Sociology 102 Exam 1 Questions
and Answers
What is social structure? - Answer- Any relatively stable pattern of social behavior
What are the 5 main components of social structure (class)? - Answer- - Statuses
- Roles
- Groups
- Networks
- Institutions
What are statuses? - Answer- a social position that a person holds
What are roles? - Answer- behavior expected of someone who holds a particular status
What is role theory? - Answer- the theory that people in a society behave in organized
ways because they act in accordance with the behavior expected of those in their social
position
What is role strain? - Answer- tension among the roles connected to a single status
What is role conflict? - Answer- the conflict among the roles connected to 2 or more
statuses
What is a social group? - Answer- 2 or more people who identify and interact with each
other
What is culture? - Answer- The ways of thinking and acting, and material objects that
together form a people's way of life
Are society and culture the same thing? - Answer- NO
What are 2 aspects of culture? - Answer- - Material: physical object produced
- Nonmaterial: customs, values , norms, morals, manners, language, beliefs, ideas
What are 2 factors that influence culture? - Answer- - "Human Nature": natural tendency
to act or think in a particular way
, - Environment: anything outside a culture that influences the culture
What is sociobiology? - Answer- Explains ways in which human biology affects how we
create culture
What are norms? - Answer- Rules that specify how people should behave in particular
situations
- ex) not staring at people
What are values? - Answer- Ideas about what is desirable, good, or beautiful
What are some basic American values? - Answer- Individualism, achievement , material
goods
How are norms sometimes related to values? - Answer- Values lead to norms
- ex) individualism -> don't criticize religious beliefs
What are cultural determinism? - Answer- in reality everything you say or do is
determined by your culture
What are 3 reasons arguing against total cultural determinism? - Answer- - Presence of
subcultures (culture patterns distinguishing a segment of society)
- Presence of countercultures (culture patterns strongly opposed to wider society)
- Uniqueness of Individuals (even identical twins have differences)
What is socialization? - Answer- the lifelong social experience by which people develop
their human potential & learn culture
What are the four major agents of socialization? - Answer- Family, school, peers, media
Family agent - Answer- Strongest: ages 0-5
Major things learned: language, social skills, religion, morality, norms, personality
School agent - Answer- Strongest: ages 5-12
Major things learned: 3 R's, social skills, discipline, schedule, punctuality, patriotism,
formal authority
Peer agent - Answer- Strongest: ages 12-16
Major things learned: respect, idioms, pop culture, peer pressure, bad habits, cliques,
self-identity
Media agent - Answer- Strongest: ages 2-death
Major things learned: fads, world, stupid movies
What are the stages of language acquisition? - Answer- 1) Babbling - 6 months
2) One word - 1 year
and Answers
What is social structure? - Answer- Any relatively stable pattern of social behavior
What are the 5 main components of social structure (class)? - Answer- - Statuses
- Roles
- Groups
- Networks
- Institutions
What are statuses? - Answer- a social position that a person holds
What are roles? - Answer- behavior expected of someone who holds a particular status
What is role theory? - Answer- the theory that people in a society behave in organized
ways because they act in accordance with the behavior expected of those in their social
position
What is role strain? - Answer- tension among the roles connected to a single status
What is role conflict? - Answer- the conflict among the roles connected to 2 or more
statuses
What is a social group? - Answer- 2 or more people who identify and interact with each
other
What is culture? - Answer- The ways of thinking and acting, and material objects that
together form a people's way of life
Are society and culture the same thing? - Answer- NO
What are 2 aspects of culture? - Answer- - Material: physical object produced
- Nonmaterial: customs, values , norms, morals, manners, language, beliefs, ideas
What are 2 factors that influence culture? - Answer- - "Human Nature": natural tendency
to act or think in a particular way
, - Environment: anything outside a culture that influences the culture
What is sociobiology? - Answer- Explains ways in which human biology affects how we
create culture
What are norms? - Answer- Rules that specify how people should behave in particular
situations
- ex) not staring at people
What are values? - Answer- Ideas about what is desirable, good, or beautiful
What are some basic American values? - Answer- Individualism, achievement , material
goods
How are norms sometimes related to values? - Answer- Values lead to norms
- ex) individualism -> don't criticize religious beliefs
What are cultural determinism? - Answer- in reality everything you say or do is
determined by your culture
What are 3 reasons arguing against total cultural determinism? - Answer- - Presence of
subcultures (culture patterns distinguishing a segment of society)
- Presence of countercultures (culture patterns strongly opposed to wider society)
- Uniqueness of Individuals (even identical twins have differences)
What is socialization? - Answer- the lifelong social experience by which people develop
their human potential & learn culture
What are the four major agents of socialization? - Answer- Family, school, peers, media
Family agent - Answer- Strongest: ages 0-5
Major things learned: language, social skills, religion, morality, norms, personality
School agent - Answer- Strongest: ages 5-12
Major things learned: 3 R's, social skills, discipline, schedule, punctuality, patriotism,
formal authority
Peer agent - Answer- Strongest: ages 12-16
Major things learned: respect, idioms, pop culture, peer pressure, bad habits, cliques,
self-identity
Media agent - Answer- Strongest: ages 2-death
Major things learned: fads, world, stupid movies
What are the stages of language acquisition? - Answer- 1) Babbling - 6 months
2) One word - 1 year
