CLEP Introductory Sociology Exam
Questions and Answers20
achieved status - ANSWERS-A status that individuals secure on the basis of choice and
competition.
altruistic suicide - ANSWERS-type of suicide that occurs where ties to the group or community
are considered more important than individual identity
affiliation motivated - ANSWERS-when one's actions are geared to helping them join or connect
with a particular social status
agricultural societies - ANSWERS-Societies that cultivate large amounts of crops with the plow
and other relatively advanced tools and equipment.
egoistic suicide - ANSWERS-suicide that results from social isolation and individualism
fatalistic suicide - ANSWERS-suicide that occurs as a result of "too much" social regulation
anomic suicide - ANSWERS-Suicide that occurs as a result of "too little" social regulation
anomie - ANSWERS-A social condition in which people find it difficult to guide their behavior by
norms they experience as weak, unclear, or conflicting.
ascribed status - ANSWERS-social position a person receives at birth or involuntarily later in life
,status - ANSWERS-a social position that a person holds
status set - ANSWERS-all the statuses a person holds at a given time.
Sociology - ANSWERS-study of the evolution, development, and functioning of human society
social change - ANSWERS-the transformation of culture and social institutions over time
social control - ANSWERS-a group's formal and informal means of enforcing its norms
social hierarchy - ANSWERS-The division of society by rank or class
social mobility - ANSWERS-a change in position within the social hierarchy
social movement - ANSWERS-a widely shared demand for change in some aspect of the social
or political order
social stratification - ANSWERS-a system by which a society ranks categories of people in a
hierarchy
Socialization - ANSWERS-the process by which people, especially children, learn socially
desirable behavior by means of verbal messages; the systematic use of rewards and
punishments, and other teaching methods
socialization agents - ANSWERS-The people, institutions, and organizations that exist to help
ensure that socialization occurs.
, Society - ANSWERS-an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic
organization
egoism - ANSWERS-Self-ism or "I"ism
views self as reality and all other individuals as essentially unreal.
authoritarianism - ANSWERS-A political system in which the government tolerates little or no
opposition to its rules but permits nongovernmental centers of influence and allows debate on
issues of public policy.
Barter system - ANSWERS-a system of exchange in which goods or services are traded directly
for other goods or services without the use of money.
birth rate - ANSWERS-the ratio of live births in an area to the population of that area
Bourgeoisie - ANSWERS-Those individuals who control the means of production.
Upper class
Bureaucracy - ANSWERS-A social structure made up of a hierarchy of statuses and roles that is
prescribed by explicit rules and procedures and based on a division of function and authority.
caste system - ANSWERS-a social structure in which classes are determined by heredity
charismatic authority - ANSWERS-Power that is legitimated by the extraordinary superhuman or
supernatural attributes people attribute to a leader.
Church - ANSWERS-A religious organization that considers itself uniquely legitimate and enjoys a
positive relationship with the dominant society.
Questions and Answers20
achieved status - ANSWERS-A status that individuals secure on the basis of choice and
competition.
altruistic suicide - ANSWERS-type of suicide that occurs where ties to the group or community
are considered more important than individual identity
affiliation motivated - ANSWERS-when one's actions are geared to helping them join or connect
with a particular social status
agricultural societies - ANSWERS-Societies that cultivate large amounts of crops with the plow
and other relatively advanced tools and equipment.
egoistic suicide - ANSWERS-suicide that results from social isolation and individualism
fatalistic suicide - ANSWERS-suicide that occurs as a result of "too much" social regulation
anomic suicide - ANSWERS-Suicide that occurs as a result of "too little" social regulation
anomie - ANSWERS-A social condition in which people find it difficult to guide their behavior by
norms they experience as weak, unclear, or conflicting.
ascribed status - ANSWERS-social position a person receives at birth or involuntarily later in life
,status - ANSWERS-a social position that a person holds
status set - ANSWERS-all the statuses a person holds at a given time.
Sociology - ANSWERS-study of the evolution, development, and functioning of human society
social change - ANSWERS-the transformation of culture and social institutions over time
social control - ANSWERS-a group's formal and informal means of enforcing its norms
social hierarchy - ANSWERS-The division of society by rank or class
social mobility - ANSWERS-a change in position within the social hierarchy
social movement - ANSWERS-a widely shared demand for change in some aspect of the social
or political order
social stratification - ANSWERS-a system by which a society ranks categories of people in a
hierarchy
Socialization - ANSWERS-the process by which people, especially children, learn socially
desirable behavior by means of verbal messages; the systematic use of rewards and
punishments, and other teaching methods
socialization agents - ANSWERS-The people, institutions, and organizations that exist to help
ensure that socialization occurs.
, Society - ANSWERS-an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic
organization
egoism - ANSWERS-Self-ism or "I"ism
views self as reality and all other individuals as essentially unreal.
authoritarianism - ANSWERS-A political system in which the government tolerates little or no
opposition to its rules but permits nongovernmental centers of influence and allows debate on
issues of public policy.
Barter system - ANSWERS-a system of exchange in which goods or services are traded directly
for other goods or services without the use of money.
birth rate - ANSWERS-the ratio of live births in an area to the population of that area
Bourgeoisie - ANSWERS-Those individuals who control the means of production.
Upper class
Bureaucracy - ANSWERS-A social structure made up of a hierarchy of statuses and roles that is
prescribed by explicit rules and procedures and based on a division of function and authority.
caste system - ANSWERS-a social structure in which classes are determined by heredity
charismatic authority - ANSWERS-Power that is legitimated by the extraordinary superhuman or
supernatural attributes people attribute to a leader.
Church - ANSWERS-A religious organization that considers itself uniquely legitimate and enjoys a
positive relationship with the dominant society.
