STRAYER SOC100 all WEEK DISCUSSIONS

Week 1 DQ1
Explain what sociologists mean by the social
construction of reality. How has the social construction of reality affected
you?Week 1 DQ2
Compare the contributions of two pioneers in sociology, choosing two from
the following list: Comte, Martineau, Spencer, Durkheim, Weber, Marx, DuBois,
Cooley, Addams, Merton, Bourdieu, or Wells-Barnett. Which sociologist do you
believe made the most important contribution? Why? Defend your view.Week 1
DQ3
What is
sociology? How does it differ from the other social sciences, such as
psychology or anthropology? In what ways is the logic of sociology useful?Week 1 DQ4
What are some of the norms of the American culture? Of a
subculture to which you belong?Week 2 DQ1
Explain the advantages and limitations of the four major research designs.
Provide an example of a social group situation that you believe would be best
studied by each type of design. Explain your selection.Week 2 DQ2
Fig. 2.2 in Ch. 2 states that “in general, states with high education
levels . . . also have high household incomes.” What hypothesis might you
propose to explain states that do not have a correlational relationship between
high income and high education levels?Week
2 DQ3
How
would you use the different types of research design? What are some strengths
and weaknesses of each?Week 2 DQ4
How can a sociologist
maintain neutrality when studying a group that he or she finds repugnant?
(e.g., inmates convicted of rape or child molestation.)Week 3 DQ1
Schaefer (2011) defines the
self “as a distinct identity that sets us apart from others.” Describe your
“self” identity. How does your “self” differ from others and set you apart?
What process of socialization helped shape your concept of the self the most?
How?Week 3 DQ2
Deviant behavior violates
standards and expectations of a group social norm. Reflect on a time when you
violated a widely shared and understood norm of your society. What was the
norm? What was the violation? What sanctions did your social group place on you
for your behavior?Week 3 DQ3
What are some of the major
agents of socialization? Which do you think most influenced you? Why and how?Week 3 DQ4
Define or describe the
“social self. What are some moral and ethical factors of the social self?
Week 4 DQ1
A majority of residents of the United States are
descendants of ethnic groups from around the world. Explain symbolic ethnicity.
Reflecting on your cultural heritage and traditions, does your family practice
symbolic ethnicity, fully maintain an ethnic identity, or have they fully
assimilated into American culture? Define and explain American ethnic cultures.Week 4 DQ2
Using the definition of wealth to calculate your
wealth, and considering Rossides’ five-class model of the U. S. class system,
would you say that Marx’s concept of false consciousness applies to you? Why?
How does false consciousness differ from class consciousness?Week 4 DQ3
How do urban and rural
communities differ in the formality of their norms and the strictness with
which they are enforced?Week 4 DQ4
Imagine that you have been
asked to study the issue of air pollution in one of the large urban areas in
your state or country. How might you draw on surveys, observation research,
experiments, and existing sources to help you study this issue?Week 5 DQ1
As of 2012, the United States has never had a
female president. Nations throughout the world have had powerful queens and
elected leaders. How might you explain the fact that the United States has
never elected a woman to be president?Week 5 DQ2
New social movements are defined as movements
that address values, social identities, and improvements in the quality of
life. If you had the ability to mobilize resources to create a new social
movement to promote or oppose social change, what social change would your
movement address? Why and how?Week 5 DQ3
What are some things that
determine social stratification?Week 5 DQ4
How does social class affect
attitudes and behaviors?