Sociology 102
Understanding Societies
Final Examination
Professor Myers
Autumn 1999
YOUR NAME:___________________________________
YOUR TA:______________________________________
Your examination consists of 40 multiple choice questions and 2 essay responses. For each of the multiple choice questions, choose the BEST response for each question and circle the letter of your choice. Each is worth 1.5 points. For the essay portion, there are five questions. Choose and answer one question from Part I (three choices) and one question from Part II (two choices). Indicate which questions you are answering. The essays are worth 20 points each.
BE SURE TO WRITE YOUR NAME LEGIBLY ON YOUR BLUE BOOKS!
You may have until 9:55 to complete your exam.
1. In Marxist terms, attitudes that do not reflect the objective conditions of workers are known as:
c
a. class consciousness
b. proletarian consciousness
c. false consciousness
d. relative deprivation
2. What characteristics do virtually all homeless people have in common?
a
a. poverty
b. drug use
c. laziness
d. mental illness
e. all of the above
3. A form of field research in which the researcher interacts with subjects, sometimes hiding his or her identity is called:
c
a. probablistic observation
b. nonparticipant observation
c. participant observation
d. both a and b
4. A continuous, large scale, organized collective action motivated by the desire to enact, stop, or reverse change in some area of society is called:
b
a. a cultural movement
b. a social movement
c. an ideological movement
d. a postindustrial movement
5. Mr. Moneybags owns a factory that employs twenty people to produce moneybags. According to conflict theorists like Marx, he is:
d
a. bourgeois
b. a capitalist
c. an owner of the mean of production
d. all of the above
6. In 1996, median household income in the U.S. was approximately
c
a. $95,000
b. $65,000
c. $35,000
d. $15,000
7. The lack of African American and Latino/a faculty at the University of Notre Dame is an example of:
d
a. affirmative action
b. symbolic racism
c. personal racism
d. institutional racism
8. All of the following are examples of sexism except:
b
a. gap between men and women’s pay
b. biological differences between men and women
c. sex segregation in the workforce
d. the stereotype that women are irrational, emotional, and weak
9. The use of women as sex symbols in advertising is best described as:
a
a. objectification
b. sex segregation
c. biological determinism
d. personal sexism
10. All of the following are examples of social movements except:
b
a. animal rights
b. Notre Dame students
c. white power
d. student environmental
11. Kozol’s article on "Savage Inequalities in America’s Schools" shows:
b
a. the wealth and privilege in the school system in East St. Louis
b. the poverty in the school system in East St. Louis
c. the poverty in the New York City suburban school
c. the inequality between girls’ and boys’ grades
12. Since 1960 Hong Kong has benefited from a massive influx of foreign investment which led to rapid economic growth. This economic development is best explained by:
d
a. dependency theory
b. conflict theory
c. free trade theory
d. modernization theory
13. Which sociological perspective has a micro level orientation?
c
a. structural functionalism
b. conflict theory
c. symbolic interactionism
d. a and b
14. Which of the following is an example of a primary group?
d
a. a sociology class
b. a movie audience
c. a senior citizen tour of New Mexico
d. none of the above
15. Durkheim’s classic definition of religion suggests that it consists of several basic elements, which do NOT include:
b
a. the sacred
b. the mundane
c. rituals
d. an organization
16. Which of the following is NOT one of the basic functions of religion
c
a. to promote a sense of unity
b. to provide a sense of meaning
c. to provide happiness in this life
d. to promote a sense of belonging
17. Which of the following is considered a racial group?
a
a. Asians
b. Puerto Ricans
c. Jews
d. all of the above
18. Which term is used to refer to a negative attitude toward an entire category of people?
a
a. prejudice
b. discrimination
c. exploitation
d. cultural relativism
19. If we say that men are to be virile, brave, unemotional, and rational and women are to be weak, fearful, passive, and emotional, we are:
b
a. characterizing the sexes
b. sex stereotyping
c. traditionalizing
d. practicing sex discrimination
20. Which of the following arguments is associated with Thomas Malthus?
a
a. Population, if unchecked, will tend to exceed the available food supply.
b. Under normal circumstances, food surpluses will be created and people will move to cities.
c. The wealthy and better educated exercise positive checks.
d. Contraceptives represent a viable and desirable means of population control.
21. That which is extraordinary, inspiring a sense of awe, reverence, and even fear is:
c
a. latent function
b. profane
c. sacred
d. a ritual
22. The belief that poor people, resigned to their position in society, develop a unique value structure to deal with their lack of success is:
d
a. the poverty line
b. absolute poverty
c. competitive individualism
d. the culture of poverty
23. _____ refers to the prestige, honor, respect, and lifestyle associated with different positions or groups in society:
b
a. The caste system
b. Socioeconomic status
c. A social disorder
d. False consciousness
24. The Ku Klux Klan can best be described as:
d
a. timid bigots
b. fair weather bigots
c. liberal bigots
d. active bigots
25. When a child grows up in a rich family and yet lives under impoverished conditions as an adult is an example of:
d
a. social inequality
b. wealth distribution
c. prestige distribution
d. social mobility
26. The sociological perspective that argues "social inequality is necessary" is called:
d
a. social conflict
b. symbolic interactionist
c. dramaturgy
d. structural functionalist
27. The expression of racist attitudes and behaviors by individual people is:
a
a. personal racism
b. personal stereotype
c. personal discrimination
d. both b and c
28. Emma Goldman works in a GM car parts assembly plant in Detroit. She belongs to the United Auto Workers and takes a very active role in her union. She thinks that GM and most other corporations are exploiting workers. Emma would probably be a strong advocate for:
b
a. capitalism
b. class consciousness
c. stratification
d. violent revolution
29. What research method did Emile Durkheim use in his classic study of suicide?
d
a. survey
b. experiment
c. observation
d. secondary analysis
30. According to Gustave Le Bon, a group becomes a crowd when:
c
a. people’s behavior becomes unmanageable
b. leadership can force conforming behavior among participants
c. people lose a sense of themselves as individual personalities
d. people’s inner aggressions become expressed
31. Madriz’s article "Nothing Bad Happens to Good Girls" shows:
a
a. women taking various steps to avoid crime
b. women oppose feminism because it will increase their risk of being a crime victim
c. that men are the most common criminals
d. that men are more likely to go in jail for committing a crime
32. In the northern interior of Canada, there is a small autonomous region call Nevereverland. In this region there is a wide range of groups (such as churches, labor, entrepreneurs, teachers, environmentalists, gay men and lesbian women etc.) that participate in making decisions. Nevereverland is an example of:
a
a. pluralism
b. a controlling ruling elite
c. capitalism
d. fascism
33. Since 1970, which of the following economic measures has decreased:
c
a. economic inequality
b. child poverty rate
c. elderly poverty rate
d. overall poverty rate
34. The dimensions of religious commitment include all of the following EXCEPT:
a
a. denominations
b. rituals
c. consequence
d. belief
35. The subordination of women that is part of the everyday workings of economics, law, politics, and other social institutions is:
a
a. institutional sexism
b. gendered institutionalism
c. comparable worth
d. objectification
36. The set of people born during the same era and who face similar societal circumstances is called:
d
a. cohort effect
b. age cohort
c. period effect
d. birth cohort
37. Examine the above population pyramid. This country is probably:
c
a. an industrial power
b. has a relatively high life-expectancy
c. a under-developed country
d. under values female children
38. One disadvantage of experimental research methods is:
b
a. ability to attribute causation
b. artificiality of the research environment
c. control over the research treatment
d. random sampling
39. Secularization in the U.S. has meant that:
c
a. fewer people believe in God
b. fewer people attend church
c. religion is less important in law-making
d. churches are becoming more rigid as they lose members
40. The infant mortality rate of a nation is a good:
c
a. pull factor
b. proxy for the amount of migration occurring
c. indicator of the general health of the population
d. indicator of replacement fertility
Essay Questions
Part I. Choose either question 1, question 2, or question 3.
1. Reflect back to the "Eyes on the Prize" video and the scenes from "Do the Right Thing," and "Falling Down" we saw in class. First define "discrimination" and then provide 2 examples from these videos of this term. Next define "prejudice" and then provide 2 examples from these videos of this term. Finally define "stereotype" and then provide 2 examples from these videos of this term.
2. George W. Bush’s (likely Republican candidate for president) proposed tax-cut plan would give the lowest 60% of income earners an average tax cut of $249, while the top 10% get one of $8,362 (and the top 1% get $50,166 each). Critique this plan from a conflict view, or defend it using structural-functionalism.
3. Inequality in wealth, power, and prestige seems to be a fact of life in most societies. Compare and contrast functionalist and conflict perspectives on inequality. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each?
Part II. Choose either question 4 or question 5.
4. While atteding Notre Dame, many students go through their four years with little or no behavioral problems. Others seem to be constantly in trouble with the administation. Select two different sociological ideas discussed this semester and use them to explain why this difference exists. What social factors contribute to behavioral differences and how do they do so?
5. Reflect on a recent experience attending Mass or any religious service in which you may have participated. Using your vast array of sociological knowledge, first briefly describe the basic patterns or rituals practiced in the religious service. Second, choose and define one major sociological theme (i.e. deviance, sociological perspectives, organizations, socialization, gender inequality, race/ethnic inequality, dramaturgy, religion, population growth, culture, class inequality/ poverty) to analyze the religious service through that lens. Third, order your argument by using any concepts that consistently fit under this broad theme. Define each concept and apply it to your observations.