Chapter 2

Question 1

Theory vs. Empiricism

Answer 1

theory: related statements put forward to illuminate some element of social life
empiricism: world subjected to observation

Question 2

Scientific Method Steps + which ones are theory or empiricism

Answer 2

1. identify question (theory)
2. hypothesis (theory)
3. gather data (empiricism)
4. analyze data (empiricism)
5. report conclusions (BOTH)

Question 3

looking glass self

Answer 3

theoretical perspective; draw conclusions about our value and self-worth by how we are treated by others

Question 4

purposes of theory

Answer 4

1. describe: capture elements to understand social phenomena
2. explain: where it unfolds and create hypothesis that can be empirically tested (why)
3. explore: answers how something happens

Question 5

levels of theory/ social life

Answer 5

macro: education, institutions
meso: groups, church, workplace
micro: social life, individuals, interactions

Question 6

theories should be…

Answer 6

testable (can be tested over and over)
falsifiable (can be proven false)
generalizable (general to population)
probabilistic (how likely will result happen again)

Question 7

inductive approach

Answer 7

draw general understanding through empirical observation

Question 8

deductive approach

Answer 8

testing existing theories, creates an argument to organize and guide empirical activities.

Question 9

paradigm

Answer 9

broad taken for granted assumption about social reality

Question 10

positivism

Answer 10

paradigm holding that knowledge can be confirmed or refuted through empirical evidence
Comte

Question 11

post-modernism

Answer 11

paradigm that is skeptical about claims of general truths, facts or principles

Question 12

4 sociological paradigms

Answer 12

1. structural functionalism
2. conflict
3. rational choice
4. symbolic interactionism

Question 13

structural functionalism

Answer 13

macro
society is interconnected
functional role theory

Question 14

conflict paradigm

Answer 14

MARX
macro
power struggle
critical race theory

Question 15

rational choice paradigm

Answer 15

macro/meso/micro
economic principles
time distribution
we control our life

Question 16

symbolic interactionism paradigm

Answer 16

micro
looking glass self
face to face

Question 17

concept and types of relations among concepts

Answer 17

idea that can be named, defined
positive relation, negative relation, mediation, moderation, spuriousness

Question 18

positive relation (concept)

Answer 18

concept 1 + concept 2
social class and educational investment

Question 19

Match each category of relations with the example that best fits.

1) Spuriousness
2) Mediation
3) Moderation

A) Family economic struggles are positively associated with children’s socioemotional problems, but this relationship is conditioned on parental support
B) Family economic struggles are positively associated with children’s socioemotional problems, but harsh discipline partially explains this relationship
C) Ice cream sales are positively associated with murder rates, but season (e.g., spring, summer, fall, winter) fully explains this relationship

Answer 19

1) C
2) B
3) A

Question 20

Match each purpose of theory with the example that best fits.

1) To explore
2) To explain
3) To describe

A) Christine Williams’s study of race in the workforce at toy stores
B) William Corsaro’s study of children’s play
C) Research using the life course perspective to examine the transition from middle to high school

Answer 20

1) C
2) A
3) B

Question 21

negative relation (concept)

Answer 21

concept 1 - concept 2
more you eat - less you work

Question 22

mediation (concept)

Answer 22

concept 1 > linking concept > concept 2
economic struggle > parents angry > children act out

Question 23

moderation (concept)

Answer 23

concept 1 > conditioning concept > concept 2
children emotional problems and family problems but conditioned by parental support

Question 24

Spuriousness (concept)

Answer 24

concept 1 > concept 2 BUT concept 3 is the only connection
ice cream sales goes up with murder rates but season influences both

Question 25

hypothesis

Answer 25

testable relationship between 2 concepts

Question 26

null hypothesis

Answer 26

no relationship

Question 27

types of hypotheses

Answer 27

difference, null, association, causal

Question 28

hypothesis of difference

Answer 28

testable statement about group differences

Question 29

hypothesis of association

Answer 29

concepts that go together without cause and effect

Question 30

causal hypothesis

Answer 30

relationship is result of cause and effect

Question 31

causal inference

Answer 31

confidence that observation based on the test of hypothesis is actually causal

Question 32

conceptualization

Answer 32

process of defining ideas and turning them into variables

Question 33

operationalization

Answer 33

linking conceptualized variables to set of procedures for measuring them

Question 34

variable

Answer 34

represents different dimensions, categories, or levels of concept

Question 35

literary review

Answer 35

read theory & evidence to determine what happened or what needs to happen

Question 36

mediating variable

Answer 36

links independent to dependent variable

Question 37

independent variable

Answer 37

cause predictor leads to other variable

Question 38

dependent variable

Answer 38

effect acted upon

Question 39

Which steps in the scientific method fall into the general category of empiricism?

Answer 39

3. gather data 4. analyze data 5. BOTH in conclusion

Question 40

Which steps in the scientific method fall into the general category of theory?

Answer 40

1. identify question 2. construct hypothesis

Question 41

Experiments share three key features: (1) manipulation of the ________ variable, (2) random assignment of participants to _______ conditions, and (3) experimental control of other factors that could influence the outcome of the experiment.

Answer 41

independent; experimental and control