Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer from codes given below :List-IStatementsList-IIThinkers(a) Conflict theory is a creation of men of affairs(1) Adam Smith(b) The conflict of self-interest and social interest(2) Martindale(c) Social and cultural evolution is totally the result of group conflict(3) Dahrendorf(d) Group conflict is to be seen in terms of conflict over the legitimacy of authority relations(4) GumplowiczCodes : (a) (b) (c) (d)

The correct code is (2) (1) (4) (3).Conflict theory as a creation of men of affairs: Don Martindale.The conflict of self-interest and social interest: Adam Smith.Social and cultural evolution as wholly the result of group conflict: Ludwig Gumplowicz.Group conflict over the legitimacy of authority relations: Ralf Dahrendorf.Dahrendorf's theory turns on authority in 'imperatively coordinated associations', which is why the code giving him (c) and Gumplowicz (d) is wrong.

Sociological Theory Questions and Answers

Q: Marx has stated the following stages :(I) Feudal(II) Slavery(III) Capitalistic(IV) PrimitiveArrange the stages sequentially as they appeared in Marx’s theory. Use the codes given below :

The sequence is IV, II, I, III.Primitive communism, with no private property or classes.Ancient slave society.Feudalism, based on lords and serfs.Capitalism, based on bourgeoisie and proletariat.In Marx's historical materialism each mode of production gives way to the next through the contradictions within it, and he expected capitalism to be followed by socialism and communism. The other codes break this order, for example by putting slavery before primitive communism or feudalism before slavery.

Q: Merton is of the opinion that :

Merton held that the postulates in functionalism are little more than articles of faith.In Social Theory and Social Structure, Merton criticised three postulates of earlier functionalism: functional unity (every part is functional for the whole system), universal functionalism (all standardised forms have positive functions), and indispensability (every institution is indispensable). He argued they were assumed rather than shown.The other three options state exactly these postulates, which Merton rejected, so they cannot be his opinion.

Q: Which is the appropriate example of Merton’s concept of ‘functional’ equivalents ?

The appropriate example is a political ideology such as communism can provide a functional alternative to religion.Merton introduced functional alternatives (equivalents or substitutes) to reject the postulate of indispensability: the same function can be met by different items. His own illustration is that a political ideology such as communism can meet some of the needs of meaning and solidarity that religion meets elsewhere.The other options are not Merton's examples, and they misstate the institutions involved: a test tube baby does not replace the family's functions, and the family does not replace the education system.

Q: Which one of the following is supported by Ferdinand Tonnies ?

Tonnies supported the Formalistic School.The formal school of sociology, associated with Georg Simmel, Ferdinand Tonnies, Alfred Vierkandt and Leopold von Wiese, held that sociology should study the forms of social relationships (such as Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft, Tonnies's famous pair) rather than their content.The synthetic school (Durkheim, Hobhouse, Sorokin) saw sociology as a general science of society, and conflict theory and existentialism are unrelated to Tonnies.

Q: Who among the following distinguishes between mechanical and organic solidarity ?

The distinction is Emile Durkheim's.In The Division of Labour in Society (1893), Durkheim contrasted mechanical solidarity, based on likeness and a strong collective conscience in simple societies, with organic solidarity, based on the interdependence of specialised individuals in complex societies with an advanced division of labour.Tonnies distinguished Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft, Redfield the folk-urban continuum, and Ogburn cultural lag.

Q: Who gave the concept of “following a rule” with reference to objectivity in social science ?

The official key gives Weber.Max Weber used “following a rule” as a concept in his methodological writings. In his critique of Rudolf Stammler he argued that acting in accordance with a rule is not what separates social life from nature, because even a lone individual can be described as following rules, and that the social scientist must separate what a rule says from how people actually behave. This sits within his wider discussion of objectivity, where meaning-oriented action is analysed through ideal types rather than taken as a given fact.Durkheim treated social facts as external and constraining, and his Rules of Sociological Method (see Q26) concerns the rules for studying them, not rule-following as a concept. Spencer and Parsons are not associated with the phrase. What could not be confirmed is that the examiner meant Weber's essay on Stammler rather than Peter Winch's later, Wittgensteinian use of rule-following; Weber is the only option among the four who wrote on the concept, so the key is kept.

Q: Which sociologist wrote the book ‘The Rules of Sociological Method’ ?

The Rules of Sociological Method was written by E. Durkheim.Durkheim published it in 1895. It argues that social facts, ways of acting, thinking and feeling external to the individual and exercising constraint, must be treated as things and explained by other social facts.Weber's methodological essays were collected as The Methodology of the Social Sciences, Giddens wrote New Rules of Sociological Method (1976) in deliberate response to Durkheim, and Parsons wrote The Structure of Social Action.

Q: Which scholar stated that the human mind was structured in the same way universally ?

The scholar is Levi-Strauss.Claude Levi-Strauss, the founder of structural anthropology, held that the human mind works in the same way everywhere, ordering experience through binary oppositions such as raw and cooked or nature and culture. The variety of myths, kinship systems and customs reflects these universal mental structures.Radcliffe-Brown and Nadel studied social structure as relations among persons, not the structure of the mind, and Marx explained society through material conditions.

Q: Who has defined Sociology as a science which attempts to interpretive understanding of social action ?

The definition is Max Weber's.Weber's definition in Economy and Society reads: sociology is a science which attempts the interpretive understanding of social action in order thereby to arrive at a causal explanation of its course and effects.Durkheim defined sociology as the science of social facts, Parsons built a general theory of action systems, and Sorokin defined sociology as the study of the general characteristics common to all classes of social phenomena.

11.

Marx has stated the following stages :

(I) Feudal
(II) Slavery
(III) Capitalistic
(IV) Primitive

Arrange the stages sequentially as they appeared in Marx’s theory. Use the codes given below :

A.I, II, III, IV
B.II, III, IV, I
C.II, III, I, IV
D.IV, II, I, III

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2018, SET Exam - 2018,

Answer: D

The sequence is IV, II, I, III.

Primitive communism, with no private property or classes.
Ancient slave society.
Feudalism, based on lords and serfs.
Capitalism, based on bourgeoisie and proletariat.

In Marx's historical materialism each mode of production gives way to the next through the contradictions within it, and he expected capitalism to be followed by socialism and communism. The other codes break this order, for example by putting slavery before primitive communism or feudalism before slavery.

Discuss in Forum

12.

Merton is of the opinion that :

A.Social institution and arrangement are indispensable to society.
B.All standardized social or cultural forms have positive functions.
C.Any part of the social system is functional for entire system.
D.The postulates in functionalism are little more than articles of faith.

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2018, SET Exam - 2018,

Answer: D

Merton held that the postulates in functionalism are little more than articles of faith.

In Social Theory and Social Structure, Merton criticised three postulates of earlier functionalism: functional unity (every part is functional for the whole system), universal functionalism (all standardised forms have positive functions), and indispensability (every institution is indispensable). He argued they were assumed rather than shown.

The other three options state exactly these postulates, which Merton rejected, so they cannot be his opinion.

Discuss in Forum

13.

Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer from codes given below :

List-I Statements	List-II Thinkers
(a) Conflict theory is a creation of men of affairs	(1) Adam Smith
(b) The conflict of self-interest and social interest	(2) Martindale
(c) Social and cultural evolution is totally the result of group conflict	(3) Dahrendorf
(d) Group conflict is to be seen in terms of conflict over the legitimacy of authority relations	(4) Gumplowicz

Codes : (a) (b) (c) (d)

A.(2) (1) (3) (4)
B.(1) (4) (2) (3)
C.(2) (1) (4) (3)
D.(4) (1) (3) (2)

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2018, SET Exam - 2018,

Answer: C

The correct code is (2) (1) (4) (3).

Conflict theory as a creation of men of affairs: Don Martindale.
The conflict of self-interest and social interest: Adam Smith.
Social and cultural evolution as wholly the result of group conflict: Ludwig Gumplowicz.
Group conflict over the legitimacy of authority relations: Ralf Dahrendorf.

Dahrendorf's theory turns on authority in 'imperatively coordinated associations', which is why the code giving him (c) and Gumplowicz (d) is wrong.

Discuss in Forum

14.

Which is the appropriate example of Merton’s concept of ‘functional’ equivalents ?

A.A political ideology such as communism can provide a functional alternative to religion.
B.In democratic state Jat Panchayat can provide a functional alternative to Judicial system.
C.Test tube baby can provide a functional alternative to family.
D.Family can provide a functional alternative to Education system.

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2018, SET Exam - 2018,

Answer: A

The appropriate example is a political ideology such as communism can provide a functional alternative to religion.

Merton introduced functional alternatives (equivalents or substitutes) to reject the postulate of indispensability: the same function can be met by different items. His own illustration is that a political ideology such as communism can meet some of the needs of meaning and solidarity that religion meets elsewhere.

The other options are not Merton's examples, and they misstate the institutions involved: a test tube baby does not replace the family's functions, and the family does not replace the education system.

Discuss in Forum

15.

Which one of the following is supported by Ferdinand Tonnies ?

A.Conflict School
B.Synthetic School
C.Formalistic School
D.Existentialism

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2018, SET Exam - 2018,

Answer: C

Tonnies supported the Formalistic School.

The formal school of sociology, associated with Georg Simmel, Ferdinand Tonnies, Alfred Vierkandt and Leopold von Wiese, held that sociology should study the forms of social relationships (such as Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft, Tonnies's famous pair) rather than their content.

The synthetic school (Durkheim, Hobhouse, Sorokin) saw sociology as a general science of society, and conflict theory and existentialism are unrelated to Tonnies.

Discuss in Forum

16.

Who among the following distinguishes between mechanical and organic solidarity ?

A.Ferdinand Tonnies
B.Robert Redfield
C.Emile Durkheim
D.William F. Ogburn

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2018, SET Exam - 2018,

Answer: C

The distinction is Emile Durkheim's.

In The Division of Labour in Society (1893), Durkheim contrasted mechanical solidarity, based on likeness and a strong collective conscience in simple societies, with organic solidarity, based on the interdependence of specialised individuals in complex societies with an advanced division of labour.

Tonnies distinguished Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft, Redfield the folk-urban continuum, and Ogburn cultural lag.

Discuss in Forum

17.

Who gave the concept of “following a rule” with reference to objectivity in social science ?

A.Durkheim
B.Weber
C.Spencer
D.Parsons

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2018, SET Exam - 2018,

Answer: B

The official key gives Weber.

Max Weber used “following a rule” as a concept in his methodological writings. In his critique of Rudolf Stammler he argued that acting in accordance with a rule is not what separates social life from nature, because even a lone individual can be described as following rules, and that the social scientist must separate what a rule says from how people actually behave. This sits within his wider discussion of objectivity, where meaning-oriented action is analysed through ideal types rather than taken as a given fact.

Durkheim treated social facts as external and constraining, and his Rules of Sociological Method (see Q26) concerns the rules for studying them, not rule-following as a concept. Spencer and Parsons are not associated with the phrase. What could not be confirmed is that the examiner meant Weber's essay on Stammler rather than Peter Winch's later, Wittgensteinian use of rule-following; Weber is the only option among the four who wrote on the concept, so the key is kept.

Discuss in Forum

18.

Which sociologist wrote the book ‘The Rules of Sociological Method’ ?

A.M. Weber
B.E. Durkheim
C.A. Giddens
D.T. Parsons

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2018, SET Exam - 2018,

Answer: B

The Rules of Sociological Method was written by E. Durkheim.

Durkheim published it in 1895. It argues that social facts, ways of acting, thinking and feeling external to the individual and exercising constraint, must be treated as things and explained by other social facts.

Weber's methodological essays were collected as The Methodology of the Social Sciences, Giddens wrote New Rules of Sociological Method (1976) in deliberate response to Durkheim, and Parsons wrote The Structure of Social Action.

Discuss in Forum

19.

Which scholar stated that the human mind was structured in the same way universally ?

A.Radcliffe-Brown
B.Nadel
C.Levi-Strauss
D.Karl Marx

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2018, SET Exam - 2018,

Answer: C

The scholar is Levi-Strauss.

Claude Levi-Strauss, the founder of structural anthropology, held that the human mind works in the same way everywhere, ordering experience through binary oppositions such as raw and cooked or nature and culture. The variety of myths, kinship systems and customs reflects these universal mental structures.

Radcliffe-Brown and Nadel studied social structure as relations among persons, not the structure of the mind, and Marx explained society through material conditions.

Discuss in Forum

20.

Who has defined Sociology as a science which attempts to interpretive understanding of social action ?

A.Talcott Parsons
B.Emile Durkheim
C.Max Weber
D.Pitrim Sorokin

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2018, SET Exam - 2018,

Answer: C

The definition is Max Weber's.

Weber's definition in Economy and Society reads: sociology is a science which attempts the interpretive understanding of social action in order thereby to arrive at a causal explanation of its course and effects.

Durkheim defined sociology as the science of social facts, Parsons built a general theory of action systems, and Sorokin defined sociology as the study of the general characteristics common to all classes of social phenomena.

Sociological Theory Questions and Answers

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