Sociology 101 Test 1

Front 1

Which of the following is not a characteristic of primary relations?

Back 1

transferability

Front 2

Which of the following would not be considered a primary group?

Back 2

members of a mail-order record club

Front 3

The status of being a college graduate is a/an

Back 3

achieved status.

Front 4

Joan is an excellent artist but she cannot find enough time to devote to her family. She is experiencing

Back 4

role conflict.

Front 5

_________ is the term for a recognized social position that an individual occupies.

Back 5

Status

Front 6

A worker helps her co-worker catch up on reports that were originally the co-worker’s sole responsibility. This is an example of

Back 6

the informal structure of the organization.

Front 7

All of the following are voluntary associations except

Back 7

an auto manufacturer.

Front 8

Formal structure includes all of the following except

Back 8

personal relations.

Front 9

Which of the following would not be a feature of a bureaucracy?

Back 9

sensitivity to human needs

Front 10

All of the below are principles of McDonaldization except

Back 10

enjoyability.

Front 11

Ethnomethodology and dramaturgy, two methods of investigating social interaction, are related to which of the following theoretical perspectives?

Back 11

symbolic interaction

Front 12

For Weber, the rise of modern bureaucracy was part of a larger social process called the

Back 12

rational reconstruction of human institutions.

Front 13

_____________ refers to the fact that bureaucrats are promoted to their level of incompetence.

Back 13

The Peter Principle

Front 14

What is meant by the concept definition of the situation? Why is the concept important?

Back 14

The definition of the situation is our unconscious interpretation of a given situation on the basis of our understanding of what the situation is and what it requires. This concept is important because it shows that we give social meaning to events (rather than social events themselves possessing inherent meaning). Consequently, then, we can also change the meaning of events. Secondly, social order exists when individuals share the same definition of a situation. Conversely, when individuals behave in ways that differ from the accepted definitions of the situation, the social order is threatened.

Front 15

Contrast Gemeinschaft society with Gesellschaft. Which is a more desirable society to live in, and why?

Back 15

Gemeinschaft (a German word that roughly translates as community) assigns status to whole persons, including both their work and social lives. It involves a high degree of group unity and a complete commitment by members to the community. Kinship, the idea of community, and a sense of belonging play important roles in a Gemeinschaft. This community typically is found in folk and preliterate societies. In contrast, a Gesellschaft (a German word that roughly translates as a special-purpose organization) is a society based on rational self-interest, impersonality, and contracts between members for the purpose of obtaining goals. Gesellschaft is found in large-scale, complex societies. Both societies have their advantages and disadvantages so answers to this question will vary depending upon the respondent’s personal choice (community or individuality).

Front 16

Give examples of primary and secondary groups and list the differences between the two.

Back 16

Primary groups are groups marked by close communication, comfort, security and emotional support. They offer personal loyalty and support to their members. The family is an example of a primary group.

Secondary groups are marked by impersonal and specialized relationships (such as that between a clerk and a customer). Secondary relations are transferable and limited in scope. Most small groups start as secondary groups, even though any particular small secondary group may become a primary group if the members become better acquainted and more intimate.

Front 17

Distinguish between an organization’s formal and informal structures.

Back 17

The formal structure of the organization includes the official rules, goals, power, and procedures that determine the methods by which the organization’s work is carried out. The informal structure is the interaction of persons and groups within the organization. The informal structure develops when people face problems that cannot be solved by the formal structure.

Front 18

What kinds of problems occur in a bureaucracy?

Back 18

Bureaucracy, marked by impersonality and rigidity, often interferes with the goals it was meant to achieve in the following ways:

* Bureaucratic ritualism—Workers become more concerned with following procedure than getting the job done accurately.
* Bureaucratic inertia—Bureaucratic organizations tend to perpetuate themselves, and may lose sight of organizational goals. According to Parkinson’s Law, work expands; even if there is no work to do employees will find busywork. Busywork creates extra work and eventually the work day is full of non-productive tasks.
* Inequalities—Race, class, and gender inequalities can be perpetuated by bureaucracy. Although there are laws against discrimination, certain classes of people are more apt to be hired and or promoted than others.
* The iron law of oligarchy—A small clique of people tend to rule an organization for their benefit.
* The Peter Principle—Competent bureaucrats, according to this principle, are rewarded with many promotions but finally they reach a level beyond their ability. Demotion is rare, so an organization eventually becomes full of incompetents. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, bureaucracies’ very impersonality tends to alienate workers and dehumanize them.