Q.1 Who is considered the founding father of symbolic interactionism?
Karl Marx
George Herbert Mead
Émile Durkheim
Max Weber
Explanation - George Herbert Mead developed the foundational ideas of symbolic interactionism, focusing on how individuals interact through symbols.
Correct answer is: George Herbert Mead
Q.2 Which concept refers to the internal conversation people have with themselves in symbolic interactionism?
Looking-glass self
Role-taking
Self-talk
Mind
Explanation - Mead described the 'mind' as the internal dialogue individuals engage in, enabling them to anticipate responses from others.
Correct answer is: Mind
Q.3 The 'looking-glass self' concept was developed by:
Herbert Blumer
Charles Cooley
George Mead
Erving Goffman
Explanation - Charles Cooley proposed that a person's self grows out of society's interpersonal interactions and the perceptions of others.
Correct answer is: Charles Cooley
Q.4 Symbolic interactionism primarily focuses on:
Macro-level social structures
Micro-level interactions
Economic systems
Historical materialism
Explanation - Symbolic interactionism studies small-scale, day-to-day interactions and the meanings individuals assign to them.
Correct answer is: Micro-level interactions
Q.5 Herbert Blumer outlined symbolic interactionism in three basic premises. Which is NOT one of them?
Humans act toward things based on meanings
Meanings arise from social interaction
Meanings are fixed and unchanging
Meanings are interpreted through an individual’s process
Explanation - Blumer emphasized that meanings are not fixed; they are created and modified through social interaction.
Correct answer is: Meanings are fixed and unchanging
Q.6 In symbolic interactionism, what is the term for imagining oneself in another person's position to understand their perspective?
Empathy
Role-taking
Role conflict
Social imagination
Explanation - Role-taking is the process of mentally assuming the viewpoint of another to understand their behavior.
Correct answer is: Role-taking
Q.7 Which sociologist focused on dramaturgical analysis, comparing social interaction to a theatrical performance?
Erving Goffman
George Mead
Herbert Blumer
Max Weber
Explanation - Goffman analyzed everyday interactions as performances, emphasizing front-stage and back-stage behaviors.
Correct answer is: Erving Goffman
Q.8 The process through which individuals learn the meanings of symbols and develop self-concepts is called:
Socialization
Rationalization
Cultural diffusion
Social stratification
Explanation - Socialization is how individuals acquire cultural meanings, norms, and develop their sense of self.
Correct answer is: Socialization
Q.9 Which of the following is an example of a symbol in everyday social interaction?
A handshake
A river
A mountain
A chemical formula
Explanation - A handshake is a symbol conveying meanings such as greeting or agreement in social interaction.
Correct answer is: A handshake
Q.10 According to Mead, the 'I' and the 'Me' are components of:
The self
Social structure
Culture
Role conflict
Explanation - Mead described the self as composed of the 'I' (spontaneous, individual response) and the 'Me' (socially aware aspect).
Correct answer is: The self
Q.11 Which is a criticism often directed at symbolic interactionism?
It ignores individual behavior
It overemphasizes micro-level interactions
It focuses too much on economic systems
It ignores cultural symbols
Explanation - Critics argue symbolic interactionism pays insufficient attention to larger social structures and institutions.
Correct answer is: It overemphasizes micro-level interactions
Q.12 Herbert Blumer was a student of which sociologist?
Karl Marx
George Herbert Mead
Émile Durkheim
Max Weber
Explanation - Blumer, who coined the term 'symbolic interactionism', developed Mead's ideas further into a systematic sociological perspective.
Correct answer is: George Herbert Mead
Q.13 In symbolic interactionism, 'definition of the situation' refers to:
How society sets laws
How individuals interpret social contexts
Economic decision-making
Historical material conditions
Explanation - W.I. Thomas argued that individuals act based on their interpretation of a situation, which shapes behavior.
Correct answer is: How individuals interpret social contexts
Q.14 Which approach would symbolic interactionists use to study classroom behavior?
Survey large populations
Observe teacher-student interactions
Analyze economic policies
Study historical events
Explanation - They focus on micro-level interactions to understand how individuals interpret and respond to social symbols.
Correct answer is: Observe teacher-student interactions
Q.15 According to Mead, which stage involves children taking on roles of significant others?
Play stage
Game stage
Generalized other
Preparatory stage
Explanation - In the play stage, children imitate the roles of significant others (like parents) to learn social behavior.
Correct answer is: Play stage
Q.16 The 'generalized other' in Mead’s theory represents:
A specific person’s view
The collective norms of society
A symbolic object
An individual’s personal desires
Explanation - The generalized other represents society’s expectations and norms that individuals internalize.
Correct answer is: The collective norms of society
Q.17 Which concept emphasizes that human action is based on the meanings things have for them?
Structural functionalism
Symbolic interactionism
Conflict theory
Rational choice theory
Explanation - Symbolic interactionism asserts that people act based on the subjective meanings they assign to objects, events, and behaviors.
Correct answer is: Symbolic interactionism
Q.18 Erving Goffman’s idea of 'impression management' refers to:
Manipulating social roles for personal gain
Controlling how one is perceived by others
Adhering to legal rules
Economic planning
Explanation - Goffman emphasized that individuals consciously manage their social presentation to influence others' impressions.
Correct answer is: Controlling how one is perceived by others
Q.19 Which of these is a research method often used in symbolic interactionism?
Participant observation
Statistical modeling
Content analysis of policies
Economic forecasting
Explanation - Participant observation allows researchers to study interactions and meanings in natural social settings.
Correct answer is: Participant observation
Q.20 Blumer’s symbolic interactionism stresses that human behavior is:
Deterministic and fixed
Based on the meanings people assign
Random and unpredictable
Guided solely by social norms
Explanation - Blumer highlighted that behavior is shaped by the meanings individuals derive from social interaction.
Correct answer is: Based on the meanings people assign
Q.21 Which term refers to the social script individuals follow in daily life, as per Goffman?
Role
Norm
Institution
Symbol
Explanation - Goffman considered roles as social scripts that guide how individuals behave in various situations.
Correct answer is: Role
Q.22 The idea that society is created through repeated social interactions is central to:
Conflict theory
Symbolic interactionism
Structural functionalism
Feminist theory
Explanation - Symbolic interactionism posits that social reality is constructed and maintained through ongoing interaction.
Correct answer is: Symbolic interactionism
Q.23 Which of the following statements aligns with symbolic interactionism?
Individuals passively absorb society’s rules.
Society exists independent of human perception.
People act based on subjective interpretations.
Economic forces determine all social interactions.
Explanation - Symbolic interactionism emphasizes that actions are guided by the meanings individuals assign to situations.
Correct answer is: People act based on subjective interpretations.
Q.24 A symbolic interactionist studying a wedding ceremony would most likely focus on:
Legal aspects of marriage
Meaning of rituals for participants
Economic impact of weddings
Historical evolution of weddings
Explanation - They study how individuals interpret symbols like rings, vows, and ceremonies to understand social behavior.
Correct answer is: Meaning of rituals for participants
Q.25 Which of the following best exemplifies role conflict?
A student struggles to attend a family event and a school exam at the same time
A teacher grades papers fairly
A manager promotes an employee
A friend lends money to another friend
Explanation - Role conflict arises when the expectations of different social roles clash for an individual.
Correct answer is: A student struggles to attend a family event and a school exam at the same time