SOC 202 PRACTICE QUESTIONS
1. Which of the following is NOT a type of variable?
a) Independent variable
b) Dependent variable
c) Confounding variable
d) Intervening variable
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Answer: c) Confounding variable
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2. What does a case study focus on?
a) A large population
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b) A single instance or a few selected examples
c) Quantitative data
d) Theoretical research only
Answer: b) A single instance or a few selected examples
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3. Who is a respondent in social research?
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a) The researcher
b) The person analyzing the data
c) The person answering a questionnaire
d) The person designing the research
Answer: c) The person answering a questionnaire
4. What is the main purpose of a questionnaire?
a) To collect quantitative data only
b) To interview respondents face to face
c) To obtain information and record opinions
d) To analyze historical events
Answer: c) To obtain information and record opinions
5. Which method ensures a higher response rate than postal questionnaires?
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a) Case study
b) Interview
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c) Survey
d) Sampling
Answer: b) Interview
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6. What is the process of transforming observations into numerical data called?
a) Qualitative research
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b) Quantification
c) Sampling
d) Coding
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Answer: b) Quantification
7. Which of the following refers to the dependability of collected data?
a) Validity
b) Reliability
c) Subjectivity
d) Objectivity
Answer: b) Reliability
8. What does a negative correlation indicate?
a) Both variables increase
b) Both variables decrease
c) One variable increases, the other decreases
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d) No relationship between variables
Answer: c) One variable increases, the other decreases
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9. What is empiricism in sociology?
a) A theoretical approach
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b) The collection of facts and observations
c) A historical analysis
d) The use of multiple research methods
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Answer: b) The collection of facts and observations
10. What is the purpose of triangulation in research?
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a) To focus on a single research method
b) To produce more reliable empirical data
c) To conduct historical research
d) To analyze content systematically
Answer: b) To produce more reliable empirical data
11. What does fieldwork in research involve?
a) Laboratory experiments
b) Library research
c) Real life situations through observation
d) Content analysis of written materials
Answer: c) Real life situations through observation
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12. Which of the following is a qualitative research technique?
a) Structured questionnaire
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b) Structured observation
c) Experiment
d) Empathetic interviewing
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Answer: d) Empathetic interviewing
13. What does the scientific method in social research emphasize?
a) The collection of subjective data
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b) The collection of objective and replicable data
c) The analysis of fictional narratives
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d) The use of informal interviewing techniques
Answer: b) The collection of objective and replicable data
14. What is the goal of research ethics?
a) To maximize response rates
b) To ensure the objectivity of the data
c) To apply moral rules and professional codes of conduct
d) To replicate previous studies
Answer: c) To apply moral rules and professional codes of conduct
15. What is content analysis used for?
a) Analyzing numerical data
b) Conducting face to face interviews
c) Describing and analyzing written, spoken, or pictorial communications
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d) Collecting historical data
Answer: c) Describing and analyzing written, spoken, or pictorial
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communications
16. What is a method according to Wilmot (1985)?
a) A philosophical evaluation of investigative techniques
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b) An organized way of achieving set objectives
c) Techniques used to study questions of interest
d) A systematized effort to acquire new knowledge
Answer: b) An organized way of achieving set objectives
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17. What does methodology concern itself with according to Jary & Jary (2000)?
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a) Conducting experiments using human subjects
b) The philosophical evaluation of investigative techniques within a discipline
c) Systematic collection of facts about people
d) Analyzing collected data from censuses
Answer: b) The philosophical evaluation of investigative techniques within a
discipline
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18. Which of the following is NOT a research method mentioned by Ritzer et al
(1979)?
a) Social surveys
b) Experiments
c) Case studies
d) Historical data analysis
Answer: c) Case studies
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19. Which of the following statements is true about the scientific method in
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sociology?
a) It primarily relies on subjective analysis.
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b) It is concerned with an objective discovery of laws or general principles of
human social behavior.
c) It uses intuition and common sense as the principal elements.
d) It focuses on the personal experience of the researcher.
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Answer: b) It is concerned with an objective discovery of laws or general
principles of human social behavior.
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20. What term did Max Weber introduce to describe the method of
“interpretative understanding” in sociology?
a) Hypothesis
b) Verstehen
c) Positivism
d) Empiricism
Answer: b) Verstehen
21. Which type of data collection method involves asking a carefully selected
number of people the same set of questions?
a) Experimentation
b) Observation
c) Social Survey
d) Content Analysis
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Answer: c) Social Survey
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22. What does systematic observation involve compared to simple observation?
a) It involves no standardization of observational techniques.
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b) It places controls on both the observer and the observed phenomenon.
c) It requires the observer to play an active role in the behavior being studied.
d) It is a causal and informal type of observation.
Answer: b) It places controls on both the observer and the observed
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phenomenon.
23. What is an independent variable in the context of experimental analysis?
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a) The variable that is dependent upon other variables.
b) The given, constant, or invariant factor for the analytical problem at hand.
c) The outcome variable that is measured.
d) A variable introduced to produce a dependent variable.
Answer: b) The given, constant, or invariant factor for the analytical problem at
hand.
24. Which type of experiment is conducted in the natural setting of the behavior
under study?
a) Laboratory research
b) Systematic observation
c) Field research
d) Hypothetico-deductive method
Answer: c) Field research
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25. What is a 'structured interview'?
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a) An interview where questions and their order are fixed.
b) An interview allowing the respondent to develop points freely.
c) An informal interview without specific questions.
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d) A method of data collection distinct from social surveys.
Answer: a) An interview where questions and their order are fixed.
26. What is the primary focus of ethnography?
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a) Conducting experiments in a lab setting
b) Analyzing statistical data
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c) Observation and recording of the history, geography, social organization,
economy, political system, culture, and religion of people
d) Conducting surveys
Answer: c) Observation and recording of the history, geography, social
organization, economy, political system, culture, and religion of people
27. What is a potential disadvantage of ethnography?
a) It requires complex interview schedules.
b) It often leads to ethnocentrism.
c) It relies heavily on computer analysis.
d) It uses statistical records extensively.
Answer: b) It often leads to ethnocentrism.
28. Which type of data refers to first-hand information collected directly from
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fieldwork?
a) Secondary data
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b) Existing material
c) Primary data
d) Historical documents
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Answer: c) Primary data
29. Which famous sociologist is known for using official statistics in the study of
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suicide?
a) Auguste Comte
b) Max Weber
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c) Emile Durkheim
d) Karl Marx
Answer: c) Emile Durkheim
30. Which of the following is NOT considered a type of existing material?
a) Statistical records
b) Historical sources
c) Contemporary records
d) Interview transcripts
Answer: d) Interview transcripts
31. What does qualitative analysis primarily involve?
a) Statistical manipulation and tabular presentation
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b) Categorization and classification
c) Logical ordering and theoretical interpretation
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d) The use of computers
Answer: c) Logical ordering and theoretical interpretation
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32. What does quantitative analysis primarily consist of?
a) Descriptive data and observable behavior
b) Categorization, classification, and statistical analysis
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c) Conceptual specification and theoretical interpretation
d) Theoretical issues and empirical generalizations
Answer: b) Categorization, classification, and statistical analysis
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33. Which of the following is an example of an empirical generalization?
a) Ethnography relies heavily on computer simulations.
b) Most academicians usually have small families.
c) Theoretical problems are a primary motivation for research.
d) Ethnocentrism is a disadvantage of ethnography.
Answer: b) Most academicians usually have small families.
34. What is the first step in the organization of a typical final year undergraduate
research essay?
a) Review of literature
b) Formulation and operationalization of concepts
c) Statement of the problem
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d) Analysis of data
Answer: c) Statement of the problem
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35. What is a major motivation for sociological research related to public issues?
a) Theoretical problems
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b) Curiosity
c) Crime rates
d) Historical analysis
Answer: c) Crime rates
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36. Which method involves the observation and recording of the history,
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geography, social organization, economy, political system, culture, and religion of
people?
a) Ethnography
b) Experimentation
c) Social Survey
d) Content Analysis
Answer: a) Ethnography
37. What kind of data includes previously collected information such as personal
and public records?
a) Primary data
b) Secondary data
c) Quantitative data
d) Qualitative data
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Answer: b) Secondary data
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38. What is a characteristic of primary data?
a) It is gathered from statistical records.
b) It includes historical sources.
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c) It is collected directly from fieldwork or surveys.
d) It consists of contemporary records.
Answer: c) It is collected directly from fieldwork or surveys.
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39. Which method produces descriptive data like people’s own written or spoken
words and observable behavior?
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a) Quantitative analysis
b) Content Analysis
c) Qualitative analysis
d) Experimentation
Answer: c) Qualitative analysis
40. Which of the following is a motivation for sociological research that involves
filling gaps in existing knowledge?
a) Public issues
b) Theoretical problems
c) Issues arising from literature
d) Personal experiences
Answer: c) Issues arising from literature
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41. Which theoretical perspective is NOT commonly associated with the
interpretive school?
a) Symbolic Interactionism
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b) Phenomenology
c) Ethnomethodology
d) Functionalism
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Answer: d) Functionalism
42. What distinguishes micro-sociology from macro-sociology?
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a) Micro-sociology focuses on society as a whole, while macro-sociology focuses
on individuals.
b) Micro-sociology analyzes elementary forms and processes of social behavior,
while macro-sociology studies society as a whole.
c) Micro-sociology relies solely on statistical data, while macro-sociology relies on
personal documents.
d) Micro-sociology uses laboratory experiments, while macro-sociology uses field
experiments.
Answer: b) Micro-sociology analyzes elementary forms and processes of social
behavior, while macro-sociology studies society as a whole
43. Which research method is particularly suited to microscopic level analysis in
sociology?
a) Historical-comparative method
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b) Participant observation
c) Large-scale surveys
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d) Statistical records
Answer: b) Participant observation
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44. What is the goal of the Verstehen method in sociology?
a) To conduct large-scale surveys
b) To isolate variables in a laboratory setting
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c) To gain insight into human action by understanding the socio-cultural setting
d) To compare historical events
Answer: c) To gain insight into human action by understanding the socio-cultural
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setting
45. What type of question asks about what will happen in the future?
a) Descriptive question!
b) Explanatory question
c) Predictive question
d) Prescriptive question
Answer: c) Predictive question
46. What is the central assumption of Functionalism and Structural Functionalism
in sociology?
a) Social change is inevitable and desirable
b) Society is like a biological organism with inter-related parts contributing to
stability
c) Social order is a product of conflict and competition
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d) Social behavior is primarily a result of individual choices
Answer: b) Society is like a biological organism with inter-related parts
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47. According to Conflict Theory, what is the fundamental dynamic of human
life?
a) Consensus and cooperation
b) Stability and equilibrium
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c) Consensus and competition
d) Integration and harmony
Answer: c) Consensus and competition
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48. Which theory is closely associated with the critique of the capitalist system
and class conflict?
a) Modernization Theory
b) Symbolic Interactionism
c) Marxism
d) Social Exchange Theory
Answer: c) Marxism
49. What does Modernization Theory propose about traditional societies?
a) They should remain unchanged to preserve their culture
b) They evolve through economic development and industrialization to survive
c) They are inherently unstable and prone to conflict
d) They are fixed and unchangeable
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Answer: b) They evolve through economic development and industrialization to
survive
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50. What is the main focus of Symbolic Interactionism?
a) The study of large-scale social structures
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b) The use of symbols and language in defining social situations
c) The evolution of societies through economic changes
d) The statistical analysis of social behavior
Answer: b) The use of symbols and language in defining social situations
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51. Ethnomethodology emphasizes which aspect of social behavior?
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a) Objective social structures
b) Statistical data
c) Unconscious methods people use to make sense of their social world
d) Historical events and comparisons
Answer: c) Unconscious methods people use to make sense of their social world
52. Phenomenology is concerned with understanding:
a) The structural elements of society
b) The social order through shared values
c) How individuals define social reality and develop mental constructions
d) The economic systems and class conflicts
Answer: c) How individuals define social reality and develop mental
constructions
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53. What does Action Theory focus on in sociological study?
a) Broad-scale social structures
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b) The effects of the meaning context on individuals’ actions
c) The statistical analysis of social behavior
d) The evolution of traditional societies
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Answer: b) The effects of the meaning context on individuals’ actions
54. Social Exchange Theory is based on which principle?
a) Social behavior is driven by random actions
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b) Individuals seek to maximize rewards and minimize costs in social interactions
c) Social structures are the primary focus of analysis
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d) Social order is maintained through shared values and beliefs
Answer: b) Individuals seek to maximize rewards and minimize costs in social
interactions
55. Who are two key proponents of Social Exchange Theory mentioned in the
text?
a) Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
b) Levi Strauss and George Homans
c) Max Weber and Emile Durkheim
d) Herbert Blumer and Erving Goffman
Answer: b) Levi Strauss and George Homans
56. What distinguishes a 'social problem' from a 'sociological problem'?
a) Social problems are purely academic questions, while sociological problems
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involve moral judgments
b) Sociological problems focus on explaining social phenomena without value
judgments, while social problems are conditions perceived as morally wrong and
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needing collective action
c) Social problems are only concerned with crime, while sociological problems
cover all social behavior
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d) Sociological problems are solved through individual action, while social
problems require community action
Answer: b) Sociological problems focus on explaining social phenomena without
value judgments, while social problems are conditions perceived as morally wrong
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and needing collective action
57. According to the text, what must happen before a condition can be regarded
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as a 'social problem'?
a) It must be scientifically proven to exist
b) A substantial portion of society must disapprove of it as morally wrong
c) It must be recognized only by a minority group
d) It must be solved through individual intervention
Answer: b) A substantial portion of society must disapprove of it as morally
wrong
58. What is the focus of sociological problems compared to social problems?
a) Sociological problems focus on solutions, while social problems focus on
explanations
b) Sociological problems involve explanation of social behavior, while social
problems involve strategies for control or change
c) Sociological problems are about moral judgments, while social problems are
about scientific analysis
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d) Sociological problems are limited to historical events, while social problems are
about contemporary issues
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Answer: b) Sociological problems involve explanation of social behavior, while
social problems involve strategies for control or change
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59. What does Worsely (1977) identify as common issues regarded as social
problems in the 19th century?
a) Economic development and industrialization
b) Delinquency, crime, unemployment, and disease
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c) Technological advancement and scientific discovery
d) Cultural diversity and social integration
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Answer: b) Delinquency, crime, unemployment, and disease
60. What is the main difference between 'case-work' and 'community-action'
approaches in welfare?
a) Case-work focuses on individual problems, while community-action looks at the
broader social and political context
b) Case-work is concerned with the historical context of problems, while
community-action focuses on personal solutions
c) Community-action is centered on individual needs, while case-work addresses
national policies
d) Case-work addresses moral judgments, while community-action is based on
scientific research
Answer: a) Case-work focuses on individual problems, while community-action
looks at the broader social and political context
61. According to Mills, what does the 'sociological imagination' enable individuals
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to understand?
a) That their personal troubles are purely private issues
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b) That their personal troubles are a result of personal inadequacy
c) That personal troubles are connected to public issues and shaped by societal
structures
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d) That personal troubles can be resolved through individual effort alone
Answer: c) That personal troubles are connected to public issues and shaped by
societal structures
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62. Why are individual problems considered significant in sociological analysis
according to the text?
a) Because they are often unique and irrelevant to societal concerns
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b) Because they only affect the individuals and not the wider community
c) Because they have implications for society at large and require collective action
d) Because they are solved solely through private interventions
Answer: c) Because they have implications for society at large and require
collective action
63. What aspect of welfare does the text emphasize in relation to solving social
problems?
a) A focus on individual client needs and personal solutions
b) A community-action approach considering the broader societal context
c) Emphasis on scientific and technological solutions
d) Concentration on historical analysis of social issues
Answer: b) A community-action approach considering the broader societal
context
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64. What was one of the initial aims of early sociologists regarding the discipline
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of sociology?
a) To solely focus on historical events
b) To establish sociology as a scientific discipline for discovering laws of behavior
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and constructing social policy
c) To promote cultural relativism and ethnocentrism
d) To eliminate the need for scientific research in social issues
Answer: b) To establish sociology as a scientific discipline for discovering laws of
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behavior and constructing social policy
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65. What is one significant scientific value of sociology mentioned in the text?
a) Promoting ethnocentrism and cultural relativism
b) Enhancing understanding of cultural diversity and reducing prejudice
c) Ignoring social problems and focusing only on theoretical analysis
d) Discouraging multi-ethnic and multinational unity
Answer: b) Enhancing understanding of cultural diversity and reducing prejudice
66. According to Chinoy (1967), what dual value does sociology possess?
a) It provides entertainment and leisure
b) It adds to understanding of society and contributes to solving societal problems
c) It focuses solely on historical analysis and archival research
d) It promotes individualistic approaches over collective solutions
Answer: b) It adds to understanding of society and contributes to solving societal
problems
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67. What pedagogical advantage does sociology offer?
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a) It relies solely on common sense knowledge
b) It provides a critical, systematic understanding of society rather than
speculative knowledge
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c) It focuses only on practical, hands-on skills without theoretical insight
d) It ignores the broader societal context of individual problems
Answer: b) It provides a critical, systematic understanding of society rather than
speculative knowledge
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69. In what way can applied sociology be useful according to the text?
a) By focusing only on theoretical knowledge without practical application
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b) By advising on policies and evaluating their impact in organizations, businesses,
and governments
c) By avoiding engagement with real-world social issues
d) By limiting its scope to academic research without societal application
Answer: b) By advising on policies and evaluating their impact in organizations,
businesses, and governments
70. Which of the following is NOT a career option for sociologists according to the
text?
a) Probation or Parole Officers
b) Public Relations and Advertising
c) Professional athlete
d) Marriage Counsellors
Answer: c) Professional athlete
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