WGU –SOCIOLOGY STUDY GUIDE WITH WELL EXPLAINED
TERMS #6
Class conflict - correct answer Marx's term for the struggle between capitalists and
workers
Bourgeoisie - correct answer Marx's term for capitalists, those who own the means of
production
Proletariat - correct answer Marx's term for the exploited class, the mass of workers
who do not own the means of production
Karl Marx (1818-1883 - correct answer believed that the roots of human misery lay in
class conflict, the exploitation of workers by those who own the means of production.
Social change, in the form of the workers overthrowing the capitalists was inevitable
from Marx's perspective. Although Marx did not consider himself a sociologist, his ideas
have influenced many sociologists, particularly conflict theorists.
Herbert Spencer (1820-1903), - correct answer sometimes called the second founder of
sociology, coined the term "survival of the fittest." Spencer thought that helping the poor
was wrong, that this merely helped the "less fit" survive.
Auguste Comte (1798-1857 - correct answer who is credited as the founder of
sociology, began to analyze the bases of the social order. Although he stressed that the
scientific method should be applied to the study of society, he did not apply it himself.
The French sociologist Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) - correct answer contributed many
important concepts to sociology. His comparison of the suicide rates of several
countries revealed an underlying social factor: People are more likely to commit suicide
if their ties to others in their communities are weak. Durkheim's identification of the key
role of social integration in social life remains central to sociology today.
Social integration - correct answer the degree to which people are tied to their social
groups
Max Weber (1864-1920 - correct answer an early sociologist who left a profound
impression on sociology. He used cross-cultural and historical materials to trace the
causes of social change and to determine how social groups affect people's orientations
to life.
William Edward Burghardt Du Bois (1868-1963) spent his lifetime studying relations
between African Americans and whites. Like many early North American sociologists,
Du Bois combined the role of academic sociologist with that of social reformer. - correct
answer spent his lifetime studying relations between African Americans and whites. Like
many early North American sociologists, Du Bois combined the role of academic
sociologist with that of social reformer. Embraced revolutionary marxism
, Jane Addams (1860-1935) - correct answer Sociologist and reformer-she was recipient
of the Nobel Prize for Peace, worked on behalf of poor immigrants. With Ellen G. Starr,
she founded Hull-House, a center to help immigrants in Chicago. She was also a leader
in women's rights (women's suffrage), as well as the peace movement of World War I.
C. Wright Mills - correct answer he warned that the nation faced an imminent threat to
freedom—the coalescing of interests of a power elite, the top leaders of business,
politics, and the military.
Applied sociology - correct answer Using sociology to solve problems
Public Sociology - correct answer applying sociology for the public good; especially the
use of the sociological perspective (how things are related to one another) to guide
politicians and policy makers
Theory - correct answer general statement about how some parts of the world fit
together and how they work. It is an explanation of how two or more "facts" are related
to one another.
Symbolic interactionism - correct answer theoretical perspective in which society is
viewed as composed of symbols that people use to establish meaning, develop their
views of the world, and communicate with one another
Functional analysis - correct answer theoretical framework in which society is viewed as
composed of various parts, each with a function that, when fulfilled, contributes to
society's equilibrium; also known as functionalism and structural functionalism
Robert K. Merton (1910-2003 - correct answer was a major proponent of functionalism,
one of the main theoretical perspectives in sociology.
Karl Marx - correct answer founder of conflict theory a theoretical framework in which
society is viewed as composed of groups that are competing for scarce resources
Macro-level analysis - correct answer an examination of large-scale patterns of society;
such as how Wall Street and the political establishment are interrelated
Micro-level analysis - correct answer an examination of small-scale patterns of society;
such as how the members of a group interact
Social interaction - correct answer one person's actions influencing someone else;
usually refers to what people do when they are in one another's presence, but also
includes communications at a distance
TERMS #6
Class conflict - correct answer Marx's term for the struggle between capitalists and
workers
Bourgeoisie - correct answer Marx's term for capitalists, those who own the means of
production
Proletariat - correct answer Marx's term for the exploited class, the mass of workers
who do not own the means of production
Karl Marx (1818-1883 - correct answer believed that the roots of human misery lay in
class conflict, the exploitation of workers by those who own the means of production.
Social change, in the form of the workers overthrowing the capitalists was inevitable
from Marx's perspective. Although Marx did not consider himself a sociologist, his ideas
have influenced many sociologists, particularly conflict theorists.
Herbert Spencer (1820-1903), - correct answer sometimes called the second founder of
sociology, coined the term "survival of the fittest." Spencer thought that helping the poor
was wrong, that this merely helped the "less fit" survive.
Auguste Comte (1798-1857 - correct answer who is credited as the founder of
sociology, began to analyze the bases of the social order. Although he stressed that the
scientific method should be applied to the study of society, he did not apply it himself.
The French sociologist Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) - correct answer contributed many
important concepts to sociology. His comparison of the suicide rates of several
countries revealed an underlying social factor: People are more likely to commit suicide
if their ties to others in their communities are weak. Durkheim's identification of the key
role of social integration in social life remains central to sociology today.
Social integration - correct answer the degree to which people are tied to their social
groups
Max Weber (1864-1920 - correct answer an early sociologist who left a profound
impression on sociology. He used cross-cultural and historical materials to trace the
causes of social change and to determine how social groups affect people's orientations
to life.
William Edward Burghardt Du Bois (1868-1963) spent his lifetime studying relations
between African Americans and whites. Like many early North American sociologists,
Du Bois combined the role of academic sociologist with that of social reformer. - correct
answer spent his lifetime studying relations between African Americans and whites. Like
many early North American sociologists, Du Bois combined the role of academic
sociologist with that of social reformer. Embraced revolutionary marxism
, Jane Addams (1860-1935) - correct answer Sociologist and reformer-she was recipient
of the Nobel Prize for Peace, worked on behalf of poor immigrants. With Ellen G. Starr,
she founded Hull-House, a center to help immigrants in Chicago. She was also a leader
in women's rights (women's suffrage), as well as the peace movement of World War I.
C. Wright Mills - correct answer he warned that the nation faced an imminent threat to
freedom—the coalescing of interests of a power elite, the top leaders of business,
politics, and the military.
Applied sociology - correct answer Using sociology to solve problems
Public Sociology - correct answer applying sociology for the public good; especially the
use of the sociological perspective (how things are related to one another) to guide
politicians and policy makers
Theory - correct answer general statement about how some parts of the world fit
together and how they work. It is an explanation of how two or more "facts" are related
to one another.
Symbolic interactionism - correct answer theoretical perspective in which society is
viewed as composed of symbols that people use to establish meaning, develop their
views of the world, and communicate with one another
Functional analysis - correct answer theoretical framework in which society is viewed as
composed of various parts, each with a function that, when fulfilled, contributes to
society's equilibrium; also known as functionalism and structural functionalism
Robert K. Merton (1910-2003 - correct answer was a major proponent of functionalism,
one of the main theoretical perspectives in sociology.
Karl Marx - correct answer founder of conflict theory a theoretical framework in which
society is viewed as composed of groups that are competing for scarce resources
Macro-level analysis - correct answer an examination of large-scale patterns of society;
such as how Wall Street and the political establishment are interrelated
Micro-level analysis - correct answer an examination of small-scale patterns of society;
such as how the members of a group interact
Social interaction - correct answer one person's actions influencing someone else;
usually refers to what people do when they are in one another's presence, but also
includes communications at a distance
