, gender, race, and family background, which are beyond an individual's control. Therefore, option B is the correct choice. Options A, C, and D refer to achieved status, which is based on an individual's efforts or accomplishments.

Question 3

According to Herbert Blumer,a distinctive characteristic of human interaction is that
A)the reality of humans is shaped by our perceptions and evaluations.
B)humans respond to behavior based on the meaning we attach to the actions of others.
C)humans interpret or define each other's actions.
D)All of these answers are correct.

Accepted Answer

All of these answers are correct according to Herbert Blumer. Blumer's symbolic interactionism emphasizes the importance of meaning in human interaction and how individuals interpret and define each other's actions. He also argues that reality is shaped by our perceptions and evaluations, and humans respond to behavior based on the meaning we attach to the actions of others.

Question 4

Ray is an African American who is currently enrolled at a four-year university where he is studying social work.Which of the following is his achieved status?
A)social worker
B)male
C)African American
D)college student

Accepted Answer

Ray's achieved status is being a college student, as it is something he has actively worked towards and achieved through his own efforts. Being male and African American are ascribed statuses, meaning they were assigned to him at birth and not something he can change or control. Social worker is not an achieved status for Ray as he is currently studying to become one, but has not yet completed his education and begun working in that field.

Question 5

Which term is used by sociologists to refer to any of the full range of socially defined positions within a large group or society?
A)status
B)culture
C)social structure
D)Gemeinschaft

Accepted Answer

Status refers to any of the full range of socially defined positions within a large group or society. Culture refers to the beliefs, values, behaviors, and artifacts that make up a way of life for a group of people. Social structure refers to the patterned social arrangements that exist in society, such as the relationships between individuals and social institutions. Gemeinschaft is a term used by sociologists to refer to a small, traditional community with strong social ties.

Question 6

An achieved status is a social position
A)attained by a person largely through his or her own efforts.
B)"assigned" to a person by society without regard for the person's unique talents or characteristics.
C)that is assigned to an individual at birth.
D)that is given to an individual based upon his or her age,race,or gender.

Accepted Answer

Achieved status is a social position that an individual attains largely through their own efforts, such as education, hard work, or skill development. It is different from ascribed status, which is a social position that is assigned to an individual at birth or based on characteristics such as age, race, or gender.

Question 7

Social interaction is
A)the process of learning norms,values,beliefs,and other requirements for effective participation in social groups.
B)the way in which a society is organized into predictable relationships.
C)the ways in which people respond to one another.
D)a series of relationships linking a person directly to others and therefore indirectly to still more people.

Accepted Answer

Social interaction refers to the ways in which people respond to one another, such as through verbal and nonverbal communication and behavior. While A and D may be components of social interaction, they do not fully encompass the concept as a whole. B refers to social organization rather than interaction.

Question 8

Ascribed statuses may be based on an individual's
A)race.
B)gender.
C)age.
D)All of these answers are correct.

Accepted Answer

Ascribed statuses are statuses that individuals are assigned at birth or assume involuntarily later in life. Race, gender, and age are all examples of ascribed statuses. Therefore, all of the answer choices are correct.

Question 9

Which of the following statements about an ascribed status is correct?
A)It is easy to change when an individual becomes older.
B)It has the same social meaning in every society.
C)It is based on an individual's skills.
D)It is generally biological in origin,but significant mainly because of the social meanings attached to it within a given culture.

Accepted Answer

An ascribed status is generally based on an individual's biological characteristics, such as sex or race, but its significance is mainly based on the social meanings attached to it within a given culture. It is difficult to change an ascribed status because it is not something that an individual has control over. As people age, their ascribed status may become more significant, rather than less important. Ascribed status varies greatly between different cultures and societies, so it does not have the same social meaning in every society. skills are not a factor in determining an individual's ascribed status.

Question 10

Which of the following is true regarding marriage in Japan?
A)Most husbands do not call their wife by name.
B)Husbands say "I love you" more often than other nationalities.
C)Most married Japanese couples do not actually love one another.
D)Marriage is considered more a relationship than a social status.

Accepted Answer

It is considered impolite to use someone's name in Japan and using one's spouse's name is even more intimate, therefore, most husbands do not use their wife's name in conversation.

Question 11

An individual can acquire an achieved status by
A)attending school.
B)establishing a friendship.
C)inventing a new product.
D)All of these answers are correct.

Accepted Answer

An achieved status is a social position that a person chooses or achieves on their own. Attending school can lead to a person achieving a status such as a graduate or scholar. Establishing a friendship can lead to a person achieving a status such as a confidante or close companion. Inventing a new product can lead to a person achieving a status such as an entrepreneur or inventor. Therefore, all the options presented in this question are correct.

Question 12

Which sociological perspective is especially interested in ascribed statuses because they often confer privileges or reflect a person's membership in a subordinate group?
A)functionalist perspective
B)conflict perspective
C)interactionist perspective
D)global perspective

Accepted Answer

The conflict perspective is especially interested in ascribed statuses because they often confer privileges or reflect a person's membership in a subordinate group. This is because the conflict perspective focuses on power struggles between groups in society, and ascribed statuses can play a role in determining which groups hold power and which are marginalized or oppressed.

Question 13

Jan,Randy,and Terry are science majors,and when they graduate from college,they find jobs as a nurse,a midwife,and a hospital administrator,respectively.These new positions are examples of
A)statuses.
B)social roles.
C)groups.
D)social networks.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Jan,Randy,and Terry are science majors,and when they...

Question 14

Philip Zimbardo's study of a simulated prison environment that used college students as prisoners and prison guards
A)indicated that it is impossible to replicate a "real life" situation in a laboratory.
B)demonstrated that a social structure can influence the type of social interactions that occur.
C)indicated that social interactions are not influenced by social structure characteristics.
D)All of these answers are correct.

Accepted Answer

Zimbardo's study showed that the simulated prison environment, which created a particular social structure (with guards having power over prisoners) influenced the type of social interactions that occurred. This suggests that social structure characteristics can impact behavior and social interactions. The study does not suggest that it is impossible to replicate real-life situations in a laboratory, nor does it suggest that social interactions are not influenced by social structure characteristics.

Question 15

Which of the following terms refers to the way in which a society is organized into predictable relationships?
A)socialization
B)social structure
C)social interaction
D)culture

Accepted Answer

Social structure refers to the way in which a society is organized into predictable relationships, such as family, education system, government, and economy. Socialization refers to the process of learning and internalizing the values, beliefs, and norms of a particular culture. Social interaction refers to the ways people communicate and interact with each other. Culture refers to the shared values, beliefs, and customs of a particular group of people.

Question 16

Which of the following is an achieved status?
A)race
B)gender
C)occupation
D)age

Accepted Answer

Achieved status refers to a social position that a person acquires on the basis of merit or personal qualities such as occupation, education level, and income. Race, gender, and age are examples of ascribed status, meaning that they are assigned to individuals at birth and do not change throughout their lifetime.

Question 17

When Malcolm X's eighth grade teacher dismissed Malcolm's desired career goal of lawyer and instead suggested he become a carpenter,the teacher was viewing Malcolm's race as a(n)
A)achieved status.
B)master status.
C)ascribed status.
D)assigned status.

Accepted Answer

The answer of When Malcolm X's eighth grade teacher dismissed...

Question 18

William I.Thomas wrote from which perspective when observing that people respond not only to the objective features of a person or situation but also to the meaning that person or situation has for them?
A)functionalist perspective
B)conflict perspective
C)interactionist perspective
D)feminist perspective

Accepted Answer

William I. Thomas's observation of people responding not only to the objective features but also to the personal meaning is the basis of the interactionist perspective in sociology. This perspective focuses on the symbolic meanings that individuals give to objects, events, and behaviors and how these meanings influence their behavior and communication with others.

Question 19

A master status is a
A)category used by sociologists for any of the full range of socially defined positions within a large group or society.
B)social position attained by a person largely through his or her own efforts.
C)status that dominates others and thereby determines a person's general position within society.
D)series of social relationships linking a person directly to others and therefore indirectly to still more people.

Accepted Answer

A master status is a dominant status that determines a person's general position within society. It may override other statuses that a person holds and become the defining characteristic of their social identity. Examples of master statuses include occupation, race, gender, and religion.

Question 20

One crucial aspect of the relationship between dominant and subordinate groups is the ability of the dominant group to
A)define a society's values.
B)define social reality.
C)mold the "definition of the situation."
D)All these answers are correct.

Accepted Answer

All of these options are correct. The dominant group in society has the power to define and shape cultural values, social reality, and the interpretation of situations. By controlling the dominant discourse, the dominant group can secure their position of power and legitimize their actions and beliefs while suppressing and marginalizing the perspectives and experiences of subordinate groups.

Quiz 16: Social Interaction and Social Structure

You walk into your women's studies class,and you look at the person sitting to your left.He is the only male in the class;he is about 20 years old,wears a wedding ring,and carries a bag with a tennis racquet.Which of his characteristics is most likely his master status in the context of this class?

An ascribed status is a social position

According to Herbert Blumer,a distinctive characteristic of human interaction is that

Ray is an African American who is currently enrolled at a four-year university where he is studying social work.Which of the following is his achieved status?

Which term is used by sociologists to refer to any of the full range of socially defined positions within a large group or society?

An achieved status is a social position

Social interaction is

Ascribed statuses may be based on an individual's

Which of the following statements about an ascribed status is correct?

Which of the following is true regarding marriage in Japan?

An individual can acquire an achieved status by

Which sociological perspective is especially interested in ascribed statuses because they often confer privileges or reflect a person's membership in a subordinate group?

Jan,Randy,and Terry are science majors,and when they graduate from college,they find jobs as a nurse,a midwife,and a hospital administrator,respectively.These new positions are examples of

Philip Zimbardo's study of a simulated prison environment that used college students as prisoners and prison guards

Which of the following terms refers to the way in which a society is organized into predictable relationships?

Which of the following is an achieved status?

When Malcolm X's eighth grade teacher dismissed Malcolm's desired career goal of lawyer and instead suggested he become a carpenter,the teacher was viewing Malcolm's race as a(n)

William I.Thomas wrote from which perspective when observing that people respond not only to the objective features of a person or situation but also to the meaning that person or situation has for them?

A master status is a

One crucial aspect of the relationship between dominant and subordinate groups is the ability of the dominant group to