WGU C273 Unit Assessments (Prep for OA)
Introduction to Sociology Exam Questions and
Answers
1.Whose ideas are the basis for the conflict perspective
Answer Karl Marx
Explanation: Karl Marx's studies of class conflict are the basis for the
conflict perspective in sociology.
2.What is the best summary of George Herbert Mead's theory of social in-
teractions
Answer No one is born knowing how to communicate with one another,
and people have to learn what symbols mean and how to use them.
Explanation: Mead's theory about social interactions and symbols
created the basis for symbolic interactionism.
3.How might a functionalist classify the popularity and prominence of
football in American society
Answer Football is almost a religious institution that uses rituals to
reinforce common American values, such as competition, and it serves
as an outlet for aggression in order to help maintain social cohesion.
,Explanation: A functionalist would say that football serves a specific
purpose in society in order to help it better function.
4.Why are operational definitions of variables necessary for research
Answer Vari- ables need established operational definitions so that they
can be measured and the data can be analyzed.
Explanation: Operational definitions of variables are necessary in
research so that the variables can be measured and the data can be
analyzed.
5.A researcher tests a sample of elementary school children in the United
States on their reading abilities and also counts the number of books in
their homes. He finds that those children who have books in their home
have better reading skills. What is this an example of
Answer correlation
Explanation: Although the researcher found that owning more books is
related to better reading ability, this does not mean that one causes the
other; they are simply correlated. Perhaps wealthier families can both
afford to buy more books and give their children other advantages that
improve reading.
6.Which of the following is an advantage of field research
, Answer It can offer a lot of detail about a topic.
Explanation: Field research can lack breadth, it can be very time-
consuming, and different researchers might draw different conclusions
about what they observed, but unlike other research methods, it offers
detail about the situation.
7.If you wanted to compare the attitudes of Virginia residents towards gun
control with the attitudes of Oregon residents, which research method
would you choose
Answer survey
Explanation: Surveys are useful for gleaning information from large
groups of people and drawing specific comparisons between
respondents.
8.The ability to recognize the societal forces that influence individual
behavior and attitude is known as
Answer sociological imagination
Explanation: Sociological imagination requires one to widen his or her
perspective to understand the social forces that shape behavior and
attitudes.
Introduction to Sociology Exam Questions and
Answers
1.Whose ideas are the basis for the conflict perspective
Answer Karl Marx
Explanation: Karl Marx's studies of class conflict are the basis for the
conflict perspective in sociology.
2.What is the best summary of George Herbert Mead's theory of social in-
teractions
Answer No one is born knowing how to communicate with one another,
and people have to learn what symbols mean and how to use them.
Explanation: Mead's theory about social interactions and symbols
created the basis for symbolic interactionism.
3.How might a functionalist classify the popularity and prominence of
football in American society
Answer Football is almost a religious institution that uses rituals to
reinforce common American values, such as competition, and it serves
as an outlet for aggression in order to help maintain social cohesion.
,Explanation: A functionalist would say that football serves a specific
purpose in society in order to help it better function.
4.Why are operational definitions of variables necessary for research
Answer Vari- ables need established operational definitions so that they
can be measured and the data can be analyzed.
Explanation: Operational definitions of variables are necessary in
research so that the variables can be measured and the data can be
analyzed.
5.A researcher tests a sample of elementary school children in the United
States on their reading abilities and also counts the number of books in
their homes. He finds that those children who have books in their home
have better reading skills. What is this an example of
Answer correlation
Explanation: Although the researcher found that owning more books is
related to better reading ability, this does not mean that one causes the
other; they are simply correlated. Perhaps wealthier families can both
afford to buy more books and give their children other advantages that
improve reading.
6.Which of the following is an advantage of field research
, Answer It can offer a lot of detail about a topic.
Explanation: Field research can lack breadth, it can be very time-
consuming, and different researchers might draw different conclusions
about what they observed, but unlike other research methods, it offers
detail about the situation.
7.If you wanted to compare the attitudes of Virginia residents towards gun
control with the attitudes of Oregon residents, which research method
would you choose
Answer survey
Explanation: Surveys are useful for gleaning information from large
groups of people and drawing specific comparisons between
respondents.
8.The ability to recognize the societal forces that influence individual
behavior and attitude is known as
Answer sociological imagination
Explanation: Sociological imagination requires one to widen his or her
perspective to understand the social forces that shape behavior and
attitudes.
