SOCIOLOGY 101 EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
Sociological Imagination - ANSWER-the ability to connect the most basic, intimate
aspects of an individual's life to seemingly impersonal and remote historical forces.
Auguste Comte - ANSWER-Positivism: society can be understood by determining
the logic or scientific laws governing human behavior. Argued that a scientific
discipline of sociology could restore social harmony. Believed sociologists could
answer fundamental moral questions ( right and wrong)
Durkheim - ANSWER-founder of positivisnt sociology. Believes in the scientific
cohesion (connectedness). Mechanical solidarity: Social cohesion based on
similarity of individuals (premodern) and Organic Solidarity: Social cohesion based
on interdependence of individuals with different roles (modern).
Karl Marx - ANSWER-All social patterns and relations stem from economic systems.
False consciousness: workers misunderstood their position in the social economic
system. Strong influence on sociological theory (conflict theory).
Max Weber - ANSWER-Economic system is not the only influence on social
systems. Ideas, values, and other social institutions like religion perpetuate and creat
new social systems.
Hypothesis - ANSWER-A proposed relationship between two variables, typically
based on theory and/or prior empirical research.
Variable - ANSWER-a social element that has varying attributes
Independent variable - ANSWER-maessured factor that the researcher believes has
a casual impact on the dependent variable. (the cause)
Dependent variable - ANSWER-the outcome that a researcher is trying to explain
(the effect)
Establish Causality - ANSWER-Establish Correlation, Establish time order, rule out
alternative explanations.
Fundamentalism - ANSWER-Society is a stable, ordered system of interrelated
structures. Social patterns exist because of the useful functions they serve.
Limitations include explanations of social inequality/ too little focus on individuals.
Theorists: Comte, Durkheim, Spencer
Conflict Theory - ANSWER-Society is characterized by competition and conflict.
Social patterns exist because they serve those with power. Limitations include that it
ignores parts of society that are stable and ignores importance of shared values.
Theorists: Marx, W.E.B. Debois.
, Symbolic Interactionism - ANSWER-Focuses on how social patterns come to exist,
not why. Social patterns maintained and changed by people interacting. Also focuses
on the self and presentation of the self. Theorists: Weber, Goffman.
Microsociology - ANSWER-understand local interactional contexts focusing on face
to face encounters and gathering data through participant observations and in depth
interviews (qualitative)
Macrosociology - ANSWER-looks at social dynamics across whole societies or large
parts of them and often relies on statistical analysis to do so (quantitative)
Social Science Research Methods - ANSWER-Approaches that social scientists use
for investigating the answer to a question and establishing a casual relationship
between social elements. Sociology is about truthfully answering sociological
research questions.
Causality - ANSWER-the idea that a change in one factor results in a corresponding
change in another factor.
Research Cycle - ANSWER-Research question, hypothesis, empirical observations,
analysis, theory. Rinse and repeat.
Deductive Approach - ANSWER-Starts with a theory. Develops a hypothesis. Makes
empirical observations. Analyzes the data to confirm, reject, or modify the existing
theory.
Inductive Approach - ANSWER-Starts wtih empirical observation. Then works to
form a theory. You jump right into something to find out details about the situation.
Establish Correlation - ANSWER-Independent and dependent variables change
together.
Establish time order - ANSWER-independent variable precedes dependent variable
Rule out alternative explanations - ANSWER-Spurious correlation: a 3rd variable
causes both the independent and the dependent variable to change.
Quantitative method - ANSWER-obtain information about the social world that is in,
or can be converted in, numeric form. Uses deductive reasoning.
Qualitative method - ANSWER-collect information about the social world that cannot
be readily converted to numeric form. Uses inductive reasoning.
Conceptualization - ANSWER-Specifying the meaning of the concepts and the
variables to be studied. Defines what you are studying. For example, self-perception
of health.
AND ANSWERS
Sociological Imagination - ANSWER-the ability to connect the most basic, intimate
aspects of an individual's life to seemingly impersonal and remote historical forces.
Auguste Comte - ANSWER-Positivism: society can be understood by determining
the logic or scientific laws governing human behavior. Argued that a scientific
discipline of sociology could restore social harmony. Believed sociologists could
answer fundamental moral questions ( right and wrong)
Durkheim - ANSWER-founder of positivisnt sociology. Believes in the scientific
cohesion (connectedness). Mechanical solidarity: Social cohesion based on
similarity of individuals (premodern) and Organic Solidarity: Social cohesion based
on interdependence of individuals with different roles (modern).
Karl Marx - ANSWER-All social patterns and relations stem from economic systems.
False consciousness: workers misunderstood their position in the social economic
system. Strong influence on sociological theory (conflict theory).
Max Weber - ANSWER-Economic system is not the only influence on social
systems. Ideas, values, and other social institutions like religion perpetuate and creat
new social systems.
Hypothesis - ANSWER-A proposed relationship between two variables, typically
based on theory and/or prior empirical research.
Variable - ANSWER-a social element that has varying attributes
Independent variable - ANSWER-maessured factor that the researcher believes has
a casual impact on the dependent variable. (the cause)
Dependent variable - ANSWER-the outcome that a researcher is trying to explain
(the effect)
Establish Causality - ANSWER-Establish Correlation, Establish time order, rule out
alternative explanations.
Fundamentalism - ANSWER-Society is a stable, ordered system of interrelated
structures. Social patterns exist because of the useful functions they serve.
Limitations include explanations of social inequality/ too little focus on individuals.
Theorists: Comte, Durkheim, Spencer
Conflict Theory - ANSWER-Society is characterized by competition and conflict.
Social patterns exist because they serve those with power. Limitations include that it
ignores parts of society that are stable and ignores importance of shared values.
Theorists: Marx, W.E.B. Debois.
, Symbolic Interactionism - ANSWER-Focuses on how social patterns come to exist,
not why. Social patterns maintained and changed by people interacting. Also focuses
on the self and presentation of the self. Theorists: Weber, Goffman.
Microsociology - ANSWER-understand local interactional contexts focusing on face
to face encounters and gathering data through participant observations and in depth
interviews (qualitative)
Macrosociology - ANSWER-looks at social dynamics across whole societies or large
parts of them and often relies on statistical analysis to do so (quantitative)
Social Science Research Methods - ANSWER-Approaches that social scientists use
for investigating the answer to a question and establishing a casual relationship
between social elements. Sociology is about truthfully answering sociological
research questions.
Causality - ANSWER-the idea that a change in one factor results in a corresponding
change in another factor.
Research Cycle - ANSWER-Research question, hypothesis, empirical observations,
analysis, theory. Rinse and repeat.
Deductive Approach - ANSWER-Starts with a theory. Develops a hypothesis. Makes
empirical observations. Analyzes the data to confirm, reject, or modify the existing
theory.
Inductive Approach - ANSWER-Starts wtih empirical observation. Then works to
form a theory. You jump right into something to find out details about the situation.
Establish Correlation - ANSWER-Independent and dependent variables change
together.
Establish time order - ANSWER-independent variable precedes dependent variable
Rule out alternative explanations - ANSWER-Spurious correlation: a 3rd variable
causes both the independent and the dependent variable to change.
Quantitative method - ANSWER-obtain information about the social world that is in,
or can be converted in, numeric form. Uses deductive reasoning.
Qualitative method - ANSWER-collect information about the social world that cannot
be readily converted to numeric form. Uses inductive reasoning.
Conceptualization - ANSWER-Specifying the meaning of the concepts and the
variables to be studied. Defines what you are studying. For example, self-perception
of health.
