Society The Basics Sixth Canadian Edition by John J. Macionis - Test Bank

Chapter 01: Sociology: Perspective, Theory, and Method

Chapter 01 Multiple Choice Questions

1. Sociology is defined as the:

A) study of individuals in society.

B) study of people in groups.

C) study of people and events you may not have heard of before.

D) study of social patterns.

E) systematic study of human society.

QuestionID: 01-1-01

Page-Reference: 4

Topic: The Sociological Perspective

Skill: factual

Answer: E) systematic study of human society.

2. From a sociological perspective, which of the following is true regarding the decision about whom to marry?

A) It is a personal choice that impacts one's life.

B) It illustrates the importance of luck in our everyday choices.

C) It illustrates how our lives are influenced by sheer chance combined with free will.

D) It shows us how similar people's lives are.

E) It demonstrates that our social world guides our actions and life choices.

QuestionID: 01-1-02

Page-Reference: 4

Topic: Introduction

Skill: conceptual

Answer: E) It demonstrates that our social world guides our actions and life choices.

3. The statement that "our social world guides our actions and life choices in much the same way that the seasons influence our clothing" describes:

A) the fact that humans rely on "free will" in all their choices.

B) the essential principle of sociology.

C) the fact that sociologists understand the present and the future only in terms of what history tells them.

D) the fact that people from countries around the world make essentially identical life choices.

E) the fact that our destiny is determined at birth.

QuestionID: 01-1-03

Page-Reference: 4

Topic: Introduction

Skill: conceptual

Answer: B) the essential principle of sociology.

4. What discipline may be described as the systematic study of human society?

A) sociology

B) social philosophy

C) psychology

D) international relations

E) political science

QuestionID: 01-1-04

Page-Reference: 4

Topic: The Sociological Perspective

Skill: factual

Answer: A) sociology

5. When Peter Berger characterized the sociological perspective as "seeing the general in the particular," he meant that sociology helps us:

A) see general patterns in the behaviour of particular people.

B) see that people are rather particular about their behaviours.

C) make generalizations about individuals' particular habits.

D) recognize that society has the same effect on all categories of people.

E) identify exceptional people.

QuestionID: 01-1-05

Page-Reference: 4

Topic: The Sociological Perspective

Skill: conceptual

Answer: A) see general patterns in the behaviour of particular people.

6. When we say that using the sociological perspective amounts to "seeing the strange in the familiar," we mean that sociologists:

A) focus on the bizarre elements of society.

B) work to avoid the idea that we live our lives only in terms of what we decide.

C) understand that individuals' explanations for their behavioural choices are sufficient for our understanding of why people do the things they do.

D) understand that even people who are familiar to us often have some very strange habits.

E) are good at identifying what is strange and unusual.