CHAPTER 1: Sociology: Theory and Method
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Sociology is the scientific study of:
a. human groups c. economics
b. politics d. geography
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy REF: Page 4
OBJ: Sociology and the Sociological Imagination (I) NOT: Factual
2. From a sociological perspective, romantic love is:
a. dependent on sexual compatibility
b. natural and universal in human life
c. shaped by social and historical influences
d. limited to persons of the opposite sex
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult REF: Pages 5–6
OBJ: Sociology and the Sociological Imagination (I) NOT: Factual
3. What is it called when we “think ourselves away” from the familiar routine in order to see things
in a broader context?
a. romanticism c. multiple personality disorder
b. sociological imagination d. globalization
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: Page 6
OBJ: Sociology and the Sociological Imagination (I) NOT: Factual
,4. Who developed the concept of the sociological imagination?
a. Anthony Giddens c. Émile Durkheim
b. C. Wright Mills d. Karl Marx
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult REF: Page 6
OBJ: Sociology and the Sociological Imagination (I) NOT: Factual
5. When a sociologist visits a coffee house, he or she is able to identify a variety of behaviors and
interactions among patrons within a broad context. The ability to interpret the events taking place
within the coffee house is referred to as:
a. overintellectualizing c. sociological imagination
b. empirical investigation d. macrosociology
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: Page 6
OBJ: Sociology and the Sociological Imagination (I) NOT: Applied
6. The sociological imagination allows people to understand that:
a. universal emotions determine all human behavior
b. human behavior is random and unstructured
c. personal feelings may be shaped by social context
d. history shapes sociological theory
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult REF: Page 7
OBJ: Sociology and the Sociological Imagination (I) NOT: Factual
7. People’s lives are increasingly linked to those of other people around the world. This process of
social change creating connections between a local setting and the rest of the world is called:
a. socialization c. functionalism
b. communism d. globalization
, ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy REF: Pages 7–8
OBJ: Sociology and the Sociological Imagination (I) | Developing a Global Perspective (I.B)
NOT: Factual
8. According to the sociological perspective, human behavior:
a. is influenced by social context
b. is entirely determined by the social context
c. has nothing to do with social context
d. is mostly a result of genetic characteristics
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: Page 7
OBJ: Studying Sociology (I.A) NOT: Factual
9. What is the meaning of “social structure”?
a. any building constructed by more than one person
b. events that occur within a public space
c. the emotional state of an individual
d. regularity in people’s behavior and relationships
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult REF: Page 7
OBJ: Studying Sociology (I.A) NOT: Factual
10. The two-way process by which people shape their social world through individual actions and are
themselves reshaped by society is called:
a. sociological imagination c. socialism
b. structuration d. globalization
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: Page 7
OBJ: Studying Sociology (I.A) NOT: Factual
, 11. ________ shows what events have occurred; ________ explains why the events have occurred.
a. Theory; factual research c. Sociology; psychology
b. Factual research; theory d. Psychology; sociology
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: Page 13
OBJ: Theories and Theoretical Approaches (II.A) NOT: Factual
12. Sociologists must begin their studies with:
a. theory c. social structure
b. factual research d. interpretation
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy REF: Page 13
OBJ: Theories and Theoretical Approaches (II.A) NOT: Factual
13. Which of the following was an important factor behind the emergence of sociological thinking?
a. political oppression c. natural sciences
b. religious freedom d. historical events
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: Page 13
OBJ: Early Theorists (II.B) NOT: Factual
14. The field of sociology developed as a result of changes brought about by the:
a. American Revolution c. European Revolution
b. French Revolution d. Industrial Revolution
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy REF: Page 13
OBJ: Early Theorists (II.B) NOT: Factual
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Sociology is the scientific study of:
a. human groups c. economics
b. politics d. geography
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy REF: Page 4
OBJ: Sociology and the Sociological Imagination (I) NOT: Factual
2. From a sociological perspective, romantic love is:
a. dependent on sexual compatibility
b. natural and universal in human life
c. shaped by social and historical influences
d. limited to persons of the opposite sex
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult REF: Pages 5–6
OBJ: Sociology and the Sociological Imagination (I) NOT: Factual
3. What is it called when we “think ourselves away” from the familiar routine in order to see things
in a broader context?
a. romanticism c. multiple personality disorder
b. sociological imagination d. globalization
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: Page 6
OBJ: Sociology and the Sociological Imagination (I) NOT: Factual
,4. Who developed the concept of the sociological imagination?
a. Anthony Giddens c. Émile Durkheim
b. C. Wright Mills d. Karl Marx
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult REF: Page 6
OBJ: Sociology and the Sociological Imagination (I) NOT: Factual
5. When a sociologist visits a coffee house, he or she is able to identify a variety of behaviors and
interactions among patrons within a broad context. The ability to interpret the events taking place
within the coffee house is referred to as:
a. overintellectualizing c. sociological imagination
b. empirical investigation d. macrosociology
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: Page 6
OBJ: Sociology and the Sociological Imagination (I) NOT: Applied
6. The sociological imagination allows people to understand that:
a. universal emotions determine all human behavior
b. human behavior is random and unstructured
c. personal feelings may be shaped by social context
d. history shapes sociological theory
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult REF: Page 7
OBJ: Sociology and the Sociological Imagination (I) NOT: Factual
7. People’s lives are increasingly linked to those of other people around the world. This process of
social change creating connections between a local setting and the rest of the world is called:
a. socialization c. functionalism
b. communism d. globalization
, ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy REF: Pages 7–8
OBJ: Sociology and the Sociological Imagination (I) | Developing a Global Perspective (I.B)
NOT: Factual
8. According to the sociological perspective, human behavior:
a. is influenced by social context
b. is entirely determined by the social context
c. has nothing to do with social context
d. is mostly a result of genetic characteristics
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: Page 7
OBJ: Studying Sociology (I.A) NOT: Factual
9. What is the meaning of “social structure”?
a. any building constructed by more than one person
b. events that occur within a public space
c. the emotional state of an individual
d. regularity in people’s behavior and relationships
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult REF: Page 7
OBJ: Studying Sociology (I.A) NOT: Factual
10. The two-way process by which people shape their social world through individual actions and are
themselves reshaped by society is called:
a. sociological imagination c. socialism
b. structuration d. globalization
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: Page 7
OBJ: Studying Sociology (I.A) NOT: Factual
, 11. ________ shows what events have occurred; ________ explains why the events have occurred.
a. Theory; factual research c. Sociology; psychology
b. Factual research; theory d. Psychology; sociology
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: Page 13
OBJ: Theories and Theoretical Approaches (II.A) NOT: Factual
12. Sociologists must begin their studies with:
a. theory c. social structure
b. factual research d. interpretation
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy REF: Page 13
OBJ: Theories and Theoretical Approaches (II.A) NOT: Factual
13. Which of the following was an important factor behind the emergence of sociological thinking?
a. political oppression c. natural sciences
b. religious freedom d. historical events
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: Page 13
OBJ: Early Theorists (II.B) NOT: Factual
14. The field of sociology developed as a result of changes brought about by the:
a. American Revolution c. European Revolution
b. French Revolution d. Industrial Revolution
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy REF: Page 13
OBJ: Early Theorists (II.B) NOT: Factual
