Action Theory Basics
What does action theory mainly focus on?
A. How governments control society
B. Why people act the way they do
C. How much money people make
D. Why societies go to war
E. How social classes develop
B. Why people act the way they do
Which sociologist is best known for social action theory?
A. Karl Marx
B. Émile Durkheim
C. W. E. B. Du Bois
D. Max Weber
E. Martin Luther King Jr.
D. Max Weber
What is social action?
A. An action that is always required by law
B. An action that takes other people's behavior into account
C. An action that is only done by large groups
D. An action that is always motivated by money
E. An action that happens without any reason
B. An action that takes other people's behavior into account
What did Karl Marx believe was the main source of conflict in capitalist society?
A. Religion
B. Class struggle
C. Family traditions
D. Education
E. Technology
B. Class struggle
Which sociologist is associated with the idea that conflict can strengthen group unity?
A. Lewis Coser
B. Karl Marx
C. Immanuel Wallerstein
D. Max Weber
E. Ralf Dahrendorf
A. Lewis Coser
Why might two people do the same thing for different reasons?
A. Everyone follows the same rules
B. Society controls every decision
C. Their actions are always accidental
D. People can have different motivations
E. Their economic class determines everything
D. People can have different motivations
How did Weber's approach differ from Marx's approach to society?
A. Weber only studied money
B. Weber believed social class did not exist
C. Weber focused on meanings and motivations, while Marx emphasized class conflict and economic relations
D. Weber believed people never influence society
E. Weber focused only on political revolutions
C. Weber focused on meanings and motivations, while Marx emphasized class conflict and economic relations
According to Lewis Coser, what is conflict considered to be?
A. Abnormal
B. Unnecessary
C. Normal
D. Always destructive
E. Avoidable
C. Normal
What is commodity fetishism associated with in Marxist theory?
A. The rejection of all products
B. The end of capitalism
C. The power of government
D. Treating commodities as if they have value independent of the social relationships behind their production
E. The struggle between nations
D. Treating commodities as if they have value independent of the social relationships behind their production
Which sociologist developed world-systems theory?
A. Karl Marx
B. Immanuel Wallerstein
C. Max Weber
D. Georg Simmel
E. Lewis Coser
B. Immanuel Wallerstein
What makes an action a social action according to Max Weber?
A. It must involve a large group
B. It must follow the law
C. It takes other people's behavior into account
D. It must be done in public
E. It must benefit society
C. It takes other people's behavior into account
A researcher sees someone quit a high-paying job. Instead of assuming the person made a bad decision, what would a Weberian approach do first?
A. Assume the person is lazy
B. Blame their social class
C. Decide that the action was irrational
D. Assume money is the only motivation
E. Find out what reasons and meanings led the person to quit
E. Find out what reasons and meanings led the person to quit
According to Ralf Dahrendorf, what is the main source of conflict in society?
A. Differences in people's personalities
B. Competition over money alone
C. Unequal distribution of authority and power
D. Differences in cultural traditions
E. Lack of communication between individuals
C. Unequal distribution of authority and power
According to Marx's conflict theory, why does competition over scarce resources lead to conflict between social classes?
A. Because individuals naturally dislike cooperation, regardless of economic conditions.
B. Because unequal control over resources and the means of production allows the ruling class to maintain its advantages while exploiting the working class.
C. Because scarce resources make all social classes equally powerful.
D. Because conflict is mainly caused by differences in personal beliefs rather than economic inequality.
E. Because the working class controls production but refuses to distribute resources fairly.
B. Because unequal control over resources and the means of production allows the ruling class to maintain its advantages while exploiting the working class.
How does Dahrendorf's conflict theory differ from Marx's?
A. Dahrendorf believed conflict never occurs
B. Dahrendorf focused only on religion
C. Dahrendorf argued that all conflict comes from money
D. Dahrendorf emphasized conflicts arising from authority relationships, rather than focusing primarily on ownership of the means of production
E. Dahrendorf believed society has no inequalities
D. Dahrendorf emphasized conflicts arising from authority relationships, rather than focusing primarily on ownership of the means of production