Introduction to Sociology

Yanıt Açıklaması: Herbert Spencer of England contributed to the early development of sociology with his evolutionary social development theory. Inspired by Comte’s works and having an important role in early phases of British sociology, Spencer adapted the “natural selection” principle, which means the survival of the fittest, into social evolution and rejected any type of state interventions and social reforms that are supportive of disadvantaged individuals in social life. The correct answer is B.

Yanıt Açıklaması: The answer is A. Weber only analyses actions based on cultural motives, while Marx explained economic structure by its relations with the political, ideaological and cultural structures.

Yanıt Açıklaması: c

Yanıt Açıklaması: a property which can be translated to a form of money providing profit to its owner.

Yanıt Açıklaması: Working class people have to sell their labour power since they do not have production means. However, workers are often paid less than they deserve and the remaining “surplus value” becomes the “ profit ” for the capitalist. The correct answer is E.

Yanıt Açıklaması: Mercantilists predicate the prosperity of a nation on mines, and deposits of silver and gold that the country has instead of the power of production. Adam Smith is the first critic of the mercantilist doctrine. One of the subjects he inquires is what a country’s prosperity depends on. According to the economics theory that he based on a criticism of Mercantilism, a nation’s prosperity depends on the nation’s production power, whereas Mercantilists think that a nation’s prosperity depends on the mines the nation has. That is, a nation’s prosperity depends on the power of producing the wealth needed for a comfortable and untroubled life.

Yanıt Açıklaması: Low wages is a structural reason for poverty whereas the other ones are personal reasons. Thus, the answer is A

Yanıt Açıklaması: According to symbolic interactionism, society is the product of individuals’ symbolic interactions in social life. Just like Weber, symbolic interactionism also emphasizes the importance of social action, social interaction and interpretation processes in sociology. However, symbolic interactionism is a micro-oriented approach that deals with everyday life. Symbolic interactionists claim that social order is based on the meanings we attribute to everything in our world (objects, events, actions etc.). Symbolic interactionists have often been criticized for focusing on small-scale, face-to-face interactions and not referring to their relationship to historical and social context. However, the symbolic interaction approach has an important weight and domain in sociology. The correct answer is B.

Yanıt Açıklaması: Max Weber distinguishes 3 types of authority: traditional authority, charismatic authority, rational- legal authority.

Yanıt Açıklaması: Smith is the first critic of the mercantilist doctrine. One of the subjects he inquires is what a country’s prosperity depends on. According to the economics theory that he based on a criticism of Mercantilism, a nation’s prosperity depends on the nation’s production power, whereas Mercantilists think that a nation’s prosperity depends on the mines the nation has. Tat is, a nation’s prosperity depends on the power of producing the wealth needed for a comfortable and untroubled life. The correct option is B.

Yanıt Açıklaması: The answer is B.

Yanıt Açıklaması: c

Yanıt Açıklaması: Unfortunately, this approach, which is called Social Darwinism because of Spencer’s ideas based on natural selection, was used as an excuseto legitimize social inequality and discrimination;especially racist discourse and policies. Although Social Darwinism was influential in the early developments of sociological theories, its effect onthis development weakened in the 20th century, just like other evolutionary theories.

Yanıt Açıklaması: Political science is defined as an academic discipline which examines power and distribution of power in various types of political systems. A more inclusive definition is that “it is a science of institutions related to political authority and behaviors playing role in the formation and functioning of these institutions”. The correct answer is C.

Yanıt Açıklaması: Max Weber distinguishes 3 types of authority.

Yanıt Açıklaması: As a separate social science discipline, sociology originated with Comte in the middle of 19th century. Auguste Comte, the founding father of sociology, developed the concept of positivism into sociology. Positivism is the philosophy of knowledge which asserts the social world can be understood, explained and estimated with scientific methods, mostly the methods of physical sciences. The correct answer is Choice B.

Yanıt Açıklaması: Marxist-Conflict Theory: By contrast with functionalism focusing on functions of the state or elite theory which concentrates on elites ruling the society, Marxist perspectives emphasize means of production since they see economic resources as a source of power (Haralambos and Holborn, 2008: 535).

Yanıt Açıklaması: In the caste system, inequalities are created by some characteristics like religion, lineage, ethnic connection, and race that an individual gets by birth and they are believed not to change. Throughout their lives, individuals live in the caste systems in which they were born. In the stratification system of caste, castes are solid and movements between castes do not happen. There are four groups in the caste systems and Kahatriyases who are governors and soldiers are positioned under Brahmans. This caste is created with military aristocrats and princes who are responsible for protecting the social system and knowledge. The correct answer is D.

Yanıt Açıklaması: The answer is A.

Yanıt Açıklaması: In totalitarian states, all institutions are totally controlled. This type of the state is deprived of legitimization. In order to control society as a whole, any kind of violence and fear can be used. There is an absolute supervision and surveillance on the subordinates. There is no differentiation of public or private sphere. Almost everything in the social sphere is under absolute control. Therefore, the correct option is B.