Midterm 1

Question 1

What is the difference between scientific knowledge and sociological knowledge?

Answer 1

scientific knowledge
is the result of research conducted in a planned manner for the purpose of systematic collection, interpretation, and evaluation

sociological knowledge
is the result of research conducted to understand the ways that humans interact with humans and non-humans

Question 2

What are a few sources of knowledge

Answer 2

Different sources of knowledge:
Our own experience, close relatives & friends, common sense, media, professionals working in related fields, scientists and scientific sources, etc.

Question 3

What are the two key elements in defining sociology?

Answer 3

1. its focus on human social behavior

2. its scientific approach toward understanding that behavior

Question 4

What are the three ways of doing sociology we discussed?

Answer 4

Basic Sociology
Applied Sociology
Public Sociology

Question 5

Informal Observation

Answer 5

Making observations without any systematic process for observing or assessing the accuracy of what we observed

Question 6

Selective Observation

Answer 6

only seeing what we want to see

Question 7

Overgeneralization

Answer 7

Assuming that broad patterns exist even when our observations have been limited

Question 8

Authority

Answer 8

A socially defined source of knowledge that might shape our beliefs about what is true and what is not true

Question 9

Research Methods

Answer 9

An organized, logical way of learning and knowing about our social world

Question 10

Basic Sociology

Answer 10

Studying a topic only because we are interested in and would like to know more about that. Nothing more, nothing less.

Question 11

Applied Sociology

Answer 11

Conducting (often client-focused) research for only practical purposes such as solving social problems or providing solutions to social issues

Question 12

Public Sociology

Answer 12

“The application of sociological theories and research to matters of public interest (Blackstone 2012).”

Question 13

Epistemology

Answer 13

A person’s epistemological perspective shapes her or his beliefs about how we know what we know, and the best way(s) to uncover knowledge.

Question 14

Ontology

Answer 14

A person’s ontological perspective shapes her or his beliefs about the nature of reality, or what “is.”

Question 15

What are the two typical ontological stances sociologists take?

Answer 15

1. We must understand other peoples’ realities
   Some sociologists take the position that reality is in the eye of the beholder and that our job is to understand others’ views of reality.
2. People see one true reality differently
   Other sociologists feel that, while people may differ in their perception of reality, there is only one true reality.
   • These sociologists are likely to aim to discover that true reality in their research rather than discovering a variety of realities.

Question 16

What are the benefits of quantitative vs. qualitative research?

Answer 16

qualitative methods
aim to gain an in-depth understanding of a relatively small number of cases,

quantitative methods
offer less depth but more breadth because they typically focus on a much larger number of cases

Question 17

Common Sense

Answer 17

Often viewed as prudent judgment based on the ability to see and act upon that which is obvious or believed to be innate knowledge. In actuality, common sense represents learned behavior that we take for granted.

Question 18

Empirical Science

Answer 18

The reliance on observation and measurement as a way of acquiring knowledge. This approach is in direct contrast to a reliance on common sense, faith, and tradition.

Question 19

Natural Sciences

Answer 19

Disciplines that include astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, and physics, which examine the physical features of nature.

Question 20

Science

Answer 20

Knowledge attained and tested through the scientific method.

Question 21

Scientific Method

Answer 21

The pursuit of knowledge involving the stating of a problem, the collection of facts through observation and experiment, and the testing of ideas to determine whether they appear to be valid or invalid.

Question 22

Social Diversity

Answer 22

A term encompassing the variety of people found in human society as a result of the many different social constructs (e.g., gender, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, social class) used to categorize people.

Question 23

Social Marginality

Answer 23

A term referring to the unequal treatment of group members or individuals who are thus not fully entrenched in society. Such people are excluded from full participation in mainstream society.

Question 24

Social Sciences

Answer 24

Disciplines that include anthropology, economics, history, political science, psychology, and sociology, which focus their study on the various components of human society.

Question 25

Sociological Imagination

Answer 25

An aspect of the sociological perspective that demonstrates how our private lives are influenced by the social environment and existing social forces.

is an aspect of the sociological perspective that highlights the importance of the social environment’s influence on human behavior.

Question 26

Sociological Perspective

Answer 26

A framework utilized by sociologists to examine human behavior that involves such basic assumptions as that humans are products of their social environment and learning takes place primarily through trial and error, reinforcement, and modeling.

Question 27

Sociology

Answer 27

The systematic study of groups, organizations, societies, and culture and the interactions between people.

Question 28

What are the 3 basic tenants of Sociological Perspective?

Answer 28

1. Individuals are, by their nature, social beings.
2. Individuals are, for the most part, socially determined.
3. Individuals are capable of creating, sustaining, and changing the social forms within which they conduct their lives.

Question 29

What is the fallacy behind “common sense”?

Answer 29

It’s defined as “the ability to see and act upon that which is obvious.”

But how can we say what is “obvious”?

Question 30

Who coined the term “Sociological Imagination”?

Answer 30

C. Wright Mills

Question 31

How does C. Wright. Mills look at “public issues” vs. “personal troubles”?

Answer 31

He discussed how the social environment and the existing social forces (what he called “public issues”) influence our private lives (“personal troubles”)

Question 32

How does C. Wright Mills describe “troubles”

Answer 32

• occur within the character of the individual and within the range of her or his immediate relations with others.
• They have to do with the self and with those limited areas of social life of which the person is directly and personally aware.

Question 33

How does C. Wright Mills describe “Issues”

Answer 33

• transcend these local environments of the individual and the range of her or his inner life.
• They have to do with the organization of many milieus into the institutions of a historical society as a whole and form the larger structure of social and historical life.