Study Worksheet – Chapter 4
Answer Key
SOC2nd Edition by Niki Benokraitis
Study Worksheet – Chapter 4
Socialization
Multiple Choice Questions
Circle the letter of the correct answer for each.
1. What is the purpose of socialization?
A. Socialization erases our social identity
B. Socialization damages role taking
C. Socialization controls our behavior
D. Socialization prevents culture from passing to the next generation.
E. Socialization causes birth order.
2. Many sociologists argue that:
A. Personality and identity is determined by biological factors.
B. Personality and identity are influenced by biological factors and the social environment.
C. There is no interaction between nature and nurture.
D. Nature determines social behavior.
E. Nurture is unimportant in determining social behavior.
3. Sociobiology is a theory that applies:
A. biological principles to explain the behaviors of animals, including human beings.
B. social psychology to understand how individuals develop.
C. economic principles to human behavior.
D. archeological approaches to human relationships.
E. principles from mathematics and networking to social relationships.
4. The cases of Anna, Isabelle, Genie, and the institutionalized infants show that social and psychological development requires
A. presence in the home of a father and a mother.
B. encouragement from specialists.
C. human interaction.
D. a safe environment and sufficient food.
E. economic security.
5. Which theorist analyzed the gender patterns of three tribes in New Guinea?
A. Charles Horton Cooley
B. Margaret Mead
C. Erving Goffman
D. George Herbert Mead
E. John Money
6. Which theorist argued that we develop our self-image based on how others see us?
A. Charles Horton Cooley
B. Margaret Mead
C. Erving Goffman
D. George Herbert Mead
E. John Money
7. The social learning theories argue that we learn new attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors in which two main ways?
A. Osmosis and cloning
B. constructive and detached learning
C. direct and indirect learning
D. Symmetrical and asymmetrical learning
E. Symptomatic and linear learning
8. A generalized other is
A. people who are important in one’s life, such as parents or other primary caregivers and siblings.
B. a parent or guardian.
C. a sibling.
D. a family pet.
E. people who don’t have close ties to a child but who influence her or his internalization of society’s norms and values.
9. In the game stage of development:
A. an infant doesn’t distinguish between the self and others.
B. a child begins to use language and understand that words have a shared cultural meaning.
C. a child acquires the ability to understand connections between roles.
D. a child learns to play board and video games.
E. a child learns to play with his or her parents.
10. In the life course stages, an individual typically develops work and family roles in which stage?
A. Infancy
B. Childhood
C. Adolescence
D. Adulthood
E. Later life
Student Exercises
Please use the back of this sheet to answer the questions below.
Exercise One
Many factors influence the socialization of youth in a society. What are these factors? What impact do they have? Let’s look at some indicators of youth in the U.S.
Let's view a younger segment of the population. Go to thisYouth Indicators site (
- Who runs this site? This site lists school-related characteristics, employment-related characteristics, activities outside of school and work, and health.
- Click on each of those categories and select at least one indicator from each category. Review the data.
- For each indicator that you have chosen, do the following:
- Write a brief 2-3 sentence paragraph that summarizes the condition presented by this indicator.
- Now use your sociological imagination – What impact will this have on the lives of the youth presented?
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of assessing the condition of youth by using this indicator's strategy?
Exercise Two
Socialization is a process in which norms, values, and beliefs are passed to another person. In this process, the individual person becomes a social self. This process is life-long and we are often re-socialized. Let’s compare some processes and programs that intend to re-socialize people.
1.Browse and compare the re-socialization that is presented or discussed in each of the following sites.
- Texas Youth Commission (
- Parent Education (
2.Compare and contrast the similarities and differences in the target (who?) of the re-socialization, purpose, method and anticipated outcomes for each.
3.How effective do you believe that each will be in re-socializing?
4.What social forces influence the success of this re-socialization?
Exercise Three
Where did you learn about gender roles – appropriate behavior for girls/women and boys/men? Think about the messages you learned about being a “good girl/boy” from your parents, your peers, your school, and the media.
Some examples from:
Parents:
Peers:
School:
Media:
- How much of the way you act is reflected in the messages from these agents of socialization?
- Have you ever tried to do something that was not “appropriate” for a boy/girl? What happened?
- How do people react to you when you do something that is “appropriate” for a boy/girl?
1