Test Bank for Macionis/Gerber, Sociology, Ninth Canadian Edition
Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
Multiple Choice Questions
1) What might a sociologist say about people's selection of marriage partners?
- People marry because they fall in love.
- When it comes to romance, it’s all a matter of personal taste.
- Typically, a person marries someone of similar social position.
- When it comes to love, opposites attract.
Answer: c
Page Reference: 5
Skill: Applied
2) The idea that the social world guides our actions and life choices just as the seasons influence activities and choice of clothing describes
- the basis of what philosophy calls “free will.”
- the essential wisdom of the discipline of sociology.
- the fact that people everywhere have “common sense.”
- the fact that people from countries all around the world make mostly identical choices about how to
live.
Answer: b
Page Reference: 3
Skill: Conceptual
3) Which discipline defines itself as “the systematic study of human society”?
- sociology
- psychology
- economics
- history
Answer: a
Page Reference: 3
Skill: Factual
4) Peter Berger described using the sociological perspective as seeing the ______ in the _______.
- good; worst tragedies
- new; old
- specific; general
- general; particular
Answer: d
Page Reference: 3
Skill: Conceptual
5) By stating that the sociological perspective shows us “the strange in the familiar,” the text argues that sociologists
- focus on the bizarre elements of society.
- reject the familiar idea that people simply decide how to act in favour of the initially strange idea that
- believe that people often behave in strange ways.
- believe that even people who are most familiar to us have some very strange habits.
society shapes our lives.
Answer: b
Page Reference: 4–5
Skill: Conceptual
6) Three campus roommates are talking about why they are in college. A sociological view of going to college highlights the effect of
- nationality, because most countries outside of the West don’t have colleges. 1 / 4
- gender, because women don’t generally attend college.
- our place in history, because a century ago going to college was not an option for most people.
- intelligence, because it’s smarter to go to college than trade school.
Answer: c
Page Reference: 5
Skill: Applied
7) A sociological analysis of childbearing around the world suggests that the number of children born to a woman reflects
- her preference for family size.
- how many children she can afford.
- whether she herself was born into a poor or rich society.
- the desires of her husband.
Answer: c
Page Reference: 5
Skill: Applied
8) According to Emile Durkheim, a category of people with a higher suicide rate typically has
- more clinical depression.
- less money, power, and other resources.
- lower social integration.
- greater self-esteem.
Answer: c
Page Reference: 5–6
Skill: Factual
9) The pioneering sociologist who studied patterns of suicide in Europe was
- Robert K. Merton.
- Auguste Comte.
- Emile Durkheim.
- Karl Marx.
Answer: c
Page Reference: 5
Skill: Factual
10) In Canada today, the suicide rate is highest for which category of people listed below?
- White males
- Black males
- White females
- Black females
Answer: a
Page Reference: 6
Skill: Factual
11) Because there is more social isolation in rural areas of Canada than in urban areas, we would expect suicide rates to be
- higher in urban areas.
- higher in rural areas.
- high in both urban and rural areas.
- low in both urban and rural areas.
Answer: b
Page Reference: 6–7
Skill: Applied
12) Sociologists use the term “social marginality” to refer to
- people who have little understanding of sociology. 2 / 4
- having special social skills.
- being defined by others as an “outsider.”
- people who are especially sensitive about their family background.
Answer: c
Page Reference: 7
Skill: Conceptual
13) If marginality encourages sociological thinking, we would expect people in which category listed below to make the most use of the sociological perspective?
- the wealthy
- disabled persons or people who are a racial minority
- politicians
- the middle class
Answer: b
Page Reference: 7–8
Skill: Applied
14) Following the thinking of C. Wright Mills, we would have expected the sociological imagination to be more widespread
- during times of peace and prosperity.
- among the very rich.
- among very religious people.
- during times of social crisis.
Answer: d
Page Reference: 7–8
Skill: Applied
15) C. Wright Mills claimed that the “sociological imagination” transformed
- common sense into laws of society.
- people into supporters of the status quo.
- personal problems into public issues.
- scientific research into common sense.
Answer: c
Page Reference: 8
Skill: Conceptual
16) Canada falls within which category of the world’s nations?
- low-income nations
- middle-income nations
- high-income nations
- variable-income nations
Answer: c
Page Reference: 9
Skill: Factual
17) Which of the following categories contains countries in which average income is typical for the world as a whole and in which people are as likely to live in a rural area as in an urban area?
- low-income nations
- middle-income nations
- high-income nations
- variable-income nations
Answer: b
Page Reference: 9–11
Skill: Conceptual
- / 4
18) The nations of Europe, Israel, Japan, and Australia fall into which of the following categories of countries?
- low-income nations
- middle-income nations
- high-income nations
- each belongs to a different category
Answer: c
Page Reference: 9
Skill: Conceptual
19) Almost all of Latin America and Asia falls within which of the following categories?
- low-income nations
- middle-income nations
- high-income nations
- very rich nations
Answer: b
Page Reference: 9
Skill: Factual
20) Which of the following is a reason that it is important to understand the world beyond our own borders?
- Nations of the world are increasingly interconnected.
- So we can see how much better our country is than other countries.
- Because of an international agreement mandated by the United Nations.
- It isn’t important.
Answer: a
Page Reference: 9
Skill: Factual
21) Sarah is spending a summer living in another country where people have a way of life that differs from her own. A sociologist might expect that this experience would lead her to
- end up with a greater understanding of both a new way of life and her own way of life.
- accept what people in Canada call “common sense.”
- assume that people’s lives reflect the choices they make.
- want to move to that other country, because their way of life is clearly superior.
Answer: a
Page Reference: 12
Skill: Applied
22) Making use of the sociological perspective encourages
- challenging commonly held beliefs.
- accepting conventional wisdom.
- the belief that society is mysterious.
- people to be happier with their lives as they are.
Answer: a
Page Reference: 12
Skill: Factual
23) Learning more sociology helps us to
- realize that common sense is universal.
- assess the opportunities and constraints in our lives.
- understand why it’s better to live in high-income countries than low-income countries.
- conform to social expectations and fit in better.
Answer: b
Page Reference: 12
Skill: Factual
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