Delta State University
SOC 101: Principles of Sociology
Fall Semester 2005

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(1) What is meant by the term gender roles?  Identify several masculine and feminine gender roles.  How would you respond if you saw someone violating these roles?

(2) How can we separate out the biological and social influences that determine appropriate gender-related behavior?  What have social scientists learned?

(3) Explain the functionalist, conflict, feminist and interactionist perspectives on gender stratification.  What approach does each perspective take research on gender roles?  What evidence has each perspective produced to support its research on gender roles? 

(4) Provide evidence that supports the view that women, a majority of the U.S. population in numbers, are actually a minority group in society.  Consider the status of women in political and economic institutions.  Incorporate the concepts of the glass ceiling and the second shift in your explanation.

(5) What is meant by sexism?  Define and provide examples of the effects of institutionalized sexism and sexual harassment.

(6) What is a family, from a sociological perspective?  How does family differ from kinship?  How does the institution of the family vary across cultures?  Consider both family structure and marriage patterns.

(7) Describe the functionalist, conflict, interactionist and feminist perspectives on marriage and the family.  What functions do families serve?  How do families contribute to social inequality? 

(8) Is love necessary for a successful marriage?  What factors account for marriage patterns?  What do these suggest about love and marriage?

(9) How does family structure vary in the United States?  Describe characteristics of the following family types:  nuclear family, families with adopted children, dual-income families, single-parent families, blended or stepfamilies, marriage without children, lesbian and gay families.

(10) How have patterns of divorce changed over time?  What factors are associated with increased divorce rates?  How does divorce affect children?