Sociology Practice Quiz #2
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If you’re studying sociology and need a little practice when it comes to certain topics, like relationship patterns, culture and social interaction, this could be the quiz for you! Let’s see how many you can get right!
- 1.In contrast to functionalism, which modern sociological theory borrows from Marx’s belief that competition, not consensus, is the essential cause of social change?
- A.
Conflict theory
- B.
Feminism
- C.
Postmodernism
- D.
Midrange theory
- 2.Which feminist sociologist wrote Sex, Gender, and Society (1972), in which she or he argued that much of what we attribute to biological sex differences can actually be traced to learned behaviors and socialization?
- A.
Jane Addams
- B.
Harriet Martineau
- C.
Ann Oakley
- D.
W. E. B. DuBois
- 3.Which modern sociological theory examines how power relationships are defined, shaped, and reproduced on the basis of gender differences?
- A.
Feminism
- B.
Functionalism
- C.
Human sexuality
- D.
Midrange theory
- 4.Which modern sociological theory explains social behavior by examining the meanings that social signals and signs represent to individuals?
- A.
Feminism
- B.
Functionalism
- C.
Symbolic interactionism
- D.
Postmodernism
- 5.Erving Goffman used the language of theater to describe how people present themselves in everyday social life. This is known as:
- A.
Sui generis
- B.
Dramaturgical theory
- C.
Functionalism
- D.
Stage theory
- 6.Postmodern sociologists argue that all so-called objective phenomena are open to debate because all meaning is subjective. Thus, to postmodernists, all “facts” are really:
- A.
Social constructs
- B.
Myths
- C.
Lies
- D.
Propaganda
- 7.What do symbolic interactionists study?
- A.
Midrange theory
- B.
Postmodernism
- C.
Functionalism
- D.
Shared meaning
- 8.Some postmodern sociologists work to show us how all social phenomena are created arbitrarily by people with varying degrees of power. This is known as:
- A.
Social ecology
- B.
Anomie
- C.
Verstehen
- D.
Deconstructing
- 9.In the discipline of history, focusing on historical figures such as Adolf Hitler is known as:
- A.
“great man” theories
- B.
People’s histories
- C.
Historiography
- D.
Historical materialism
- 10.Explaining unique cases is the focus of most historians, whereas the comparative method is the staple of the sociologist. This comparative method is also known as:
- A.
Peoples’ histories
- B.
The nomethetic approach
- C.
Counterfactual
- D.
Historiography
- 11.Which area within the discipline of anthropology is most similar to sociology?
- A.
Physical anthropology
- B.
Cultural anthropology
- C.
Genetic anthropology
- D.
Forensic anthropology
- 12.The examination of human behavior within a rational actor model is the focus of which of the following “cousins” of sociology?
- A.
Anthropology
- B.
Economics
- C.
Psychology
- D.
The biological sciences
- 13.Which of the following focuses its analyses on face-to-face encounters and interactions?
- A.
Microsociology
- B.
Macrosociology
- C.
Social ecology
- D.
Cultural sociology
- 14.Which of the following focuses its analyses on larger social dynamics at the societal and structural levels?
- A.
Microsociology
- B.
Macrosociology
- C.
Social ecology
- D.
Social psychology
- 15.Perhaps the largest division within the discipline of sociology exists between which of the following?
- A.
Interpretive and positivist sociology
- B.
Qualitative and quantitative sociology
- C.
Functionalist and feminist sociology
- D.
Conflict and symbolic interactionist sociology
- 16.The social science concept that means that a change in one factor results in a direct change in another factor is known as:
- A.
Operationalization
- B.
Causality
- C.
Validity
- D.
Reliability
- 17.Research shows that couples who cohabitate (live together) prior to marriage are ____% more likely to divorce than couples who do not cohabitate prior to marriage.
- A.
10
- B.
25
- C.
50
- D.
80
- 18.According to William Bennett’s research, the most powerful variable that explains why couples that cohabitate prior to marriage are more likely to divorce than couples who do not cohabitate is that the cohabitating couples:
- A.
Are immature and selfish
- B.
Engage in domestic violence
- C.
Are less likely to have qualms about divorcing
- D.
Are likely to be unfaithful to their spouses
- 19.The research method that uses statistical analyses to describe the social world is:
- A.
Qualitative research
- B.
Quantitative research
- C.
Deductive research
- D.
Inductive research
- 20.What category of research methods uses documentation of the meanings that engender social participants to describe the mechanisms by which social processes occur?
- A.
Qualitative research
- B.
Quantitative research
- C.
Deductive research
- D.
Inductive research
- 21.If Kate approaches sociological research with a theory, then forms a hypothesis and makes empirical observations, what method is she using?
- A.
Independent
- B.
Dependent
- C.
Inductive
- D.
Deductive
- 22.The ____________ approach to sociological research starts with empirical observations and then works to form a theory.
- A.
Statistical
- B.
Observational
- C.
Inductive
- D.
Deductive
- 23.The statement “people with higher levels of income tend to enjoy better overall health” is an example of the association known in social research as:
- A.
Causal
- B.
Correlational
- C.
Spurious
- D.
Inductive
- 24.All of the following are factors needed to establish causality EXCEPT:
- A.
Correlation
- B.
Time order
- C.
Ruling out alternative explanations
- D.
Panel study results
- 25.In social research, a false relationship or alternative explanation is known as:
- A.
Inductive
- B.
Deductive
- C.
Spurious
- D.
Causality
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