Ch01
Student: ___________________________________________________________________________
1. Which of the following was the main concern of Barbara Ehrenreich's study in Nickel and Dimed: On
(Not) Getting By in America?
A. large cities
B. education
C. stratification in society
D. crime
2. The scientific study of social behavior and human groups is known as:
A. psychology.
B. political science.
C. anthropology.
D. sociology.
3. Sociology:
A. is the scientific study of social behavior and human groups.
B. focuses primarily on how social relationships influence people's behavior.
C. focuses on how societies develop and change.
D. all of these
4. The awareness that allows people to comprehend the link between their immediate, personal social
settings and the remote, impersonal social world is called:
A. the sociological imagination.
B. anthropology.
C. a theory.
D. verstehen.
5. ____________ is most closely associated with the concept of the sociological imagination.
A. Émile Durkheim
B. Max Weber
C. Karl Marx
D. C. Wright Mills
6. A key element in the sociological imagination is the ability to view one's own society:
A. from the perspective of personal experience.
B. from the perspective of cultural biases.
C. as an outsider.
D. as an insider.
7. A sociologist observing behavior at a college football game would probably focus on:
A. what books the coach of the team has read during the past year.
B. a "fan" who has fallen asleep during the game's fourth quarter.
C. the interaction among fans during the pre-game ritual of tailgate parties.
D. the cleanliness of the rest room facilities in the stadium.
8. Which of the following would be an example of the use of the sociological imagination?
A. a study of an individual's sleeping patterns
B. an analysis of the content of dreams
C. a study that concentrates on the behavior of people listening to a religious service compared to those
listening to a rock concert
D. an analysis of the powers of the President of the U.S. to declare war
,9. Which aspect of divorce would most likely be of interest to sociologists using the sociological
imagination?
A. the structural impact of divorce
B. the personal hardships of a man or woman divorcing
C. the average amount of child support payments for dependent children
D. the number of suicides connected to divorce
10. C. Wright Mills advocated the use of the sociological imagination to view divorce in the United States
because divorce:
A. is a serious personal problem for numerous men and women.
B. is not just an individual's personal problem but a societal concern.
C. may create emotional scars for divorcees.
D. has been a serious problem throughout history.
11. The sociological imagination is an empowering tool because:
A. it allows us to look beyond a limited understanding of the world.
B. it helps us to understand why certain people may prefer hip-hop music.
C. it helps open up a different way of understanding other populations in the world.
D. all of these
12. The body of knowledge obtained using methods based upon systematic observation is called a (an):
A. theory.
B. verstehen.
C. science.
D. ideal type.
13. Sociology is considered a science because sociologists:
A. teach at respected universities.
B. engage in organized and systematic study of phenomena to enhance understanding.
C. receive government funding for research projects.
D. construct middle-range theories to explain social behavior.
14. Which of the following subject areas is an example of a natural science?
A. philosophy
B. British literature
C. ceramics
D. geology
15. Sociology, anthropology, economics, and history study various aspects of human society and are
therefore considered:
A. natural sciences.
B. social sciences.
C. typologies.
D. psychological categories.
16. Astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, and physics study various aspects of the physical features of
nature and are therefore considered:
A. natural sciences.
B. social sciences.
C. typologies.
D. psychological categories.
17. Which of the following academic disciplines would most likely explore the ways in which people
produce and exchange goods?
A. history
B. psychology
C. economics
D. sociology
,18. Which of the following academic disciplines investigates personality and individual behavior?
A. history
B. psychology
C. political science
D. sociology
19. Which of the following academic disciplines emphasizes the influence that society has on people's
attitudes and behavior and the ways in which people shape society?
A. anthropology
B. economics
C. sociology
D. physics
20. Which of the following academic disciplines is classified as a natural science?
A. sociology
B. history
C. political science
D. biology
21. Which of the following academic disciplines is classified as a social science?
A. biology
B. physics
C. anthropology
D. astronomy
22. Which social science would be interested in the stances taken by elected officials both during and in the
aftermath of Hurricane Katrina?
A. history
B. economics
C. sociology
D. political science
23. Which social science would be interested in cost comparisons between the use of the death penalty and
incarceration for criminal offenders?
A. history
B. economics
C. sociology
D. political science
24. A natural scientist would be likely to study:
A. the clothing patterns of a group of people during a hundred-year period.
B. food preparation among a tribal group in New Guinea.
C. rock formations and composition in the Grand Canyon.
D. the interaction between men and women on a college campus.
25. A social scientist would be likely to study the:
A. composition of a meteorite discovered in a remote area of Siberia.
B. reasons for the decreasing divorce rate in the U.S.
C. newest procedure in heart transplant surgery.
D. possibility of life on Mars.
26. Sociologists argue that, unlike scientific knowledge, common sense conclusions are:
A. not published.
B. not reliable.
C. not politically correct.
D. easily disseminated.
, 27. Contrary to common sense, a 2007 study of military marriages showed:
A. a significant rise in divorce rates.
B. a significant decrease in divorce rates.
C. no significant increase in the divorce rate.
D. the rate was the same as the civilian rate.
28. An attempt to explain problems, actions, or behavior in a comprehensive manner is called a (an):
A. science.
B. typology.
C. theory.
D. ideal type.
29. In his research on suicide, Émile Durkheim's found that:
A. Protestants had higher suicide rates than Catholics.
B. married people had higher suicide rates than unmarried people.
C. civilians had higher suicide rates than soldiers.
D. suicide rates were higher during periods of prosperity than during periods of depression.
30. Émile Durkheim's study of suicide related suicide rates to:
A. personal depression.
B. personal stress.
C. the extent to which people were integrated into the group life of a society.
D. climatic conditions such as oppressive heat, heavy rain, and cold winters.
31. Émile Durkheim's explanation of suicide was scientific because he:
A. developed conclusions based on systematic examination of data.
B. carefully studied the personalities of hundreds of suicide victims.
C. worked in a university setting.
D. divided suicide into four distinctive categories.
32. Which of the following statements is an example of a sociological theory?
A. Suicide rates are a reflection of whether people are, or are not, integrated into the group life of a
society.
B. John's suicide was probably the result of the stress he was feeling at work.
C. Social groups must have three or more members.
D. Betting on horse races increases on sunny days.
33. Émile Durkheim is known for his classic sociological study of:
A. suicide.
B. abortion.
C. soccer.
D. crowd control.
34. The discipline of sociology was given its name by the French theorist:
A. Émile Durkheim.
B. Auguste Comte.
C. Harriet Martineau.
D. Marcel Marceau.
35. Which sociologist translated the works of Auguste Comte into English and emphasized the impact that
the economy, laws, trade, and population could have on contemporary social problems?
A. Émile Durkheim
B. Jane Addams
C. Harriet Martineau
D. Talcott Parsons
Student: ___________________________________________________________________________
1. Which of the following was the main concern of Barbara Ehrenreich's study in Nickel and Dimed: On
(Not) Getting By in America?
A. large cities
B. education
C. stratification in society
D. crime
2. The scientific study of social behavior and human groups is known as:
A. psychology.
B. political science.
C. anthropology.
D. sociology.
3. Sociology:
A. is the scientific study of social behavior and human groups.
B. focuses primarily on how social relationships influence people's behavior.
C. focuses on how societies develop and change.
D. all of these
4. The awareness that allows people to comprehend the link between their immediate, personal social
settings and the remote, impersonal social world is called:
A. the sociological imagination.
B. anthropology.
C. a theory.
D. verstehen.
5. ____________ is most closely associated with the concept of the sociological imagination.
A. Émile Durkheim
B. Max Weber
C. Karl Marx
D. C. Wright Mills
6. A key element in the sociological imagination is the ability to view one's own society:
A. from the perspective of personal experience.
B. from the perspective of cultural biases.
C. as an outsider.
D. as an insider.
7. A sociologist observing behavior at a college football game would probably focus on:
A. what books the coach of the team has read during the past year.
B. a "fan" who has fallen asleep during the game's fourth quarter.
C. the interaction among fans during the pre-game ritual of tailgate parties.
D. the cleanliness of the rest room facilities in the stadium.
8. Which of the following would be an example of the use of the sociological imagination?
A. a study of an individual's sleeping patterns
B. an analysis of the content of dreams
C. a study that concentrates on the behavior of people listening to a religious service compared to those
listening to a rock concert
D. an analysis of the powers of the President of the U.S. to declare war
,9. Which aspect of divorce would most likely be of interest to sociologists using the sociological
imagination?
A. the structural impact of divorce
B. the personal hardships of a man or woman divorcing
C. the average amount of child support payments for dependent children
D. the number of suicides connected to divorce
10. C. Wright Mills advocated the use of the sociological imagination to view divorce in the United States
because divorce:
A. is a serious personal problem for numerous men and women.
B. is not just an individual's personal problem but a societal concern.
C. may create emotional scars for divorcees.
D. has been a serious problem throughout history.
11. The sociological imagination is an empowering tool because:
A. it allows us to look beyond a limited understanding of the world.
B. it helps us to understand why certain people may prefer hip-hop music.
C. it helps open up a different way of understanding other populations in the world.
D. all of these
12. The body of knowledge obtained using methods based upon systematic observation is called a (an):
A. theory.
B. verstehen.
C. science.
D. ideal type.
13. Sociology is considered a science because sociologists:
A. teach at respected universities.
B. engage in organized and systematic study of phenomena to enhance understanding.
C. receive government funding for research projects.
D. construct middle-range theories to explain social behavior.
14. Which of the following subject areas is an example of a natural science?
A. philosophy
B. British literature
C. ceramics
D. geology
15. Sociology, anthropology, economics, and history study various aspects of human society and are
therefore considered:
A. natural sciences.
B. social sciences.
C. typologies.
D. psychological categories.
16. Astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, and physics study various aspects of the physical features of
nature and are therefore considered:
A. natural sciences.
B. social sciences.
C. typologies.
D. psychological categories.
17. Which of the following academic disciplines would most likely explore the ways in which people
produce and exchange goods?
A. history
B. psychology
C. economics
D. sociology
,18. Which of the following academic disciplines investigates personality and individual behavior?
A. history
B. psychology
C. political science
D. sociology
19. Which of the following academic disciplines emphasizes the influence that society has on people's
attitudes and behavior and the ways in which people shape society?
A. anthropology
B. economics
C. sociology
D. physics
20. Which of the following academic disciplines is classified as a natural science?
A. sociology
B. history
C. political science
D. biology
21. Which of the following academic disciplines is classified as a social science?
A. biology
B. physics
C. anthropology
D. astronomy
22. Which social science would be interested in the stances taken by elected officials both during and in the
aftermath of Hurricane Katrina?
A. history
B. economics
C. sociology
D. political science
23. Which social science would be interested in cost comparisons between the use of the death penalty and
incarceration for criminal offenders?
A. history
B. economics
C. sociology
D. political science
24. A natural scientist would be likely to study:
A. the clothing patterns of a group of people during a hundred-year period.
B. food preparation among a tribal group in New Guinea.
C. rock formations and composition in the Grand Canyon.
D. the interaction between men and women on a college campus.
25. A social scientist would be likely to study the:
A. composition of a meteorite discovered in a remote area of Siberia.
B. reasons for the decreasing divorce rate in the U.S.
C. newest procedure in heart transplant surgery.
D. possibility of life on Mars.
26. Sociologists argue that, unlike scientific knowledge, common sense conclusions are:
A. not published.
B. not reliable.
C. not politically correct.
D. easily disseminated.
, 27. Contrary to common sense, a 2007 study of military marriages showed:
A. a significant rise in divorce rates.
B. a significant decrease in divorce rates.
C. no significant increase in the divorce rate.
D. the rate was the same as the civilian rate.
28. An attempt to explain problems, actions, or behavior in a comprehensive manner is called a (an):
A. science.
B. typology.
C. theory.
D. ideal type.
29. In his research on suicide, Émile Durkheim's found that:
A. Protestants had higher suicide rates than Catholics.
B. married people had higher suicide rates than unmarried people.
C. civilians had higher suicide rates than soldiers.
D. suicide rates were higher during periods of prosperity than during periods of depression.
30. Émile Durkheim's study of suicide related suicide rates to:
A. personal depression.
B. personal stress.
C. the extent to which people were integrated into the group life of a society.
D. climatic conditions such as oppressive heat, heavy rain, and cold winters.
31. Émile Durkheim's explanation of suicide was scientific because he:
A. developed conclusions based on systematic examination of data.
B. carefully studied the personalities of hundreds of suicide victims.
C. worked in a university setting.
D. divided suicide into four distinctive categories.
32. Which of the following statements is an example of a sociological theory?
A. Suicide rates are a reflection of whether people are, or are not, integrated into the group life of a
society.
B. John's suicide was probably the result of the stress he was feeling at work.
C. Social groups must have three or more members.
D. Betting on horse races increases on sunny days.
33. Émile Durkheim is known for his classic sociological study of:
A. suicide.
B. abortion.
C. soccer.
D. crowd control.
34. The discipline of sociology was given its name by the French theorist:
A. Émile Durkheim.
B. Auguste Comte.
C. Harriet Martineau.
D. Marcel Marceau.
35. Which sociologist translated the works of Auguste Comte into English and emphasized the impact that
the economy, laws, trade, and population could have on contemporary social problems?
A. Émile Durkheim
B. Jane Addams
C. Harriet Martineau
D. Talcott Parsons
