TEST BANK FOR CONTEMPORARY SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY AND ITS CLASSICAL ROOTS THE BASICS, 5TH EDITION, GEORGE RITZER, JEFFREY STEPNISKY
Test Bank
Multiple Choice
1. Which of these is not a common characteristic of social theorists?
A. incorporating ideas of other social theorists
B. relying on data
C. peer reviewing
D. focusing on narrow, personal issues Ans: D
Answer Location: Creating Sociological Theory
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2. Which French sociologist’s emphasis on freedom combined with his critiques of equality and centralization led him to be extremely critical of both democracy and socialism?
A. Alexis de Tocqueville
B. Claude Henri Saint-Simon
C. Auguste Comte
D. Émile Durkheim Ans: A
Answer Location: Creating Sociological Theory
3. Which of the following describes the theories selected for George Ritzer and Jeffrey Stepnisky’s text?
A. theories that have a narrow range of applicability
B. theories that have stood the test of time
C. theories that were popular in their day
D. theories that were controversial in their day Ans: B
Answer Location: Defining Sociological Theory
4. What is the term for a set of interrelated ideas that allow for the systematization of knowledge of the social world?
A. the sociological canon
B. sociological theory
C. theories of everyday life
D. grand theory Ans: B
Answer Location: Defining Sociological Theory
5. What is the term for the theories, ideas, and texts that were considered the most important in the field of sociology?
A. the sociological canon
B. sociological theory
C. theories of everyday life
D. grand theory Ans: A
Answer Location: Defining Sociological Theory
6. Which of the following theories was more likely to be part of the sociological canon?
A. politically radical theories
B. grand theories with untestable points of view
C. theories of those who studied with sociological masters
D. theories produced by majority group members Ans: D
Answer Location: Creating Sociological Theory: A More Realistic View
7. What is the term for a highly ambitious theory that tells the story of a great stretch of human history or covers a large part of the social world?
A. the sociological canon
B. sociological theory
C. theories of everyday life
D. grand theory Ans: D
Answer Location: Overview of the Book
8. Which of the following is an example of a theory of everyday life?
A. structural functionalism
B. critical theory
C. dramaturgy
D. feminist theory
Ans: C
Answer Location: Overview of the Book
9. Which of the following is an example of a grand theory?
A. structural functionalism
B. ethnomethodology
C. dramaturgy
D. rational choice theory Ans: A
Answer Location: Overview of the Book
10. What is the term for theories that focus on seemingly mundane activities such as people’s thoughts, interactions of two or more people, and the groups that may emerge from these interactions?
A. the sociological canon
B. sociological theory
C. theories of everyday life
D. grand theory Ans: C
Answer Location: Overview of the Book
True/False
1. Social theorists must not theorize about issues about which they have strong emotions.
Ans: F
Answer Location: Creating Sociological Theory
2. The sociological canon of the past is composed of the best sociological theories that have been created over time.
Ans: F
Answer Location: Creating Sociological Theory: A More Realistic View
3. The sociological canon of the past is composed of sociological theories that are considered the most important in sociology.
Ans: T
Answer Location: Creating Sociological Theory: A More Realistic View
4. The sociological canon of the past is composed of apolitical theories. Ans: F
Answer Location: Creating Sociological Theory: A More Realistic View
5. The current sociological canon has expanded to contain perspectives that question the foundations of knowledge creation.
Ans: T
Answer Location: Creating Sociological Theory: A More Realistic View
6. The sociological canon today is characterized by theoretical diversity. Ans: T
Answer Location: Creating Sociological Theory: A More Realistic View
7. Sociologists today are most likely to create grand theories. Ans: F
Answer Location: Overview of the Book
8. Grand theories are most likely to look at human interaction in small groups. Ans: F
Answer Location: Overview of the Book
9. Dramaturgy is an example of grand theory. Ans: F
Answer Location: Overview of the Book
10. Structural functionalism is an example of a theory of everyday life. Ans: F
Answer Location: Overview of the Book
Essay
1. Define sociological theory and explain the difference between everyday theorizing and sociological theory.
Ans: Varies, but should include the following:
• Sociological theory is a set of interrelated ideas that allow for the systematization of knowledge of the social world, the explanation of that world, and predictions about the future of that world.
• Everyone does everyday theorizing. Sociological theory is a more disciplined process involving incorporating the work of previous theorists; relying on data, publication, and peer review; and inclusive incorporation of a broad arrange of social issues.
2. Define the sociological canon and explain the political process involved in its creation. Ans: Varies, but should include the following:
• The canon is defined as the theories, ideas, and texts that--at least in the past--have been considered the most important in the field of sociology.
• Critics have argued that the canon is not a neutral construction; rather, it is affected by political factors such as power and the politics of the theory (conservative theories are more likely to be canonized). It privileges theories that have testable hypotheses and theories produced by majority group members.
• Today, the sociological canon is incorporating theories that are more diverse.
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