Part I -
1. What are social roles?
A. the parts that actors play
B. the positions that individuals occupy in the social structure
C. the social expectations that go along with a given social status
D. all of the dos and don'ts of social life
2. What best describes social roles?
A. They rigidly dictate social behavior.
B. They give us guidelines about how to act in our social worlds.
C. They limit individuals' creativity.
D. They give us the freedom to explore different personas.
3. Which of the following is NOT true about social structures?
A. Social structures are persistent routines within society, but they do evolve.
B. Friendship groups as well as the economy are both examples of social structures.
C. Social structures are static across cultures.
D. Social structures and their routines aid in social stability.
4. Which of the following would be an example of a social status?
A. the economy of a given country
B. one school within a larger school system
C. parents' need to care for their children
D. a freshman student
5. Which of the following illustrates how gender is structured in our society?
A. Men and women have different reproductive functions.
B. Men and women have different life expectancies.
C. Men and women are encouraged to assume different statuses and roles within the family.
D. Because of biological differences, men and women have different cancer risks.
6. An increase in the number of which of the following would indicate that the role of women in our society has evolved?
A. grocery stores
B. beauty salons
C. childcare centers
D. public parks
7. How would a sociologist define "action"?
A. going along with social norms despite desires
B. choosing to become a member of an institution
C. operating outside of social constraints
D. acting in accordance with expected social routines
8. Which of the following would illustrate rational action?
A. a young woman jumping up and down on the soccer field after scoring the winning goal
B. a family going to church every holiday season as part of their family tradition
C. a student deciding whether or not to attend college by analyzing the related costs and benefits
D. a student starting to cry after finding out he flunked an exam
9. Why would sociologists be interested in McDonaldization?
A. It illustrates the "downfall" of the nuclear family.
B. It illustrates the return to old-fashioned ideals and values.
C. It shows how individual workers can fight against corporate powers.
D. It shows how individual behavior is shaped by changes in broader structural patterns.
10. How does McDonaldization illustrate structural change?
A. McDonald's is a business organization that has changed its menus to suit the times.
B. People are constantly moving in and out of the top positions within the corporation.
C. McDonaldization has altered how individuals interact with one another.
D. McDonald's has led change in the types of food and nutrition Americans consume.
Chapter 5
11. Sociologists interested in systems of stratification would most likely focus on which of the following?
A. age-based groups
B. urban and rural populations
C. class, race, and gender
D. ethnic groups
12 Which of the following is an example of an ascribed status?
A. college student
B. female
C. musician
D. poor
13. Systems of stratification based on an ascribed status
A. allow upward social mobility.
B. discourage social mobility.
C. facilitate social mobility.
D. allow virtually no social mobility.
14. How do sociologists view the categories of race, class, and gender?
A. inherent and inevitable
B. natural and biologically determined
C. unchangeable and perpetual
D. socially constructed
15. The ideology that justifies the capitalist system of stratification is centered on
A. the role of wealth.
B. individual achievement.
C. the role of the state.
D. progressive innovation.
16. A country that promotes the collective good, deemphasizes individual interests, and supports economic equality is built on which type of system?
A. socialism
B. capitalism
C. communism
D. collectivism
17. Political participation in the United States depends most heavily on which of the following factors?
A. party affiliation
B. religious affiliation
C. class
D. patriotism
18. Which group is usually the most important socializing agent when we are children?
A. family
B. friends
C. teachers
D. schools
19. Shania and Enrique are high school students who come from two different families. Shania's parents both went to college, her mother works as a high school teacher, and her father is an accountant. Shania's parents encouraged her to be involved in extracurricular activities and various clubs while going to school. Enrique's parents are both high school graduates; his mother works as a clerk at the local grocery store, and his father works in construction when he is able to find work. Sometimes money is tight in the household. Enrique's parents have asked him to get a job to help out. Enrique has little time to be involved in school activities and his parents don't feel those should be a priority because they take away from time that Enrique could be working and earning money for the family. When looking at both of these families, what can explain the difference in the experiences of Enrique and Shania?
A. Gender plays a significant role in the type of activities in which teenagers are involved.
B. Teens from wealthy families enjoy extracurricular activities more than poorer kids.
C. Some teenagers are more motivated to get outside jobs than others.
D. Social class plays a significant role in what is expected of teenagers.
20. Which agent of socialization is most focused on teaching cultural knowledge?
A. the government
B. religious institutions
C. the media
D. schools
21. Which of the following values are most likely to be taught to American children?
A. being a team player
B. pursuing individual achievement
C. learning to respect their parents
D. learning to share with those who are less fortunate
22. What agent of socialization has become the most influential in contemporary society?
A. schools
B. religion
C. the media
D. the workplace
23. What is the primary lesson taught by media to children and young people?
A. to be fiscally responsible
B. to become consumers
C. to appreciate the diversity of other cultures
D. to respect their parents and other adults
24. People often experience a number of changes in their life. One of the most difficult can occur during a divorce. It often takes an individual one or two years to adjust to all of the changes divorce brings. They must to adjust to being a single person, they may have to raise their children alone, sometimes they have lost friends or family members, they may have to move to a new residence, or find a new job. Eventually, they may start dating again. What is the process that these individuals are undergoing?
A. saturation
B. reintegration
C. resocialization
D. total institution
25. Which stage in the life course is filled with contradictions that exist between culture and biology?
A. adolescence
B. childhood
C. adulthood
D. old age
26. Roger is 55 years old. He has been working in the banking industry for almost all of his adult life. He has been with his current employer for the last 15 years. There has been a great deal of change over that time. With recent economic uncertainty, there has been some downsizing at the bank. When Roger talks with his friends, who are roughly the same age, they discuss similar situations in their organizations. What is the typical corporate experience that Roger and his friends are likely to encounter?
A. They are being targeted for job cuts.
B. They are finding that their jobs are stable because of their valuable experience.
C. They are encouraged to mentor and train younger colleagues who lack real-world experience.
D. They are being valued and rewarded for their efforts, but not necessarily through financial rewards.
27. Which sociological perspective focuses on interpersonal interactions?
A. functionalist
B. feminist
C. conflict
D. symbolic interactionist
28. According to sociologists, which of the following allows people to communicate?
A. shared symbols and meanings
B. everyone learning English in school
C. flashcards
D. constant clarification
29. What are stereotypes?
A. distorted and untrue generalizations about groups that overlook individual variation
B. true generalizations about a group of people based on both negative and positive attributes
C. statements regarding the negative attributes of a racial or ethnic group
D. positive generalizations of a particular group such as a racial or ethnic group
30. According to sociologists, what are the societal consequences of stereotypes?
A. There are none; stereotypes have no real impact in the social world.
B. They teach us to appreciate diversity across groups.
C. We often negatively pre-judge people based on stereotypes.
D. They allow us to quickly identify important traits in others.
31. How does an achieved status differ from an ascribed one?
A. An ascribed position is one that is obtained from one's own efforts while achieved positions are assigned to us.
B. Both are types of positions assigned to individuals at birth; the difference lies in what one does with that position.
C. An achieved position is one that is obtained from one's own efforts while ascribed positions are assigned to us.
D. Both are types of positions which an individual works toward; the difference lies in what type of position one achieves.
32. An ascribed status is one that
A. someone tries to achieve but fails to do so.
B. a person achieves but they did not have to work hard at it.
C. someone achieves but then they decide they do not like it.
D. is assigned to a person despite their wishes or abilities.
33. What perspective does a sociologist take when he or she studies social interaction using the metaphor of theater?
A. ethnomethodology
B. dramaturgy
C. symbolic interaction
D. functionalism
34. What is the goal of impression management?
A. for an individual to achieve a higher social status than he or she currently holds
B. for a sociologist to understand how people interact with one another
C. for an individual to be open and honest with others regarding who he/she is
D. for an individual to control the image that others have of him or her
35. Sociologists refer to a collection of people who interact with one another regularly and who are aware of their status as a
A. social network.
B. social status.
C. social group.
D. social hierarchy.
36. Under what racial classification are Hispanic people placed?
A. white
B. black
C. Asian
D. They may be classified as any race.
37. When people share traditions, language, and customs, this is known as a(n)
A. race.
B. society.
C. ethnicity.
D. culture.
38. Why do many people dislike being labeled as "Hispanic"?
A. It lumps them in a category with too many other cultures.
B. They worry about being discriminated against if people know that they are Hispanic.
C. They want to be identified as individuals not as members of a group.
D. They feel that "Latino" is a more appropriate term for people with a Spanish-speaking heritage.
39. When people are making racial distinctions, on which feature do they focus?
A. hair color
B. skin color
C. shape of the eyes
D. shape of the lips
40. What is the common ancestral lineage that all humans share?
A. Middle Eastern
B. African
C. Asian
D. Indo-Aryan
41. Max's family recently moved to the United States from Laos. Max is in the fifth grade. He is taking English classes so that he can adequately communicate with his teacher and classmates. At home, his family speaks their native language. Many of the kids have never met a Hmong student before, even though there are a few other Hmong students at the school. Some of the kids feel that Max isn't very smart because he can't speak English very well and doesn't understand the rules of the games that they play on the playground. The teacher has told them that they need to treat Max with respect and include him in their games, and the students do so. What is Max experiencing at school with his classmates?
A. discrimination
B. implicit association bias
C. overgeneralization
D. prejudice
42. Kim is an Asian woman in her thirties. She enjoys shopping and going to her local mall on the weekends when she's not working. Kim lives in a mid-sized community where there is little ethnic diversity. Her husband is white and so are her friends. There is one particular store, where Kim and her friends shop, in which many of the clerks are white women in their late fifties to early sixties. They are very friendly and attentive to Kim's friends, but not to Kim. Kim will sometimes have to wait for a few minutes at the checkout before receiving assistance. What is Kim experiencing?
A. prejudice
B. discrimination
C. subtle manipulation
D. institutional discrimination
43. Why is Switzerland considered a pluralistic society?
A. Though it has multiple cultures, they all enjoy equal social standing and coexist on equal terms.
B. It has only one homogeneous culture, dating back many centuries.
C. Its relative isolation, thanks to the mountains that surround it, means it has not experienced an influx of people from other cultures.
D. Its location in the center of western Europe has made it a "crossroads" for centuries, resulting in toleration of "outside" cultures.
44. Many immigrants come to the United States each year. Many will have to adapt to new climate conditions, traditions, and customs other than their own, as well as learn English as a second language in order to successfully adapt and get a job. Children tend to fare better than the older generation. What is the dominant belief or expectation in the United States regarding immigrants?
A. They will segregate themselves into cultural and ethnic groups.
B. They will be encouraged to retain their own language and customs.
C. They will establish themselves in large cities to promote ethnic diversity.
D. They will assimilate into the dominant culture.
45. The system of apartheid that existed in South Africa is an example of
A. separatism.
B. segregation.
C. assimilation.
D. amalgamation.
46. In examining the portrayal of black women in the media, it is not uncommon for those who appear to have lighter skin as well as straightened hair to be perceived as "the norm" and what is desirable. Straightening one's hair goes back to the time after slavery when black women were inundated with the message that straight hair was more socially acceptable. The practice of hair straightening is still common among black women today. How are these women responding to majority domination in this example?
A. by passing
B. by withdrawing
C. by code-switching
D. by amalgamation
47. During which war were Japanese Americans sent to internment camps?
A. Civil War
B. World War II
C. World War I
D. Vietnam War
48. Many Americans view Asian Americans as one of the most successful groups. With statistics showing they have high levels of education, work in professional jobs, and have high family incomes, it is easy to believe that they no longer face prejudice or discrimination. While Japanese or Chinese Americans may be generally viewed as successful, there is still a struggle for many Southeast Asians, which is often overlooked. What is the myth that is being perpetuated about Asian Americans?
A. They are a heterogeneous group.
B. They are a model minority.
C. They are a minority-majority.
D. They are, as a group, divided by social class.
49. All of the following statements are true regarding Arab Americans and the Arab world EXCEPT that
A. individuals from Lebanon comprise the largest subgroup of Arab Americans.
B. Arab Americans hold graduate degrees at nearly double the rate of Americans as a whole.
C. almost all Arab Americans are Muslim.
D. more than 80 percent of the world's Muslims live outside the Arab world.
50. All of the following have contributed to undocumented workers in the United States EXCEPT
A. many workers staying after the bracero program ended in the 1940s.
B. U.S. employers recruiting laborers, including undocumented workers.
C. the border being poorly patrolled and so many workers being able to cross over.
D. displaced workers seeking opportunities in the United States.
Part II -
1. Which factor helps define the boundary between normal and deviant?
A. conformity
B. nonconformity
C. use of force
D. conditioning
2. Deviance is best defined as which of the following?
A. anything outside of the norm
B. behavior that people disapprove of
C. behavior that does not conform to norms and expectations
D. behavior that is inherently abnormal
3. Which of the following accurately describes deviance?
A. It is defined as immoral and wrong.
B. It resists change.
C. It depends on a public condemnation.
D. It changes with time and context.
4. A person comes to be considered a deviant when publicly marked with such a designation, and typically acknowledges this definition as part of his or her identity. This is a definition of what theory?
A. strain theory
B. deviance theory
C. labeling theory
D. rational choice theory
5. An ex-convict has a difficult time finding employment because his criminal record has become his
A. master status.
B. secondary deviance.
C. internalized self.
D. designation as abnormal.
6. Those defined as deviant often suffer a ________ attached to their deviance. It is associated with shame, loss of status, discrimination, and social isolation.
A. master status
B. secondary deviance
C. stigma
D. loss of self
7. From the functionalist perspective, crime serves a purpose in society. Which function does crime perform?
A. benefits some people economically
B. provides alternative opportunities
C. defines boundaries between right and wrong
D. helps the poor
8. How does deviance contribute to group solidarity?
A. Deviance unites people against a common enemy.
B. Overcoming deviance fosters bonding.
C. People with common deviant dispositions bond.
D. Reformed deviants crave group acceptance.
9. From the sociological perspective, what causes people to engage in deviant behavior?
A. genetic disposition
B. rational choice
C. psychological abnormality
D. loss of morality in society
10. The tendency to define a deviant behavior as an illness, for which treatment is best left to medical professionals, is referred to as ________ deviance.
A. illness
B. medical
C. medicalization of
D. pathology of
11. The prevailing explanation of alcoholism is now that of an illness. In the past, what was the main perspective on the causes of alcoholism?
A. psychological dispositions
B. moral failure
C. genetic disposition
D. lack of self-control
12. Deviance is learned through interaction with members of a deviant group. This defines which theoretical perspective?
A. differential association theory
B. strain theory
C. innovation theory
D. juvenile association theory
13. Strain theory suggests that deviance has its roots in
A. inequality.
B. social pressure.
C. improper socialization.
D. nonconformist conditioning.
14. Consistent with the premises of strain theory, research finds that juvenile delinquency and gang membership is primarily caused by
A. social pressure.
B. blocked opportunities.
C. broken family structures.
D. moral failure.
15. Women in the military are still considered deviant by some. How does power play a role here?
A. Women do not have enough power to be soldiers.
B. Women have limited power to defend their rights.
C. Men have traditionally defined gender appropriate roles.
D. Women need more power to overcome prejudice.
16. Why is white-collar crime rarely prosecuted, and why do its perpetrators typically go unpunished?
A. It is less immoral than non-white-collar crime.
B. White-collar crime is rare.
C. White-collar crime typically inflicts less harm on others than other types of crime.
D. White-collar perpetrators have high status and power.
17. Social institutions charged with the enforcement of norms and rules and the power to punish violators are referred to as
A. governments.
B. agents of social control.
C. the powerful.
D. the dominant elite.
18. Our behavior is regulated by the degree to which we are attached to major social institutions. This defines which theoretical perspective?
A. strain theory
B. rational choice theory
C. differential association theory
D. control theory
19. Which of the following accurately describes the terms sex and gender?
A. Sex and gender are both based in culture.
B. Sex and gender are both based in biology.
C. Gender is based in biology and sex is based in culture.
D. Sex is based in biology and gender is based in culture.
20. The assumption that women can wear makeup but men are discouraged from doing so is based on ________ expectations.
A. gender
B. sex
C. gender display
D. sexuality
21. Popular culture often suggests that men are physically stronger than women. Which of the following explains how a sociologist would examine this difference?
A. All of these answers would be used by sociologists
B. Men are naturally predisposed to being stronger than women because they have more testosterone in their system.
C. Men's biology is naturally more muscular than women's biology, which makes them physically stronger.
D. Men are encouraged to engage in activities that encourage muscle development, whereas women are not encouraged to build muscle.
22. Which of the following could NOT be considered evidence that gender is socially constructed?
A. It is based on ideas of sex difference.
B. It changes across cultures.
C. It changes across time.
D. It is based on biological differences.
23. Which term refers to the way individuals demonstrate their understanding of themselves as a man or women though their clothing and behaviors?
A. gender identity
B. gender expression
C. sexual identity
D. sexual expression
24. Individuals who have a gender identity that does NOT match their biological sex are called
A. transsexual people.
B. transgender people.
C. intersexed people.
D. bisexual people.
25. Individuals who have surgery to change the sexual characteristics of their bodies are called
A. intersexed people.
B. bisexual people.
C. transgender people.
D. transsexual people.
26. Kimberly believes that women are naturally superior to men. What term identifies her ideology?
A. patriarchy
B. feminism
C. sexism
D. matriarchy
27. An individual's masculinity is shaped by
A. sexual orientation.
B. race.
C. class.
D. All these answers are correct.
28. How do people come to have a gender?
A. Gender comes naturally from biological differences.
B. They are socialized into being a boy or girl based on sex.
C. When rearing their child, parents pick the gender they want the child to adopt.
D. Individuals pick which gender they want to be.
29. What term refers to the social rules for being a man or a woman that shape one's behaviors and attitudes?
A. gender expression
B. gender role
C. gender identity
D. sexual identity
30. What are gender roles?
A. the social rules for the attitudes and behaviors men and women should have
B. the ways that individuals display their gender to others
C. the biological differences in the behavior and attitudes of men and women
D. the ability to perform tasks best suited for one's gender
31. When does gender socialization start?
A. when babies are designated as male or female
B. when babies start to interact with their environments
C. when children are able to talk
D. when children are able to move around their spaces
32. According to studies of childhood gender socialization, at about what age do parents generally encourage their children to play with gender-stereotyped toys?
A. two years
B. eighteen months
C. one year
D. six months
33. What is gender stratification?
A. the unequal share of resources between men and women in society
B. the social and economic power men have over women in society
C. the unequal distribution of power and resources to men and women
D. the differences in power between men and women in society
34. Which of the following factors does NOT help explain the wage gap?
A. differences in men's and women's educational attainment
B. the types of degrees men and women earn
C. the types of jobs men and women take
D. the effort individuals put into their work
35. What concept deals with the difficulty women have advancing in their careers as a result of individual and institutional sexism?
A. glass ceiling
B. second shift
C. invisible sexism
D. mommy tracking
36. Amy works full time as a manager at an office supply store. After work, she goes home and helps her kids with their homework, cooks dinner, and cleans the house while her husband relaxes after his day of work. This unpaid work is referred to as
A. family work.
B. kin work.
C. the mommy shift.
D. the second shift.
37. Unwelcomed sexual advances and unwanted verbal or physical contact that is sexual is called
A. gender harassment.
B. sexual harassment.
C. gender discrimination.
D. sex discrimination.
38. Brian put a picture of his girlfriend on his office desk where his co-workers can see it. In the picture, his girlfriend is dressed up and wearing a top that shows a generous amount of cleavage. Does his picture constitute sexual harassment?
A. Yes, if a coworker finds it to be too sexual for work.
B. Yes, because the picture is inappropriate for work.
C. No, because it is simply a picture of his girlfriend.
D. No, because he did not intend to offend others by displaying it.
39. Which of the following is NOT true about sexual harassment?
A. It can be intentional.
B. It is illegal to sexually harass someone.
C. It always involves abuse of power.
D. It is possible to sexually harass someone without realizing it.
40. Approximately what percentage of intimate partner violence is directed toward women?
A. 75 percent
B. 65 percent
C. 95 percent
D. 85 percent
41. What term refers to when someone in an intimate relationship controls his or her partner though the use of threats and violence?
A. family violence
B. domestic violence
C. gender violence
D. interpersonal violence
42. Approximately what percentage of female murder victims were killed by a current or former intimate partner?
A. 30 percent
B. 20 percent
C. 10 percent
D. 5 percent
43. Julie identifies as a heterosexual woman. Although she is married to her husband, she finds it erotic to have sexual fantasies about women. Which term describes her identity, sexual thoughts, and desires?
A. heterosexuality
B. homosexuality
C. sexuality
D. bisexuality
44. The norm that restricts sexual relations between certain relatives is called
A. sexual deviance.
B. the paternity rule.
C. the incest taboo.
D. the sexual taboo.
45. Which of the following does NOT provide evidence that sexuality is socially constructed?
A. Some acts, such as kissing, are seen as disgusting in some cultures.
B. Individuals are born with an innate drive to procreate.
C. There is variation in how often individuals should have sex to be considered "normal."
D. Oral sex is common in some cultures but not in others.
46. Which of the following social events helped bring about the sexual revolution in the United States?
A. the women's rights movement
B. the introduction of the condom
C. the shift to a culture of "family values"
D. pro-marriage and pro-child social norms
47. Which of the following defines sexual identity?
A. how we understand ourselves in terms of our sexuality
B. the attitudes one has concerning different sexual practices
C. the labels we attach to our sexual practices
D. the way others in society understand our attractions
48. An individual who is sexually attracted to individuals of the opposite sex is
A. heterosexual.
B. homosexual.xual.
D. asexual.
49. An individual who experiences no sexual attraction to anyone is
A. asexual.
B. homosexual.
C. bisexual.
D. heterosexual.
50. Ralyn is attracted to both men and women but only dates men. What is her sexual identity?
A. homosexual
B. heterosexual
C. bisexual
D. asexual