Name Sociology

Date Knight
THE SOCIOLOGY MIDTERM EXAM STUDY GUIDE

Sociology Introductory Unit

1. Sociology definition:

2. Auguste Comte’s contribution to sociology:

3. Random Sampling:

4. Surveys and their characteristics:

5. Participant observation and its characteristics:

6. Data analysis and its characteristics:

7. Participant observation and its characteristics:

8. Hypothesis:

9. Sociology and common sense:

10. The sociological imagination:

11. The sociological perspective:

12. A global perspective and its importance:

13. The three theoretical approaches and their basic viewpoints on society:

Culture and Society Unit

14. Culture:

15. Society:

16. The components of culture and definitions/examples each:

17. High culture:

18. Popular culture:

19. Material/Nonmaterial culture:

20. The Sapir-Whorf thesis:

21. Countercultures:

22. Multiculturalism & Eurocentrism:

 23. Emile Durkheim’s society theory:

24. Lenski’s theory on the evolution of society:

25. Karl Marx’s theory on society

26. Sociocultural evolutionary theory definition:

Socialization
27. Socialization:

28. Four socialization agents and each one’s importance:

29. Sigmund Freud’s contributions:

30. Erik Erickson’s contributions:

31. Jean Piaget’s contributions:

32. Lawrence Kohlberg’s contributions:

33. Carol Gilligan’s contributions:

34. Nature versus nurture:

Social Interaction
35. The Thomas Theorem:

36. Status:

37. Role:

38. Master status:

39. Goffman’s “dramaturgical analysis”:

40. Presentation of the self/impression management:

41. Tact:

42. Ascribed status:

43. Achieved status:

44. Reality building: class and culture’s basic belief:

45. The four types of social interaction:

Groups and Organizations

46. Ingroups/outgroups:

47. Primary and secondary groups and their characteristics:

48. Reference groups:

49. Three major leadership types:

50. Group size and its effect on group dynamics:

51. Two types of formal organizations and the differences between them:

52. Bureaucratic ritualism:

Deviance
53. The common link of all deviant behavior is:

54. The means of social control in society:

55. The three major levels of the criminal justice system and each one’s means of power:

56. Primary deviance versus secondary deviance:

57. Stigmas:

58. Merton’s “social strain theory”:

59. The conflict theoretical approach’s views on deviance:

60. The four basic reasons for punishment:

61. Reasons for African-Americans’ higher arrest rate:

62. The differences between the major types of crime and most popular type:

THE POSSIBLE ESSAYS (I will pick one and you will pick one.) They are a minimum of 3 “5 sentence” paragraphs
each. You must complete them this way, or you will lose points!!!

1. The three sociological theoretical approaches offer various reasons as to why deviance occurs in society, what its place is
in society, and what can be done to reduce it. In an essay, please compare any two of the seven theories studied during
this unit. Describe each one, and compare and contrast their viewpoints on deviant behavior. In what ways are they
similar? In what ways are they different? Finally, which one do you feel is more accurate and why?

2. Formal organizations are all around us. Many of these formal organizations are bureaucracies. In an essay, please define
what is meant by a “bureaucracy.” Secondly, provide an example of one by doing the following: Go through the six traits
of a bureaucracy and show how your formal organization fits that criteria, and explain which of the three types of formal
organizations this bureaucracy is and why.
3. We examined many theories on how we are socialized into society during our unit on socialization. In an essay, please
examine any two of these theories. In examining each theory do any two of the following three things for each:
● Describe the strengths of the theory
● Provide a weaknesses of the theory
● Provide an example of how that theory applies in the real world

Finally, tell me which theory of the two theories is the most relevant and why.

4. We have talked at great length about sociology as a science and the sociological perspective. Define the term
“sociology.” What exactly is meant by “the sociological perspective?” Explain any three ways in which the “sociological
perspective” could be used to examine your life. Finally, use your “sociological perspective” and examine life in one
way here at Woodstown High School.