FAMILY QUESTIONS FOR THE FINAL EXAM

Below are the questions from the families I have accepted, with some editing here and there. Remember, these questions will be on the test and will be placed where appropriate. Also, in responding to a request from a member of the class, I have decided to include a 5-point "gimme" Extra Credit Question, in light of the fact that you did not have any extra credit opportunities during the semester. So, look for that.

GREEN FAMILY (Kelsey, Tomas, Cam, Emily) earn 6pts.

1. What are TWO of the three key concepts/contributions of Charles Horton Cooley? (2)

ANSWER: Any TWO of the following: (a) looking-glass self, (b) self-fulfilling prophecy, (c) primary groups.

2. Of the three stages of personality development discussed by George Herbert Mead, which ONE is the most significant and what does it involve? (2)

ANSWER: Generalized Other stage -- which is a synthesized view of the attitudes and expectations of others developed over many years. It is the stage associated with adulthood.

3. In the context of Weber's book, "The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism," in what way does the doctrine of predestination in Calvinism contribute to the development of capitalism? (1)

ANSWER: That hard work and success in business was regarded as a sign that you were among the elect.


RED FAMILY (Frances, Sami, Natalie, John?) earn 6 points, plus 1 bonus point.

1. What did Weber mean by advocating the use of "verstehen" in studying social life? (1)

ANSWER: empathetic understanding -- that to understand any aspect of social life you need to try to see things from the perspective of those you are studying.

2. DuBois exposed history as what? And give the example DuBois used to illustrate this point. (2)

ANSWER: He exposed history as IDEOLOGY, and the example he used is how historians had unanimously argued that African Americans were, themselves, responsible for the failure of Reconstruction and their subsequent inferior status. DuBois argued the opposite in his book, "Black Reconstruction in America."

3. What was the controversial book by Piven and Cloward that illustrated Merton's important distinction between "manifest and latent functions?" (1)

ANSWER: "Regulating the Poor"

4. What is ONE of the two criticisms of structural functionalism Inkeles brings out in the handout and was also highlighted in class? (2)

ANSWER: Either ONE of the following: (a) It often fails to address who or what functions are for; that is, what may be functional for society may NOT be functional for the individual. All in all, it tends to under-emphasize the individual's needs and stresses the greater societal ones. (b) This perspective tends to provide justification for the existing order or structure. In essence, it could serve as a rationalization for why we should promote the existing social order. It ignores the necessity of conflict and change.


BLUE FAMILY (Alan, Melanie, Marshall, Jenny, Jeremy) earn 6 points.

1. What did Simmel see as the difference between male and female sexuality, and how does this explain his strong stand against prostitution? (2)

ANSWER: For men, sexuality is something he does, whereas for women it is the reason for being, which is why he saw prostitution so negatively -- that Simmel saw prostitution as the ultimate degradation for a woman because the sexual act involves a woman's total self.

2. What is Michel's concept of the "iron law of oligarchy?" (1)

ANSWER: Rule by a few; that every kind of human organization tends to be ruled by a few.

3. In the context of the authors' discussion of the Frankfurt School in Chapter Sixteen, they bring out a fundamental point that SUBJECTIVE REASON has eclipsed OBJECTIVE REASON in modern society. In your own words, state what this means. (2)

ANSWER: Subjective (or instrumental) reason which is only concerned with figuring out the means to achieve ends, and does not question the value of those ends, has become dominant and the critical perspective of objective reason has been overshadowed by this.
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That's all folks. See you Tuesday, 2-5PM.