Social Structures

Question 1

Which sociological theory emphasizes face to face interactions?

Answer 1

Microsociology

Question 2

In a certain island culture, women are seen as subservient to men, and they are relegated to work such as cooking and cleaning while the men earn money for the family. A sociologist describes this culture by saying “The men and women each do their own work, and this keeps the parts of society working together smoothly.” This statement best exemplifies which social theory

Answer 2

Structural functionalism: A main tenet of structural functionalism is that the different elements of society work together to keep the society functioning. Structural functionalism also generally has a relatively positive outlook on the “status quo”.

Question 3

A researcher is interested in discovering how patients’ varying access to social and material resources affects their decisions about healthcare. Furthermore, she wishes to examine how these choices result in positive or negative outcomes for groups of patients with similar resources. This study’s approach seems most closely related to which theory?

Answer 3

Conflict theory which focuses on the resources that groups in society (like races or classes) have, as well as the material and social effects of these disparities on their lives. In this case, the researcher appears to be examining the effect of socioeconomic status on the decision-making process and outcomes of healthcare recipients.

B

Question 4

The United States passed civil right laws in the 1960’s to allow disenfranchised citizens to have more power in society. This aligns with which sociological theory?

Answer 4

Conflict theory,
Conflict theory addresses the differences in power possessed by various social groups and the struggle to redress these issues. The US passing civil rights laws is an attempt to correct the difference in power possessed by two different social groups.

Question 5

A sociologist investigates the rates of marriage between individuals who identify as the same ethnic group as their partner versus those who identify as belonging to a different ethnic group than their partner. This would be studied through which theory?

Answer 5

Microsociology. Macrosociology investigates large-scale societal relationships, such as trade relationships between countries.

Microsociology focuses on interpersonal relationships between individuals.

Question 6

A researcher is interested in assessing how the GDP of a nation impacts its trade relationships with another country. This would be studied under which theory?

Answer 6

Macrosociology which investigates large-scale societal relationships, such as trade relationships between countries.

Question 7

A study determines that for every dollar a country spends on public education, the GDP increases by 2 dollars. This aligns with which theory?

Answer 7

Functionalism which views social institutions in a generally positive light. Institutions, such as schools, are viewed in terms of their benefit to society.

Question 8

Functionalism and Conflict theory fall under which category of theory?

Answer 8

Macrosociology

Question 9

Symbolic interactionism falls under which category of theory?

Answer 9

Microsociology

Question 10

Anthropologists are studying a newly-discovered culture that was centered on a chain of islands in the South Pacific over a thousand years ago. It appears that, instead of bartering with various items, members of this island society traded types of rare stones in exchange for goods. What does this monetary agreement exemplify?

Answer 10

Social constructionism accounts for our assignment of meaning to certain constructs, including money, obedience, and trustworthiness. Here, the ancient culture chose to assign meaning to the rare stones as a form of currency.

Question 11

A proponent of feminist theory argues that male-dominated society has systematically oppressed women. He states that there are many motivations for this systematic oppression, but they can be traced to a desire for social and political power. This individual’s views in regard to feminist theory are most likely rooted in…

Answer 11

Conflict theory
Conflict theory explains how groups compete for resources to attain power or superiority. Here, the two groups are categorized as men and women. According to this individual, men have consolidated political and social power for their own prosperity.

Question 12

True or False: someone with the legal and form rights to give orders has power

Answer 12

False, that is technically authority

Question 13

A form of government in which decisions are dominated by the interests of a small class of wealthy stakeholders would best be characterized as…

Answer 13

An oligarchy which is a political situation where a small group of people effectively run society.

Question 14

True or false: Totalitarian governments have occasional elections, though the number of candidates may be limited.

Answer 14

This statement is false. Totalitarian governments tightly control all aspects of their citizens’ lives. Soft authoritarian governments may allow occasional elections, and tend to intrude into the private lives of citizens less than totalitarian governments.

Question 15

True or False: In a direct democracy, citizens vote individually about government decisions.

Answer 15

true

Question 16

True or False: A democratic republic is a representative democracy.

Answer 16

true

Question 17

True or false: Socialist systems do not allow for private ownership.

Answer 17

This statement is false. While a capitalist system is one in which businesses are privately owned, and a socialist system is one in which businesses are collectively owned, in socialism, private ownership is still a relevant concept.

Question 18

the process by which human conditions come to be treated as medical disorders.

Answer 18

Medicalization

Question 19

True or false: An individual who misses work due to strep throat is performing the sick role regardless of whether they seek medical attention or not.

Answer 19

This statement is false. An important condition of playing the sick role is to seek and comply with medical treatment.

Question 20

An employee misses work after breaking her ankle while cliff diving on vacation. How will this impact the sick role?

Answer 20

The degree to which an individual is viewed as being responsible for their medical condition may have an impact on the sick role. If someone breaks their ankle while participating in a dangerous activity while on vacation (as opposed to, say, being hit by a car on their way to work), the sick role is less likely to apply.

Question 21

Paternalism

Answer 21

Paternalism is an ethical problem in which a physician provides the treatment he or she believes is best without regard for the patient’s desires.

Question 22

True or false: An example of the illness experience might be a 64-year-old woman who begins a regular exercise regimen after experiencing a heart attack.

Answer 22

This statement is true. In some cases the “illness experience” can provide direction to a patient’s life.

Question 23

A person’s grandparent would be considered what kind of kin?

Answer 23

Secondary kin is the primary kin of someone’s primary kin. Because a grandparent is the primary kin of your parents, they are your secondary kin.

Question 24

True or false: Epidemiologists primarily study how the actions of select individuals contribute to disease.

Answer 24

This statement is false. Broadly speaking, epidemiologists are typically more interested in larger patterns of who becomes ill rather than the actions of individuals. Epidemiologists are primarily concerned with the spread of disease through populations that differ in ways such as sex, gender, race, age, or geographical location.

Question 25

Depression was once viewed as a change in mood but is now treated with medications. What does this exemplify?

Answer 25

Medicalization which is the phenomenon in which conditions that were not previously considered medical disorders come to be treated by medical professionals.

Question 26

Difficulties balancing the responsibilities of more than one role

Answer 26

Role Conflict

Question 27

Difficulties balancing the responsibilities of a single role

Answer 27

Role Strain

Question 28

When a role dominates someones life

Answer 28

Role Engulfment

Question 29

What are the major theoretical approaches to Social Structures?

Answer 29

Microsociology and Macrosociology
Functonalism
Conflict Theory
Symbolic Interactionism 
Social Constructionism