WGU C273 Introduction to Sociology Final Exam
2026/2027 - ASA & Competency Aligned
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TOTAL 75 ITEMS | 60 MC + 10 Scenarios + 5 Research Methods + 5
Recent Developments
DOMAIN A Sociological Foundations & Theories (20 Q)
1. Which statement BEST exemplifies C. Wright Mills’s “sociological imagination”?
A. Personal unemployment results from individual laziness.
B. Rising divorce rates reflect moral decay in society.
C. Personal student-loan debt connects to broader educational financing
systems.
D. Crime is caused solely by biological predispositions.
Answer: C – Links personal troubles (debt) to public issues (policy/economy).
2. (Scenario) A 2026 survey shows that countries with stronger social safety nets
report higher life satisfaction. Which theoretical perspective BEST explains this?
A. Symbolic interactionism — micro-level meanings of safety nets
B. Functionalism — safety nets contribute to social stability
C. Conflict theory — safety nets hide capitalist exploitation
D. Rational-choice theory — individuals calculate satisfaction costs
Answer: B – Institutions function to maintain equilibrium & social order.
, [3-20 continue: Durkheim anomie & TikTok suicide clusters, Weber rationalization & AI
bureaucracy, Marx alienation & gig economy, feminist theory & 2026 pay-equity data,
research ethics & IRB AI surveillance…]
DOMAIN B Social Structures & Institutions (25 Q)
Social Stratification (6)
21. Which concept describes a social position that is VOLUNTARY & achieved
through personal effort?
A. Ascribed status
B. Master status
C. Achieved status
D. Status set
Answer: C – Achieved status (e.g., college graduate, nurse practitioner).
Family/Education/Religion (5)
22. (Scenario) Since 2025, U.S. K-12 curricula include mandated climate-science
modules. Which sociological concept explains resistance from some parental
groups?
A. Cultural lag
B. Cultural diffusion
C. Value contradiction
D. Moral panic
Answer: A – Material culture (science) advances faster than non-material culture
(beliefs).
2026/2027 - ASA & Competency Aligned
================================================================
TOTAL 75 ITEMS | 60 MC + 10 Scenarios + 5 Research Methods + 5
Recent Developments
DOMAIN A Sociological Foundations & Theories (20 Q)
1. Which statement BEST exemplifies C. Wright Mills’s “sociological imagination”?
A. Personal unemployment results from individual laziness.
B. Rising divorce rates reflect moral decay in society.
C. Personal student-loan debt connects to broader educational financing
systems.
D. Crime is caused solely by biological predispositions.
Answer: C – Links personal troubles (debt) to public issues (policy/economy).
2. (Scenario) A 2026 survey shows that countries with stronger social safety nets
report higher life satisfaction. Which theoretical perspective BEST explains this?
A. Symbolic interactionism — micro-level meanings of safety nets
B. Functionalism — safety nets contribute to social stability
C. Conflict theory — safety nets hide capitalist exploitation
D. Rational-choice theory — individuals calculate satisfaction costs
Answer: B – Institutions function to maintain equilibrium & social order.
, [3-20 continue: Durkheim anomie & TikTok suicide clusters, Weber rationalization & AI
bureaucracy, Marx alienation & gig economy, feminist theory & 2026 pay-equity data,
research ethics & IRB AI surveillance…]
DOMAIN B Social Structures & Institutions (25 Q)
Social Stratification (6)
21. Which concept describes a social position that is VOLUNTARY & achieved
through personal effort?
A. Ascribed status
B. Master status
C. Achieved status
D. Status set
Answer: C – Achieved status (e.g., college graduate, nurse practitioner).
Family/Education/Religion (5)
22. (Scenario) Since 2025, U.S. K-12 curricula include mandated climate-science
modules. Which sociological concept explains resistance from some parental
groups?
A. Cultural lag
B. Cultural diffusion
C. Value contradiction
D. Moral panic
Answer: A – Material culture (science) advances faster than non-material culture
(beliefs).
