SOSYOLOJİYE GİRİŞ

Durkheim, in his seminal study entitled “Suicide” (1897) shows that suicide rates are higher in men than women, higher for singles than people in a relationship and higher among Protestants than Catholics. He also found that suicide rates are higher in times of peace than times of war; and higher in times of economic crisis than times of economic welfare. The correct answer is Choice D.

Depending on these similarities and differences, Durkheim developed a theory and explained suicide as a sociological phenomenon, as a social fact. The correct answer is Choice C.

Durkheim developed a theory and explained suicide as a sociological phenomenon, as a social fact. He claimed that there are four types of suicides and the rates of suicide are based on the degrees of social integration and moral regulation in that society. When these two social factors increase or decrease too much, suicide rates get higher. The correct answer is Choice A.

Sociologist C. Wright Mills used the concept of sociological imagination to define the awareness of the relationship between personal, private experience and the wider society. Sociological imagination means to comprehend the history, the biography, and their relationship in the society. Mills argues that people have to understand wider patterns in order to understand the problems related to their works, families or neighbors. The correct answer is Choice C.

Sociologists classify the types of societies depending mainly on their characteristics of production. Therefore, although
human groups have established many types of societies through the history, sociologists usually refer to six types of society. Correct answer is Choice A.

The earliest type of societies is hunting and gathering societies, which exist since 50,000 BC to present. The correct answer is Choice B.

Agrarian societies are the societies of small rural communities which are engaged in agriculture. They often hunt animals and gather edible plants in addition to agricultural production. The correct answer is Choice C.

With the technological changes in the 20th century, a new type of society emerged. In the post industrial society, the majority of the production shifted from industrial production to service sector. The service sector, including communication, health, banking and insurance had a larger proportion in industry than before. Pastoral societies are the societies in which the gain of livelihood is based on domesticated livestock such as cattle or sheep. Agrarian societies are the societies of small rural communities which are engaged in agriculture. The correct answer is Choice E.

Not every action is a social action. Social action is an action which is oriented towards the past, present or future actions of the other people. For example, taking revenge out on someone or buying a burglary insurance are social actions. If two people on the way change their directions because of only personal reasons, this is not a social action. However, if they think they are going to crash each other and they change their directions in order to prevent this clash, this is a social action. In short, if an action is made towards other people’s actions, it is a meaningful social action. The correct answer is Choice D.

As a separate social science discipline, sociology originated with Comte in the middle of 19th century. Auguste Comte, the founding father of sociology, developed the concept of positivism into sociology. Positivism is the philosophy of knowledge which asserts the social world can be understood, explained and estimated with scientific methods, mostly the methods of physical sciences. The correct answer is Choice B.

E

A

B

E

A

B

b

c

Statement in option A explains the essentials of the positivist approach. Accordingly, this approach regards reality regardless of subjective opinions and tries to understand it through objective discovery.

D