Soc 105  Intro to Sociology   D. Levy

Study Guide For Exam 1  Fall 2003

The first test will cover Chapters 1- 4 and Chapter 7 ( pp 137-145)  in the Schaefer text; the "Body Ritual of the Nacirema" article; the "Coming Home" essay by Bill Bryson; the "Deadhead" video, and all the lecture material since the beginning of the semester.  Now, I'm covered, but it is clear that an exam with approximately 50 items cannot cover all of this completely.  You will need to "take the role of the other" and imagine what you would ask if you were the instructor and study appropriately.  If you have read the material, know the key concepts, attended lectures, and worked with the  the quizzes on the website, you should be in good shape for the exam.

The questions below should help guide your study.  Please take the practice tests on the website for more study.

  1. What is sociology?  How do sociologists see the world?  Be able to distinguish among the four major theoretical approaches mentioned in text and lecture. What is the sociological imagination?   Be able to discuss some of the important work of Durkheim, Weber, and Marx.
  2. How do sociologists do their research? What are some of their unique forms of data collection?  Why is interpretation of data important?  What are some ethics of sociological research? 
  3. What are the components of culture?  How can the South be considered a subculture?  Be able to use the Deadheads as an example of a subculture and discuss the elements.  Distinguish between a subculture and a counterculture.  How are some ways that cultures change? What is meant by the dominant ideology? 
  4. What is the process of socialization and why is it necessary?  Explain the contributions of Mead, Cooley, and Goffman.  What are agents of socialization?  Give examples of "total institutions".