Free Bachelor of Social Science Sociology Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What statement best sums up the opinions of ambivalent sexists?
- Some women are good and pure, while other women are bad and deserve bad treatment. (Correct answer)
- Men are superior to women in a variety of skills and tasks.
- Women are whiny, sexual teases who enjoy controlling men.
- Some women have qualities of purity and morality that men lack and should be treated like princesses.
Correct answer: Some women are good and pure, while other women are bad and deserve bad treatment.
Ambivalent sexism is characterized by both hostile sexism (negative, resentful beliefs about women) and benevolent sexism (seemingly positive, protective, but ultimately patronizing beliefs about women). Therefore, it encompasses contradictory views, seeing some women as pure and deserving of protection, while others are viewed negatively and deserving of harsh treatment. This dualistic perspective is central to the concept.
Question 2: Additional sex traits may include
- The production of different hormones by men and women (Correct answer)
- The way men and woman are socialized to behave
- Differences in genitalia between men and women
- Differences in the psychological complexes men and women develop
Correct answer: The production of different hormones by men and women
Additional sex traits, also known as secondary sex characteristics, are features that appear during puberty in humans and at sexual maturity in other animals. These traits are not directly part of the reproductive system but distinguish the sexes, such as body hair distribution, voice pitch, and body fat distribution, which are largely influenced by sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone. Differences in genitalia are primary sex traits, while socialization and psychological complexes relate to gender and individual development, not biological sex traits.
Question 3: is a movement that promotes the idea that everyone should have the freedom to explore their rights and equal opportunities.
- Liberal feminism (Correct answer)
- Androphobic feminism
- Radical feminism
- Strict feminism
Correct answer: Liberal feminism
Liberal feminism is a branch of feminism that emphasizes individual rights and equal opportunities for women within the existing social and political structures. It advocates for legal and political reforms to achieve gender equality, focusing on issues like equal pay, reproductive rights, and ending discrimination. The core idea is that everyone, regardless of gender, should have the freedom to explore their rights and opportunities.
Question 4: Which response option most accurately describes what "mores" are?
- They are norms that dictate morally right or wrong behavior. (Correct answer)
- They are norms that dictate appropriate behavior for casual interactions.
- They are another word for symbols, or something that stands for something else.
- They are a cultural subset not readily accepted by dominant culture.
Correct answer: They are norms that dictate morally right or wrong behavior.
Mores are norms that are widely observed and have great moral significance within a society. They are often tied to a society's core values and beliefs about what is right or wrong, and violations of mores typically evoke strong reactions and sanctions. Unlike folkways, which govern casual interactions, mores are considered essential for the welfare and stability of the group.
Question 5: The subcultures listed below include all of the following, EXCEPT:
- Singular culture (Correct answer)
- High culture
- Popular culture
- Counterculture
Correct answer: Singular culture
High culture, popular culture, and counterculture are all recognized categories or types of culture studied in sociology. High culture refers to cultural patterns that distinguish a society's elite, popular culture refers to widespread cultural patterns, and counterculture refers to cultural patterns that strongly oppose those widely accepted within a society. 'Singular culture' is not a standard sociological term used to describe a type of subculture or cultural category.
Question 6: What does attributed status mean?
- A status you are born with or that you take on involuntarily (Correct answer)
- The status that has the most impact on your social identity
- A person's standing within his or her society, typically determined by wealth and education.
- A status that you earn or choose to take on, reflecting your abilities and efforts.
Correct answer: A status you are born with or that you take on involuntarily
Ascribed status refers to a social position that a person receives at birth or takes on involuntarily later in life, often based on characteristics like race, ethnicity, gender, or age. It is a status over which an individual typically has little to no control. In contrast, achieved status is earned through effort and ability.
Question 7: The emergent norm theory of crowd behavior is accurate with the exception of the following propositions, which are all true:
- IT assumes that individuals act irrationally as they come under the influence of a crowd. (Correct answer)
- IT believes that as crowds develop, new expectations and norms can emerge which allows for behavior that would normally not take place.
- IT combines aspects of both the contagion and convergence theories of crowd behavior.
- IT states that crowd behavior is guided by the unique social norms that are set by the crowd members.
Correct answer: IT assumes that individuals act irrationally as they come under the influence of a crowd.
The emergent norm theory of crowd behavior posits that crowd behavior is not inherently irrational, but rather new, unique norms emerge within the crowd that guide the behavior of its members. It suggests that individuals in a crowd look to others for cues on how to behave, leading to the development of shared expectations. Therefore, assuming individuals act irrationally contradicts the core premise of this theory, which emphasizes the development of new, guiding norms.
Question 8: Regarding the coalescence phase of a social movement's life cycle, ALL OF THE FOLLOWING ARE TRUE, EXCEPT:
- At this stage the movement tends to become bureaucratized. (Correct answer)
- The social movement develops a plan of action, and becomes more organized and strategic in its outlook at this stage.
- It is the second stage of the social movement life cycle.
- The social movement and its issues become known to the public at this stage.
Correct answer: At this stage the movement tends to become bureaucratized.
The coalescence phase is the second stage of a social movement's life cycle, where the movement becomes more organized, develops a strategy, and gains public recognition for its issues. Bureaucratization, which involves establishing formal rules, procedures, and a hierarchical structure, typically occurs in the *institutionalization* or *routinization* stage, which follows coalescence, as the movement becomes more established and stable. Therefore, bureaucratization is not characteristic of the coalescence phase.
Question 9: A demographer is what?
- A social scientist who analyzes the causes and effects of population changes. (Correct answer)
- A sociologist who studies why men and women are treated differently in society.
- A scientist who studies the effects of aging on people.
- A sociologist who studies how a culture changes and evolves over time.
Correct answer: A social scientist who analyzes the causes and effects of population changes.
A demographer is a social scientist who specializes in demography, the statistical study of human populations. They analyze population changes, including birth rates, death rates, migration patterns, and their causes and effects on society. Their work helps understand population growth, distribution, and composition.
Question 10: A manager chooses to recruit a 25-year-old woman rather than a 65-year-old male because he believes the latter is slower, weaker, and more confused. What sort of example is that?
- Ageism (Correct answer)
- Nepotism
- Elder abuse
- Sexism
Correct answer: Ageism
Ageism is discrimination or prejudice against individuals or groups based on their age, often directed at older people. In this scenario, the manager's decision to recruit a younger person over an older person due to negative stereotypes about the older person's physical and mental capabilities is a clear example of ageism. It reflects prejudice based on age rather than individual merit.
Question 11: Which of the following summaries of physician-assisted suicide is most accurate?
- IT is when a doctor prescribes a medication to help a person die. (Correct answer)
- IT is when a doctor withholds treatment against the patient's wishes.
- IT is when a doctor does not fully explore all treatment options with a patient.
- IT is when a person administers medication to a family member to help them die.
Correct answer: IT is when a doctor prescribes a medication to help a person die.
Physician-assisted suicide (PAS) occurs when a physician provides a terminally ill patient with the means, typically a prescription for lethal medication, to end their own life. The patient then self-administers the medication. It is distinct from euthanasia, where the physician directly administers the lethal agent.
Question 12: What one of the following best sums up the structural-functional approach to aging?
- Society is a complex system with singular parts that all work together to meet a person's needs. (Correct answer)
- Although aging is a biological process, age is socially constructed and viewed differently by different cultures.
- Society is comprised of three age groups that compete for resources.
- It is our society that attaches meaning and certain behaviors to different age groups.
Correct answer: Society is a complex system with singular parts that all work together to meet a person's needs.
The structural-functional approach views society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability. Applied to aging, it examines how different age groups and the process of aging contribute to the overall functioning and stability of society, much like how various organs work together in a body. It focuses on the roles and functions of aging individuals within the social structure.
Question 13: Miscegenation: What is it?
- The deliberate killing of a group of people
- The legal separation of groups
- When one group's language or culture begins to represent another's
- The mixing of races through procreation (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The mixing of races through procreation
Miscegenation is a term historically used to refer to the mixing of racial groups, particularly through marriage, cohabitation, or sexual intercourse, leading to procreation. While the term itself can carry negative connotations due to its historical use in contexts of racial prejudice, it fundamentally describes the biological and social mixing of different racial or ethnic groups.
Question 14: Segregation and integration are potential outcomes of .
- Polyamory
- Genocide
- Miscegenation
- Pluralism (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Pluralism
Pluralism is a state in which people of all races and ethnicities are distinct but have equal social standing and coexist within a society. Within a pluralistic society, groups can either maintain their distinct identities while interacting (integration) or remain largely separate (segregation), depending on various social dynamics. Both segregation and integration are ways that different groups interact within a broader pluralistic framework.
Question 15: What among the following DOES NOT make up the ABC model of attitudes?
- Bigotry (Correct answer)
- Behavior
- Cognition
- Affect
Correct answer: Bigotry
The ABC model of attitudes is a framework that describes attitudes as having three components: Affect (feelings or emotions towards an object), Behavior (the way one acts or intends to act towards an object), and Cognition (thoughts, beliefs, and ideas about an object). Bigotry is a form of prejudice or intolerance, which might be an *outcome* or *manifestation* of an attitude, but it is not one of the fundamental components of the ABC model itself.
Question 16: What is the global outlook?
- The study of the larger world and our societies place in it (Correct answer)
- Views society as the product of the symbols, language, and everyday interactions between individuals
- The systematic study of how human societies shape the lives of people who live in them
- Structured groups or contexts within which significant processes of socialization occur
Correct answer: The study of the larger world and our societies place in it
The global outlook in sociology involves studying the larger world and understanding how societies are interconnected, as well as our own society's place within this global context. It encourages looking beyond national borders to understand global patterns, inequalities, and interdependencies. This perspective helps in analyzing how global forces impact local lives and vice versa.
What statement best sums up the opinions of ambivalent sexists?