WGU Sociology C273 Exam Study Questions and Answers with Complete Solutions Graded A 2024

Who was the founder of conflict theory? - Karl Marx Which idea did Auguste Comte introduce to the field of sociology? - Positivism Which sociological perspective views society as being made up of groups competing for scarce resources? - Conflict theory How would a functionalist theory explain the complexity of American families in the early twenty-first century? - The complex patterns of family life permit greater economic and emotional security for individuals from diverse backgrounds. Experiments - A controlled setting in which specific variables are manipulated and the outcomes are measured Surveys - A series of questions asked of a sample of people Participant observation - Research that takes place while the researcher actively participates in a setting Secondary Analysis - The study of data that have already been collected What is the purpose of having ethical standards in social research? - To protect human subjects Why is it considered unethical for sociologists to mislead their research participants? - Because people have the right to give informed consent before participating in research What is an example of non-material culture? - Language Which concept do sociologists use to describe a group whose values and goals are in opposition to mainstream culture? - Counterculture What role do a culture's values play in social interactions? - Values define a culture's standards for good and bad, beautiful and ugly, right and wrong. How does the workplace act as an agent of socialization? - It is an environment where one can acquire new perspectives of the world. Where do most people first encounter gender socialization? - Family How might Charles Horton Cooley use the concept of the looking-glass self to explain the influence of media on identity and behavior? - Media affects the way that people perceive themselves because media reflects society's views of itself. Which area of social life would be analyzed from the perspective of macro-sociology? - Social class Which agent of socialization focuses primarily on establishing norms of moral behavior? - Religion How do sociologists describe the role of peers across the different stages of life? - They serve as agents of socialization. Which two concepts reflect sociological ways of thinking about the development of self? - The looking-glass self The generalized other What is the position of conflict theorists regarding deviance? - Deviant behavior is defined by those with power. What is one factor psychologists, in contrast to sociologists, favor when explaining deviant behavior? - Personality disorders What is a secondary group? - A group that is created through similar interests, activities, or professions Which social theorist was the first to analyze bureaucracies as powerful forms of social organization that are concerned with the "bottom line?" - Max Weber A student is well prepared for a class assignment, and she feels confident she knows the correct answers to the questions the teacher will ask during a group discussion. However, the student is reluctant to raise her hand to answer the questions to avoid making her classmates look bad. Which term explains the student's behavior within the social structure of the group? - Role strain Which social structure concept did Emile Durkheim refer to as a shared consciousness that develops from groups performing similar tasks? - Mechanical solidarity Which type of influence could convince good people to participate in heinous acts, according to Stanley Milgram's research? - Authority