Test #1 Study Guide.

1. What does society consist off? What do, from sociological point of view, individuals consist off?
    
2. What is the subject of sociology? How is the subject of sociological investigation different from the subject of psychological investigation? Can properties of groups be explained by characteristics of individuals that make up these groups? Provide examples of groups/social categories that are central to sociological inquiry.
    
3. Why it is important to engage in/generate sociological knowledge? What is the subject matter of sociological theory? What questions are central to sociological theorizing?
    
4. Define and differentiate between objectivist and subjectivist approaches to social science. What is positivism? To which approach (objectivist or subjectivist) in social sciences does positivism belong?
    
5. Define and differentiate assumptions between sociology of regulation and sociology of conflict and change.
    
6. Define functionalism and assumptions (subjectivist/objectivist and/or regulation/conflict) upon which this approach in sociology is based. Complete the sentence defining one of the core principles of sociology as it was articulated by Durkheim: According to Durkheim, _______ defines society.
    
7. Define social solidarity. Provide examples of indicators that allow to measure degree of social solidarity prevalent in a group.
    
8. Define mechanical and organic solidarity. Provide an example of groups integrated via mechanical and organic solidarity. How is social solidarity/integration changing as societies evolve from traditional into modern ones? In which type of a group/society there are more possibilities for expressions of individuality?
    
9. Define suicide and compare it with rates of suicide. Why do suicide rates tend to be stable over the long periods of time?
    
10. What is the relationship between insanity, alcoholism and suicide? Can insanity and alcoholism be considered as the ultimate causes of suicide?
     
11. Chapter on egoistic suicide. Is their a difference in suicide rates among Catholics and Protestants?
     
12. Can doctrinal differences between Catholicism and Protestantism account for higher suicide rates of Protestants as compared to Catholics?
     
13. What is the relationship between individualism, Protestantism, and the higher suicide rates of Protestants as compared with Catholics? What is the ultimate cause that explains why suicide rates are higher among Protestants than Catholics?
     
14. How does the role of the clergy in Catholicism is different from the role of clergy in Protestantism? How do differences in size and roles of the clergy affect suicide rates in both denominations?
     
15. Durkheim provides the data suggesting that people of liberal professions (writers, artists, academics, lawyers, etc.) have about twice as high suicide rates than people of lower ranks, i.e., servants (p. 165) Why is this the case?
     
16. Define egoistic suicides and explain their cause.
     
17. Chapter on altruistic suicide. Was there a phenomenon of suicide in the lower (traditional) societies? Define its character.
     
18. What are the causes of suicide in the "lower" societies? How suicide in "lower" societies is related to societal integration? Why is it called an "altruistic," i.e. selfless suicide?
     
19. What is the relationship between individualism and collectivism in "lower" societies?
     
20. Chapter on anomic suicide. How does suicide relate to increase or decease in economic prosperity of a society? Is it the economic welfare or its change (increase or decease) that influence suicide rates?
     
21. Why does according to Durkheim continuous and ever growing prosperity fail to produce happiness? Why does is the endless increase in material well-being cause an increase in misery and suicide?
     
22. How and when do we reach conditions leading to happiness?
     
23. What is anomie and what are the conditions that produce it?
     
24. Durkheim argues that there are two types of suicides: one type of suicide consists of its egoistic and altruistic variations while the second type contains anomic suicides. Compare and contrast two types of suicide. Durkheim states that egoistic and altruistic suicides are caused by abnormal levels of ________________ Egoistic suicide is caused by _________________; altruistic suicide is caused by ______________. In comparison, anomic suicide is caused by __________________.