Chap 1 & 2

Question 1

What is sociology?

Answer 1

the study of the development, structure,
and functioning of human society.

Question 2

What is society?

Answer 2

A community of people who share a common culture

Question 3

What is culture?

Answer 3

The body of customary beliefs, material
traits, and social forms that constitute the
distinct tradition of a group of people.

Question 4

micro-level analysis

Answer 4

an examination of small-scale patterns of
society

Question 5

macro-level analysis

Answer 5

an examination of large-scale patterns of
society

Question 6

the sociological imagination

Answer 6

Ability to see the connection between the
larger world and our personal lives

Question 7

C. Wright Mills

Answer 7

Described the importance of the sociological imagination when viewing the
world, especially for people with power.

Question 8

social location

Answer 8

the combination of factors including gender, race, social class, age, ability, religion, sexual orientation, and geographic
location. This makes social location particular to each individual; that is, social
location is not always exactly the same for any two individuals.

Question 9

what is the relationship between and individual and society?

Answer 9

The relation between individual and society is very close. Essentially, “society”
is the regularities, customs and ground
rules of antihuman behavior.

Question 10

Why study sociology?

Answer 10

To understand society, ourselves, and
how the two affect each other

Question 11

how can studying sociology help provide people with skills?

Answer 11

By giving someone a deeper understanding of how society works and what employers might look for

Question 12

What careers does sociology prepare people to enter?

Answer 12

Human Resources, Business Analyst, Sociologist

Question 13

Relationship between theory and research

Answer 13

• Theory can guide research
• Research can test theory

Question 14

Scientific method steps

Answer 14

Observation, defining a problem or question, forming a hypothesis, conducting a
controlled experiment, collect and analyze data, draw a conclusion, communicate results

Question 15

Scientific method

Answer 15

a logical approach to solving problems by
observing and collecting data, formulating hypotheses, testing hypotheses, and
formulating theories that are supported
by data

Question 16

how does society differ from common sense?

Answer 16

Sociology is more about understanding
society through a logical approach. Common sense stems from personal experiences and can only be relevant to a
particular section.

Question 17

Literature review

Answer 17

a scholarly research step that entails identifying and studying all existing studies on a topic to create a basis for new
research

Question 18

Hypothesis

Answer 18

A testable prediction, often implied by a
theory

Question 19

Independent Variable

Answer 19

the thing that will be changed in each experiment

Question 20

Dependent Variable

Answer 20

The outcome factor; the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable.

Question 21

Causality Criteria

Answer 21

1) Consistency - observed consistently in
multiple studies
2) Strength - statistically strong (e.g.,
high correlation)
3) Dose-response - increasing “doses”
(amounts) of the predictor are associated with increasing rates of change in the
outcome
4) Plausibility - a plausible explanation
for the relationship is known/documented
5) Temporality - the predictor precedes
the outcome

Question 22

Causality vs. Correlation

Answer 22

Causality= thing A is the reason why
thing B occurred
Correlation= two things happen around
the same time or simultaneous variation
occurred between them

Question 23

Survey

Answer 23

the collection of data by having people
answer a series of questions

Question 24

Open Questions

Answer 24

questions that allow for a variety of extended responses

Question 25

Closed Questions

Answer 25

Questions that can usually be answered
with yes or no.

Question 26

Quantitative vs Qualitative Data

Answer 26

Qualitative data is data that we can
see/hear/smell/taste and quantitative
data is data that is measured with something such as a ruler or a beaker

Question 27

Field research

Answer 27

research that takes place in a natural (non-laboratory) setting (observing
homelessness)

Question 28

Case Study

Answer 28

an observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles

Question 29

Hawthorne Effect

Answer 29

when participants alter behavior due to awareness of being studied

Question 30

Benefits of anonymity in Social Research

Answer 30

High-Quality data, Reduced bias

Question 31

Ethics of Social Research

Answer 31

1. do no harm
2. informed consent
3. voluntary participation

Question 32

Controversial Study

Answer 32

The guy who spent years with a gang, he never engaged in violence

Question 33

What role did enlightenment play in the emergence of sociology

Answer 33

The Enlightenment forms a basis for a
more progressive sociological tradition.
While sociology as a discipline did not
first emerge out of this, today these ideas
form a central part of sociology.

Question 34

Industrial revolution in sociology

Answer 34

During the Industrial Revolution, society changed so rapidly that the changes
could not be ignored and became a field
of interest to explain how and why the
changes happened.

Question 34

Auguste Comete (1798-1857)

Answer 34

founder of sociology; societies as
through stages that can be grouped on the basis of how people try to understand the world in which they live

Question 35

Harriet Martineau (1802-1876)

Answer 35

mother of sociology, translated cometes
work to english. focused on womens
rights and education

Question 36

Karl Marx (1818-1883)

Answer 36

1. Scientific socialist who coauthored
   “The Communist Manifesto”
2. Believed that the history of class conflict is best understood through the dialectical process of thesis, antithesis,
   and synthesis
3. Contended that a class struggle between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat would lead “to the dictatorship of the
   proletariat,” which in turn would be a
   transitional phase leading to a classless
   society

Question 37

Theory in Sociology

Answer 37

abstract statements about general patterns of social life that are empirically
testable

Question 38

Structural Functionalism

Answer 38

a conceptual framework positing that
each element of society serves a particular function to keep the entire system in
equilibrium

Question 39

Symbolic Interactionism

Answer 39

a micro-level theory in which shared
meanings, orientations, and assumptions form the basic motivations behind
people’s actions

Question 40

Conflict Theory

Answer 40

a theoretical framework in which society
is viewed as composed of groups that
are competing for scarce resources

Question 41

manifest functions

Answer 41

the recognized and intended consequences of any social pattern

Question 42

latent functions

Answer 42

the unrecognized and unintended consequences of any social pattern

Question 43

Dysfunctions

Answer 43

social patterns that have undesirable
consequences for the operation of society

Question 44

dramaturgical analysis

Answer 44

the study of social interaction in terms of
theatrical performance

Question 45

social facts

Answer 45

the laws, morals, values, religious beliefs, customs, fashions, rituals, and all of
the cultural rules that govern social life