Sociology Preassessment

Jerry, a sociologist, is researching the correlation between a person’s driving habits & the length of their daily commute.  He decides to send a written form to 200 randomly-chosen drivers, asking a variety of questions related to both variables.  This method of research is called...

• Case Study
• Socialization
• Survey
• Sociology

In studying social deviance & crime, which perspective focuses on how a deviant person learned their deviant behavior (socialization)?

• Functionalism
• Conflict Theory
• Symbolic Interactionism
• None of these

Mary, a white American, recently began dating an African American man at her college.  This behavior fails to conform to her mother’s expectations for Mary’s behavior.  As a result, Mary’s mother is likely to enact _____, such as not inviting Mary’s boyfriend to visit or saying something disapproving to Mary.  Which of these terms correctly fills the blank above?

• Ageism
• Sanctions
• Norms
• Social Class

According to ______, the people with the most power are seen as the most valuable to society.

• Functionalism
• Conflict Theory
• Symbolic Interactionism
• None of these

Indian culture includes a variety of aspects, including traditional religion, caste & family structures, Indian cuisine, Indian music, and several hundred languages using the Sanskrit script.  Noticeable features of this culture include yoga, Hinduism, & elaborate wedding rituals.  Which of these statements defines “culture”?

• An image of yourself as having an identity separate from other people.
• The knowledge, values, customs, & physical objects that are shared by members of a society.
• Rules defining appropriate and inappropriate behavior.
• The process of learning to participate in a group.

Andy is a son, husband, & father.  He is also a neighbor, youth baseball coach, employee, & supervisor.  Which of these terms means “A position a person occupies within a social structure”?

• Status
• Self-concept
• Secondary Group
• Culture

Despite his stated priorities, Andy spends over forty hours per week with his work crew, a secondary group of 10 men & women who work together on an assembly line.  Which of these statements defines “secondary group”?

• A group of people who are emotionally close, know one another well, & seek one another's company.
• A group of people with physical or cultural traits different from those of the dominant group in the society.
• The ranking of people or groups according to their unequal access to scarce resources.
• A group of people who share only part of their lives while focusing on a goal or task.

People in a romantic relationship are expected to not engage in romantic activities with other people.  This expectation is a social norm.  Which of these terms means “Behavior that departs from societal or group norms”?

• Sanctions
• Stratification
• Deviance
• Crime

Some behavior results in formal sanctions, such as police citations, jail time, or even the death penalty.  Which of these statements defines “crime”?

• Behavior that departs from societal or group norms.
• Acts committed in violation of the law.
• Rules defining appropriate and inappropriate behavior.
• Using census data collected by your state government to determine the average number of children per classroom in the public schools.

What type of status is “minority”?

• Ascribed
• Achieved
• Neither