Introduction to Social Sciences Exam 1-
Questions and Answers Graded A+
Globalization - ANSWER-An umbrella term for a complex series of economic, social, technological,
cultural, and political changes seen as increasing interdependence, integration and interaction
between people and companies in disparate locations. The phenomenon has been noted since the
1980s in the context of sociological study on a worldwide scale.
Human rights - ANSWER-refers to natural and inalienable rights accorded to all human beings, such
as the right to life, liberty, and happiness. They also may include rights essential to a dignified
human existence, such as freedom of movement, free speech, a good education, employment.
Society - ANSWER-A grouping of individuals, which is characterized by common interest and may
have distinctive culture and institutions.
Technology - ANSWER-application of logic, reason and knowledge to the problems of exploiting raw
materials from the environment
Interdependence - ANSWER-A dynamic of being mutually responsible to and sharing a common set
of principles with others. This concept differs distinctly from "dependence" in that it implies all
participants are emotionally, economically, and/or morally independent.
Deforestation - ANSWER-The conversion of forested areas to non-forest land use such as arable
land, urban use, logged area or wasteland.
Global Economy - ANSWER-Gave business the ability to market products and services all over the
globe. It has also allowed them to develop partnerships and alliances throughout the world, which
has become essential for success in today's business
Public opinion - ANSWER-The aggregate of individual attitudes or beliefs held by the adult
population.
Government - ANSWER-A body that has the authority to make and the power to enforce laws within
a civil, corporate, religious, academic, or other organization or group.
Mass media - ANSWER-Refers to forms of communication designed to reach a vast audience
without any personal contact between the senders and receivers.
Coalition - ANSWER-An alliance among entities, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in
their own self-interest. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience.
Capitalism - ANSWER-An economic system in which the means of production are owned mostly
privately, and capital is invested in the production, distribution and other trade of goods and services,
for profit in a competitive free market.
Communism - ANSWER-A political ideology that seeks to establish a future classless, stateless
social organization, based upon common ownership of the means of production. It can be classified
as a branch of the broader socialist movement.
,Terrorism - ANSWER-Term uses to describe violence or other harmful acts committed (or
threatened) against civilians by groups or persons for political, nationalist, or religious goals. As a
type of unconventional warfare, this means to weaken or supplant existing political landscapes
through capitulation, acquiescence, or radicalization, as opposed to subversion or direct military
action.
Popular culture - ANSWER-The component of culture that consists of activities, products, and
services that are assumed to appear primarily to members of the middle and working classes.
Consumerism - ANSWER-A term used to describe the effect of equating personal happiness with
purchasing material possessions and consumption. It is often associated with criticisms of
consumption starting with Karl Marx and Thorstein Veblen, but can actually be traced back to the
first human civilizations.
Cultural imperialism - ANSWER-The practice of promoting the culture or language of one nation in
another. It is usually the case that the former is a large, economically or militarily powerful nation and
the latter is a smaller, less affluent one. It can take the form of an active, formal policy or a general
attitude.
Imperialism - ANSWER-A policy of extending control or authority over foreign entities as a means of
acquisition and/or maintenance of empires. This is either through direct territorial conquest or
settlement, or through indirect methods of exerting control on the politics and/or economy of these
other entities.
Individualism - ANSWER-putting personal goals ahead of group goals and defining one's identity in
terms of personal attributes rather than group memberships.
Social justice - ANSWER-Refers to conceptions of justice applied to an entire society. It is bases on
the idea of a just society, which gives individuals and groups fair treatment and a just share of the
benefits of society
Resistance movement - ANSWER-a group or collection of individual groups, dedicated to fighting an
invader in an occupied country through either the use of physical force, or nonviolence. It has
political overtones.
Organization - ANSWER-planned, coordinated and purposeful action of human beings to construct
or compile a common tangible or intangible product or service
Consensus - ANSWER-agreement on basic social values by the members of a group or society
Ecosystem - ANSWER-the collection of components and processes that comprise, and govern the
behavior of, some defined subset of the biosphere
Industrial revolution - ANSWER-the massive social, economic, and technological change in the 18th
and 19th century Great Britain. Commenced with the advent of the steam engine, and spread
throughout Western Europe and North America in the 19th century
Population growth - ANSWER-change in population over time, and can be quantified as the change
in the number of individuals in a population per unit time. Can technically refer to any species, but
almost always humans.
,Modernity - ANSWER-often characterized by comparing modern societies to premodern or
postmodern ones, and the understanding of those non-modern social statuses is, again, far from a
settles issue
Overpopulation - ANSWER-an ecological condition in which a society is unable to support all its
members with available technology and natural resources
Agribusiness - ANSWER-a generic term referring to the various businesses involved in food
production, including farming, seed supply, agrichemicals, etc.
Compliance - ANSWER-conforming behavior that occurs in response to direct social pressure
Community - ANSWER-a group of people who share a common sense of identity and interact with
one another on a sustained basis
Slavery - ANSWER-an extreme form of stratification in which some people are owned by others
Materialism - ANSWER-the view that material conditions have the central role in determining social
change
Tribalism - ANSWER-the possession of a strong cultural or ethnic identity that separates oneself as
a member of one group from the members of another. Related to the concept of tribal society in that
it is a precondition for members of a tribe possess a strong feeling of identity for a true tribal society
to form.
public health - ANSWER-concerned with threats to the overall health of a community based on
population health analysis
Propaganda - ANSWER-information provided by individuals or groups that have a vested interest in
furthering their own cause or damaging an opposing one
Migration - ANSWER-movement of people from one country or region to another in order to settle
permanently
Immigration - ANSWER-in the modern sense: the movement of people from one nation-state to
another, where they are not citizens
Sanction - ANSWER-punishment for nonconformity that reinforces socially approved forms of
behavior
Life expectancy - ANSWER-number of years a newborn in a particular society can expect to live
Child labor - ANSWER-the employment of children under an age determined by law or custom.
Considered exploitative by many countries and international organizations
War crime - ANSWER-in the context of war: a punishable offense under International Law, for
violations of the laws of war by any person or persons, military or civilians
Genocide - ANSWER-systematic, planned annihilation of an ethnic, national, racial or political group
Prestige - ANSWER-social respect accorded to an individual or group because of the status of their
position
, Crime - ANSWER-any action that violates criminal laws established by political authority
Authority - ANSWER-power that is attached to a position that others perceive as legitimate
Ideology - ANSWER-shared ideas or beliefs which serve to justify and support the interest of a
particular group or organizations
Anthropology - ANSWER-social science, closely linked to sociology, which concentrates on the
study of traditional cultures-particularly hunting and gathering, horticultural societies, and the
evolution of the human species
Social development - ANSWER-type of social process which leads to structural transformations of
social systems
Social class - ANSWER-category of people who occupy a similar position in relation to the means
through which goods and services are produced in a society
Critical thinking - ANSWER-an approach to thinking characterized by skepticism and thoughtful
analysis of statements and arguments
Rebellion - ANSWER-in a general sense: a refusal to accept authority
Social progress - ANSWER-progress of society, which makes the society better in the general view
of its members, or unintentionally worse, with or without its members realizing
Political philosophy - ANSWER-study of fundamental questions about the state, government,
politics, liberty, justice, property, rights,law and the enforcement of a legal code by authority
Political system - ANSWER-social system of politics and government. Usually compared to the law
system, economic system, cultural system, and other social systems
Alienation - ANSWER-the individual's estrangement from traditional community and others in
general
Research methods - ANSWER-diverse strategies used to gather empirical material in a systematic
way
Public policy - ANSWER-a course of action or inaction chosen by public authorities to address a
problem. Expressed in the body of laws, regulations, decisions and actions of government
Humanism - ANSWER-broad category of active ethical philosophies that affirm the dignity and worth
of all people, based on the ability to determine right and wrong by appeal to universal human
qualities--particularly rationalism
Prejudice - ANSWER-implies coming to a judgment on a subject before learning where the
preponderance of evidence actually lies, or forming a judgment without direct experience
Bias - ANSWER-a prejudice, usually in the sense for having a preference to one particular point of
view or ideological perspective
Attitude - ANSWER-an enduring mental representation of a person, place, or thing that evokes an
emotional response and related behavior
Questions and Answers Graded A+
Globalization - ANSWER-An umbrella term for a complex series of economic, social, technological,
cultural, and political changes seen as increasing interdependence, integration and interaction
between people and companies in disparate locations. The phenomenon has been noted since the
1980s in the context of sociological study on a worldwide scale.
Human rights - ANSWER-refers to natural and inalienable rights accorded to all human beings, such
as the right to life, liberty, and happiness. They also may include rights essential to a dignified
human existence, such as freedom of movement, free speech, a good education, employment.
Society - ANSWER-A grouping of individuals, which is characterized by common interest and may
have distinctive culture and institutions.
Technology - ANSWER-application of logic, reason and knowledge to the problems of exploiting raw
materials from the environment
Interdependence - ANSWER-A dynamic of being mutually responsible to and sharing a common set
of principles with others. This concept differs distinctly from "dependence" in that it implies all
participants are emotionally, economically, and/or morally independent.
Deforestation - ANSWER-The conversion of forested areas to non-forest land use such as arable
land, urban use, logged area or wasteland.
Global Economy - ANSWER-Gave business the ability to market products and services all over the
globe. It has also allowed them to develop partnerships and alliances throughout the world, which
has become essential for success in today's business
Public opinion - ANSWER-The aggregate of individual attitudes or beliefs held by the adult
population.
Government - ANSWER-A body that has the authority to make and the power to enforce laws within
a civil, corporate, religious, academic, or other organization or group.
Mass media - ANSWER-Refers to forms of communication designed to reach a vast audience
without any personal contact between the senders and receivers.
Coalition - ANSWER-An alliance among entities, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in
their own self-interest. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience.
Capitalism - ANSWER-An economic system in which the means of production are owned mostly
privately, and capital is invested in the production, distribution and other trade of goods and services,
for profit in a competitive free market.
Communism - ANSWER-A political ideology that seeks to establish a future classless, stateless
social organization, based upon common ownership of the means of production. It can be classified
as a branch of the broader socialist movement.
,Terrorism - ANSWER-Term uses to describe violence or other harmful acts committed (or
threatened) against civilians by groups or persons for political, nationalist, or religious goals. As a
type of unconventional warfare, this means to weaken or supplant existing political landscapes
through capitulation, acquiescence, or radicalization, as opposed to subversion or direct military
action.
Popular culture - ANSWER-The component of culture that consists of activities, products, and
services that are assumed to appear primarily to members of the middle and working classes.
Consumerism - ANSWER-A term used to describe the effect of equating personal happiness with
purchasing material possessions and consumption. It is often associated with criticisms of
consumption starting with Karl Marx and Thorstein Veblen, but can actually be traced back to the
first human civilizations.
Cultural imperialism - ANSWER-The practice of promoting the culture or language of one nation in
another. It is usually the case that the former is a large, economically or militarily powerful nation and
the latter is a smaller, less affluent one. It can take the form of an active, formal policy or a general
attitude.
Imperialism - ANSWER-A policy of extending control or authority over foreign entities as a means of
acquisition and/or maintenance of empires. This is either through direct territorial conquest or
settlement, or through indirect methods of exerting control on the politics and/or economy of these
other entities.
Individualism - ANSWER-putting personal goals ahead of group goals and defining one's identity in
terms of personal attributes rather than group memberships.
Social justice - ANSWER-Refers to conceptions of justice applied to an entire society. It is bases on
the idea of a just society, which gives individuals and groups fair treatment and a just share of the
benefits of society
Resistance movement - ANSWER-a group or collection of individual groups, dedicated to fighting an
invader in an occupied country through either the use of physical force, or nonviolence. It has
political overtones.
Organization - ANSWER-planned, coordinated and purposeful action of human beings to construct
or compile a common tangible or intangible product or service
Consensus - ANSWER-agreement on basic social values by the members of a group or society
Ecosystem - ANSWER-the collection of components and processes that comprise, and govern the
behavior of, some defined subset of the biosphere
Industrial revolution - ANSWER-the massive social, economic, and technological change in the 18th
and 19th century Great Britain. Commenced with the advent of the steam engine, and spread
throughout Western Europe and North America in the 19th century
Population growth - ANSWER-change in population over time, and can be quantified as the change
in the number of individuals in a population per unit time. Can technically refer to any species, but
almost always humans.
,Modernity - ANSWER-often characterized by comparing modern societies to premodern or
postmodern ones, and the understanding of those non-modern social statuses is, again, far from a
settles issue
Overpopulation - ANSWER-an ecological condition in which a society is unable to support all its
members with available technology and natural resources
Agribusiness - ANSWER-a generic term referring to the various businesses involved in food
production, including farming, seed supply, agrichemicals, etc.
Compliance - ANSWER-conforming behavior that occurs in response to direct social pressure
Community - ANSWER-a group of people who share a common sense of identity and interact with
one another on a sustained basis
Slavery - ANSWER-an extreme form of stratification in which some people are owned by others
Materialism - ANSWER-the view that material conditions have the central role in determining social
change
Tribalism - ANSWER-the possession of a strong cultural or ethnic identity that separates oneself as
a member of one group from the members of another. Related to the concept of tribal society in that
it is a precondition for members of a tribe possess a strong feeling of identity for a true tribal society
to form.
public health - ANSWER-concerned with threats to the overall health of a community based on
population health analysis
Propaganda - ANSWER-information provided by individuals or groups that have a vested interest in
furthering their own cause or damaging an opposing one
Migration - ANSWER-movement of people from one country or region to another in order to settle
permanently
Immigration - ANSWER-in the modern sense: the movement of people from one nation-state to
another, where they are not citizens
Sanction - ANSWER-punishment for nonconformity that reinforces socially approved forms of
behavior
Life expectancy - ANSWER-number of years a newborn in a particular society can expect to live
Child labor - ANSWER-the employment of children under an age determined by law or custom.
Considered exploitative by many countries and international organizations
War crime - ANSWER-in the context of war: a punishable offense under International Law, for
violations of the laws of war by any person or persons, military or civilians
Genocide - ANSWER-systematic, planned annihilation of an ethnic, national, racial or political group
Prestige - ANSWER-social respect accorded to an individual or group because of the status of their
position
, Crime - ANSWER-any action that violates criminal laws established by political authority
Authority - ANSWER-power that is attached to a position that others perceive as legitimate
Ideology - ANSWER-shared ideas or beliefs which serve to justify and support the interest of a
particular group or organizations
Anthropology - ANSWER-social science, closely linked to sociology, which concentrates on the
study of traditional cultures-particularly hunting and gathering, horticultural societies, and the
evolution of the human species
Social development - ANSWER-type of social process which leads to structural transformations of
social systems
Social class - ANSWER-category of people who occupy a similar position in relation to the means
through which goods and services are produced in a society
Critical thinking - ANSWER-an approach to thinking characterized by skepticism and thoughtful
analysis of statements and arguments
Rebellion - ANSWER-in a general sense: a refusal to accept authority
Social progress - ANSWER-progress of society, which makes the society better in the general view
of its members, or unintentionally worse, with or without its members realizing
Political philosophy - ANSWER-study of fundamental questions about the state, government,
politics, liberty, justice, property, rights,law and the enforcement of a legal code by authority
Political system - ANSWER-social system of politics and government. Usually compared to the law
system, economic system, cultural system, and other social systems
Alienation - ANSWER-the individual's estrangement from traditional community and others in
general
Research methods - ANSWER-diverse strategies used to gather empirical material in a systematic
way
Public policy - ANSWER-a course of action or inaction chosen by public authorities to address a
problem. Expressed in the body of laws, regulations, decisions and actions of government
Humanism - ANSWER-broad category of active ethical philosophies that affirm the dignity and worth
of all people, based on the ability to determine right and wrong by appeal to universal human
qualities--particularly rationalism
Prejudice - ANSWER-implies coming to a judgment on a subject before learning where the
preponderance of evidence actually lies, or forming a judgment without direct experience
Bias - ANSWER-a prejudice, usually in the sense for having a preference to one particular point of
view or ideological perspective
Attitude - ANSWER-an enduring mental representation of a person, place, or thing that evokes an
emotional response and related behavior
