DSST Social Sciences 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which political scientist is best known for the theory that democracies can be categorized as 'majoritarian' or 'consensus' models?
- Robert Dahl
- Arend Lijphart (Correct answer)
- Samuel Huntington
- Hannah Arendt
Correct answer: Arend Lijphart
Arend Lijphart developed the majoritarian vs. consensus democracy distinction in his comparative work on democratic systems.
Question 2: The 'invisible hand' concept in economics, introduced by Adam Smith, refers to:
- Government regulation of markets
- The self-regulating nature of free markets through supply and demand (Correct answer)
- The role of central banks in controlling inflation
- The hidden costs of production
Correct answer: The self-regulating nature of free markets through supply and demand
Adam Smith used the 'invisible hand' metaphor to describe how individual self-interest in free markets unintentionally promotes the general welfare of society.
Question 3: Which sociological concept refers to the unwritten rules and expectations that govern social behavior?
- Folkways
- Mores
- Norms (Correct answer)
- Laws
Correct answer: Norms
Norms are the shared expectations and rules that guide behavior in society, encompassing both folkways (minor) and mores (major moral standards).
Question 4: The Milgram obedience experiments primarily demonstrated that:
- People are naturally aggressive
- Ordinary people will obey authority figures even to cause harm to others (Correct answer)
- Social pressure from peers is more powerful than authority
- Empathy prevents people from hurting others
Correct answer: Ordinary people will obey authority figures even to cause harm to others
Stanley Milgram's experiments showed that a high percentage of participants would administer what they believed to be dangerous electric shocks when instructed by an authority figure.
Question 5: Which economic system combines elements of both free market and government-controlled economies?
- Pure capitalism
- Command economy
- Mixed economy (Correct answer)
- Traditional economy
Correct answer: Mixed economy
A mixed economy incorporates both private enterprise and government intervention, as seen in most modern developed nations.
Question 6: In anthropology, 'ethnocentrism' is defined as:
- The objective study of all human cultures
- Judging other cultures by the standards of one's own culture (Correct answer)
- The belief that all cultures are equally valid
- The adaptation of one culture to another
Correct answer: Judging other cultures by the standards of one's own culture
Ethnocentrism is the tendency to view one's own culture as superior and to judge other cultures by the standards and values of one's own.
Question 7: The Gini coefficient is used to measure:
- A country's gross domestic product
- The rate of inflation
- Income inequality within a population (Correct answer)
- Trade balance between nations
Correct answer: Income inequality within a population
The Gini coefficient measures the distribution of income or wealth within a nation, where 0 represents perfect equality and 1 represents maximum inequality.
DSST Social Sciences 3
Which political scientist is best known for the theory that democracies can be categorized as 'majoritarian' or 'consensus' models?