Here’s a summary of some of the most common questions and answers about sociology:

1. What is sociology?
o Answer: Sociology is the study of society, social behavior, and the ways in which
individuals interact within groups. It explores patterns of social relationships,
institutions, culture, and social change.
2. What are the key concepts in sociology?
o Answer: Key concepts include social structure (how society is organized),
socialization (how individuals learn and internalize societal norms), institutions
(like family, education, and government), power, inequality, and social change.
3. What is the difference between micro and macro sociology?
o Answer: Micro sociology focuses on individual or small group interactions.
While macro sociology examines large-scale social processes, such as institutions,
social systems, and structures.
4. What are the main sociological theories?
o Answer: Key theories include:
 Functionalism: Views society as a system of interconnected parts that
work together to maintain stability.
 Conflict theory: Focuses on the power struggles and inequalities between
different social groups, often related to class, race, or gender.
 Symbolic interactionism: Examines how individuals create meaning
through social interactions.
 Feminist theory: Analyzes social structures in terms of gender
inequalities.
5. What is socialization?
o Answer: Socialization is the process through which individuals learn and
internalize the values, norms, and behaviors necessary to function in society,
beginning in childhood and continuing throughout life.
6. What is the role of culture in society?
o Answer: Culture consists of shared beliefs, values, practices, and material items
that define a society. It shapes individual behavior, social interactions, and the
functioning of institutions.
7. How do sociologists study society?
o Answer: Sociologists use both qualitative methods (like interviews, ethnography,
and case studies) and quantitative methods (such as surveys and statistical
analysis) to gather data and test theories about social behavior.
8. What is social stratification?
o Answer: Social stratification refers to the hierarchical arrangement of individuals
or groups in a society based on factors like wealth, income, education, and power.
It leads to social inequality.
9. What is the difference between race and ethnicity?
o Answer: Race is a social construct based on perceived physical characteristics,
while ethnicity refers to cultural factors such as language, traditions, and ancestry.
Both play a significant role in identity and social dynamics.
10. What is the significance of social institutions?
 o Answer: Social institutions like family, education, religion, and government
organize and regulate society's functions. They help maintain social order and
contribute to individual socialization.
11. What is deviance in sociology?
o Answer: Deviance refers to behaviors or actions that violate societal norms or
expectations. Sociologists study deviance to understand the rules and structures
that govern society, as well as the responses to those who break these norms.
12. How does sociology relate to other disciplines?
o Answer: Sociology overlaps with fields like psychology (which studies individual
behavior), economics (which examines social production and distribution), and
political science (which focuses on power and governance).

13. Basic Concepts in Sociology:

 Society: A group of individuals who share a common culture, territory, and social
institutions.
 Culture: The shared values, beliefs, practices, norms, and material items that define a
society or group.
 Socialization: The process through which individuals learn and internalize the values,
norms, and behaviors appropriate in their society.
 Social Structure: The organized pattern of relationships and institutions that form
society, including roles, hierarchies, and networks.
 Social Institutions: Organized systems of behavior or patterns of social activity, such as
family, education, religion, and government.

14. Key Theoretical Perspectives:

 Structural Functionalism: Focuses on how the parts of society work together to

promote stability and function. Think of society as a system where each part has a role
(e.g., education, family, economy) that contributes to societal harmony.
 Conflict Theory: Emphasizes the power struggles between different social groups, such
as class, race, and gender. Conflict theorists argue that inequality leads to tension and
change in society.
 Symbolic Interactionism: Examines everyday interactions and how individuals create
and interpret symbols (e.g., language, gestures) in their social worlds. It emphasizes the
subjective experience of social life.
 Feminist Theory: Analyzes social structures and practices from the perspective of
gender inequality. It focuses on how gender relations shape and are shaped by social
systems.

15. Social Inequality:

 Social Stratification: Refers to the hierarchical arrangement of individuals in a society

based on factors like class, race, ethnicity, and wealth.
 Class, Race, and Gender: Key areas of study in social inequality, looking at how race,
class, and gender affect access to resources, opportunities, and power.
  Social Mobility: The ability of individuals or groups to move up or down the social
ladder (in terms of wealth, education, or status).
 Poverty: Examines how poverty is distributed and its social causes and consequences.

16. Social Change:

 Social Movements: Organized efforts to promote or resist change within society, such as
civil rights movements, feminist movements, environmental activism, etc.
 Modernization and Development: Studies the processes by which societies transition
from traditional to more modern or industrialized forms.
 Globalization: The increasing interconnectedness of the world, particularly in terms of
economics, politics, and culture.

17. Social Research Methods:

 Qualitative Methods: In-depth analysis of social phenomena, often through interviews,

ethnography, and case studies.
 Quantitative Methods: Use of statistical techniques to analyze numerical data, including
surveys and experiments.
 Mixed Methods: Combines qualitative and quantitative approaches to provide a fuller
understanding of social phenomena.

18. Deviance and Social Control:

 Deviance: Behavior that violates societal norms and expectations. Sociologists study
why certain behaviors are deemed deviant and how they vary across cultures and over
time.
 Social Control: The mechanisms by which society enforces norms and encourages
conformity, such as laws, sanctions, and informal social pressures.
 Labeling Theory: Suggests that deviance is a result of societal labels applied to
individuals or groups, rather than inherent qualities of the behavior itself.

19. Sociological Perspectives on Institutions:

 Family: The social institution responsible for the reproduction and socialization of
individuals.
 Education: The system by which knowledge, skills, and cultural values are transmitted.
 Religion: The role of religion in shaping values, beliefs, and practices in society.
 Media: The impact of media on shaping public opinion, culture, and identity.
 Government and Politics: How power, authority, and governance structures impact
social order and individual rights.

20. What is the Role of Family in Sociology?

Answer:
The family is a key social institution that plays a central role in the socialization process. It
provides emotional support, nurtures children, teaches values and norms, and can impact
individuals' life chances and social positions.

21. What is Gender and How is it Studied in Sociology?

Answer:
Gender refers to the social, cultural, and behavioral traits that a society associates with being
male or female. In sociology, gender is studied in terms of roles, expectations, and inequalities,
with a focus on how gender impacts access to resources, power, and opportunities.

22. What is the Concept of Social Change?

Answer:
Social change refers to significant transformations in the structure, culture, and functioning of a
society over time. This can include changes in laws, norms, values, technology, and social
institutions, often brought about by collective actions or shifts in attitudes.

23. What is the Concept of Social Interaction?

Answer:
Social interaction refers to the process by which people act and react in relation to others. It
involves communication, behavior, and the interpretation of social cues, and can occur in various
contexts, such as face-to-face interactions, online communication, or group dynamics.

24. What is the Concept of Conflict Theory?

Answer:
Conflict theory, associated with Karl Marx, suggests that society is made up of groups with
conflicting interests, particularly those based on social class, power, and wealth. Social change
occurs when these conflicts are resolved, often through class struggle or social movements.

 Distinguished 4 types of suicide:

1) Egoistic Suicide: Individual is weakly integrated into a society so ending their life will have
little impact on the rest of society.

2) Altruistic suicide: Individual is extremely attached to the society and because of this has no life of
their own.

◦ 3) Anomic suicide: There is a weak social regulation between society‟s norms and the individual and is
most often brought on by dramatic economic or social changes.

4) Fatalistic suicide: Social regulation is completely instilled in the individual. There is no hope of change
against the oppressive discipline of the society. Feels that the only way to escape this state is suicide.