Free Associate of Arts in Social Sciences Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers

Question 1: What is the term used to describe how individuals perceive their own and others' pasts concerning both historical events and social systems?

Collective Memory
Social Imagination (Correct answer)
Social Norms
Historical Perception

Correct answer: Social Imagination

The term 'social imagination' (more commonly known as 'sociological imagination,' coined by C. Wright Mills) refers to the ability to see the connection between personal experiences and larger social forces. It involves understanding how individual lives are shaped by historical events and societal structures, allowing individuals to grasp the relationship between self and society.

Question 2: Arrange the four stages of social movement growth and development in the correct order.

decline stage, preliminary stage, coalescence stage, institutionalization stage
preliminary stage, institutionalization stage, decline stage, coalescence stage
institutionalization stage, decline stage, coalescence stage, decline stage
preliminary stage, coalescence stage, institutionalization stage, decline stage (Correct answer)

Correct answer: preliminary stage, coalescence stage, institutionalization stage, decline stage

Social movements typically progress through four main stages. The preliminary stage involves widespread unrest and identification of a problem; the coalescence stage sees the movement organize and mobilize resources; the institutionalization stage occurs when the movement becomes an established part of society; and the decline stage marks a decrease in activity, though its impact may persist.

Question 3: What category of social movement does Mother's Against Drunk Driving (MADD) belong to?

Revolutionary Movement
Religious Movements
Reform Movement (Correct answer)
None of the above.

Correct answer: Reform Movement

A reform movement aims to change specific aspects of society without fundamentally altering the entire social structure. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is a classic example, as it seeks to change laws, attitudes, and behaviors related to drunk driving within the existing societal framework, rather than advocating for a revolutionary overhaul of the system.

Question 4: Is there a term used to describe a deliberately organized group that collaborates towards achieving a common social objective?

social movement (Correct answer)
flash mob
public
crowd

Correct answer: social movement

A social movement is a deliberately organized, collective effort by a group of people working together to achieve a common social objective, often involving sustained campaigns and public action. Unlike a spontaneous crowd or a temporary flash mob, it implies a more structured and enduring pursuit of social change.

Question 5: What does the Iron Rule of Oligarchy propose or assert?

large organizations are more likely to be ruled collectively than small organizations
all large organizations are ruled collectively
small organizations are more often ruled by elites than large organizations
all large organizations are ruled by elites (Correct answer)

Correct answer: all large organizations are ruled by elites

The Iron Law of Oligarchy, proposed by Robert Michels, asserts that all large, complex organizations, regardless of their initial democratic intentions, inevitably tend to become dominated by a small group of elites. This occurs due to the practical necessities of organization, such as the need for specialized leadership and decision-making, which concentrates power at the top.

Question 6: What term describes the feeling of being spiritually linked or connected to the Divine?

Religious Experience (Correct answer)
Religious Text
Religious Ritual
None of the above.

Correct answer: Religious Experience

A religious experience refers to a subjective, often profound, feeling or encounter that an individual perceives as a direct connection or communion with the divine or a higher power. These experiences are deeply personal and can be transformative, forming a core aspect of many spiritual and religious traditions.

Question 7: What is the term used to describe the feeling of being spiritually linked or in communion with a higher power or the Divine?

social placement
social control
socialization
social networking (Correct answer)

Correct answer: social networking

Social networking refers to the process of building and maintaining connections with other individuals or groups, often through platforms or shared activities. While the question's phrasing about spiritual connection is typically associated with 'religious experience,' social networking broadly describes how individuals form and sustain relationships within a community, fostering a sense of belonging and shared interaction.

Question 8: How do the systems of social interaction vary from one another?

Closed systems of stratification have more social mobility but less social interaction than semi-open systems, while open systems have less social mobility but more social interaction than semi-open systems. (Correct answer)
In closed systems of stratification, there is little to no social mobility or interaction between the layers and classes in society, whereas open systems allow movement and interaction between layers and classes in society.
In open systems of stratification, there is little to no social mobility or interaction between the layers and classes in society, whereas closed systems allow movement and interaction between layers and classes in society.
None of the above.

Correct answer: Closed systems of stratification have more social mobility but less social interaction than semi-open systems, while open systems have less social mobility but more social interaction than semi-open systems.

According to this statement, closed systems of stratification are characterized by higher social mobility but lower social interaction compared to semi-open systems. Conversely, open systems are described as having less social mobility but greater social interaction than semi-open systems. This framework suggests a specific, albeit unconventional, relationship between mobility and interaction across different stratification models.

Question 9: Which one of the following is not considered a functionalist approach to the study of deviance?

Control Theory
Labeling Theory
Power Elite Theory (Correct answer)
Structural Strain Theory

Correct answer: Power Elite Theory

Functionalist approaches to deviance, such as Control Theory and Structural Strain Theory, view deviance as a disruption to social order or a result of societal structures failing to provide legitimate means for achieving goals. Power Elite Theory, however, is a conflict theory perspective that argues deviance and social control are shaped by the interests of powerful groups, focusing on inequality and power dynamics rather than societal function or strain.

Question 10: What does Conflict Theory propose as the cause of deviance?

Genetic predisposition to deviant behavior
Peer pressure and social influence
Social and economic factors, most notably systemic inequality or injustice (Correct answer)
Lack of moral values in individuals

Correct answer: Social and economic factors, most notably systemic inequality or injustice

Conflict Theory posits that deviance arises from power imbalances and social inequality within society. It argues that laws and norms are often created by the powerful to maintain their status, and that behaviors labeled as deviant are frequently those that challenge the existing social order or are more common among marginalized groups due to systemic injustice and economic disadvantage.

Question 11: What is the term used to describe crimes committed by ordinary individuals against each other or local institutions, typically occurring in public or communal spaces?

Victimless Crimes
Street Crimes (Correct answer)
White-collar Crimes
Organized Crimes

Correct answer: Street Crimes

Street crimes refer to offenses committed by ordinary individuals in public or communal spaces, typically involving direct interaction or impact on victims or property. These include crimes like robbery, assault, burglary, and vandalism, distinguishing them from white-collar crimes (corporate/financial) or organized crimes (syndicated criminal activity).

Question 12: What are the four main branches or subdivisions of anthropology?

Biological , Archaeology, Linguistic, and Cultural anthropology (Correct answer)
Cultural , Archaeology, Linguistic, and Civilized anthropology
Sociological , Psychological, Language, and Cultural anthropology
None of the above

Correct answer: Biological , Archaeology, Linguistic, and Cultural anthropology

Anthropology is traditionally divided into four main subfields, each focusing on different aspects of human existence. These are biological (or physical) anthropology, which studies human evolution and biology; archaeology, which examines past human cultures through material remains; linguistic anthropology, which explores language and its role in culture; and cultural anthropology, which studies contemporary human societies and cultures.

Question 13: What term describes the process of comprehensively studying all elements of a culture to gain a holistic understanding of the entire culture?

Holism (Correct answer)
Structural functionalism
Holyism
Functionalism

Correct answer: Holism

Holism in anthropology is the principle that all aspects of a culture are interconnected and must be understood in relation to each other to gain a complete picture. It emphasizes studying the entire context of a culture—its history, economy, social structures, beliefs, and practices—rather than isolating individual components.

Question 14: What do we call the acquired, communal behaviors, and beliefs that individuals learn and share?

Food
Culture (Correct answer)
Ethnicity
Language

Correct answer: Culture

Culture encompasses the shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, artifacts, and knowledge that are learned and transmitted within a group or society. It is a collective blueprint for living, guiding how individuals perceive the world, interact with each other, and adapt to their environment.

Question 15: What concept suggests that culture functions in a manner analogous to biological organisms, where different components work together to support the overall operation and sustenance of the entire cultural system?

Biological Anthropology
Holism
Culture
Functionalism (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Functionalism

Functionalism, in anthropology and sociology, views culture as a system where each component (e.g., institutions, beliefs, practices) serves a specific function to maintain the stability and equilibrium of the entire cultural system. It suggests that cultural elements work together, much like organs in a biological organism, to meet the needs of the society.

Question 16: What viewpoint emphasizes that each culture should be comprehended based on its own unique values and beliefs, and should not be evaluated or judged using the criteria of another culture?

Subculture
Cultural relativism (Correct answer)
Culture shock
Culture

Correct answer: Cultural relativism

Cultural relativism is the principle that an individual's beliefs and activities should be understood by others in terms of that individual's own culture. It advocates for suspending judgment and evaluating cultural practices within their specific cultural context, rather than imposing external standards or values.

Free Associate of Arts in Social Sciences Questions and Answers

What is the term used to describe how individuals perceive their own and others' pasts concerning both historical events and social systems?