Deck 1: Introduction to Sociology

Question 1

"Women are trying more but men are dying more" is a catchphrase used to describe self-harm and suicidal behaviour in Canada. What does this phrase mean?

A) Men select self-harm behaviours that are less fatal than women.
B) Men have higher rates of suicide because of more self-harm behaviours.
C) Women choose more lethal means of self-harm than men.
D) Although more women attempt suicide, more men commit suicide.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

William is part of the school marching band. Other students make fun of the band for wearing uniforms and marching around the football field. However, William and his band friends offer each other support on and off the field. What would Durkheim call this kind of support?

A) social support
B) social suicide
C) social sensibility
D) social solidarity

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following statements would reflect greater social solidarity?

A) higher rates of divorce
B) higher rates of religious attendance
C) higher rates of unemployment
D) higher rates of novel reading

Answer 3

B

Question 4

According to the text, which of the following is the most significant challenge for sociologists?

A) remaining value neutral in order to maintain scientific detachment
B) helping the general public to understand social change
C) keeping society as stable as possible
D) applying the scientific method to analyze the laws of society

Question 5

According to C. Wright Mills, what do sociologists try to do?

A) They try to relate individual troubles to higher divorce rates.
B) They try to understand individual troubles as unconnected to each other.
C) They try to relate individual troubles to higher rates of suicide.
D) They try to understand individual troubles in a broader historical perspective.

Question 6

According to the text, which of the following forces are the major causes of events happening in the world?

A) psychological forces
B) social forces
C) demonic forces
D) physical forces

Question 7

According to the text, which of the following terms refers to patterns of social relations that lie outside and above your circle of acquaintances?

A) building structures
B) global structures
C) infrastructures
D) macrostructures

Question 8

In "B" movies depicting World War II, there is often a clichéd scene where a soldier jumps on a hand grenade in order to save his friends. The soldier's dying words espouse the need to sacrifice oneself for the greater good of the team. In Durkheim's terms, what definition of suicide fits this example?

A) altruistic suicide
B) anomic suicide
C) fatalistic suicide
D) egoistic suicide

Question 9

Has the risk of death by suicide among youth changed since the 1960s?

A) Yes, the risk has increased.
B) Yes, the risk has increased, but only for male youth.
C) Yes, the risk has decreased.
D) No, the risk has remained the same.

Question 10

Which of the following terms describes the ability of a person to grasp the connection between society and self?

A) sociological imagination
B) social evolution
C) sociological revelation
D) structural integration

Question 11

Mothers from the Philippines sometimes leave their children with relatives and go abroad as domestic workers. They believe this is the best way to meet the financial needs of their children and ensure a positive future for them. What kind of social structure in Filipino society is reflected in this female migration?

A) a microstructure
B) a macrostructure
C) a global structure
D) a constant structure

Question 12

Cassandra is a researcher studying the everyday lives of drug addicts to better understand the meanings they attach to being socially marginalized. Which of the following best describes the patterns of social relations that Cassandra is examining?

A) microstructures
B) macrostructures
C) global structures
D) constant structures

Question 13

What did Durkheim conclude about suicide rates?

A) They varied directly with psychological disorders.
B) They varied significantly with respect to social class.
C) They varied widely from one hemisphere to the other.
D) They varied according to the degree of social solidarity.

Question 14

The rise in the rate of youth suicide is thought to be a consequence of general family breakdown and the greater incidence of two parents participating in the paid workforce. According to Durkheim, what kind of suicide is a consequence of such conditions?

A) egoistic suicide
B) altruistic suicide
C) anomic suicide
D) fatalistic suicide

Question 15

According to Durkheim, which of the following factors can be linked to a person's risk of death by suicide?

A) The risk increases with the degree to which a person lives with a handicap.
B) The risk decreases with the degree to which a person is integrated into society.
C) The risk increases with the degree of psychological instability of a person.
D) The risk cannot be predicted by either sociological or psychological means.

Question 16

Rebecca has fallen in love with John; however, Rebecca is a member of a strict cult that governs she can marry only from within her group and John does not belong to her group. Feeling extremely controlled and saddened that she cannot be with John, she decides the only solution is to commit suicide. According to Durkheim, what kind of suicide is Rebecca committing?

A) altruistic suicide
B) egoistic suicide
C) anomic suicide
D) fatalistic suicide

Question 17

Helen is a 75-year-old woman, who was recently widowed. She spends most of her days alone because many of her friends are either ill or dead and her children are too busy to visit her. Helen has decided to commit suicide because she cannot stand being lonely anymore. According to Durkheim, what kind of suicide is Helen committing?

A) altruistic suicide
B) egoistic suicide
C) anomic suicide
D) fatalistic suicide

Question 18

A researcher is studying the economic forces that can help to explain the number of homeless people in Canada. Which of the following best describes the patterns of social relations that this researcher is examining?

A) microstructures
B) macrostructures
C) global structures
D) constant structures

Question 19

Which of the following theorists hypothesized that suicide rates would be higher among the unmarried?

A) Karl Marx
B) Max Weber
C) Erving Goffman
D) Émile Durkheim

Question 20

Sandra and her family frequently donate money and clothing to various foreign aid programs to help people in impoverished nations. Lately, Sandra has been skeptical about continuing with such efforts because she feels as though it does not make a difference. Which of the following best describes the patterns of social relations that are responsible for this lack of change despite the individual efforts of people like Sandra?

A) microstructures
B) macrostructures
C) global structures
D) constant structures

Question 21

What kind of thinking is represented by the following statement: "I'm right because I can't think of any contrary cases."?

A) traditional perspective
B) selective observation
C) anecdotal evidence
D) illogical reasoning

Question 22

Which of the following sociologists is known as the foremost proponent of functionalism?

A) C. Wright Mills
B) Talcott Parsons
C) Karl Marx
D) Max Weber

Question 23

Which of the following would be a statement representing knowledge based on ego-defence?

A) I am insightful.
B) I can't be wrong.
C) I am right.
D) I proved the theory right.

Question 24

What kinds of social ideas were constructed by diverse ancient and medieval civilizations?

A) They came together to decide the best way to organize society.
B) They independently developed the same sociological theories.
C) They determined that there was value in empirical social research.
D) They outlined the ideal/utopian society.

Question 25

Which of the following terms describes sociological ideas that are used to explain social behaviour?

A) theories
B) concepts
C) paradigms
D) proposals

Question 26

According to the text, what sociological lesson was produced by the Democratic Revolution?

A) It is possible for people to change society.
B) Unseen social dangers arise because of latent functions.
C) Democracy is not the same as dictatorship.
D) Stable changes are not possible through revolution.

Question 27

Ming is in an abusive relationship with her husband, but has remained in the marriage for several years. She endures the abuse not because she is weak willed but because in her culture it is unacceptable to get a divorce. C. Wright Mills would say this explanation was made by a person who possesses which theoretical understanding?

A) sociological imagination
B) sociological functionality
C) functional deviance
D) exploitive imagination

Question 28

Andrew is one of many successful businessmen who use cocaine on a regular basis to help deal with the stress associated with their jobs. Which of the following would best help us to understand this issue?

A) functional deviance
B) sociological functionality
C) sociological imagination
D) exploitive imagination

Question 29

"The increasing suicide rates in today's society are a reflection of limited access to education and jobs." Which theory would this statement typify?

A) modernism
B) postmodernism
C) functionalism
D) structuralism

Question 30

Suppose that a friend accepts that something is true because he saw it with his own eyes. Why is this an example of nonscientific knowledge?

A) It is rooted in social traditions.
B) It is based on reliable authority.
C) It is based on casual inspection.
D) It is an overgeneralization.

Question 31

Bill can't get a job, even though he has a strong résumé. He is unemployed because of the recession and not because he is lazy or unskilled. C. Wright Mills would say this explanation was made by a person who possesses which theoretical understanding?

A) sociological functionality
B) sociological imagination
C) functional deviance
D) scientific revolution

Question 32

Which of the following statements best characterizes functionalism?

A) It asserts that social structures are the individual ideas people have about their lives.
B) It stresses how structures equally maintain or undermine social stability and solidarity.
C) It stresses that social behaviour is about relatively stable patterns of social relations.
D) It maintains that social structures produce a false sense of stability and order.

Question 33

Which of the following approaches to the study of society did Auguste Comte advocate?

A) philosophical
B) scientific
C) interdisciplinary
D) humanist

Question 34

Which of the following concepts is central to a functionalist approach?

A) social equilibrium
B) competing interests among people
C) men's dominance over women
D) face-to-face interaction

Question 35

A feminist sociologist's interest in researching the sex trade may stem from thinking about female exploitation in a patriarchal society. In this case, which of the following terms reflects her motivation for choosing this topic?

A) values
B) beliefs
C) theories
D) prejudices

Question 36

Why would a sociological theory be referred to as tentative?

A) Some theorists are biased and fake their evidence.
B) Further research could make the theory invalid.
C) Many theories are based on overgeneralizations.
D) Subjectivity and bias are a big problem in theorizing.

Question 37

A conscientious coffee consumer eager to thwart exploitation of plantation workers in developing countries buys nothing but fair-trade coffee. According to C. Wright Mills, what does this consumer possess?

A) social consciousness
B) sociological imagination
C) exploitative imagination
D) consumer consciousness

Question 38

Which of the following terms refers to attributing the cause of one's experiences to supernatural forces?

A) creation
B) mystification
C) invention
D) imagination

Question 39

Which component of a sociologist's character is reflected in his or her selection of issues to study?

A) prejudices
B) concepts
C) values
D) biases

Question 40

Which of the following perspectives assumes that society is stable and orderly?

A) knowledge-power
B) ethnomethodology
C) functionalist
D) symbolic interactionist

Question 41

According to the text, what is the manifest function of schooling?

A) to encourage the development of youth culture
B) to keep young people out of the job market
C) to transmit skills from one generation to the next
D) to train people for future repetitive work

Question 42

The federal government passes several laws getting tough on crime in order to protect the public and make citizens feel safe. This leads to overcrowding in prisons and several costly riots. According to sociologists, what are these unforeseen results of the government's action?

A) just desserts
B) latent functions
C) manifest causes
D) punitive consequences

Question 43

Which of the following theoretical approaches focuses on how people invest their social worlds with meaning?

A) symbolic interactionism
B) functionalism
C) postmodernism
D) feminism

Question 44

Which of the following theories focuses on how privileged groups try to maintain their advantage?

A) conflict theory
B) symbolic interactionism
C) ethnomethodology
D) functionalist theory

Question 45

Which of the following sociological insights is Robert Merton noted for contributing?

A) Social unrest is the norm in European societies.
B) Schools perpetuate the dominant ideology.
C) Workers have a right to resist capitalist economic change.
D) Social structures have both manifest and latent functions in society.

Question 46

"If today's youth learn the skills that they need to work in the global workforce before they leave school, then the economic crisis will end because unemployment will be greatly reduced." What theoretical tradition would this statement typify?

A) functionalism
B) structuralism
C) globalization
D) transnationalism

Question 47

A national government passes tougher crime laws to enhance community safety, thus increasing prison sentences, raising prison populations, and employing more correctional officers. This government's view of the criminal justice system has similarities with which of the following sociological perspectives?

A) functionalism
B) postmodernism
C) conflict
D) symbolic interactionism

Question 48

Lisa is a sex trade worker who frequently provides her services to married men. Which theorist would argue that Lisa's role in society helps to preserve the institution of the family?

A) a feminist
B) a symbolic interactionist
C) a conflict theorist
D) a functionalist

Question 49

Lisa is a sex trade worker, who frequently provides her services to successful businessmen. Which theorist would argue that Lisa is struggling to increase her social standing despite her limited opportunities?

A) a feminist
B) a symbolic interactionist
C) a conflict theorist
D) a functionalist

Question 50

All of the founding figures of sociology were interested in understanding Europe's transition to industrial capitalism and in doing something to make this a smoother transition. Which of the following sociologists was most preoccupied with the economy?

A) Émile Durkheim
B) Karl Marx
C) Auguste Comte
D) Max Weber

Question 51

Gerhard Schroeder believes in the necessity of hard work as a component of a person's calling and worldly success, and as a component of personal salvation. What term best identifies Gerhard's beliefs?

A) salvation ethic
B) Calvinist ethic
C) Protestant ethic
D) good-works ethic

Question 52

Which of the following most accurately describes the concept of latent function?

A) predictable and foreseen
B) visible only to sociologists
C) invisible and unintended
D) invisible but intentional

Question 53

According to Marx, how do capitalists maximize profits?

A) They hire more workers for productivity.
B) They improve working conditions.
C) They keep workers' wages low.
D) They encourage union negotiations.

Question 54

Which early sociological theorist developed the conflict approach?

A) Karl Marx
B) Max Weber
C) John Porter
D) Émile Durkheim

Question 55

Which of the following best describes how Robert Merton would characterize the issue of bullying in schools?

A) an intentional function
B) a manifest function
C) a latent function
D) dysfunctional

Question 56

Which of the following changes in capitalism partly explains why Marx's vision of a revolutionary future for early industrial society was unfulfilled?

A) the shrinking of the modern middle class
B) the exploitation of workers by the bourgeoisie
C) the rise of welfare and similar social programs
D) the widening gap between the rich and the poor

Question 57

Which of the following statements best describes people who adhered to the Protestant ethic?

A) They had all joined the Protestant Reformation.
B) They attempted to convert as many people as possible.
C) They saved and invested more than others.
D) They went to church less often than others.

Question 58

Which of the following statements reflects a Marxist perspective on capitalists?

A) Capitalists want to democratize feudal societies and promote equality.
B) Capitalists are interested in a society with employment for everyone.
C) Capitalists are eager to adopt new tools, machines, and production methods.
D) Capitalists are interested in the common good of society and all people.

Question 59

Which of the following is a major theoretical paradigm in sociology?

A) dysfunction theory
B) crisis theory
C) conflict theory
D) symbolic manipulation

Question 60

The federal government passes several laws getting tough on street crimes, claiming that it needs to protect the public and make citizens feel safe. However, crime trends indicate that crime is declining. Which sociological theory would be most interested in examining the government's ability to impose laws on the people that do not reflect the actual crime rates?

A) symbolic materialism
B) functionalism
C) feminism
D) conflict

Question 61

What focus of analysis is shared by the conflict and functional perspectives?

A) an imperative coordination at individual and personal levels
B) the nuances of meaning in people's thoughts and actions
C) the production of social reality and consensus building
D) an examination of social structures across society

Question 62

Lisa is a sex trade worker, who frequently provides her services to married men. Which theorist would argue that Lisa's role in society is a reflection of the patriarchal social structure?

A) a feminist
B) a symbolic interactionist
C) a conflict theorist
D) a functionalist

Question 63

According to the text, which of the following resulted from protests and strikes of the industrial working classes?

A) labour unrest, social upheavals, and a poor economy
B) tougher management negotiations with workers
C) a larger percentage of nonunionized employees
D) the evolution of the modern 40-hour workweek

Question 64

Which of the following would be a key focus of analysis for feminist theorists?

A) biology
B) matriarchy
C) patriarchy
D) macro analysis

Question 65

Which of the following is described in the text as a leading Canadian sociologist?

A) Auguste Comte
B) Robert Merton
C) Talcott Parsons
D) John Porter

Question 66

Samantha was unable to get a job as an auto mechanic; the primary reason given by potential employers was that customers had no confidence that their car would be properly fixed by a woman. Samantha decided to do her own survey and interviewed consumers to see if this was true. To address her concerns, the findings of her survey would have best been interpreted through which theoretical approach?

A) feminist theory
B) conflict theory
C) Marxism
D) symbolic interactionism

Question 67

"I can't believe that Amala went behind my back and bought the necklace I told her I wanted to buy myself. Either she is terribly selfish or she is going to give it to me for my birthday. Without knowing her motives, I won't know the truth." Which sociological method (translated from the original German) is reflected in this statement?

A) interaction
B) motivation
C) self-interest
D) understanding

Question 68

Which of the following is the most appropriate level of analysis for symbolic interactionists?

A) microlevel social settings
B) social classes
C) social institutions
D) macrolevel structures

Question 69

Navdeep is upset about failing a test. He goes back to his residence and laughs about the stupid questions, dismissing the test as a waste of time. Which theorist could best explain the difference between what Navdeep feels and what he does?

A) Erving Goffman
B) Karl Marx
C) Talcott Parsons
D) John Porter

Question 70

Which of the following trends is a leading cause of postindustrialism?

A) a return to traditional forms of work and rejection of technology
B) dysfunctional changes in the family caused by having two working parents
C) the decline of the working classes and expansion of the wealthy classes
D) a technology-driven shift from manufacturing to service industries

Question 71

Which of the following factors best explains the absence of women in early sociology?

A) Women had a lack of interest in becoming sociologists.
B) Women had limited occupational choices due to 19th-century societal norms.
C) Women had a lack of intellectual capacity.
D) Women were more attracted to other high-profile public occupations.

Question 72

Philip has been trying to find a good job for three years. He is frustrated because his education and experience should merit a manager's position, but he can get only a job as an assistant. Philip's situation is one that reflects which unresolved social issue in today's society?

A) autonomy versus constraint
B) prosperity versus inequality
C) diversity versus uniformity
D) localization versus globalization

Question 73

According to the text, which of the following debates centres on our ability to act freely within certain limits?

A) neoliberalism versus socialism
B) autonomy versus constraint
C) manifest functions versus latent functions
D) blue-collar work versus white-collar work

Question 74

Shawn is an adolescent boy who is confused about his sexual identity as a heterosexual, but he is aware that his family is unaccepting of alternative sexual identities. In an attempt to resolve this confusion, he joins an online forum for young homosexuals, so that he can experiment with an alternate sexual identity. Shawn's behaviour reflects which unresolved social issue in today's society?

A) prosperity versus inequality
B) autonomy versus constraint
C) manifest functions versus latent functions
D) diversity versus uniformity

Question 75

Which of the following would have been an activity carried out by Harriet Martineau, the first female sociologist?

A) writing about fashion and social trends
B) advocating for higher education for women
C) reinforcing men's household leadership role
D) supporting stereotypical roles for women

Question 76

Karissa went to a meeting of the debate team and introduced herself as a Sociology major even though she had taken only one course. She did this because she wanted to be taken seriously and if the team saw her as a first-year student she would likely not be invited to join. Karissa is employing which theoretical approach to position herself?

A) social symbolism
B) macrostructural positioning
C) symbolic interactionism
D) symbolic positioning

Question 77

A Canadian family travels to India for vacation. Upon arrival, they decide to grab something to eat. Having never been to India and being unfamiliar with the traditional restaurants, they decide to eat at McDonalds. Which of the following terms helps to explain why the family chose to eat at McDonalds?

A) industrialism
B) globalization
C) postindustrialism
D) materialization

Question 78

A group of sociologists is studying suicide within particular religious cults to better understand the reasons behind individual actions. What kind of analysis are they conducting?

A) personal analysis
B) national analysis
C) macroanalysis
D) microanalysis

Question 79

A group of sociologists is studying suicide by examining the rates of death by suicide across whole populations. What kind of analysis are they conducting?

A) personal analysis
B) national analysis
C) macroanalysis
D) microanalysis

Question 80

Sandra Jones is a female sociologist primarily occupied with examining the domination of women in a male-dominated world. What aspect of the world she is examining?

A) its patriarchal nature
B) its conflicted nature
C) its unjust nature
D) its unequal nature