SOCIOLOGY 201 - MIDTERM I QUESTIONS WITH
VERIFIED ANSWERS
What is the sociological imagination? - answers - the ability to look past the individual
and seek explanations that identify social issues. We need to look past private troubles
and focus on social issues
Emile durkheim - answers - studied suicide and came up with the 4 types of suicide. He
rejected the idea that suicide was a result of psychological disorder
Expected results graph - answers - cause variable = x axis
Effect variable = y axis
Social solidarity - answers - the frequency of interaction and the degree of sharing of
beliefs, values, and morals in a group
Personal problems vs social issues - answers - different causes for some issues
Ie. Plagiarism
Private troubles: time management, impulsive
Social issues: education costs, internet
4 types of suicide - answers - altruistic, egoistic, fatalistic, anomic
Altruistic - answers - high integration, sacrificial
Eg. Soldiers, terminal people in hospitals, suicide bombers
Egoistic - answers - low integration, loners
Eg. School shooters
Fatalistic - answers - high regulation
Eg. Prisoners, arranged marriages, student due to stress
Anomic - answers - low regulation as a result of social, cultural, financial, political
implosions
Ex. First nations people and residential schools
Integration - answers - interaction with society, the opposite of social exclusion
Regulation - answers - need a certain amount of control
Why was durkheims work significant? - answers - 1) there is something unique about
sociology
2) causes of suicide are partly social
3) the study of social forces need not leave out biological or psychological forces
, Exam question: who was the first sociologist? - answers - not durkheim! Auguste comte
(1798-1857) is often considered the first well-known sociologist.
T/f women losing job constantly, she is late (blames society) is she using her social
imagination? - answers - false
T/f as social solidarity increases, suicide decreases. - answers - false
T/f person who loses spouse is more likely to commit suicide than single person -
answers - false
What is sociology? - answers - "the systemic study of human behaviour". Study of
powerful social forces, which emerged during the time of the industrial revolution (when
more people started studying more and caring about social issues). It is not a "science"
What are the 4 sociological promises? - answers - 1) sociology promises to help us
think critically
2) it promises to explain why we act the way we do
3) it reveals the possibilities of human action
4) shows the correct route to induce positive social change
Critical thinking - answers - using careful observation to arrive at a conclusion about our
social world rather than basing our understanding upon authority, casual observation,
illogical reasoning, etc
Three levels of sociological inquiry - answers - micro-level: individual behaviour ex.
Males nicer than females bc they open doors
Macro-level: national level (study of social institutions) ex. Family, country specific
Global-level: investigation of international phenomenon ex. Multinational corportation
5 important sociological perspectives and theories - answers - functionalism
Conflict theories
Symbolic interactionism
Feminist theories
The postmodern (not a theory)
Exam question: what is alienation? - answers - alienation refers to the separation of
things that naturally go together
Sociological theory came in response to? - answers - - scientific
revolution/enlightenment
- rise of nation-state
- effect of industrial revolution
VERIFIED ANSWERS
What is the sociological imagination? - answers - the ability to look past the individual
and seek explanations that identify social issues. We need to look past private troubles
and focus on social issues
Emile durkheim - answers - studied suicide and came up with the 4 types of suicide. He
rejected the idea that suicide was a result of psychological disorder
Expected results graph - answers - cause variable = x axis
Effect variable = y axis
Social solidarity - answers - the frequency of interaction and the degree of sharing of
beliefs, values, and morals in a group
Personal problems vs social issues - answers - different causes for some issues
Ie. Plagiarism
Private troubles: time management, impulsive
Social issues: education costs, internet
4 types of suicide - answers - altruistic, egoistic, fatalistic, anomic
Altruistic - answers - high integration, sacrificial
Eg. Soldiers, terminal people in hospitals, suicide bombers
Egoistic - answers - low integration, loners
Eg. School shooters
Fatalistic - answers - high regulation
Eg. Prisoners, arranged marriages, student due to stress
Anomic - answers - low regulation as a result of social, cultural, financial, political
implosions
Ex. First nations people and residential schools
Integration - answers - interaction with society, the opposite of social exclusion
Regulation - answers - need a certain amount of control
Why was durkheims work significant? - answers - 1) there is something unique about
sociology
2) causes of suicide are partly social
3) the study of social forces need not leave out biological or psychological forces
, Exam question: who was the first sociologist? - answers - not durkheim! Auguste comte
(1798-1857) is often considered the first well-known sociologist.
T/f women losing job constantly, she is late (blames society) is she using her social
imagination? - answers - false
T/f as social solidarity increases, suicide decreases. - answers - false
T/f person who loses spouse is more likely to commit suicide than single person -
answers - false
What is sociology? - answers - "the systemic study of human behaviour". Study of
powerful social forces, which emerged during the time of the industrial revolution (when
more people started studying more and caring about social issues). It is not a "science"
What are the 4 sociological promises? - answers - 1) sociology promises to help us
think critically
2) it promises to explain why we act the way we do
3) it reveals the possibilities of human action
4) shows the correct route to induce positive social change
Critical thinking - answers - using careful observation to arrive at a conclusion about our
social world rather than basing our understanding upon authority, casual observation,
illogical reasoning, etc
Three levels of sociological inquiry - answers - micro-level: individual behaviour ex.
Males nicer than females bc they open doors
Macro-level: national level (study of social institutions) ex. Family, country specific
Global-level: investigation of international phenomenon ex. Multinational corportation
5 important sociological perspectives and theories - answers - functionalism
Conflict theories
Symbolic interactionism
Feminist theories
The postmodern (not a theory)
Exam question: what is alienation? - answers - alienation refers to the separation of
things that naturally go together
Sociological theory came in response to? - answers - - scientific
revolution/enlightenment
- rise of nation-state
- effect of industrial revolution
