Download Chapter One Test Review Questions

Sociology test review
Chapter one
Test: Friday
Introduction to Sociology
1. What is the definition of the term social sciences?
2. What are some examples of academic disciplines that can be categorized as
social sciences?
3. Why is it important to use multiple social science disciplines to study the same
social issue?
4. Provide a social issue and state the approach three different social sciences
would take when studying the social issue. (similar to your bow tie activity)
5. What is the definition of sociology?
6. Why do sociologists not rely on common-sense?
7. How do sociologists examine the world? Be sure to explain “systematic”.
8. Describe the sociological perspective on a social issue such as suicide.
9. Suicide facts
a. Suicide is second leading cause of death among youth in Canada
b. Suicide rates vary drastically amongst countries of the world
c. Suicide rate in Canada is 12/100 000 people
d. Suicide is viewed differently in other countries compared to ours. Some
see it as a heroic act.
e. Aboriginal communities have much higher rates of suicide than nonAboriginal communities
f. Suicide may not be due to individual problems but public issues
g. Assisted suicide became legal in Canada in June 2016
10. What are the three criteria that must be met for a person to be eligible to
medical assistance in dying?
11. What constitutes a society?
12. What is the Sociological Imagination?
13. What are “personal troubles? Provide an example.
14. Do sociologists typically focus their study on individual’s personal troubles?
15. What are “public issues”? Provide an example.
16. Do sociologists typically focus their study on public issues?
Sociological Thinkers
1. Which one of the key thinkers coined the modern term sociology?
2. Describe Comte’s philosophy of positivism.
3. What sociological thinkers translated and compressed Comte’s work?
4. What did Harriet Martineau focus on studying?
5. What did Harriet Martineau advocate for?
6. Describe Herbert Spencer’s General Evolution Theory (including Social
Darwinism).
7. Why is Spencer’s theory criticized? (2 reasons)
8. What are Emile Durkheim’s major contributions to sociology? Be sure to explain
social facts.
9. What did Karl Marx feel was necessary to produce social change and a better
society?
10. What do some argue that Marx placed too much emphasis on?
11. What did Max Weber believe about sociological research? Be sure to include
verstehen in your answer.
12. What did Weber feel was destructive to human vitality and freedom?
13. Georg Simmel developed “formal sociology”. What is this?
14. What did Simmel feel the main purpose of sociology should be?
Theoretical Perspectives
1. What is a theoretical perspective?
2. What are the ideas underlying the functionalist theoretical perspective?
3. What re manifest functions? Provide an example
4. What are latent functions? Provide an example
5. What are the ideas underlying the conflict theoretical perspective?
6. What are the ideas underlying the Feminist theoretical perspective?
7. What are the ideas underlying the Symbolic Interactionalist theoretical
perspective?
8. What are symbols? Provide examples of different types of symbols.
9. What are the ideas underlying the Postmodern theoretical perspective?
10. What are the three characteristics of a postmodern society?

You should also be able to analyze a social issue from each Theoretical
Perspective