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Chapter 5 Social Interaction, Groups, and Social Structure A Brief introduction to Sociology, ninth ed., 9th ed.


demonstrated that a social structure can influence the type of social interactions that occur.

Which sociologist is widely known for his mock-prison experiment involving college students in order to study social structure and social interaction?

Philip Zimbardo

Social interaction is

the ways in which people respond to one another.

Which of the following is an example of social interaction?

Sally and Veronica, a lesbian couple, argue about a new piece of gay-rights legislation.

Which of the following terms refers to the way in which a society is organized into predictable relationships?

social structure


the reality of humans is shaped by our perceptions and evaluations.

humans respond to behavior based on the meaning we attach to the actions of others.

humans interpret or define each other's actions.
all of these

Which of the following believed that the "distinctive characteristic of social interaction among people is that human beings interpret or 'define' each other's actions instead of merely reacting to each other's actions?"

Herbert Blumer

Which of the following is true regarding marriage in Japan?

most husbands do not call their wife by name


define a society's values.

The analysis of how the "definition of the situation" can mold the thinking and personality of the individual is associated with the

interactionist perspective.

William I. Thomas notes that people respond not only to the objective features of a person or situation but also to the meaning that the person or situation has for them. This view represents which sociological perspective

interactionist perspective

In what ways did boxer Muhammad Ali rebel against racist thinking and terminology that restricted him?

refused to serve in Vietnam
became a Black Muslim
changed his own name
all of these



Jan, Randy, and Terry are science majors, and when they graduate from college, they find jobs as a nurse, a midwife, and a hospital administrator, respectively. These new positions are examples of


An ascribed status is a social position

"assigned" to a person by society without regard for the person's unique talents or characteristics.

Ascribed statuses may be based on an individual's

all of these

Which of the following statements about an ascribed status is correct?

It is biological in origin, but significant mainly because of the social meanings attached to it within a given culture.

Which of the following is an ascribed status?

a South African

Which sociological perspective(s) is (are) especially interested in ascribed statuses, because they often confer privileges or reflect a person's membership in a subordinate group?

conflict perspective

An achieved status is a social position

attained by a person largely through his or her own efforts.

An individual can acquire an achieved status by

attending school.
establishing a friendship.
inventing a new product.
all of these

Which of the following is an achieved status?

television news reporter

A master status is a


When Malcolm X's eighth grade teacher dismissed Malcolm's desire career goal of lawyer and instead suggested he become a carpenter, the teacher viewed Malcolm's race as a (an)

master status


his marital status


social role

Which of the following statements about social roles is correct?

Actual performance of a role varies from individual to individual


functionalist perspective

Which term is used to refer to incompatible expectations that arise when the same person holds two or more social positions?

role conflict

Elaine is a clinical sociologist who practices marriage and family therapy. She is also a college professor. One of her current students asks her if she can make an appointment for a therapy session. Elaine tells the student that she will refer her to a colleague because she feels that holding therapy sessions with a student might create

role strain.


role exit.


role strain.

Helen Rose Fuchs Ebaugh studied

role exit.

Role exit is defined as

the process of disengagement from a role that is central to one's self-identity and the re-establishment of an identity in a new role.

A (an) __________ is any number of people with similar norms, values, and expectations who regularly and consciously interact.


A primary group is a small group that is



primary groups

Which of the following is most likely to be a primary group?

the members of a neighborhood softball team

Which type of group is most important for socialization?

primary groups


secondary group

Which of the following is most likely to be a secondary group?

the members of the United Nations General Assembly

The distinction between "in-groups" and "out-groups" was first made by

William Graham Sumner

Any group or category to which people feel they belong is called a (an)


A group to which people feel they do not belong is called a (an)


You are taking a sociology class from Dr. Jones at your local community college. Which of the following is most likely to be an out-group?

the clique of students in the front of your classroom who all attended high school together and who now "hang" with one another after class


functionalist perspective
conflict perspective
interactionist perspective
feminist perspective


"out-group vices."


functionalist perspective
conflict perspective
interactionist perspective
global perspective

A woman who has not attended school in 13 years enrolls for classes at the local community college. She is afraid that her younger classmates might not accept her. On the first day of class, she observes the clothing styles of her classmates, and after school she goes shopping and purchases similar clothes. Her classmates could be considered

a reference group.


functionalist perspective
conflict perspective
interactionist perspective
feminist perspective

Which term is used by sociologists when speaking of any group that individuals use as a standard for evaluating themselves and their own behavior?

reference group


a reference group

A social network is

a series of social relationships that link a person directly to others and therefore indirectly to still more people



Which of the following statements about social networks is true?

Even network connections that are weak may be useful.

Which of the following is true regarding jobs, social networks, and gender?

networking pays off more for men

Sociological research that maps sexual relationships among high school students is an example of research on

social networks.


social networking.

Researchers studying the connections between the habit of smoking and social networks found

social networks typically linked those who either smoked or did not smoke.

By what percentage did the risk of the other person continuing to smoke fall, when spouses quit, according to researchers studying smoking and social networks?




Which of the following is true regarding virtual worlds?

They have become politicized and consumer-oriented

Which of the following terms is used to refer to organized patterns of beliefs and behavior centered on basic social needs?

social institutions

Which of the following would be an example of a social institution?

the U.S. government


functionalist perspective

Functional prerequisites are


Which of the following functional prerequisites was not fulfilled by the religious sect known as the Shakers?

replacing personnel

The patriotic behavior of U.S. citizens on January 20, 2009 to witness the Inauguration of President Barack Obama is a testament to the importance of

providing and maintaining a sense of purpose

The conflict view holds that social institutions

maintain the privileges of the powerful individuals and groups within a society.

Which sociologist studied the social behavior of word processors as a method of researching social networks and the effect social institutions play on them?

Mitchell Duneier

Mitchell Duneier studied the social network and social behavior of whom as a method of researching the effects of social institutions on them?

female word processors

Mitchell Duneier's work regarding social networks operates from which sociological perspective

interactionist perspective


formal organization

Formal organizations may vary in

degree of efficiency.
specificity of goals.
all of these

Which of the following is an example of a formal organization?

the General Motors Corporation

Which one of the following ascribed statuses influences people's self-images within formal organizations?


Which of the following statements about the relationship between gender and self-image in a formal organization is correct?

In law firms in which less than 15 percent of partners were women, the female lawyers were likely to believe that traits viewed as "feminine" were strongly devalued.

A bureaucracy is a (an)



Max Weber

A construct or model that serves as a measuring rod against which specific cases can be evaluated is called a (an)

ideal type.


Division of Labor


functionalist perspective
conflict perspective
interactionist perspective
global perspective



The estrangement of workers from the larger society is called


Which of the following does Marx and conflict theorists believe is weakened by restricting workers to very small tasks?

job security

The tendency of workers in a bureaucracy to become so specialized that they develop blind spots and fail to notice obvious problems is known as

trained incapacity.


division of labor


hierarchy of authority.

Goal displacement is

overzealous conformity to official regulations within a bureaucracy.


goal displacement

Which of these comments about a bureaucracy is correct?

all of these

Which one of the following would be an example of a negative consequence of bureaucratization?

employees deprived of a voice in decision making


the Peter principle.

In U.S. society today, the bureaucratic principles that govern an organization like McDonald's may also be seen in

sports events

Bureaucratization is


The "iron law of oligarchy" is a principle


Oligarchies emerge because



the scientific management approach.


economic rewards.

Planning based on the human relations approach focuses on


The phrase "bureaucracy's other face," which refers to the unofficial activities and interactions that are a basic part of daily organizational life, was coined by

Charles Page.

In a society organized around mechanical solidarity, which of the following tasks would you most likely engage in?











Gesellschaft relationships

Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft are concepts that were introduced to sociology by

Ferdinand Tönnies.



An analysis of sociocultural evolution that distinguishes between preindustrial and industrial societies was developed by

Gerhard Lenski.

Which of the following can be defined as the long-term trends in societies resulting from the interplay of continuity, innovation, and selection?

sociocultural evolution

A preindustrial society in which people rely on whatever foods and fibers are readily available in order to live is called a (an)

hunting-and-gathering society.


hunting-and-gathering society

In the most technologically advanced form of preindustrial society, members are engaged primarily in food production. They increase their crop yields through such innovations as the plow. This type of society is called a (an)

agrarian society.

The industrial revolution, pushing societies from agrarian-based economies to those dependent on mechanization first appeared when?


Which of the following sociologists provided a vision of social structure in society?

all of these

A society that depends on mechanization to produce its goods and services is called a (an)

industrial society

Which of the following is characteristic of the emergence of industrial societies?

all of these

A society whose economic system is engaged in the processing and control of information is called a (an)

postindustrial society

A society that is primarily concerned with providing services rather than manufacturing goods is a (an)

postmodern society.


functionalist perspective

Which functionalist theorist views the transition from industrial to postindustrial societies as a positive development because he sees a general decline in organized working-class groups and a rise in interest groups concerned with such national issues as health, education, and the environment?

Daniel Bell

Which conflict theorist, who wrote The Other America, is critical of the significance that functionalists place on the growing class of white-collar workers in postindustrial societies?


A technologically sophisticated society that is preoccupied with consumer goods and media images is called a (an)

postmodern society


postmodern society.

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