WGU Introduction to Sociology - C273 Exam Guide Graded A 2024

What is the sociological perspective? - The sociological perspective stresses that people's social experiences—the groups to which they belong and their experiences within these groups—underlie their behavior. When did sociology first appear as a separate discipline? - Sociology emerged in the mid-1800s in western Europe, during the onset of the Industrial Revolution. Industrialization affected all aspects of human existence—where people lived, the nature of their work, their relationships, and how they viewed life. What was the position of women and minorities in early sociology? - The few women who received the education required to become sociologists tended to focus on social reform. The debate between social reform and social analysis was won by male university professors who ignored the contributions of the women. W. E. B. Du Bois faced deep racism in his sociological career. Why are the positions of Parsons and Mills important? - C. Wright Mills criticized Parsons' abstract analysis of the components of society, saying that it does nothing for social reform, which should be the goal of sociologists. The significance of this position is that the debate about the purpose and use of sociology continues today. What is a theory? - A theory is a statement about how facts are related to one another. A theory provides a conceptual framework for interpreting facts. What are sociology's major theoretical perspectives? - Symbolic interactionist, Functional analysts, Conflict theorists What are the eight basic steps of sociological research? - (1) Selecting a topic, (2) Defining the problem, (3) Reviewing the literature, (4) Formulating a hypothesis, (5) Choosing a research method, (6) Collecting the data, (7) Analyzing the results, and (8) Sharing the results. These steps are explained in detail on pages How do sociologists gather data? - To gather data, sociologists use seven research methods (or research designs): surveys, participant observation, case studies, secondary analysis, analysis of documents, experiments, and unobtrusive measures. How can gender affect research? - Gender can lead to interviewer bias, with participants shaping their responses based on the gender of the researcher. How important are ethics in sociological research? - Ethics are of fundamental concern to sociologists, who are committed to openness, honesty, truth, and protecting their subjects from harm.