WGU C273 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
STUDY GUIDE 2026 OBJECTIVE
ASSESSMENT OA PRACTICE QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH DETAILED
RATIONALES COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
REVIEW
primary group - CORRECT ANSWER -a small group characterized by
intimate, long-term, face-to-face association and cooperation
secondary group - CORRECT ANSWER -compared with a primary group, a
larger, relatively temporary, more anonymous, formal, and impersonal
group based on some interest or activity
voluntary associations - CORRECT ANSWER -groups made up of people who
voluntarily organize on the basis of some mutual interest; also known as
voluntary memberships and voluntary organizations
iron law of oligarchy - CORRECT ANSWER -Robert Michels' term for the
tendency of formal organizations to be dominated by a small, self
perpetuating elite
in-group - CORRECT ANSWER -a group toward which one feels loyalty
out-group - CORRECT ANSWER -group toward which one feels antagonism
,reference group - CORRECT ANSWER -a group whose standards we refer to
as we evaluate ourselves
social network - CORRECT ANSWER -the social ties radiating outward from
the self that link people together
clique (cleek) - CORRECT ANSWER -a cluster of people within a larger group
who choose to interact with one another
bureaucracy - CORRECT ANSWER -a formal organization with a hierarchy of
authority and a clear division of labor; emphasis on impersonality of
positions and written rules, communications, and records
-separate levels
-a division of labor
-written rules
goal displacement - CORRECT ANSWER -an organization replacing old goals
with new ones; also known as goal replacement
alienation - CORRECT ANSWER -Marx's term for workers' lack of connection
to the product of their labor; caused by workers being assigned repetitive
tasks on a small part of a product—this leads to a sense of powerlessness
and normlessness; others use the term in the general sense of not feeling a
part of something
, self-fulfilling stereotype - CORRECT ANSWER -preconceived ideas of what
someone is like that lead to the person's behaving in ways that match the
stereotype
hidden corporate culture - CORRECT ANSWER -stereotypes of the traits that
make for high-performing and underperforming workers
group dynamics - CORRECT ANSWER -the ways in which individuals affect
groups and the ways in which groups influence individuals
small group - CORRECT ANSWER -a group small enough for everyone to
interact directly with all the other members
dyad - CORRECT ANSWER -the smallest possible group, consisting of two
persons
triad - CORRECT ANSWER -a group of three people
coalition - CORRECT ANSWER -the alignment of some members of a group
against others
leader - CORRECT ANSWER -someone who influences other people
instrumental leader - CORRECT ANSWER -an individual who tries to keep
the group moving toward its goals; also known as a task-oriented leader
STUDY GUIDE 2026 OBJECTIVE
ASSESSMENT OA PRACTICE QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH DETAILED
RATIONALES COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
REVIEW
primary group - CORRECT ANSWER -a small group characterized by
intimate, long-term, face-to-face association and cooperation
secondary group - CORRECT ANSWER -compared with a primary group, a
larger, relatively temporary, more anonymous, formal, and impersonal
group based on some interest or activity
voluntary associations - CORRECT ANSWER -groups made up of people who
voluntarily organize on the basis of some mutual interest; also known as
voluntary memberships and voluntary organizations
iron law of oligarchy - CORRECT ANSWER -Robert Michels' term for the
tendency of formal organizations to be dominated by a small, self
perpetuating elite
in-group - CORRECT ANSWER -a group toward which one feels loyalty
out-group - CORRECT ANSWER -group toward which one feels antagonism
,reference group - CORRECT ANSWER -a group whose standards we refer to
as we evaluate ourselves
social network - CORRECT ANSWER -the social ties radiating outward from
the self that link people together
clique (cleek) - CORRECT ANSWER -a cluster of people within a larger group
who choose to interact with one another
bureaucracy - CORRECT ANSWER -a formal organization with a hierarchy of
authority and a clear division of labor; emphasis on impersonality of
positions and written rules, communications, and records
-separate levels
-a division of labor
-written rules
goal displacement - CORRECT ANSWER -an organization replacing old goals
with new ones; also known as goal replacement
alienation - CORRECT ANSWER -Marx's term for workers' lack of connection
to the product of their labor; caused by workers being assigned repetitive
tasks on a small part of a product—this leads to a sense of powerlessness
and normlessness; others use the term in the general sense of not feeling a
part of something
, self-fulfilling stereotype - CORRECT ANSWER -preconceived ideas of what
someone is like that lead to the person's behaving in ways that match the
stereotype
hidden corporate culture - CORRECT ANSWER -stereotypes of the traits that
make for high-performing and underperforming workers
group dynamics - CORRECT ANSWER -the ways in which individuals affect
groups and the ways in which groups influence individuals
small group - CORRECT ANSWER -a group small enough for everyone to
interact directly with all the other members
dyad - CORRECT ANSWER -the smallest possible group, consisting of two
persons
triad - CORRECT ANSWER -a group of three people
coalition - CORRECT ANSWER -the alignment of some members of a group
against others
leader - CORRECT ANSWER -someone who influences other people
instrumental leader - CORRECT ANSWER -an individual who tries to keep
the group moving toward its goals; also known as a task-oriented leader
