SOC 132 MidTerm Sigmon Exam Questions with Verified Solutions Graded A+
Social Psychology - Answers The attempt to understand and explain how the thought, feeling,
and behavior of individuals are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others
3 Faces of Social Psychology - Answers 1. Symbolic Interactionism
2. Group Processes
3. Social Structure & Personality
3 Tenets of Symbolic Interactionism - Answers 1. We act toward things on the basis of their
meanings
2. Meanings are not inherent but are negotiated in interaction with others
3. Meanings can be modified and changed through interaction
According to social exchange theorists, what is the purpose of social interaction and the utility
of social relationships? - Answers Humans interact with one another and enter into social
relationships for the purpose of exchanging things of value.
The utility of social relationships is that these relationships are primarily based on the exchange
of goods and services among people.
According to social exchange theorists, what is the basis of power? - Answers One's ability to
secure desired rewards from other sources
3 Principles of Social Structure and Personality - Answers 1. Components Principle: The ability
to identify the elements or components of society most likely to affect a given attitude, behavior,
race, class, gender
2. Proximity Principle: The environments and social relationships associated with this
component
3. Psychology Principle: How attitudes, values, and beliefs are influenced by these environments
Why is 'cognitive theory' an approach associated with psychological social psychology? -
Answers Because it emphasizes that the link between stimulus and response is not direct.
,Rather, an individual's cognitive processes intervene between external stimuli and behavioral
responses
The basic premise of cognitive theory is that mental activities of the individual [e.g., perception,
memory, judgment, problem solving, decision making] are important determinants of social
behavior.
According to 'dual-process theory,' in what two ways do people process information? - Answers
1. Automatic: relies on use of heuristics (cognitive shortcuts that aid in information processing)
Heuristics classify people into a category using salient features (what to expect and how to
treat them)
2. Deliberate: Occurs when we decide to keep processing. More conscious and deliberate.
Takes place when we seek out a more accurate judgement than what is provided through
unconscious processing alone.
What is 'socialization'? - Answers The ways in which individuals learn and re-create skills,
knowledge, values, motives, and roles appropriate to their positions in a group or society
According to the 'developmental perspective,' socialization depends on what natural processes?
- Answers physical and psychological maturation which are biologically determined
How do 'social learning theorists' account for socialization? - Answers as dependent on the
presence of cultural influences
How does the 'interpretive perspective' approach the process of socialization? - Answers
socialization is a process of interpretive reproduction
How does the 'social structural perspective' approach the process of socialization? - Answers
Emphasizes the influence of social structure
Socialization is organized according to the sequence of roles that newcomers to society
ordinarily pass through
What are the four components of the socialization process and how do they relate to one
another? - Answers 1. An Agent: Someone who serves as a source for what is being learned
2. A Learning Process
, 3. A Target: A person who is being socialized
4. An Outcome: Something that is being learned
What is 'primary' socialization? - Answers Occurs during childhood - The target is characterized
by vulnerability, dependency, and restricted agency
What is 'secondary' socialization? - Answers Occurs during adolescence and adulthood - The
target exercises autonomy
According to the John Delamater and Jessica Collett, what are two 'formal' agents of
socialization and two 'informal' agents of socialization? - Answers Formal: Family and School
Informal: Peers and Mass Media
According to Karin Martin, how do preschools socialize children into the normative order of
gender identity? - Answers Teachers instruct boys and girls how to act in gender appropriate
ways through rewards and punishment
Formal Behaviors: girls were more likely to be encourage to pursue formal behaviors
Controlling voice: girls were more likely to be instructed to use nicer and quieter voices
Bodily instructions: girls were more likely to be issued substantive and directive instructions
How does mass media relate to the process of socialization? - Answers Information, images
and portrayals' from mass media influence our attitudes toward the world.Media portrayals
shape the child's image of self... and their expectations about and treatment of others based on
gender... race and age. Present guidelines (or scripts) for social relationships.
According to social psychologists, what are 'attitudes'? - Answers A predisposition to respond to
a particular object in a generally favorable or unfavorable way
Learned through observation, conditioning, and reinforcement
Social Psychology - Answers The attempt to understand and explain how the thought, feeling,
and behavior of individuals are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others
3 Faces of Social Psychology - Answers 1. Symbolic Interactionism
2. Group Processes
3. Social Structure & Personality
3 Tenets of Symbolic Interactionism - Answers 1. We act toward things on the basis of their
meanings
2. Meanings are not inherent but are negotiated in interaction with others
3. Meanings can be modified and changed through interaction
According to social exchange theorists, what is the purpose of social interaction and the utility
of social relationships? - Answers Humans interact with one another and enter into social
relationships for the purpose of exchanging things of value.
The utility of social relationships is that these relationships are primarily based on the exchange
of goods and services among people.
According to social exchange theorists, what is the basis of power? - Answers One's ability to
secure desired rewards from other sources
3 Principles of Social Structure and Personality - Answers 1. Components Principle: The ability
to identify the elements or components of society most likely to affect a given attitude, behavior,
race, class, gender
2. Proximity Principle: The environments and social relationships associated with this
component
3. Psychology Principle: How attitudes, values, and beliefs are influenced by these environments
Why is 'cognitive theory' an approach associated with psychological social psychology? -
Answers Because it emphasizes that the link between stimulus and response is not direct.
,Rather, an individual's cognitive processes intervene between external stimuli and behavioral
responses
The basic premise of cognitive theory is that mental activities of the individual [e.g., perception,
memory, judgment, problem solving, decision making] are important determinants of social
behavior.
According to 'dual-process theory,' in what two ways do people process information? - Answers
1. Automatic: relies on use of heuristics (cognitive shortcuts that aid in information processing)
Heuristics classify people into a category using salient features (what to expect and how to
treat them)
2. Deliberate: Occurs when we decide to keep processing. More conscious and deliberate.
Takes place when we seek out a more accurate judgement than what is provided through
unconscious processing alone.
What is 'socialization'? - Answers The ways in which individuals learn and re-create skills,
knowledge, values, motives, and roles appropriate to their positions in a group or society
According to the 'developmental perspective,' socialization depends on what natural processes?
- Answers physical and psychological maturation which are biologically determined
How do 'social learning theorists' account for socialization? - Answers as dependent on the
presence of cultural influences
How does the 'interpretive perspective' approach the process of socialization? - Answers
socialization is a process of interpretive reproduction
How does the 'social structural perspective' approach the process of socialization? - Answers
Emphasizes the influence of social structure
Socialization is organized according to the sequence of roles that newcomers to society
ordinarily pass through
What are the four components of the socialization process and how do they relate to one
another? - Answers 1. An Agent: Someone who serves as a source for what is being learned
2. A Learning Process
, 3. A Target: A person who is being socialized
4. An Outcome: Something that is being learned
What is 'primary' socialization? - Answers Occurs during childhood - The target is characterized
by vulnerability, dependency, and restricted agency
What is 'secondary' socialization? - Answers Occurs during adolescence and adulthood - The
target exercises autonomy
According to the John Delamater and Jessica Collett, what are two 'formal' agents of
socialization and two 'informal' agents of socialization? - Answers Formal: Family and School
Informal: Peers and Mass Media
According to Karin Martin, how do preschools socialize children into the normative order of
gender identity? - Answers Teachers instruct boys and girls how to act in gender appropriate
ways through rewards and punishment
Formal Behaviors: girls were more likely to be encourage to pursue formal behaviors
Controlling voice: girls were more likely to be instructed to use nicer and quieter voices
Bodily instructions: girls were more likely to be issued substantive and directive instructions
How does mass media relate to the process of socialization? - Answers Information, images
and portrayals' from mass media influence our attitudes toward the world.Media portrayals
shape the child's image of self... and their expectations about and treatment of others based on
gender... race and age. Present guidelines (or scripts) for social relationships.
According to social psychologists, what are 'attitudes'? - Answers A predisposition to respond to
a particular object in a generally favorable or unfavorable way
Learned through observation, conditioning, and reinforcement
