Deck 1: Understanding and Solving Social Problems

Question 1

Which term describes the rules, values, beliefs, and material goods of a society?

A) social structure
B) social constructionism
C) social problems
D) culture

Answer 1

D

Question 2

What is an example of sociology in action?

A) Collecting data on terrorist events and building a large dataset to study.
B) Utilizing research to encourage universities to improve their response to sexual assault.
C) Presenting a paper on social inequality at a conference.
D) Publishing peer-reviewed research identifying the negative impact of social inequality.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Based on their life's work, which sociologist can be described as a sociologist in action-using their sociological skills to convince people that social injustices are social problems to be addressed?

A) Auguste Comte
B) W.E.B. Du Bois
C) Daniel Engber
D) Virginia Wesleyan

Answer 3

B

Question 4

______ was one of the first to argue that sociology could make sense of the social changes resulting from the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution.

A) Harriet Martineau
B) W.E.B. Du Bois
C) Auguste Comte
D) Jane Addams

Question 5

______ is an example of a social institution.

A) The government
B) A home
C) An apartment building
D) A car

Question 6

In 2006, a poll conducted by Langer Research Associates for ABC News found that 85% of people believed that climate change was caused by human activity. In 2018, the same poll found that the number had decreased to 81%. Based on what you know about how social problems are constructed, which explanation is the most likely cause for the decrease?

A) Scientists have become less successful in communicating the causes of climate change to the public.
B) In recent years, powerful corporations have worked harder to influence public opinion on climate change in a way that benefits the corporations.
C) There has been a decrease in the number of organized social movements related to climate change.
D) The media has reported on new scientific discoveries of other causes for climate change.

Question 7

Which statement about social problems is true?

A) Once social problems have been constructed, they cannot be deconstructed by culture or social institutions.
B) Social problems are rational fears experienced by large segments of society.
C) In order to determine if something is a social problem, one must first ensure that many people are negatively impacted.
D) Powerful individuals and groups can influence what society believes to be a social problem.

Question 8

People with the ______ have the most influence over what a society believes to be a social problem.

A) most intelligence
B) greatest passion
C) most power
D) most political connections

Question 9

What movement's ideas, values, and beliefs emphasized reason and rationality?

A) Renaissance
B) Enlightenment
C) Industrial Revolution
D) French Revolution

Question 10

Which sociologist of the early twentieth century used data to advocate for policies to address social problems?

A) Daniel Engber
B) Auguste Comte
C) Jane Addams
D) C. Wright Mills

Question 11

Jane Addams established one of the first settlement houses in the United States, Hull House, in order to ______.

A) educate women
B) house juvenile offenders
C) promote Pan-African organizing efforts
D) provide social services for low income immigrants

Question 12

Juanita is troubled by the rising number of shootings in her community. She lacks money and power, but desperately wants to make a lasting structural difference. If she is to be successful, what is the next thing she should do?

A) Stage a boycott of gun shops in town.
B) March through town with a sign to raise awareness.
C) Begin patrolling high-crime neighborhoods in her car to deter crime.
D) Form an organized group of like-minded people.

Question 13

Prior to the 2000s, portrayals of LGBTQ individuals in the media were overwhelmingly negative and hyperbolic. In a 2006 study, Edward Schiappa, Peter Gregg and Dean Hewes found that the TV show Will and Grace, which included more positive and "normal" portrayals of LGBTQ individuals than seen in years past, was successful in reducing homophobia. What does this study illustrate?

A) Society became less homophobic, which led to more positive portrayals in media.
B) LGBTQ individuals changed the way they were portrayal by gaining power in the media.
C) Social problems are constructed and deconstructed by societies.
D) Homophobia has only recently impacted enough people to be considered a social problem.

Question 14

In 1960, Lois Rabinowitz was ejected from a New York traffic court for wearing pants, which was considered indecent. In 2019, a federal judge struck down a dress code at a charter school in North Carolina that required girls to wear skirts, claiming that it was unconstitutional and discriminatory toward females. What conclusion can be inferred from this change?

A) The institution of the judiciary is becoming more responsive to public opinion.
B) Federal judges are more likely to be politically liberal than in the past.
C) Perceptions of social problems change over time.
D) The constitution has changed since 1960, and now ensures equal protections under the law.

Question 15

What researcher inspired W.E.B. Du Bois' data collection methods?

A) Jane Addams
B) August Comte
C) Harriet Martineau
D) Emile Durkheim

Question 16

Based on what you know about how social problems are constructed, which social issue is most likely to be considered a social problem?

A) Several gang-related burglaries occur in a gated community.
B) Lead is discovered in the drinking water of the poor section of town.
C) A large corporation's most popular product is found to cause cancer.
D) Millions of people go bankrupt each year because they cannot afford healthcare.

Question 17

Early in 2019, New York passed the "Reproductive Health Act," which reduced restrictions on abortion in the state. A few short months later, Georgia became the first of several states to pass laws imposing strict restrictions on abortion, including in the cases of rape and incest. What sociological concept demonstrates why two states passed such dramatically different laws to address a social problem at roughly the same time?

A) Northern states are more politically conservative than southern states.
B) Social constructions of what is-and is not-a social problem vary from state to state.
C) Abortion is a much more detrimental to society in Georgia than in New York.
D) The social structures in Georgia are more concerned about public opinion than in New York.

Question 18

Which entity determines what constitutes a social problem?

A) members of society
B) legislation
C) judges
D) sociologists

Question 19

The Enlightenment and ______ were catalysts for the formation of sociology as an academic discipline.

A) religion
B) monarchy
C) Renaissance
D) Industrial Revolution

Question 20

What did Jane Addams do with the research she conducted?

A) She used the data to further her scientific career.
B) She helped the military improve basic training programs.
C) She advocated for policies to end racism in the United States.
D) She convinced policy makers to address social problems.

Question 21

What is one characteristic of a good source of information for a literature review?
A) The research is published on

A)com website.
B) The research is conducted by a right-leaning political organization.
C) The research is funded by a for-profit organization.
D) The researcher explains in detail how data was collected.

Question 22

Which type of information is evaluated by experts in the relevant subject matter and is revised by the author based on those comments, prior to publication?

A) think-tank articles
B) news articles
C) political dissertations
D) peer-reviewed articles

Question 23

Bianca has developed her sociological imagination, and has begun to recognize all kinds of social patterns that she never realized existed in society. This skill is known as ______.

A) the second core commitment
B) political ideology
C) the sociological perspective
D) the sociological eye

Question 24

Which factor indicates that a source is trustworthy?
A) It is published on

A)edu or.gov website.
B) It includes information about who funded the research.
C) It was funded by an organization with a left-leaning political bias.
D) It was highly shared on social media.

Question 25

What is one characteristic of a bad source of information to look out for when conducting a literature review?
A) The organization publicizing the information has a slight political bias.
B) The research was funded by a corporation.
C) The researcher omits explaining data collection.
D) The information is published on

A)edu website.

Question 26

The two obligations, or core commitments of sociology, include the ability to use a "sociological eye," and ______.

A) sociological perspective
B) sociological imagination
C) social activism
D) social constructionism

Question 27

Successful social movements will research the social problem and possible solutions to the problem, as well as identify individuals and groups who can help support their cause. What is the next step?

A) Identify a goal that others can rally around.
B) Form an organized group.
C) Mobilize resources.
D) Organize effective actions.

Question 28

Dwayne plans on becoming a social scientist after graduating from a PhD program. As a black man, he recognizes that his academic choices would not have been available to him if he had been born in his great-grandparents' generation. What sociological skill is he using when he draws this conclusion?

A) sociological imagination
B) sociological eye
C) sociological perspective
D) sociological constructionism

Question 29

In the early years of the opioid crisis, individuals struggling with addiction were perceived as lacking willpower, and their struggles were criminalized. In recent years, several states sued pharmaceutical companies for misleading doctors about the addictive potential of the opioids they manufactured. Being able to identify the opioid crisis as a "public health problem" with structural causes is an example of what sociological concept?

A) sociological imagination
B) sociological eye
C) sociological perspective
D) sociological constructionism

Question 30

It is important for a social movement to form an organized group before planning a rally because ______.

A) political parties are typically associated with rallies
B) rallies are difficult to plan and require specialized resources
C) effective action comes after people organize and come together
D) rallies are not allowed in some cities unless an organized group is involved.

Question 31

What is a goal shared by all organized social movements?

A) change society
B) ensuring that people recognize social inequality
C) furthering scientific research
D) counteracting the influence of large corporations on public policy

Question 32

If you are able to connect your personal experiences with public issues, and recognize the historical context in which individuals make choices about their lives, what ability have you gained?

A) sociological perspective
B) sociological eye
C) sociological imagination
D) two core commitments

Question 33

After conducting a literature review, what is the next step in the social scientific research process?

A) collect and analyze data
B) decide what new data is needed
C) propose a solution
D) describe your findings

Question 34

Why did the same sex marriage movement become successful?

A) People generally become more accepting as time goes on.
B) Legislation negated the tyranny of the majority.
C) Fewer and fewer heterosexual people were marrying.
D) Organizing efforts paired with media campaigns and legal strategies.

Question 35

If a social movement successfully garnered public support for their cause, then this suggests that the ______.

A) cause involves a social issue impacting many individuals
B) public will begin to join the movement
C) movement is made up of high-status individuals
D) public will be ready for society to address the social problem

Question 36

You have identified a social problem you are interested in studying. According to the social scientific research process, what is your next step?

A) plan to collect data
B) collect and analyze data
C) decide on the type of data to collect
D) conduct a literature review

Question 37

By following the steps of the social science research process, researchers can protect against ______.

A) objectivity
B) generalizability
C) bias
D) replication

Question 38

According to the social scientific research process, once you have collected and analyzed data relating to your social problem, what should you do next?

A) describe the findings and propose how to solve it
B) determine how to implement solutions
C) publicize the findings
D) conduct a literature review

Question 39

What must you include in your research report in order to ensure that your research can be replicated?

A) description of sample and methodology
B) bibliography
C) qualitative research
D) literature review

Question 40

Which statement is true of ordinary individuals without high status who wish to change society?

A) They are unlikely to be involved with successful social movements.
B) They can gain power to cause change if they organize with others.
C) They can achieve change if they create an organized group along with high-status individuals.
D) They can reach their goals if they hold boycotts.

Question 41

An example of an effective strategy employed by the same sex marriage movement is their focus on changing the law through the court system.

Question 42

Jane Addams collected data on issues of social inequality for the purposes of lobbying policymakers to make structural changes to improve the lives of people in the community.

Question 43

One factor that explains why some social conditions harm many people, yet are not considered to be social problems, is that they do not impact higher-status individuals in society.

Question 44

Sociology emerged because of the need to understand and explain the dramatic cultural, political, and social changes resulting from the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution.

Question 45

The same sex marriage movement was successful because it utilized the power of organized groups working together.

Question 46

Social problems are social conditions that are objectively problematic to large numbers of people.

Question 47

All successful social movements identify goals, form organized groups, and create effective strategies.

Question 48

Social problems usually reflect the greatest threats to society.

Question 49

The American Revolution, and the dramatic social changes that followed, inspired intellectuals like August Comte to develop the science of sociology.

Question 50

Most people are capable of forming perceptions without being influenced by society or culture.

Question 51

Successful social movements change public perception about social conditions so that these conditions are viewed as problematic and that society needs structural change to address those problems.

Question 52

The issues defined as social problems differ from society to society, and may change over time.

Question 53

Social constructionists believe that what we perceive as a social problem is influenced by our culture.

Question 54

Jane Addams was known for applying her research to advocate for black Americans who were victims of racism and institutional discrimination.

Question 55

Social conditions that harm millions of people are the most likely to be considered social problems by a society.

Question 56

Hull House was inspired by settlement houses Addams observed in Europe.

Question 57

The Industrial Revolution led to a dramatic transformation in global economies.

Question 58

W.E.B. Du Bois was among the first sociologists to suggest that the science could be used to understand the dramatic social changes that took place after the Industrial Revolution.

Question 59

One example of how a social movement successfully mobilized resources is illustrated by the fact that the American Sociological Association submitted an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in favor of same sex marriage.

Question 60

The reason the same sex marriage movement was successful was due to the support and influential power of high-status individuals within society.

Question 61

It is possible for social conditions that harm millions of people to not be considered a social problem. Explain why this is the case.

Question 62

The two core commitments of sociology are using your sociological imagination and recognizing social patterns.

Question 63

Compare and contrast the characteristics of good and untrustworthy sources.

Question 64

The first step in the social scientific research process is to conduct a literature review.

Question 65

The second obligation or core commitment that comes from gaining a sociological perspective is to learn to recognize social patterns.

Question 66

Inaccurate media portrayals of the threat of quicksand led to widespread irrational fear among members of American society. Provide another example of irrational social panic masquerading as a social problem.

Question 67

If you want to ensure that others can replicate your research, you must include a detailed description of your sample and methodology when you publish your research.

Question 68

Sources published on ".edu" websites are not trustworthy.

Question 69

What major historical development inspired scientists to examine social life, ultimately leading to the creation of the academic discipline of sociology?

Question 70

If research data was collected properly, then the sample should be similar in demographics to the population that the researcher is studying.

Question 71

How does social constructionism help us understand how social problems can change over time and place? Give an example.

Question 72

Untrustworthy sources lack information about how data were collected and who funded the research.

Question 73

Learning to address problems from a societal perspective is a key component of developing your sociological imagination.

Question 74

Why are social problems considered to be social constructions?

Question 75

What innovative approach did Jane Addams utilize in applying the science of sociology?

Question 76

If you recognize that people often live in poverty due to societal factors outside of an individuals' control, then you have learned to apply your sociological imagination.

Question 77

How do the core commitments of sociology lead to social change?

Question 78

Describe the steps carried out by successful social movements.

Question 79

A core commitment of gaining a sociological perspective involves the development of a sociological eye by applying your sociological imagination. Identify a social problem and briefly discuss how you would use your sociological imagination to understand the causes and solutions of that problem.

Question 80

Knowing how the research was conducted is the most important factor in determining whether the research is credible.