Ninth Canadian Edition by
Macionis & Gerber
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
Multiple Choice Questions
What might a sociologist say about people's selection of marriage partners?
People marry because they fall in love.
When it comes to romance, it’s all a matter of personal taste.
Typically, a person marries someone of similar social position.
When it comes to love, opposites attract.
Answer: c
Page Reference: 5
Skill: Applied
The idea that the social world guides our actions and life choices just as the seasons influenceactivities
and choice of clothing describes
the basis of what philosophy calls ―free will.‖
the essential wisdom of the discipline of sociology.
the fact that people everywhere have ―common sense.‖
the fact that people from countries all around the world make mostly identical choices about how to live.
Answer: b
Page Reference: 3
Skill: Conceptual
Which discipline defines itself as ―the systematic study of human society‖?
sociology
psychology
economics
history
Answer: a
Page Reference: 3
Skill: Factual
Peter Berger described using the sociological perspective as seeing the in the .
good; worst tragedies
new; old
specific; general
general;
particular
Answer: d
Page Reference: 3
Skill: Conceptual
By stating that the sociological perspective shows us ―the strange in the familiar,‖ the text argues that
sociologists
focus on the bizarre elements of society.
reject the familiar idea that people simply decide how to act in favour of the initially strange idea that
society shapes our lives.
believe that people often behave in strange ways.
believe that even people who are most familiar to us have some very strange habits.
Answer: b
Page Reference: 4–5
,Skill: Conceptual
Three campus roommates are talking about why they are in college. A sociological view of going to
college highlights the effect of
nationality, because most countries outside of the West don’t have colleges.
gender, because women don’t generally attend college.
, our place in history, because a century ago going to college was not an option for most people.
intelligence, because it’s smarter to go to college than trade school.
Answer: c
Page Reference: 5
Skill: Applied
A sociological analysis of childbearing around the world suggests that the number of children born to a
woman reflects
her preference for family size.
how many children she can afford.
whether she herself was born into a poor or rich society.
the desires of her husband.
Answer: c
Page Reference: 5
Skill: Applied
According to Emile Durkheim, a category of people with a higher suicide rate typically has
more clinical depression.
less money, power, and other resources.
lower social integration.
greater self-
esteem.Answer: c
Page Reference: 5–6
Skill: Factual
The pioneering sociologist who studied patterns of suicide in Europe was
Robert K. Merton.
Auguste Comte.
Emile Durkheim.
Karl Marx.
Answer: c
Page Reference: 5
Skill: Factual
In Canada today, the suicide rate is highest for which category of people listed below?White
males
Black males
White females
Black females
Answer: a
Page Reference: 6
Skill: Factual
Because there is more social isolation in rural areas of Canada than in urban areas, we would expect
suicide rates to be
higher in urban areas.
higher in rural areas.
high in both urban and rural areas.
low in both urban and rural areas.
Answer: b
Page Reference: 6–7
Skill: Applied
Sociologists use the term ―social marginality‖ to refer to
people who have little understanding of sociology.
having special social skills.