Workbook Chapter 1
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1. A friend who is not enrolled in this course argues that, since you already have a good
commonsense understanding of social interaction and society, you are wasting your time in
this course. Describe two arguments you would use to convince your friend of the benefits
of taking a sociological approach to understanding society and social interaction. Be sure to
draw upon the class materials – especially Chapter 1 in Kendall.
Argument #1:
By studing socioligy you will gain a better understanding not only of ones life but the
world around them. It will also give you a better understanding of peoples lives, feeling, as
well as thoughts. You will also be able to interact more effectivly with others by further
understanding your actions as well as societies norms. Socioligy can also help you
understand global crisis such as poverty and suicide. You will learn about the many
influences in which we live our personal lives by. It will also help an individual better
exsplain why something is happening as well as give them a better opportunity to improve
the live the lead as well as a society.
Argument #2:
One person's experience about certain events will lead them to make judgement on them
and decide their own view on why something or someone is or acts a certain way. We gain
our own knowledge about a certain event or person but are not looking at the big picture.
For example: say a black dog bit you when you were younger and from then on you think
black dogs always bite people. Experience will tell you that this is true but you are not
looking at other peoples experiences and other factors involved. By researching the ratio of
black dogs to biting people and other kinds of dogs to biting people, we can then learn
whether ot not it is true that black dogs bite more or less than other dogs. Taking Sociology,
we can learn these methods of research and the scientific approach to them. One can learn
how to compare stastical data taken through research to prove a fact about such an event.
Instructor comments: (Do not write in this space.)
Answer draws from the course material, especially Chapter 1.
Points
20
possible
20
2. The characteristics of the sociological perspective include seeing the general in the particular
(i.e., recognizing patterns), seeing the strange in the familiar (recognizing that things aren’t
always what they seem), and seeing the group in the individual (looking for the influence of
social forces). Paste the link below into your web browser and go to The New York Times
College website for Sociology. Choose at least two different news stories listed there and
find one example of each of the characteristics of the sociological perspective in those
stories. Note: You can use three separate stories, or the same story for two characteristics if
you wish, but be sure that you use at least two different news stories.
New York Times College website for Sociology:
http://college.nytimes.com/guests/directory/Social_Sciences/Sociology/
a. Headline of story:
In New Prayer Book, Signs of Broad Change
Why this story is an example of seeing the general in the particular:
This story is an example of the general in the particular because we are focusing on one
major world religon in this article; Judaism, but are seeing the general traits of religon
in this article as well. The general traits of religon in this article is any religion trying
to recruit and gain more members to their faith. They might do this in a variety of
ways, including by having a new prayer book that can relate to all people, even those
not affiliated with a religon. All world religons want to gain more members to their
faith and this is just an example of another religon trying to do that by relating to more
people.
b. Headline of story:
Andy Rooney Regrets a Racist Comment in a Recent Column
Why this story is an example of seeing the strange in the familiar:
This story is an example of the strange in the familiar because as people we all know
that racism exists and contrary to what many people believe it still is out there in
today's world and in America. This is strange though in that we know racism exists but
it is extremely rare to see or hear it in the media for ethical, moral, and business
reasons but this article has shown us that public figures in the media can flaunt racist
comments every now and then. Even though it could be accidental or not an intentional
racist comment, it still reminds us that racism exists.
c. Headline of story:
In New Prayer Book, Signs of Broad Change
Why this story is an example of seeing the group in the individual:
This story is an example of the group in the individual because in this story, Reform
Judaism is adopting a new prayer book so that it can relate to more people in the world.
Each individual in all religons (but in this article Judaism) is their own unique and
individual being but we are seeing the group in them because they are joining a society
of faith in the unknown which is called a religon. Many people are part of a religon or
faith belief system that joins together to practice their own specific rituals and beliefs,
making them a group. In this article, these people of Judaism are their own beings but
are part of a group religon, thus seeing the group in the individual.
Instructor comments: (Do not write in this space.)
Each answer relates the example to the concept being
illustrated.
Points
18
possible
18
3. Suppose we wanted to investigate social behavior in coffee houses or singles bars. How
would a sociologist utilize each of the four theoretical perspectives to go about studying
behavior in a typical singles bar? Using your knowledge of each theoretical perspective, list
the questions that a sociologist from each perspective would ask and the kinds of things they
would look for in the coffee house or singles bar.
Theoretical
Perspective
Functionalist
Conflict
Symbolic Interactionist
Postmodernist
Types of questions asked by
theorists from this perspective
Types of behavior and/or
issues they would look at
in this environment
Functionalist perspectives are
They would look at the
based on the assumption that
interrellated parts of the
society is stable and orderly. They enviroment. See how
feel society is composed ofd
everyone is ineracting as a
interrellated parts that together to whole and an individual.
maintain stability. A functionalist They would analyze the
may ask the question of what is
sitation and how each person
the purpose? They will also
plays a role into the
analyse the situation and ask why perspective as a whole.
and what each individaul is
doing?
Conflict theorist is characterized
They would look at how
by social inequality and the
each person is competing to
stuggle for scarce resources. They order a refreshment or how
might ask if there is clashes
people are competing to talk
amoung the people in the coffee
over one another in the social
house and if so what factors are
interaction. They would look
contrubiting to them. ?
for competition.
Symbolic interactionist appraoch
They will observe people as
the views of society as the sum of an individual. They will
the interaction of individuals.
observe their body language,
They might ask the question what the tone of the voice as well
symbol is playing the part in the
as the language they use.
situation.They will ask why these They would look at how an
people are grouping the way they individual may be attracting
are as well as how their behavior
attention to himself or how
effects the group as a whole.They the actions of each indivual
will also predict how people
effects how the whole people
interact to what others are telling
in these places are behaving.
them.
Postmodernist will ask about the
They would look at how
assumptions of social life and
people are practicing their
nature. They will ask if any
individualistic nature and
factors such as family, religion
applying it in a social setting.
educations are playing a part any
Also, they would be looking
any of these people. How are all
at how postmodern
of these people and their social
technology is affecting a
behavior influenced by the
persons behavior.
postmodern society (society with
less social institutions and more
individualism)?
Instructor comments: (Do not write in this space.)
Each answer is rooted in the outlook of the particular theory; issues
are clearly connected to the questions.
Points
24
possible
24
4. Suppose that you are hired as a consultant by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The
agency wishes to discover why and how people commit tax fraud (fail to report all of their
income, take improper or phony deductions, or otherwise cheat the government out of taxes
legitimately owed). They are unsure, however, what research method to use. Briefly sketch
out below what you would tell them about the advantages and disadvantages of each research
method for studying this particular problem. Make sure that you describe enough of each
research method so that it is clear that you understand it. Be sure to relate each of your
answers to the problem of researching tax fraud. (Note: You may want to look at the
handout “Research Methods Comparison Chart” under Unit 1 Handouts. Don’t just copy it
below, however. Discuss the merits of each method for studying tax fraud.)
Research Method
Survey
Secondary analysis
Field research
Advantages for studying
tax fraud
Through a survey, we could
give the public an
anonymous survey on the
issue and be able to get a
mass group of people to give
us their answers on tax fraud
and their individual reasons
behind it whether they
commit tax fraud or not.
Through secondary analysis,
the data on tax fraud in the
past could be used at an
inexpensive and less time
consumed rate. Taking
already existing data and
applying it to now and
comparing statistics could
show why and how it is done
and if tax fraud is increasing
or decreasing in certain
methods of doing it.
Through field research we
could actually take a first
hand account of how and the
reasons why a person would
commit tax fraud. Without
surveys and tests, all
information gathered would
be in the natural state and we
could then gather data on a
person most likely to commit
Disadvantages for
studying tax fraud
Giving a survey would only
limit this group of people to a
small selection of answers to
give back and would not give
a full incite as to how and
why tax fraud is committed.
The answers given back
could also be less truthful on
this issue considering that it
is a crime.
Data from past events could
not always be reliable to what
people are doing now with
tax fraud. With recent
technology, tax fraud could
be committed using many
new ways and the statistics
would not always be reliable
for people in today's world.
Data is not reliable at all
because it is only taking into
account certain individuals
who commit the crime. This
data cannot be compared to
the larger population of
people who do the crime so
other motives and actions are
not known and not taken into
consideration.
Experiment
tax fraud.
Through an experiment we
could control the variables
and the people that are
involved in the experiment.
By doing this we can gather
the data we need from them
in a short amount of time and
continue to do the
experiment to different
people to gather wider
statistics.
These people would most
likely be volunteers and
know that an experiment is
taking place. Their answers
could be varied, less truthful,
and not in the natural state.
Data gathered could not be
reliable to the whole
population of people who
commit the crime.
Instructor comments: (Do not write in this space.)
Note the description of each method and its specific application to
the issue of tax fraud.
Points
24
possible
24
5. A sociologist conducts a single study of a dozen people cited for littering in a public park.
Based solely on this research, the sociologist concludes that left-handed people are more
likely to be criminals.
What can you say about the reliability of the researcher’s conclusion based on this study
alone? (Note: don’t confuse reliability with sampling.)
The reliability of tis study is questionable: the researcher conducted a SINGLE study of a
group of a dozen people in a public park. The study did not take place of a same dozen
people over time nor did it analyze different groups of individuals (i.e. people at different
public locations). The results do not seem very reliable because the sociologist's work was
not as comprehensive as it should have been in order to be deemed reliable.
What can you say about the validity of the variables used? (Note: don’t confuse validity
with sampling.)
This particular study lacks validity because, for one point, littering would be considered a
misdemeanor; a person must be convicted of a felony to be deemed, legally, a criminal.
There is a lack of a correlation with: "left handed people litter more than right handed
people, therefore they are criminals." This measure of 'criminality' is highly invalid.
Instructor comments: (Do not write in this space.)
Each answer is explained in terms of the concept; note that neither
is confused with sampling.
Points
14
possible
14