Ritzer, Contemporary Sociological Theory and Its Classical Roots, 6e
SAGE Publishing, 2023
Chapter 1: Introduction to Sociological Theory
Test Bank
Multiple Choice
1. Which of these is a common characteristic of social theorists?
A. incorporating ideas of laypersons
B. relying on data
C. public reviews
D. focusing on narrow, personal issues
Ans: B
Learning Objective: 1-1: Discuss how sociological theory is created.
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Creating Sociological Theory
Difficulty Level: Medium
2. Which French sociologist’s emphasis on freedom combined with his critiques of
equality and centralization led him to be extremely critical of both democracy and
socialism?
A. Alexis de Tocqueville
B. Claude Henri Saint-Simon
C. Auguste Comte
D. Émile Durkheim
Ans: A
Learning Objective: 1-1: Discuss how sociological theory is created.
, Ritzer, Contemporary Sociological Theory and Its Classical Roots, 6e
SAGE Publishing, 2023
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Creating Sociological Theory
Difficulty Level: Easy
3. Which of the following describes the theories selected for George Ritzer and Jeffrey
Stepnisky’s text?
A. They have a narrow range of applicability.
B. They have stood the test of time.
C. They were popular in their day.
D. They were controversial in their day.
Ans: B
Learning Objective: 1-2: Define sociological theory.
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Defining Sociological Theory
Difficulty Level: Medium
4. What is the term for a set of interrelated ideas that allow for the systematization of
knowledge of the social world?
A. sociological canon
B. sociological theory
C. theories of everyday life
D. grand theory
Ans: B
Learning Objective: 1-2: Define sociological theory.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Defining Sociological Theory
, Ritzer, Contemporary Sociological Theory and Its Classical Roots, 6e
SAGE Publishing, 2023
Difficulty Level: Easy
5. What is the term for the theories, ideas, and texts that were considered the most
important in the field of sociology?
A. sociological canon
B. sociological theory
C. theories of everyday life
D. grand theory
Ans: A
Learning Objective: 1-3: Define sociological canon and describe developments in
sociological theory that challenge the sociological canon.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Creating Sociological Theory: A More Realistic View
Difficulty Level: Easy
6. Which of the following theories was more likely to be part of the sociological canon?
A. politically radical theories
B. grand theories with untestable points of view
C. theories of those who studied with sociological masters
D. theories produced by majority group members
Ans: D
Learning Objective: 1-3: Define sociological canon and describe developments in
sociological theory that challenge the sociological canon.
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Creating Sociological Theory: A More Realistic View
Difficulty Level: Medium
, Ritzer, Contemporary Sociological Theory and Its Classical Roots, 6e
SAGE Publishing, 2023
7. What is the term for a highly ambitious theory that tells the story of a great stretch of
human history or covers a large part of the social world?
A. sociological canon
B. sociological theory
C. theories of everyday life
D. grand theory
Ans: D
Learning Objective: 1-4: Identify the progression of sociological theory from classical to
contemporary.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Overview of the Book
Difficulty Level: Easy
8. Which of the following is an example of a theory of everyday life?
A. structural functionalism
B. critical theory
C. dramaturgy
D. feminist theory
Ans: C
Learning Objective: 1-4: Identify the progression of sociological theory from classical to
contemporary.
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Overview of the Book
Difficulty Level: Hard
SAGE Publishing, 2023
Chapter 1: Introduction to Sociological Theory
Test Bank
Multiple Choice
1. Which of these is a common characteristic of social theorists?
A. incorporating ideas of laypersons
B. relying on data
C. public reviews
D. focusing on narrow, personal issues
Ans: B
Learning Objective: 1-1: Discuss how sociological theory is created.
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Creating Sociological Theory
Difficulty Level: Medium
2. Which French sociologist’s emphasis on freedom combined with his critiques of
equality and centralization led him to be extremely critical of both democracy and
socialism?
A. Alexis de Tocqueville
B. Claude Henri Saint-Simon
C. Auguste Comte
D. Émile Durkheim
Ans: A
Learning Objective: 1-1: Discuss how sociological theory is created.
, Ritzer, Contemporary Sociological Theory and Its Classical Roots, 6e
SAGE Publishing, 2023
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Creating Sociological Theory
Difficulty Level: Easy
3. Which of the following describes the theories selected for George Ritzer and Jeffrey
Stepnisky’s text?
A. They have a narrow range of applicability.
B. They have stood the test of time.
C. They were popular in their day.
D. They were controversial in their day.
Ans: B
Learning Objective: 1-2: Define sociological theory.
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Defining Sociological Theory
Difficulty Level: Medium
4. What is the term for a set of interrelated ideas that allow for the systematization of
knowledge of the social world?
A. sociological canon
B. sociological theory
C. theories of everyday life
D. grand theory
Ans: B
Learning Objective: 1-2: Define sociological theory.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Defining Sociological Theory
, Ritzer, Contemporary Sociological Theory and Its Classical Roots, 6e
SAGE Publishing, 2023
Difficulty Level: Easy
5. What is the term for the theories, ideas, and texts that were considered the most
important in the field of sociology?
A. sociological canon
B. sociological theory
C. theories of everyday life
D. grand theory
Ans: A
Learning Objective: 1-3: Define sociological canon and describe developments in
sociological theory that challenge the sociological canon.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Creating Sociological Theory: A More Realistic View
Difficulty Level: Easy
6. Which of the following theories was more likely to be part of the sociological canon?
A. politically radical theories
B. grand theories with untestable points of view
C. theories of those who studied with sociological masters
D. theories produced by majority group members
Ans: D
Learning Objective: 1-3: Define sociological canon and describe developments in
sociological theory that challenge the sociological canon.
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Creating Sociological Theory: A More Realistic View
Difficulty Level: Medium
, Ritzer, Contemporary Sociological Theory and Its Classical Roots, 6e
SAGE Publishing, 2023
7. What is the term for a highly ambitious theory that tells the story of a great stretch of
human history or covers a large part of the social world?
A. sociological canon
B. sociological theory
C. theories of everyday life
D. grand theory
Ans: D
Learning Objective: 1-4: Identify the progression of sociological theory from classical to
contemporary.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Overview of the Book
Difficulty Level: Easy
8. Which of the following is an example of a theory of everyday life?
A. structural functionalism
B. critical theory
C. dramaturgy
D. feminist theory
Ans: C
Learning Objective: 1-4: Identify the progression of sociological theory from classical to
contemporary.
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Overview of the Book
Difficulty Level: Hard
