Question 1

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

A

Question 2

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

Accepted Answer

An achieved status is a social position that a person chooses or achieves on their own, such as an occupation or educational degree. Race, gender, and age are all examples of ascribed status, which is a social position assigned to a person by society based on characteristics they are born with or cannot change.

Question 3

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

In Japan, it is more common for couples to use terms like "husband" and "wife" instead of each other's names, so most husbands do not call their wives by name. The other options are not true or unsupported.

Question 4

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 families, schools, and government institutions. Socialization refers to the process by which individuals learn the norms and values of their society. Social interaction refers to the ways in which people interact with one another. Culture encompasses the beliefs, values, customs, and artifacts that make up a society's way of life.

Question 5

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 a person has attained through his or her own efforts, abilities, or accomplishments. It is contrasted with ascribed status, which is a social position one has by virtue of birth, race, or other factors beyond one's control. Achieved status can include educational attainment, career success, social status, or other achievements that are valued by society.

Question 6

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 7

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 it focuses on power differentials and how they are maintained through social structures. Ascribed statuses, such as race or gender, can confer privileges or reflect a person's membership in a subordinate group and this is seen as a source of conflict in society.

Question 8

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 refers to a position that a person acquires through their own efforts, such as education, work, or talent. Attending school can provide an achieved status through earning a degree or diploma, establishing a friendship may lead to a position of influence or recognition, and inventing a new product can earn an achieved status through recognition and monetary gains. Therefore, all of these choices are correct.

Question 9

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 of these answers are correct.

Accepted Answer

The dominant group holds power and influence in society, which allows them to shape and define societal values, social reality, and the definition of the situation. All of these aspects contribute to the maintenance of their dominant position and the subordination of other groups.

Question 10

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 status that dominates others and determines a person's general position within society. It shapes a person's social identity, making other statuses less significant in comparison. For example, a person's occupation can be a master status if it is highly valued and respected in society, such as a doctor or a CEO. This status can determine how others perceive and interact with that person, regardless of their other statuses or characteristics.

Question 11

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 how people respond to one another. While options A, B, and D are all related to social behavior and relationships in some way, they don't encompass the full meaning of social interaction.

Question 12

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 based on characteristics that an individual is born with or has no control over, such as race, gender, and age. Therefore, all of the answer choices are correct.

Question 13

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 was a symbolic interactionist who believed that humans create meaning through social interaction, and that our perceptions and interpretations shape our reality. He also believed that the meaning we attach to the actions of others is key to how we respond to those actions. Additionally, Blumer argued that humans interpret and define each other's actions, and that these interpretations and definitions are socially constructed through interaction.

Question 14

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 the context of a women's studies class, gender is likely to be the most salient characteristic and his most prominent master status.

Question 15

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 is known for his work in the interactionist perspective, which emphasizes the importance of understanding how individuals interpret and give meaning to their social interactions and surroundings. This perspective focuses on how people's subjective interpretations shape their behavior, attitudes, and experiences. Thomas's statement about people responding not only to objective features but also to the meaning of a situation reflects this perspective.

Question 16

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 biological factors such as race, gender, or age, but its significance lies in the social meaning attached to it in a given culture. It is not easy to change as an individual becomes older and may have different meanings and significance in different societies. It is not based on an individual's skills.

Question 17

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

An 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 based on factors such as birth, race, gender, and family background, rather than individual merit or effort.

Question 18

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 because it is related to his personal effort and choices. Being male and African American are examples of ascribed statuses, which he was born with and did not choose. Social worker is not an achieved status because he has not yet completed his studies to become one.

Question 19

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

The term "status" is widely used by sociologists to describe any socially defined position or rank within a society, such as teacher, doctor, student, or parent. The concept of status is important for analyzing social stratification and inequality, and how these factors influence individual behavior and life chances. Choices B, C, and D are all important concepts in sociology, but they do not specifically refer to social positions or statuses. Culture refers to the shared beliefs, values, and practices that shape social behavior; social structure refers to the patterns of relationships and institutions that make up a society; and Gemeinschaft is a German term used to describe close-knit, traditional communities.

Question 20

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 demonstrated the power of social structures and how they can influence the type of social interactions that occur. While the study was not a perfect replication of a "real life" situation, it did provide important insights into how individuals behave in certain roles and how these roles can be influenced by the social structure of a given environment. Therefore, Option A is not correct. Additionally, the study clearly demonstrated that social interactions are influenced by the characteristics of the social structure, so Option C is also not correct.

Quiz 5: Social Interaction, Groups, and Social Structure

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

Which of the following is an achieved status?

Which of the following is true regarding marriage in Japan?

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

An achieved status is a social position

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)

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

An individual can acquire an achieved status by

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

A master status is a

Social interaction is

Ascribed statuses may be based on an individual's

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

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?

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

An ascribed status is a social position

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?

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