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Past Papers MCQs

Sociology

2025

MCQs

Question 1
What is the process by which individuals learn and adopt the values, norms, and behaviors of their culture?
  • Assimilation
  • Amalgamation
  • Socialization
  • Institutionalization
Explanation: Socialization is the lifelong process through which individuals internalize societal values, norms, and behaviors.
Question 2
What type of norm has great moral significance and is often codified in law?
  • Folkways
  • Mores
  • Taboos
  • Customs
Explanation: Mores are norms with strong moral significance and are often enforced through laws or strict social sanctions.
Question 3
The concept of "cultural lag" was introduced by:
  • C. Wright Mills
  • William F. Ogburn
  • Robert K. Merton
  • Herbert Blumer
Explanation: Ogburn introduced cultural lag to describe delays in nonmaterial culture adapting to technological change.
Question 4
In "The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism," Weber argues that modern capitalism arose because of:
  • Rationalization
  • Ascetic Protestantism
  • Materialism
  • Industrial Revolution
Explanation: Weber linked ascetic Protestant values with disciplined work habits that supported capitalist development.
Question 5
"Base and Superstructure" is a key idea in:
  • Functionalism
  • Symbolic Interactionism
  • Marxism
  • Rational Choice Theory
Explanation: Marxism explains how the economic base shapes cultural and institutional superstructures.
Question 6
Which concept by Durkheim refers to a state where social norms are unclear or break down?
  • Anomie
  • Mechanical Solidarity
  • Organic Solidarity
  • Social Fact
Explanation: Anomie describes a condition of normlessness leading to social instability and individual disorientation.
Question 7
Herbert Spencer's theory of "Social Darwinism" is based on:
  • Survival of the Fittest
  • Class Struggle
  • Social Solidarity
  • Rationalization
Explanation: Spencer applied Darwin’s idea to society, arguing that competition leads to social progress.
Question 8
Robert K. Merton introduced the concept of:
  • Social Fact
  • Manifest and Latent Functions
  • Rationalization
  • Social Stratification
Explanation: Merton distinguished between intended (manifest) and unintended (latent) consequences of actions.
Question 9
Pierre Bourdieu's concept of "habitus" refers to:
  • Cultural Capital
  • Social Capital
  • Dispositions Shaped by Social Structures
  • Class Conflict
Explanation: Habitus consists of internalized dispositions shaped by social conditions influencing behavior.
Question 10
Which sociologist introduced the concept of "Power Elite"?
  • Max Weber
  • Robert K. Merton
  • C. Wright Mills
  • Pierre Bourdieu
Explanation: Mills described the power elite as a small group controlling major institutions.
Question 11
According to Durkheim, which type of suicide occurs when social regulation is excessive?
  • Altruistic
  • Egoistic
  • Fatalistic
  • Anomic
Explanation: Fatalistic suicide results from excessive control and oppressive regulation.
Question 12
The concept of "hegemonic masculinity" was developed to:
  • Explain the Dominance of Capitalist Ideology
  • Examine Gender Inequality in Patriarchal Systems
  • Study Power Relations Among Different Masculinities
  • Critique Functionalist Views of Gender Roles
Explanation: It explains how dominant forms of masculinity maintain power over others.
Question 13
According to Parsons, which of the following is NOT a pattern variable?
  • Universalism vs. Particularism
  • Achievement vs. Ascription
  • Rationalism vs. Emotionalism
  • Specificity vs. Diffuseness
Explanation: Parsons did not include rationalism vs. emotionalism among pattern variables.
Question 14
Which of the following best describes Michel Foucault’s concept of "biopower"?
  • The Control of Populations Through Discipline and Surveillance
  • The Influence of Culture on Biological Traits
  • The Democratization of Knowledge and Power
  • The Biological Basis of Human Behavior
Explanation: Biopower refers to state control over populations via regulation and surveillance.
Question 15
Immanuel Wallerstein's "World-Systems Theory" divides the world into:
  • Classes, States, and Empires
  • Core, Semi-Periphery, and Periphery
  • Developed, Underdeveloped, and Developing Nations
  • Capitalist, Feudal, and Socialist Systems
Explanation: The theory categorizes nations based on economic roles in the global system.
Question 16
The Frankfurt School's concept of the "culture industry" critiques:
  • The Commodification of Culture Under Capitalism
  • The Production of Elite Art Forms
  • The Democratization of Culture
  • The Decentralization of Power in Media
Explanation: It criticizes mass-produced culture as standardized and profit-driven.
Question 17
Which sociologist used the term "middle-range theories"?
  • Talcott Parsons
  • Max Weber
  • Robert K. Merton
  • C. Wright Mills
Explanation: Merton proposed middle-range theories linking empirical research and broader theory.
Question 18
Who introduced the concept of "double hermeneutics" in sociology?
  • Anthony Giddens
  • JĂĽrgen Habermas
  • Peter Berger
  • Alfred Schutz
Explanation: Giddens described the interaction between social science interpretation and social reality.
Question 19
Postmodernism in sociology primarily critiques:
  • Traditional Grand Narratives and Universal Truths
  • Traditional Functionalist Frameworks
  • The Application of Quantitative Methods in Social Research
  • The Overemphasis on Individual Agency
Explanation: Postmodernism challenges universal truths and emphasizes fragmented perspectives.
Question 20
According to Louis Althusser, "ideological state apparatuses" include:
  • The Military and the Police
  • Religion, Education, and Media
  • The Judicial System
  • Bureaucracies and Political Institutions
Explanation: These institutions shape ideology and maintain social control indirectly.