Test Bank for Social Problems, 8th Edition

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Test Bank
For
Social Problems
Eighth Edition
John J. Macionis, Kenyon College

iii
Table of Contents
1 Sociology: Studying Social Problems 1
2 Economic Inequality 23
3 Racial and Ethnic Inequality 46
4 Gender Inequality 68
5 Sexuality and Inequality 90
6 Aging and Inequality 111
7 Crime, Violence, and Criminal Justice 132
8 Alcohol and Other Drugs 152
9 Physical and Mental Health 173
10 Social Media 195
11 Economy and Politics 216
12 Work and the Workplace 237
13 Family Life 258
14 Education 279
15 Urban Life 301
16 Population and Global Inequality 323
17 Technology and the Environment 344
18 War and Terrorism 366

Macionis, Social Problems, 8e
1
Chapter 1: Sociology: Studying Social Problems
In this revision of the test bank, I have updated the questions to reflect changes in Social
Problems, 8th edition. This chapter test bank provides fifty multiple-choice questions and
five essay questions. The multiple-choice questions are coded for level of difficulty (easy,
moderate, or difficult). The multiple-choice questions are also coded for the level of
reasoning involved. The four levels of reasoning are Remember the Facts (recalling
factual material), Understand the Concepts (understanding key concepts), Apply What
You Know (applying sociological knowledge to a situation), and Analyze the Issue
(identifying the interrelationship among variables).
Types of Questions
Multiple
Choice
Essay Total Qs
Remember
the Facts
16 (32%) 0 16
Understand
the Concepts
18 (36%) 0 18
Apply What
You Know
11 (22%) 2 (40%) 13
Analyze the
Issue
5 (10%) 3 (60%) 8
50 (100%) 5 (100%) 55
Multiple-Choice Questions
1. Which of the following terms refers to a point of view that shows us how society
affects the experiences and choices of individuals?
a. social patterns
b. sociological imagination
c. comparative perspective
d. social problems approach
Answer: b

Macionis, Social Problems, 8e
2
Consider This: Understanding that issues affect not only us but also other people like us
helps to put sociological problems into a broader perspective. L.O. 1.1 Explain the
benefits of learning about sociology and using the sociological imagination.
Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain the benefits of learning about sociology and using the
sociological imagination.
Topic: Seeing Patterns: The Sociological Imagination
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
2. We tend to assume people are responsible for their own troubles because our way of
life in the United States emphasizes __________.
a. collective goals
b. individualism
c. tradition
d. relying on luck
Answer: b
Consider This: Cultural patterns in the United States are diverse, but one widely shared
value is the idea that for better or worse, people are responsible for their own lives. L.O.
1.1 Explain the benefits of learning about sociology and using the sociological
imagination.
Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain the benefits of learning about sociology and using the
sociological imagination.
Topic: Seeing Patterns: The Sociological Imagination
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Analyze the Issue
3. Thinking sociologically about a problem such as unemployment, we understand that
this issue is __________.
a. the result of bad choices by individuals
b. inevitable
c. a personal problem
d. a social issue involving the operation of society
Answer: d
Consider This: The first of the eight assertions of sociology is that social problems result
from the ways in which society operates. L.O. 1.1 Explain the benefits of learning about
sociology and using the sociological imagination.
Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain the benefits of learning about sociology and using the
sociological imagination.
Topic: Seeing Patterns: The Sociological Imagination
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Apply What You Know

Macionis, Social Problems, 8e
3
4. A social problem is defined as a condition that __________.
a. harms everyone in a society
b. harms only the poorest people in a society
c. harms only the most powerful people in a society
d. harms some or all members of a society and is usually controversial
Answer: d
Consider This: Social problems undermine people’s well-being but not everyone agrees
about why or what should be done. Because any issue affects various segments of our
population differently, a particular social problem is rarely harmful to everyone. L.O. 1.2
Define the concept “social problem” and explain how societies come to define some
issues—and not others—as social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.2 Define the concept “social problem” and explain how societies
come to define some issues—and not others—as social problems.
Topic: Social Problems: The Basics
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
5. In 2017, a survey asked people what they considered to be serious social problems. All
but one of the following appeared on the list of serious problems. Which one was not
on the list?
a. the economy
b. terrorism
c. unifying the country
d. global warming
Answer: d
Consider This: After a year of Trump’s leadership and continued gridlock in Washington,
D.C., poor leadership topped the list in 2017, but terrorism, health care, and immigration
also concern many people. L.O. 1.2 Define the concept “social problem” and explain how
societies come to define some issues—and not others—as social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.2 Define the concept “social problem” and explain how societies
come to define some issues—and not others—as social problems.
Topic: Social Problems: The Basics
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
6. C. Wright Mills explained that by using the sociological perspective, people transform
“personal troubles” into __________.
a. social issues
b. psychological concerns
c. economic issues
d. political concerns
Answer: a

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Macionis, Social Problems, 8e
4
Consider This: When people see their problems as personal, all they can do is try to deal
with their troubles as one individual, preventing them from seeing the bigger picture of
how society operates. Mills taught that a more accurate and more effective approach is to
understand that it is society that shapes our lives. L.O. 1.2 Define the concept “social
problem” and explain how societies come to define some issues—and not others—as
social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.2 Define the concept “social problem” and explain how societies
come to define some issues—and not others—as social problems.
Topic: Social Problems: The Basics
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
7. The social-constructionist approach asserts that __________.
a. society keeps facing the same problems year after year
b. social problems are those that are the most harmful to any population
c. problems arise as people define conditions as undesirable and in need of change
d. the government decides what the serious problems are
Answer: c
Consider This: Social problems have a subjective foundation, reflecting people’s
judgments about their world. People at different times define different issues as social
problems. L.O. 1.2 Define the concept “social problem” and explain how societies come
to define some issues—and not others—as social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.2 Define the concept “social problem” and explain how societies
come to define some issues—and not others—as social problems.
Topic: Social Problems: The Basics
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
8. An example of a pattern that is very harmful but not generally defined as a social
problem is __________.
a. terrorism, which includes events that have resulted in thousands of deaths
b. school shootings, which have resulted in several dozen deaths
c. the use of automobiles, which results in some 32,000 deaths each year
d. homicide, which involves more than 16,000 deaths each year
Answer: c
Consider This: When we think of something as necessary to our way of life, it can be
easy to overlook the problems associated with it. L.O. 1.2 Define the concept “social
problem” and explain how societies come to define some issues—and not others—as
social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.2 Define the concept “social problem” and explain how societies
come to define some issues—and not others—as social problems.
Topic: Social Problems: The Basics

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Macionis, Social Problems, 8e
5
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
9. Although there is less gender inequality today than there was a century ago, people
today are more likely to view gender inequality as a social problem than people were
likely to do so back then. This pattern reflects the fact that __________.
a. what we subjectively perceive always reflects what is objectively true
b. we now expect men and women to be socially unequal
c. we now expect men and women to be socially equal
d. people simply don’t agree on what important social problems are
Answer: c
Consider This: Recognizing that the subjective and objective importance of social issues
may be quite different opens the door for a deeper understanding of social change. When
our cultural standards change, we perceive even small instances of inequality as a
problem. L.O. 1.2 Define the concept “social problem” and explain how societies come
to define some issues—and not others—as social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.2 Define the concept “social problem” and explain how societies
come to define some issues—and not others—as social problems.
Topic: Social Problems: The Basics
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Analyze the Issue
10. The process of convincing the public and important public officials that a particular
issue should be defined as a social problem is a process that sociologists call
___________.
a. subjective assessment
b. claims making
c. objective assessment
d. factual analysis
Answer: b
Consider This: When people reject the status quo, the first step is to create controversy,
beginning the process of change by convincing others that the existing situation is not
acceptable. People explain exactly what changes are needed and why they are needed.
L.O. 1.2 Define the concept “social problem” and explain how societies come to define
some issues—and not others—as social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.2 Define the concept “social problem” and explain how societies
come to define some issues—and not others—as social problems.
Topic: Social Problems: The Basics
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

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Macionis, Social Problems, 8e
6
11. Claims and counterclaims about what should and should not be defined as a social
problem is a good way of describing __________.
a. politics
b. societal consensus
c. coalescence
d. philosophy
Answer: a
Consider This: Success in claims making is often marked by the passing of a law. This
act is a clear statement that some behavior is wrong, and it also enlists the power of
government to oppose it. L.O. 1.2 Define the concept “social problem” and explain how
societies come to define some issues—and not others—as social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.2 Define the concept “social problem” and explain how societies
come to define some issues—and not others—as social problems.
Topic: Social Problems: The Basics
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
12. An organized effort to encourage or discourage social change is called a __________.
a. social movement
b. sociological theory
c. social-constructionist approach
d. subculture
Answer: a
Consider This: The process of claims making almost always involves the deliberate
efforts of many people working together in an organized effort that tries to shape the way
people think about an issue in order to encourage or discourage social change. L.O. 1.2
Define the concept “social problem” and explain how societies come to define some
issues—and not others—as social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.2 Define the concept “social problem” and explain how societies
come to define some issues—and not others—as social problems.
Topic: Social Problems: The Basics
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
13. In which stage of a social movement do the people involved come together to share
their concerns and make claims about the need for change?
a. coalescence
b. formalization
c. decline
d. emergence
Answer: d
Consider This: Movements begin when a few people come together to share their concern
about the status quo and begin to make claims about the need for change. L.O. 1.2 Define

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Macionis, Social Problems, 8e
7
the concept “social problem” and explain how societies come to define some issues—and
not others—as social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.2 Define the concept “social problem” and explain how societies
come to define some issues—and not others—as social problems.
Topic: Social Problems: The Basics
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
14. Because social problems result from the ways in which society operates, __________.
a. these problems cannot ever be solved
b. people must solve their issues on their own
c. solving social problems requires change to society itself
d. all social problems can easily be solved
Answer: c
Consider This: A sociological perspective shows us that social problems are caused less
by personal failings than by the operation of society itself. L.O. 1.1 Explain the benefits
of learning about sociology and using the sociological imagination.
Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain the benefits of learning about sociology and using the
sociological imagination.
Topic: Seeing Patterns: The Sociological Imagination
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
15. Because many social problems are related, __________.
a. no social problem can be solved
b. every social problem can be solved
c. solving one social problem may create a new problem
d. solving one social problem will solve all social problems
Answer: c
Consider This: Because social problems are rooted in the operation of society, many
social problems are related to one another, so addressing one problem can affect others.
L.O. 1.2 Define the concept “social problem” and explain how societies come to define
some issues—and not others—as social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.2 Define the concept “social problem” and explain how societies
come to define some issues—and not others—as social problems.
Topic: Social Problems: The Basics
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Remember the Facts

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Macionis, Social Problems, 8e
8
16. Which of the following has played a part in more than 6 million accidents a year in
the United States?
a. school shootings
b. poverty
c. cell phone use while driving
d. flu virus
Answer: c
Consider This: The number of annual deaths caused by this practice continues to rise.
L.O. 1.2 Define the concept “social problem” and explain how societies come to define
some issues—and not others—as social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.2 Define the concept “social problem” and explain how societies
come to define some issues—and not others—as social problems.
Topic: Social Problems: The Basics
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
17. Adopting a global perspective shows us which of the following patterns?
a. Women in poor nations typically have fewer children than women in the United
States.
b. People in poor nations have as much schooling as people in the United States.
c. The problems we face in the United States are exactly the same in other countries.
d. Poverty is even more serious in much of the world than it is in the United States.
Answer: d
Consider This: A global perspective shows that many dimensions of life—and many of
life’s challenges—may be quite different elsewhere. Many troubling issues such as
health, illiteracy, and poverty are much worse elsewhere in the world than in a rich nation
such as the United States. L.O. 1.2 Define the concept “social problem” and explain how
societies come to define some issues—and not others—as social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.2 Define the concept “social problem” and explain how societies
come to define some issues—and not others—as social problems.
Topic: Social Problems: The Basics
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
18. Sociologists use which of the following concepts to refer to a statement of how and
why specific facts are related?
a. model
b. correlation
c. theory
d. societal subsystem
Answer: c
Consider This: Sociologists weave various facts into meaning using a statement of how
and why specific facts are related. L.O. 1.3 Apply sociological theory to the study of
social problems.

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Macionis, Social Problems, 8e
9
Learning Objective: 1.3 Apply sociological theory to the study of social problems.
Topic: Analyzing Social Problems: Sociological Theory
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
19. Which of the following concepts refers to a basic image of society that guides theory
and research?
a. hypothesis
b. theoretical approach
c. correlation
d. societal subsystem
Answer: b
Consider This: Building a theory depends on a basic image of society that guides
research. Using a particular way of looking at the theory leads sociologists to ask certain
questions. L.O. 1.3 Apply sociological theory to the study of social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.3 Apply sociological theory to the study of social problems.
Topic: Analyzing Social Problems: Sociological Theory
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
20. Which theoretical approach sees society as a system of many interrelated parts that
operate together?
a. structural-functional approach
b. feminist approach
c. social-conflict approach
d. symbolic-interaction approach
Answer: a
Consider This: This approach might explore how the family is a system to ensure the care
and raising of children, how schools provide young people with the skills they need for
adult life, how the economy produces and distributes material goods, how the political
system sets national goals and priorities, and how religion gives our lives purpose and
meaning. L.O. 1.3 Apply sociological theory to the study of social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.3 Apply sociological theory to the study of social problems.
Topic: Analyzing Social Problems: Sociological Theory
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
21. Major spheres of social life, or societal subsystems, are organized to meet a basic
human need. Sociologists call these subsystems __________.
a. theoretical paradigms
b. functional prerequisites
c. social institutions
d. subcultures

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Macionis, Social Problems, 8e
10
Answer: c
Consider This: Examples include family and religion from the conservative perspective
and the economy and politics from the liberal perspective. L.O. 1.3 Apply sociological
theory to the study of social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.3 Apply sociological theory to the study of social problems.
Topic: Analyzing Social Problems: Sociological Theory
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
22. Which early English sociologist made the statement that poverty and related problems
were largely caused by some people lacking ability and personal discipline?
a. Herbert Spencer
b. Emile Durkheim
c. Max Weber
d. Karl Marx
Answer: a
Consider This: He used the term “social Darwinism” because he believed his ideas were
based on Darwin’s theory of evolution. L.O. 1.3 Apply sociological theory to the study of
social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.3 Apply sociological theory to the study of social problems.
Topic: Analyzing Social Problems: Sociological Theory
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
23. Which theory would you be using if you studied how social problems arise when
rapid change overwhelms society’s institutions?
a. social-conflict theory
b. social disorganization theory
c. symbolic-interaction theory
d. social Darwinist theory
Answer: b
Consider This: The Chicago School linked problems in society to upheaval and change
rather than to deficient people. L.O. 1.3 Apply sociological theory to the study of social
problems.
Learning Objective: 1.3 Apply sociological theory to the study of social problems.
Topic: Analyzing Social Problems: Sociological Theory
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
24. Which of the following concepts refers to the consequences of a social pattern that are
intended and widely recognized?
a. manifest functions
b. latent functions
c. dysfunctions

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Macionis, Social Problems, 8e
11
d. eufunctions
Answer: a
Consider This: These consequences are easy to observe. Sports, for instance, can be seen
to improve physical fitness. L.O. 1.3 Apply sociological theory to the study of social
problems.
Learning Objective: 1.3 Apply sociological theory to the study of social problems.
Topic: Analyzing Social Problems: Sociological Theory
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
25. Which of the following concepts refers to the negative consequences of social
patterns?
a. manifest functions
b. latent functions
c. dysfunctions
d. eufunctions
Answer: c
Consider This: These consequences are a sign that something is not working in the way
that was intended. For instance, college athletes often have little time to study. L.O. 1.3
Apply sociological theory to the study of social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.3 Apply sociological theory to the study of social problems.
Topic: Analyzing Social Problems: Sociological Theory
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
26. If you were studying how society is divided by gender inequality, which theoretical
approach would you be using?
a. the structural-functional approach
b. the feminist approach
c. the symbolic-interaction approach
d. the social Darwinist approach
Answer: b
Consider This: Also called the gender-conflict approach, it explains social problems in
terms of men’s dominance over women. L.O. 1.3 Apply sociological theory to the study
of social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.3 Apply sociological theory to the study of social problems.
Topic: Analyzing Social Problems: Sociological Theory
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
27. Class-conflict theory is an explanation of social problems guided by the thinking of
__________.
a. Herbert Spencer
b. the Chicago School

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Macionis, Social Problems, 8e
12
c. Emile Durkheim
d. Karl Marx
Answer: d
Consider This: This German-born thinker criticized society for concentrating most of the
new wealth from industrial factories in the hands of a few. L.O. 1.3 Apply sociological
theory to the study of social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.3 Apply sociological theory to the study of social problems.
Topic: Analyzing Social Problems: Sociological Theory
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
28. According to Marxist theory, social problems such as poverty result from
__________.
a. an evil human nature
b. advanced technology
c. the operation of a capitalist economy
d. the high rate of immigration
Answer: c
Consider This: Marx criticized this system because while modern society has the
productive capacity to end human suffering, its bounty is distributed to only a few. L.O.
1.3 Apply sociological theory to the study of social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.3 Apply sociological theory to the study of social problems.
Topic: Analyzing Social Problems: Sociological Theory
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Analyze the Issue
29. Marx predicted that, over time, capitalism would __________.
a. steadily raise living standards for everyone
b. bring about its own destruction
c. become less and less productive
d. meet all human needs
Answer: b
Consider This: In the long term, Marx was certain that workers, holding little hope for the
future, would join together, rise up, and end this oppressive system. L.O. 1.3 Apply
sociological theory to the study of social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.3 Apply sociological theory to the study of social problems.
Topic: Analyzing Social Problems: Sociological Theory
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Analyze the Issue

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Macionis, Social Problems, 8e
13
30. Karl Marx referred to industrial workers as __________.
a. the bourgeoisie
b. proletarians
c. the cause of most problems
d. middle class
Answer: b
Consider This: This category is also sometimes called “blue collar” or “working class.”
L.O. 1.3 Apply sociological theory to the study of social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.3 Apply sociological theory to the study of social problems.
Topic: Analyzing Social Problems: Sociological Theory
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
31. If you understand social problems as caused largely by racial and ethnic inequality,
you are probably using which of the following theories ?
a. social disorganization theory
b. class-conflict theory
c. multicultural theory
d. feminist theory
Answer: c
Consider This: Sociologists see conflict based not only on class but also on color and
culture. Societies attach importance to skin color and cultural background, which leads to
ranking people in a hierarchy based on race and ethnicity. L.O. 1.3 Apply sociological
theory to the study of social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.3 Apply sociological theory to the study of social problems.
Topic: Analyzing Social Problems: Sociological Theory
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
32. People who actively seek social equality for women and men would closely identify
with which of the following?
a. feminism
b. multiculturalism
c. social pathology theory
d. social disorganization theory
Answer: a
Consider This: This approach has gained attention in recent months along with the
increasing national focus on sexual harassment. L.O. 1.3 Apply sociological theory to the
study of social problems.
Learning Objective: 1.3 Apply sociological theory to the study of social problems.
Topic: Analyzing Social Problems: Sociological Theory
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Apply What You Know

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