UExcel Sociology 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The functionalist perspective in sociology views society as:
- A site of ongoing conflict between groups competing for scarce resources
- A system of interrelated parts that work together to maintain stability and order (Correct answer)
- A collection of symbols and meanings created through everyday social interaction
- An economic structure that shapes all other aspects of social life
Correct answer: A system of interrelated parts that work together to maintain stability and order
Functionalism views society as a system of interrelated parts, each serving specific functions that contribute to the overall stability and smooth operation of society.
Question 2: Erving Goffman's concept of 'total institutions' refers to:
- Government agencies that oversee all social welfare programs
- Places where all aspects of residents' lives are controlled and regulated by authorities (Correct answer)
- Community organizations that provide comprehensive social services
- Corporations that dominate entire sectors of the economy
Correct answer: Places where all aspects of residents' lives are controlled and regulated by authorities
Goffman defined total institutions as places like prisons, military barracks, or psychiatric hospitals where authorities control every aspect of residents' daily lives.
Question 3: Which theoretical perspective emphasizes that society is characterized by inequality and that conflict between competing groups drives social change?
- Functionalism
- Symbolic interactionism
- Structural functionalism
- Conflict theory (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Conflict theory
Conflict theory, most associated with Karl Marx, argues that inequality and struggle between groups competing for resources and power are the driving forces of social change.
Question 4: Cultural relativism is the practice of:
- Judging other cultures by the standards and values of one's own culture
- Evaluating a culture based on its own values, context, and standards (Correct answer)
- Believing all cultures share the same universal moral principles
- Adopting practices and beliefs from other cultures into one's own
Correct answer: Evaluating a culture based on its own values, context, and standards
Cultural relativism holds that any culture should be understood and evaluated within its own context and on its own terms, not by the standards of another culture.
Question 5: Social stratification refers to:
- The process by which societies become more technologically complex over time
- The hierarchical ranking of individuals or groups based on wealth, power, or prestige (Correct answer)
- The geographic division of society into urban and rural areas
- The process of social mobility between successive generations
Correct answer: The hierarchical ranking of individuals or groups based on wealth, power, or prestige
Social stratification is the structured ranking of individuals or groups into hierarchical layers based on factors such as wealth, power, and social prestige.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes a social norm?
- A law formally enacted and enforced by the government
- An individual's personal moral code or ethical belief system
- A shared expectation or informal rule that guides behavior within a group or society (Correct answer)
- A biological drive that determines universal human behavior
Correct answer: A shared expectation or informal rule that guides behavior within a group or society
Social norms are shared, often unwritten expectations that define appropriate behavior in a given social context and vary across cultures and groups.
Question 7: The concept of 'social mobility' refers to:
- The movement of people from one geographic location to another
- The change in an individual's or group's position within the social stratification system (Correct answer)
- The spread of cultural practices from one society to another through contact
- The process of urbanization occurring in industrializing societies
Correct answer: The change in an individual's or group's position within the social stratification system
Social mobility refers to the movement of individuals or groups up or down the social hierarchy, changing their relative position within the stratification system.
UExcel Sociology 2
The functionalist perspective in sociology views society as: