INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY EXAM #17 UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
STUDY GUIDE
Functionalism (Key Theorists, Level of Analysis, Main Principles, Structure, Critiques,
Advantages/Disadvantages, Other) - correct answer Key Theorists- Emile Durkheim
(1858-1917) and Parsons (1902-1979); Level of analysis- Macro; Main principles-
society is conceived as a stable, ordered system made up of interrelated structures &
each structure has a function that contributes to the continued stability of the unified
whole; structure- remains relatively stable over time & meets the needs of society by
performing functions necessary to maintain social order and stability; Critiques- not very
critical (does not ask questions), circular reasoning, (happens because there is a
reason) & can't explain why things change; Advantages- provides understanding of
social structure & stability; Disadvantage- ineffective at describing why society changes;
Other- Set of interacting parts, positivism (simplistic way of studying humans & believes
researcher is neutral), Manifest vs Latent Functions, hard to find today
Conflict Theory (What it is, Key Theorists, Level of Analysis, Critiques,
Advantages/Disadvantages, Other) - correct answer Sees conflict (set of competing
interest groups) & explains why things change; key theorist- Karl Marx (18181-1883);
Level of analysis- macro; Critiques- Narrowly focuses on economy & can't explain
institutions that do not change; Advantages- uncovers historical processes that lead to
social change; Disadvantage- a weak understanding of social consensus & social
stability; Other- historical analysis (economic base- resource distribution) & critiques of
capitalism: Bourgeoisie (owners) vs proletariat (workers) are two biggest divisions in
society & views it as exploitation & chair factory analogy; Base & superstructure
Symbolic Interactionism (Key Theorists, Level of Analysis, Main Principles(tenets),
Critiques, Advantages/Disadvantages) - correct answer Focus on roles people play &
subjective meaning; Key theorists- Max Weber, George H. Mead, & Erving Goffman;
Level of analysis- micro; three basic tenets- we act towards things on the basis of their
meaning (tree example), meanings are not inherent (rather they are negotiated through
interactions with others aka no right or wrong answer), meanings can change or be
modified through interaction, critiques- ???; Advantages- understanding of human
beings as active agents in social life; Disadvantages- difficulty dealing with social
structure
Feminism - correct answer Gender inequality; Standpoint theory (knowledge is particle
aka you can't know everything & your social location aka identity matters in research);
Camps- liberal (women in streets protesting, want to make mainstream changes like
voting & education, should have same rights as men, want a seat at the table), radical
(concerned with power, throw table out the window, gender divides us), essentialist
(women are men are different, but women are better), third was (college students, try to
bring in more identities into gender inequality (such as race)), post-feminism (argument
feminism; gender inequality is not a problem - its a personal problem); critiques- focuses
on gender (white upper class women) not intersectional such as race when it should be
all women
, Social Construction Theory - correct answer Is something real vs what makes it real; if
people define situations as real, then they are real in their consequences (labels in On
Being Sane in Insane Places); Difficult to change; examples: money and hand gesture
Sociological Imagination - correct answer "a pair of lenses"; term by C. Wrights Mills;
making the familiar strange; strip away what you think you know
Personal Troubles vs Public Issues - correct answer Personal Trouble (fired individual)
vs Public Issue (A lot of fired individuals)
Manifest Functions - correct answer intended function; ex- intended function of college
is to get an education
Latent Functions - correct answer Unintended function; ex- unintended function of
college is to find friends/spouse
Quantitative Research - correct answer Numbers; opinions in numerical form (on a
scale of one to five..)
Qualitative Research - correct answer Interested in meaning, understanding, etc.;
cannot be described by numbers; uses interviews
Deductive Approach - correct answer Theory -> hypothesis -> observation ->
confirmation (repeat)
Inductive Approach - correct answer Observation -> pattern -> tentative hypothesis ->
theory (repeat)
Do no harm - correct answer No physical or mental harm can be caused to participants
during research; ethical issue
Informed Consent - correct answer Ethical Issue
Voluntary Participation - correct answer Participants have the right to stop at any time;
ethical issue
Mindful Skepticism - correct answer Michael Schwalbe reading concept; "anyone can
make up numbers"; allows for different perspectives which get us closer to a better
version of the truth, see how competing versions of the truth are created, and see how
others and ourselves have come to see the world, but we may have to suffer a bit of
uncertainty. Never get the whole truth about the social world
Systematic Research - correct answer Scientific method, can reproduce study, must
use systematic research before arguing in an academic setting
STUDY GUIDE
Functionalism (Key Theorists, Level of Analysis, Main Principles, Structure, Critiques,
Advantages/Disadvantages, Other) - correct answer Key Theorists- Emile Durkheim
(1858-1917) and Parsons (1902-1979); Level of analysis- Macro; Main principles-
society is conceived as a stable, ordered system made up of interrelated structures &
each structure has a function that contributes to the continued stability of the unified
whole; structure- remains relatively stable over time & meets the needs of society by
performing functions necessary to maintain social order and stability; Critiques- not very
critical (does not ask questions), circular reasoning, (happens because there is a
reason) & can't explain why things change; Advantages- provides understanding of
social structure & stability; Disadvantage- ineffective at describing why society changes;
Other- Set of interacting parts, positivism (simplistic way of studying humans & believes
researcher is neutral), Manifest vs Latent Functions, hard to find today
Conflict Theory (What it is, Key Theorists, Level of Analysis, Critiques,
Advantages/Disadvantages, Other) - correct answer Sees conflict (set of competing
interest groups) & explains why things change; key theorist- Karl Marx (18181-1883);
Level of analysis- macro; Critiques- Narrowly focuses on economy & can't explain
institutions that do not change; Advantages- uncovers historical processes that lead to
social change; Disadvantage- a weak understanding of social consensus & social
stability; Other- historical analysis (economic base- resource distribution) & critiques of
capitalism: Bourgeoisie (owners) vs proletariat (workers) are two biggest divisions in
society & views it as exploitation & chair factory analogy; Base & superstructure
Symbolic Interactionism (Key Theorists, Level of Analysis, Main Principles(tenets),
Critiques, Advantages/Disadvantages) - correct answer Focus on roles people play &
subjective meaning; Key theorists- Max Weber, George H. Mead, & Erving Goffman;
Level of analysis- micro; three basic tenets- we act towards things on the basis of their
meaning (tree example), meanings are not inherent (rather they are negotiated through
interactions with others aka no right or wrong answer), meanings can change or be
modified through interaction, critiques- ???; Advantages- understanding of human
beings as active agents in social life; Disadvantages- difficulty dealing with social
structure
Feminism - correct answer Gender inequality; Standpoint theory (knowledge is particle
aka you can't know everything & your social location aka identity matters in research);
Camps- liberal (women in streets protesting, want to make mainstream changes like
voting & education, should have same rights as men, want a seat at the table), radical
(concerned with power, throw table out the window, gender divides us), essentialist
(women are men are different, but women are better), third was (college students, try to
bring in more identities into gender inequality (such as race)), post-feminism (argument
feminism; gender inequality is not a problem - its a personal problem); critiques- focuses
on gender (white upper class women) not intersectional such as race when it should be
all women
, Social Construction Theory - correct answer Is something real vs what makes it real; if
people define situations as real, then they are real in their consequences (labels in On
Being Sane in Insane Places); Difficult to change; examples: money and hand gesture
Sociological Imagination - correct answer "a pair of lenses"; term by C. Wrights Mills;
making the familiar strange; strip away what you think you know
Personal Troubles vs Public Issues - correct answer Personal Trouble (fired individual)
vs Public Issue (A lot of fired individuals)
Manifest Functions - correct answer intended function; ex- intended function of college
is to get an education
Latent Functions - correct answer Unintended function; ex- unintended function of
college is to find friends/spouse
Quantitative Research - correct answer Numbers; opinions in numerical form (on a
scale of one to five..)
Qualitative Research - correct answer Interested in meaning, understanding, etc.;
cannot be described by numbers; uses interviews
Deductive Approach - correct answer Theory -> hypothesis -> observation ->
confirmation (repeat)
Inductive Approach - correct answer Observation -> pattern -> tentative hypothesis ->
theory (repeat)
Do no harm - correct answer No physical or mental harm can be caused to participants
during research; ethical issue
Informed Consent - correct answer Ethical Issue
Voluntary Participation - correct answer Participants have the right to stop at any time;
ethical issue
Mindful Skepticism - correct answer Michael Schwalbe reading concept; "anyone can
make up numbers"; allows for different perspectives which get us closer to a better
version of the truth, see how competing versions of the truth are created, and see how
others and ourselves have come to see the world, but we may have to suffer a bit of
uncertainty. Never get the whole truth about the social world
Systematic Research - correct answer Scientific method, can reproduce study, must
use systematic research before arguing in an academic setting
