PART I: Sociological Thinking – Foundations
What best describes Émile Durkheim’s concept of anomie?
A. A situation where individuals fully internalize social norms
B. A state of normlessness caused by weakened social regulation
C. A form of rational action driven by self-interest
D. A stable condition produced by strong institutions
B. A state of normlessness caused by weakened social regulation
Which of the following is a central critique of classical Rational Choice Theory (RCT)?
A. It assumes individuals are guided by norms rather than preferences
B. It underestimates the role of institutions
C. It assumes complete information and unlimited cognitive capacity
D. It ignores economic incentives
C. It assumes complete information and unlimited cognitive capacity
A nationwide economic crisis affects all citizens, regardless of age or birth cohort, and changes attitudes toward job security. What type of time effect is this?
A. Period effect
B. Cohort effect
C. Age effect
D. Generational replacement
A. Period effect
What best characterizes glocalization (or cultural hybridization)?
A. The replacement of local cultures by global ones
B. The blending of global cultural elements with local traditions
C. The resistance of local cultures to global influence
D. The decline of cultural diversity due to globalization
B. The blending of global cultural elements with local traditions
What is a central goal of rigorous sociology?
A. To replace theory with descriptive data
B. To promote one dominant sociological method
C. To prioritize normative critique over explanation
D. To link micro-level actions with macro-level outcomes using clear mechanisms
D. To link micro-level actions with macro-level outcomes using clear mechanisms
According to Max Weber, which type of social action is guided by ingrained habits and customs, such as celebrating Christmas in a specific way?
A. Instrumentally rational action
B. Value-rational action
C. Affectual action
D. Traditional action
D. Traditional action
What is the main purpose of The Coleman Boat in sociological analysis?
A. To compare different national education systems
B. To explain how macro-level structures influence individual behavior and aggregate back to macro outcomes
C. To test rational choice assumptions experimentally
D. To describe social norms without causal explanation
B. To explain how macro-level structures influence individual behavior and aggregate back to macro outcomes
What does cohort succession refer to?
A. Individuals moving between social classes
B. Replacement of one cohort by another in social institutions
C. Changes occurring within a single cohort over time
D. Period effects influencing all age groups
B. Replacement of one cohort by another in social institutions
What is assortative mating?
A. Random partner selection
B. Partnering based on biological traits only
C. The tendency to choose partners with similar characteristics
D. State-regulated marriage patterns
C. The tendency to choose partners with similar characteristics
Which concept describes how early disadvantages increase the likelihood of later disadvantages?
A. Period effect
B. Equifinality
C. Chain of risk
D. Cohort succession
C. Chain of risk
According to Mark Granovetter, why are weak ties often more valuable than strong ties when accessing new opportunities?
A. Weak ties are emotionally more supportive
B. Strong ties discourage social mobility
C. Weak ties provide access to new information and diverse networks
D. Strong ties limit trust between individuals
C. Weak ties provide access to new information and diverse networks
What does the concept of bounded rationality challenge?
A. The importance of institutions
B. The idea that individuals have stable preferences
C. The assumption of perfect information and unlimited cognitive capacity
D. The role of emotions in decision-making
C. The assumption of perfect information and unlimited cognitive capacity
Why is time considered a constitutive dimension of social life rather than just a background variable?
A. Because it allows societies to be ranked
B. Because social processes unfold through sequences, timing, and rhythms
C. Because time determines individual preferences
D. Because time eliminates the need for theory
B. Because social processes unfold through sequences, timing, and rhythms
Which perspective argues that globalization is powerful but produces different outcomes across societies?
A. Hyperglobalist
B. Sceptical
C. Transformationalist
D. Modernization
C. Transformationalist
Which situation best illustrates a self-fulfilling prophecy?
A. A law reduces crime by increasing punishment
B. E.g. when students are labeled as “low achievers” they begin to perform worse over time
C. Economic growth increases employment
D. Teachers assign grades based on participation
B. E.g. when students are labeled as “low achievers” they begin to perform worse over time
Which sociological approach primarily aims to expose social injustice and critique existing power structures? (Boudon's Typology)
A. Cameral sociology
B. Expressive sociology
C. Cognitive (scientific) sociology
D. Critical sociology
D. Critical sociology
What distinguishes mechanism-based explanations from law-based models?
A. They focus on statistical correlations
B. They prioritize description over explanation
C. They explain how and why outcomes occur
D. They ignore individual-level behavior
C. They explain how and why outcomes occur
What does path dependency mean in life course research?
A. Individuals follow identical life trajectories
B. Early life events shape later opportunities and constraints
C. Life outcomes are biologically predetermined
D. Transitions occur randomly over the life span
B. Early life events shape later opportunities and constraints
What distinguishes inequality of opportunity from inequality of condition?
A. Opportunity focuses on outcomes, condition on effort
B. Opportunity concerns fair chances regardless of background
C. Condition concerns individual preferences
D. Opportunity applies only to education
B. Opportunity concerns fair chances regardless of background
Why do defaults strongly influence individual decisions?
A. Because people always prefer change
B. Because defaults reduce cognitive effort and perceived risk
C. Because defaults increase information
D. Because defaults eliminate social norms
B. Because defaults reduce cognitive effort and perceived risk
In Matthew Rafalow’s study “Disciplining Play”, students across schools had similar digital skills. Why did these skills benefit privileged students more than others? (Research paper)
A. Privileged students learned digital skills from their parents
B. Teachers interpreted and rewarded the skills differently depending on students’ social background
C. Working-class students lacked access to digital devices
D. Digital skills are inherently more useful in wealthy schools
B. Teachers interpreted and rewarded the skills differently depending on students’ social background
Which statement best captures the role of heuristics in decision-making?
A. They always lead to irrational decisions
B. They eliminate the influence of social context
C. They simplify decisions but may produce systematic biases
D. They require extensive cognitive effort
C. They simplify decisions but may produce systematic biases
What does de-standardization of the life course refer to?
A. The disappearance of social structures
B. Increasing uniformity in life trajectories
C. Greater diversity in the timing and sequencing of life events
D. The end of social norms
C. Greater diversity in the timing and sequencing of life events
In comparative education research, what is a common consequence of education systems with early and strong tracking?
A. Increased social mobility
B. Reduced inequality between students
C. Greater homogeneity across schools
D. Reinforcement of social and educational inequality
D. Reinforcement of social and educational inequality
Which process refers to the weakening of traditional norms and institutions in shaping individual life paths?
A. Structuration
B. Individualization
C. Cohort succession
D. Centralization
B. Individualization