SOC 365 Module 1 Quiz Study Guide Latest 2025 Update.
What assumptions underlie the Structural Functionalist theory developed by Talcott
Parsons? - > Society is a complex system made up of 3 interrelated subsystems
- Social Structure/Institutions (Families, Education, Politics, Economics- How is Sport
institutionalized w/in US)
- Culture (How is sport culturally important)
- Personality (What personal characteristics are developed w/in sport)
What is the role of sports within society from the perspective of Functionalist theories? - >
Society seeks harmony and stability among the subsystems to keep the system stable
- Sports play a role in maintaining stability in each domain (function/dysfunctional)
Why are youth sports currently dysfunctional according to critics? - > Youth sports are
dominated by a culture of win-at-all-costs and profit-at-all-costs values
- Commercialized, professionalized, specialized (private coaches, long seasons)
- Focus on the development of elite athletes at the expense of a "sports for all" philosophy
What assumptions underlie Marxist/Conflict theories? - > - Materialism. Society is
ultimately determined by material or economic factors.
- Society is structured by the dominance of capitalists (bourgeoisie) over workers
(proletariat).
- Capitalism involves exploiting and appropriating the labor of the proletariat to enrich the
bourgeoisie.
What is the role of sports within society from the perspective of Marxist/Conflict theories? -
> - Sports are an expression of humans' natural productive power and self-determination,
but athletes lose control of their labor and of the production process under capitalism.
- Athletes (like the proletariat) become alienated from their own labor (and bodies) when
sports are owned and controlled by the bourgeoisie
- Workers (athletes) do not control the game
- Workers (athletes) do not control their training
How does Marx's concept of alienation apply to sports? - > - Athletes feel expendable
, - Until the 1970s, owners of sports teams had extensive control over the labor of players.
- Fights for free agency and collective bargaining agreements between leagues and
players associations began the 1970s and 80s
How do corporate sports redistribute wealth up the economic latters according to Marxist
theorists? - >
How do sports reproduce economic inequalities? - > Some major league sports
organizations are exempt from antitrust laws
Tax breaks
Public funding for sports venue
The value of the labor of student-athletes at revenue-producing Division I universities is
appropriated by universities and the NCAA
How does anti-trust law matter in the context of sports? - > Function as monopoly in selling
TV rights
How have college athletes tried to gain some of the revenue from their athletic success? - >
- O'Bannon vs. NCAA (2009)
- Anti-Trust Case
- Filed by former UCLA basketball player Ed O'Bannon & other athletes about use of their
likenesses without permission or compensation
- August 2014: District Court federal judge ruled that the NCAA cannot prohibit players
from profiting from the use of their names & images in media
- The judge ruled that schools must pay athletes up to 5000 a year for the use of their
likenesses
- September 2015 , 9th Circuit court of appeals upheld lower court ruling that the NCAA
violated anti-trust laws - Ruled that the plan to pay athletes for use of likenesses is
"erroneous"
What is the "Fair Pay to Play Act" and when does this law go into effect? - > - September
2019: California legislature passes the Fair Pay to Play Act, which will allow student-
athletes to seek sponsorships and to profit from NIL (names, images, likenesses)
- Law goes into effect January 1, 2023
- Similar bills proposed in other states, and federally
What assumptions underlie the Structural Functionalist theory developed by Talcott
Parsons? - > Society is a complex system made up of 3 interrelated subsystems
- Social Structure/Institutions (Families, Education, Politics, Economics- How is Sport
institutionalized w/in US)
- Culture (How is sport culturally important)
- Personality (What personal characteristics are developed w/in sport)
What is the role of sports within society from the perspective of Functionalist theories? - >
Society seeks harmony and stability among the subsystems to keep the system stable
- Sports play a role in maintaining stability in each domain (function/dysfunctional)
Why are youth sports currently dysfunctional according to critics? - > Youth sports are
dominated by a culture of win-at-all-costs and profit-at-all-costs values
- Commercialized, professionalized, specialized (private coaches, long seasons)
- Focus on the development of elite athletes at the expense of a "sports for all" philosophy
What assumptions underlie Marxist/Conflict theories? - > - Materialism. Society is
ultimately determined by material or economic factors.
- Society is structured by the dominance of capitalists (bourgeoisie) over workers
(proletariat).
- Capitalism involves exploiting and appropriating the labor of the proletariat to enrich the
bourgeoisie.
What is the role of sports within society from the perspective of Marxist/Conflict theories? -
> - Sports are an expression of humans' natural productive power and self-determination,
but athletes lose control of their labor and of the production process under capitalism.
- Athletes (like the proletariat) become alienated from their own labor (and bodies) when
sports are owned and controlled by the bourgeoisie
- Workers (athletes) do not control the game
- Workers (athletes) do not control their training
How does Marx's concept of alienation apply to sports? - > - Athletes feel expendable
, - Until the 1970s, owners of sports teams had extensive control over the labor of players.
- Fights for free agency and collective bargaining agreements between leagues and
players associations began the 1970s and 80s
How do corporate sports redistribute wealth up the economic latters according to Marxist
theorists? - >
How do sports reproduce economic inequalities? - > Some major league sports
organizations are exempt from antitrust laws
Tax breaks
Public funding for sports venue
The value of the labor of student-athletes at revenue-producing Division I universities is
appropriated by universities and the NCAA
How does anti-trust law matter in the context of sports? - > Function as monopoly in selling
TV rights
How have college athletes tried to gain some of the revenue from their athletic success? - >
- O'Bannon vs. NCAA (2009)
- Anti-Trust Case
- Filed by former UCLA basketball player Ed O'Bannon & other athletes about use of their
likenesses without permission or compensation
- August 2014: District Court federal judge ruled that the NCAA cannot prohibit players
from profiting from the use of their names & images in media
- The judge ruled that schools must pay athletes up to 5000 a year for the use of their
likenesses
- September 2015 , 9th Circuit court of appeals upheld lower court ruling that the NCAA
violated anti-trust laws - Ruled that the plan to pay athletes for use of likenesses is
"erroneous"
What is the "Fair Pay to Play Act" and when does this law go into effect? - > - September
2019: California legislature passes the Fair Pay to Play Act, which will allow student-
athletes to seek sponsorships and to profit from NIL (names, images, likenesses)
- Law goes into effect January 1, 2023
- Similar bills proposed in other states, and federally
