Sociology Concepts Quiz

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Questions and Answers

Which statements correctly describe 'the strength of weak ties'?

Weak ties provide benefits that strong ties do not. (correct)

Weak ties have no benefits.

Weak ties are less significant than strong ties.

Weak ties provide access to valuable information. (correct)

People who play games such as World of Warcraft, Second Life, or Clash of Clans, make up virtual communities.

True

Group cohesion is likely to be highest among which group?

A secret society at an Ivy League university

Which concept refers to a state of normlessness that is kept in check by group membership?

Anomie Signup and view all the answers

Power is the ability to (1) _____ the actions of others and if legitimated, provides (2) . Power can be (3) when it is backed by the threat of force, or (4) _ when it is supported by persuasion.

(1) control, (2) authority, (3) coercive, (4) influential Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following are kinds of conformity produced by social influence and which are not?

Identification Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following are organizations that Robert Putnam's research might argue keep anomie at bay?

Boy Scouts of America Signup and view all the answers

How did Stanley Milgram test participants' obedience to authority?

He had 'experimenters' coax 'teachers' into shocking 'learners.' Signup and view all the answers

What were Solomon Asch's findings regarding people's tendency to conform to group norms?

Many people are reluctant to be the sole dissenting voice in a group. Most people seek to align themselves with the group majority. Signup and view all the answers

Identify each person as being a member of an in-group or out-group for Melissa.

Her sister who is a student at Michigan State = Out-group A current community college student with whom Melissa went to high school = Out-group A history major at the University of Michigan = In-group Signup and view all the answers

Place each major study of social networks in order of its publication from first to last.

Mark Granovetter's 'The Strength of Weak Ties' = First Matt Hoffman and Lisa Torres's article on gender, networks, and employment = Second Duncan Watts's Six Degrees: The Science of a Connected Age = Third Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler's article on networks and sexual health = Fourth Signup and view all the answers

Classify each attribute as belonging to either primary or secondary groups.

Ends in themselves = Primary Enduring membership = Primary Contingent membership = Secondary Impersonal = Secondary Instrumental in purpose = Secondary Signup and view all the answers

Results from the Twenty Statements Test (TST) over the past sixty years suggest that Americans' self-images have changed very little over time.

False Signup and view all the answers

Identify the true and false statements about social media sites according to statistics.

More than 30 billion photos have been uploaded to Instagram. Signup and view all the answers

Who coined the term 'anomie'?

Émile Durkheim Signup and view all the answers

Identify the following as either a primary or secondary group.

A married couple = Primary A close-knit group of adult friends who have been together since middle school = Primary A professional football team = Secondary A tailoring shop that makes bespoke suits for men = Secondary Signup and view all the answers

Match each quality to the correct group category based on Robert Merton's theory of group classification.

Precise, classy = In-group Nitpicking, snobbish = Out-group Signup and view all the answers

What is an aggregate?

The audience at a taping of Saturday Night Live Signup and view all the answers

What is a secondary group?

The cast members of Saturday Night Live Signup and view all the answers

What is a category?

All of the people watching Saturday Night Live on television last Saturday Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary group?

A group of close friends and family members who get together to watch Saturday Night Live on television each week. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of bureaucracy does the situation highlight where an employee at the local DMV celebrates a co-worker's birthday?

Interpersonal interactions help humanize bureaucracies. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Strength of Weak Ties

Weak ties offer unique benefits, providing access to information that strong ties do not.

Virtual Communities

Players of digital games like World of Warcraft and Clash of Clans form virtual communities.

Group Cohesion

Group cohesion is typically highest in secret societies, such as those found at Ivy League universities.

Anomie

Anomie refers to a state of normlessness maintained through group membership.

Power Dynamics

Power enables control over others’ actions and, when legitimated, leads to authority.
Power can be coercive (backed by force) or influential (supported by persuasion).

Conformity Types

Types of conformity include compliance, internalization, and identification.
Obedience is categorized differently and is not a type of conformity.

Organizations Countering Anomie

Organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America and Habitat for Humanity may help prevent anomie.

Obedience to Authority

Stanley Milgram's experiment involved "teachers" being persuaded to administer shocks to "learners" by "experimenters."

Solomon Asch's Conformity Study

Participants are often reluctant to dissent in group settings, choosing to align with group majorities.

In-group vs. Out-group

For Melissa, her sister at Michigan State and a former high school acquaintance from community college are out-group members, while a history major at her university is an in-group member.

Important studies of social networks include Granovetter's "The Strength of Weak Ties" and Christakis & Fowler's work on networks and sexual health, published in chronological order.

Primary vs. Secondary Groups (Cooley's Theory)

Primary groups are characterized by enduring membership and intrinsic value, while secondary groups have contingent membership and instrumental purposes.

Americans' Self-Images

Findings from the Twenty Statements Test indicate that self-images of Americans have evolved over time, contrary to the false assertion that they remain unchanged.

Approximately 70% of adults engage with social networking sites; over 30 billion photos have been uploaded on Instagram.

Origin of "Anomie"

The term "anomie" was first coined by sociologist Émile Durkheim.

Group Classification (Merton's Theory)

In-group qualities include precise and classy attributes, while out-group qualities may appear nitpicking and snobbish.

An aggregate is represented by viewers at a live taping (e.g., Saturday Night Live).
A secondary group is exemplified by the cast members of a show.
A category consists of all audience members viewing a program at a specific time.
A primary group may include close friends and family enjoying a show together.

Bureaucratic Interactions

Interpersonal interactions within bureaucratic settings, like a DMV employee's celebratory outing, highlight how such interactions can humanize bureaucracies.

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Description

Test your understanding of key sociology concepts such as weak ties, virtual communities, group cohesion, and obedience to authority. This quiz will challenge your knowledge of theories related to power dynamics and anomie. Ideal for sociology students seeking to solidify their grasp on these essential ideas.