STUDY GUIDE – FIRST EXAM

INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY

Spring 2008 - Kessler

The exam format will be definition and essay.  The exam will cover the following materials:

Chapters 1, 2, 3, & 4 in the Macionis text

All class lecture on and discussion of materials from the above readings

(Chapter 5 will be covered in the 2^nd exam)

Macionis

Chapter One:

Be prepared to define and discuss the sociological perspective. Be able to talk about the importance of studying sociology from a global perspective. Be able to identify the early “voices” of sociology marginalized due to gender or race, as presented in your text. Be able to identify and discuss, in some detail, the major assumptions of the three principal sociological paradigms (functionalism, social conflict, and symbolic interactionism).

Chapter Two:

Be able to identify the different types of “truth” as presented by Macionis. Be prepared to operationalize a variable. Be able to discuss the difference between reliability and validity, and correlation and causation. What are some of the limitations of scientific sociology? Be prepared to briefly identify and define the methodological approaches to sociology discussed in your text and in class. Identify the ways in which gender can shape research.

Chapter Three:

Be prepared to discuss the relationship between culture and human intelligence. Be able to identify and describe the components of culture. Be able to identify the key values of U.S. culture, and give your own examples of how they might come into conflict with each other. Be able to talk about the relationship between material and non-material culture. Explain how culture varies by social grouping the US. Why is it that subcultures involve hierarchy as well as differences (what role does Eurocentrism play)? Be prepared to discuss the structural-functional and social conflict analyses of culture.

Chapter Four:

Lenski, Marx, Weber, and Durkheim each theorized about the factors responsible for change in societal form from what it was at the beginning of human society to the 19^th or 20^th century. Be able to identify and describe the 5 main societal forms discussed in class and in your text, and how each of the above social scientists theorized change in societal organization across time.

Be able to briefly define the following terms/concepts:

Note: When studying the definition terms, keep in mind that an example is not synonymous with a definition. For example, “Ethnocentrism is like when people in the US look down on India’s society” is not a definition of ethnocentrism – it is an example of ethnocentrism. Examples lend support to, but do not replace, definitions. Also, be sure that you do not define a word or term with another form of the same word. For example, “Anger is something people have when they are angry” is not an acceptable definition.

Theory

Manifest functions

Latent functions

Macro-level orientation

Micro-level orientation

Empirical evidence

Concept

Variable

Operationalizing a variable

Reliability and Validity

Correlation and cause-and-effect

Spurious correlation

Independent and Dependent variables

A research method

Experiment

Hypothesis

Survey research

Participant Observation

Secondary Analysis

Culture

Society

Material and Non-material culture

Values

Norms

Folkways and Mores

Subculture

Counterculture

Multiculturalism

Ethnocentrism and Cultural relativism

Cultural universals