50 General Knowledge Questions on Sociology

1. Who is known as the father of sociology?

• Answer: Auguste Comte

2. What is the term for the study of society and human behavior?

• Answer: Sociology

3. Which sociologist introduced the concept of the "iron cage" of bureaucracy?

• Answer: Max Weber

4. What is the name of Emile Durkheim's most famous work on suicide?

• Answer: Le Suicide

5. Who is the author of "The Division of Labor in Society"?

• Answer: Emile Durkheim

6. What concept refers to the actions and attitudes learned from society?

• Answer: Socialization

7. What is the term for a socially defined position in a group or society?

• Answer: Social Role

8. Which sociologist is known for his theory of the "sociological imagination"?

• Answer: C. Wright Mills

9. What is the term for a group of people who share a common identity and are bound by social relationships?

• Answer: Society

10. Which sociologist introduced the concept of "verstehen" or interpretive understanding?

• Answer: Max Weber

11. What is the term for the pattern of social relations that structure society?

• Answer: Social Structure

12. Which concept refers to the system of power and authority in society?

• Answer: Social Control

13. What does the term "anomie" refer to in sociology?

• Answer: A state of normlessness or breakdown of social norms, as discussed by Durkheim.

14. What is the name of the theory that emphasizes how people act in response to meanings they have for things and others?

• Answer: Symbolic Interactionism

15. Who coined the term "sociology"?

• Answer: Auguste Comte

16. What is the term for a person’s position within a social hierarchy based on power, status, or wealth?

• Answer: Social Stratification

17. Which concept refers to the systematic study of human groups and their interactions?

• Answer: Sociology

18. What does the term "social mobility" refer to?

• Answer: The movement of individuals or groups within the social hierarchy.

19. Which sociologist is known for his work on the theory of capitalism and social change?

• Answer: Karl Marx

20. What theory examines the social functions of each part of society and how it contributes to stability?

• Answer: Structural Functionalism

21. Which term refers to the process of adapting to and adopting the culture of a dominant group in society?

• Answer: Assimilation

22. Who is the founder of the theory of social conflict?

• Answer: Karl Marx

23. What is the term for the ability of individuals or groups to control or influence others in society?

• Answer: Power

24. What is the term used for a group of people sharing a common culture and way of life?

• Answer: Social Group

25. Which sociologist’s work focused on the role of religion in society and its impact on social change?

• Answer: Max Weber

26. What is the term for the belief in the superiority of one’s own culture over others?

• Answer: Ethnocentrism

27. What theory examines how individuals act based on symbolic meanings they create with others?

• Answer: Symbolic Interactionism

28. Which sociologist believed that capitalism was exploitative and created class struggle?

• Answer: Karl Marx

29. What is the term for the shared expectations, beliefs, and values of a society?

• Answer: Culture

30. Which sociologist is known for his work on the concept of the “protestant ethic”?

• Answer: Max Weber

31. What term describes the changing and evolving character of societal roles over time?

• Answer: Social Change

32. What does "ethnography" refer to in sociology?

• Answer: The systematic study of people and cultures through direct observation.

33. Which sociological theory focuses on power differentials and inequalities in society?

• Answer: Conflict Theory

34. What is "intersectionality"?

• Answer: The interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender, which create overlapping systems of discrimination or disadvantage.

35. What is the term for a status or position that is assigned at birth and is difficult to change?

• Answer: Ascribed Status

36. What term is used to describe the social benefits provided to members of society, such as education, healthcare, and welfare?

• Answer: Social Services

37. What does "globalization" refer to in sociology?

• Answer: The increasing interconnectedness and interdependence of the world’s economies, cultures, and populations.

38. What theory suggests that human beings make decisions based on rational choices and benefits?

• Answer: Rational Choice Theory

39. Which sociologist argued that the social system must fulfill basic needs for society to function?

• Answer: Talcott Parsons

40. What is the term for the behaviors and norms that define acceptable social behavior?

• Answer: Social Norms

41. What term refers to prejudice and discrimination based on gender?

• Answer: Sexism

42. Which sociologist is known for his analysis of bureaucracies and the characteristics of an ideal type of bureaucracy?

• Answer: Max Weber

43. What is the term for the structured system of social inequalities in a society?

• Answer: Social Stratification

44. What term describes social changes caused by technological developments?

• Answer: Technological Determinism

45. What is a "social institution"?

• Answer: A complex group of interdependent positions that perform a social role and reproduce themselves over time (e.g., family, education, religion).

46. Who wrote "The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism"?

• Answer: Max Weber

47. What is the term for collective behavior in which people do not know each other personally but act together to achieve a common goal?

• Answer: Crowds

48. What term refers to a person’s social identity based on their economic position?

• Answer: Social Class

49. What term refers to the mental processes of interpreting and understanding the world around us?

• Answer: Cognitive Sociology

50. Which sociological theory focuses on how individuals interact within society through shared symbols and language?

• Answer: Symbolic Interactionism