Q.1 What is the central idea of social constructionism?
Reality exists independently of human perception
Knowledge and meaning are created through social interactions
Individuals are biologically determined in their behaviors
Social norms are irrelevant to understanding society
Explanation - Social constructionism emphasizes that our understanding of reality is shaped through interactions, language, and shared meanings within a society.
Correct answer is: Knowledge and meaning are created through social interactions
Q.2 Which sociologist is most closely associated with social constructionism?
Émile Durkheim
Peter Berger
Karl Marx
Max Weber
Explanation - Peter Berger, along with Thomas Luckmann, wrote 'The Social Construction of Reality,' which is foundational to social constructionist theory.
Correct answer is: Peter Berger
Q.3 According to social constructionism, what role does language play?
Language is irrelevant to knowledge formation
Language only reflects reality but does not shape it
Language helps construct and communicate shared social reality
Language is a biological instinct
Explanation - Language is a primary tool through which societies create and negotiate shared meanings, shaping social reality.
Correct answer is: Language helps construct and communicate shared social reality
Q.4 In social constructionist theory, norms and values are considered:
Natural laws
Socially created and maintained
Universal across all societies
Genetically determined
Explanation - Social constructionism argues that norms and values are products of social processes and interactions, not fixed or biologically predetermined.
Correct answer is: Socially created and maintained
Q.5 The term 'social construction of reality' refers to:
The idea that reality is objectively determined
The notion that social phenomena have no meaning
The process through which society collectively defines what is real
A method of biological study
Explanation - This concept highlights that reality is shaped through collective human interpretation and social agreement.
Correct answer is: The process through which society collectively defines what is real
Q.6 Which of the following is an example of social construction?
Gravity
Money
Photosynthesis
Water boiling at 100°C
Explanation - Money has value because society agrees on its value; it does not have inherent value by itself, demonstrating social construction.
Correct answer is: Money
Q.7 Social constructionism challenges the idea that:
All knowledge is socially influenced
Some aspects of reality are biologically determined
Reality exists independent of human interpretation
Society influences individual behavior
Explanation - Social constructionists argue that what we consider 'reality' is shaped through social processes rather than existing independently.
Correct answer is: Reality exists independent of human interpretation
Q.8 According to Berger and Luckmann, everyday reality is maintained through:
Biological instincts
Habitual social practices and institutions
Divine intervention
Technological advancement
Explanation - They argue that daily routines and social institutions reinforce shared understandings, making social reality appear natural.
Correct answer is: Habitual social practices and institutions
Q.9 Which of the following statements aligns with social constructionism?
Gender roles are biologically fixed
Gender roles are created and sustained through culture and interaction
Humans cannot influence societal norms
Social reality is purely physical
Explanation - Social constructionists view gender as a social category shaped by norms, expectations, and interactions rather than purely biology.
Correct answer is: Gender roles are created and sustained through culture and interaction
Q.10 In social constructionist terms, 'institution' refers to:
A fixed biological entity
An organized pattern of social behavior that is widely recognized
A government building
An individual habit
Explanation - Institutions are socially constructed structures that shape and are shaped by human interactions and expectations.
Correct answer is: An organized pattern of social behavior that is widely recognized
Q.11 Social constructionism emphasizes the role of which factor in shaping knowledge?
Culture and social interaction
Genetics alone
Physical laws
Random chance
Explanation - Knowledge and meaning are seen as emerging from cultural norms and interpersonal exchanges rather than existing independently.
Correct answer is: Culture and social interaction
Q.12 Which of the following is an implication of social constructionism in research?
Researchers can find universal truths without context
Researchers must consider social context in interpreting data
Research is purely objective and value-free
Biological determinism is the only focus
Explanation - Social constructionism implies that knowledge is context-dependent, requiring researchers to account for social influences.
Correct answer is: Researchers must consider social context in interpreting data
Q.13 Which statement best reflects a social constructionist view on mental illness?
Mental illnesses are purely genetic conditions
Definitions of mental illness are influenced by cultural and social norms
Mental illness is identical in all societies
Mental illness is not influenced by society at all
Explanation - Social constructionists argue that mental illness is partly defined by society, as different cultures label and interpret behaviors differently.
Correct answer is: Definitions of mental illness are influenced by cultural and social norms
Q.14 Which of the following is a criticism of social constructionism?
It ignores biological factors entirely
It overemphasizes the role of social interaction
It can be relativistic and vague
All of the above
Explanation - Critics argue that social constructionism may neglect biology, overstate social influence, and sometimes lack clear, testable claims.
Correct answer is: All of the above
Q.15 How does social constructionism view historical facts?
As objective and unchangeable
As interpreted and given meaning through social processes
As purely scientific truths
As irrelevant to society
Explanation - Historical events are understood through collective interpretations, making them socially constructed rather than purely objective.
Correct answer is: As interpreted and given meaning through social processes
Q.16 In social constructionist theory, 'reification' refers to:
Turning abstract concepts into things perceived as real
Making a theory more complicated
Ignoring social interactions
Studying biology
Explanation - Reification occurs when socially created concepts appear natural and unquestionable, masking their constructed nature.
Correct answer is: Turning abstract concepts into things perceived as real
Q.17 Which example illustrates social constructionism in everyday life?
Traffic lights controlling cars
The concept of childhood as a separate life stage
Water freezing at 0°C
Gravity pulling objects down
Explanation - Childhood is a social category that varies across cultures and history, showing how society constructs stages of life.
Correct answer is: The concept of childhood as a separate life stage
Q.18 How does social constructionism relate to identity?
Identity is fixed at birth
Identity is constructed through social roles, norms, and interactions
Identity has no social aspect
Identity is solely biological
Explanation - Social constructionists view identity as shaped by cultural expectations and social interactions rather than being innate.
Correct answer is: Identity is constructed through social roles, norms, and interactions
Q.19 Which of the following would a social constructionist likely emphasize?
The naturalness of gender differences
The ways society shapes perceptions of gender
That biology alone determines behavior
That norms are irrelevant
Explanation - Social constructionists focus on how social forces and cultural narratives define what is considered masculine or feminine.
Correct answer is: The ways society shapes perceptions of gender
Q.20 Which concept is key to understanding social constructionism?
Objective reality
Socially negotiated meanings
Physical determinism
Random chance
Explanation - Social constructionism stresses that reality is understood through negotiated and shared meanings within society.
Correct answer is: Socially negotiated meanings
Q.21 Social constructionism in sociology often overlaps with which approach?
Structural functionalism
Symbolic interactionism
Marxism
Biological determinism
Explanation - Both focus on the role of social interactions and symbols in shaping understanding and behavior.
Correct answer is: Symbolic interactionism
Q.22 Which of the following illustrates socially constructed knowledge?
Scientific laws
Cultural beliefs about marriage
Gravitational force
Water's chemical composition
Explanation - Marriage practices and meanings are shaped by culture, showing that even important social institutions are socially constructed.
Correct answer is: Cultural beliefs about marriage
Q.23 Social constructionism implies that education:
Transmits fixed knowledge without interpretation
Shapes understanding according to social context and norms
Is irrelevant to society
Only teaches biology and chemistry
Explanation - Knowledge transmitted in education is interpreted and understood in the context of social norms and culture.
Correct answer is: Shapes understanding according to social context and norms
Q.24 Which example best reflects a social constructionist view of reality?
Seasons changing due to Earth's orbit
Social class distinctions based on wealth and occupation
Water boiling at 100°C
The sun rising every morning
Explanation - Social class exists because society agrees on its definitions and implications, making it a socially constructed reality.
Correct answer is: Social class distinctions based on wealth and occupation
Q.25 According to social constructionism, what shapes perceptions of deviance?
Universal moral laws
Cultural norms and social context
Genetic predispositions
Natural laws
Explanation - Deviance is defined relative to societal norms, which vary across cultures and time, showing its socially constructed nature.
Correct answer is: Cultural norms and social context