Unit 5: Social control - Practice Quiz

1 What is social control?

2 Why is social control necessary in society?

3 What does social control help individuals understand?

4 Which is a major purpose of social control?

5 What may happen when social control is weak?

6 Social control supports cooperation by doing what?

7 Which statement best describes the relationship between social norms and social control?

8 What is formal social control?

9 What is informal social control?

10 Which is an example of a formal sanction?

11 Which is an example of an informal sanction?

12 A law is an example of which type of social control?

13 Which type of social control is usually unwritten?

14 What is a positive sanction?

15 What is a negative sanction?

16 Which agency is usually the first to teach children social norms?

17 How do schools contribute to social control?

18 Which agency enforces laws and investigates crimes?

19 What is the main role of courts in social control?

20 How can the mass media act as an agency of social control?

21 A community introduces speed limits after repeated accidents on a busy road. Which purpose of social control is most directly illustrated?

22 Why is social control necessary in a society with diverse beliefs and interests?

23 A student returns a lost wallet because honesty is an important personal value. This example shows that social control can operate through

24 A workplace requires employees to follow safety procedures to reduce injuries. Which function of social control is emphasized?

25 When people follow queueing rules at a crowded clinic, the main social benefit is that the rules

26 A society changes a law after recognizing that it unfairly discriminates against a minority group. What does this illustrate about social control?

27 A person avoids speaking loudly in a library because other visitors would disapprove. This is primarily an example of

28 A court imposes a fine on a driver who violates traffic law. Which type of social control is being used?

29 A company gives an employee a bonus for consistently meeting ethical standards. This is best classified as

30 A teenager feels guilty after lying to a friend and decides to apologize. Which form of control is most evident?

31 Which situation best demonstrates a negative informal sanction?

32 A school suspends a student for repeated bullying after applying its written disciplinary policy. This example combines

33 Which statement best distinguishes formal from informal social control?

34 Parents teach a child to greet elders respectfully and discourage rude language. Which agency is primarily performing social control?

35 A school requires students to attend classes, follow schedules, and complete assignments. Its main role as an agency of social control is to

36 A police officer arrests someone suspected of violating a criminal law. The police are acting mainly as an agency of

37 A religious congregation encourages members to help the poor and condemns dishonest behavior. Which mechanism is most directly involved?

38 A news organization publicly exposes corruption, leading citizens to demand an investigation. This illustrates how mass media can

39 A peer group praises members who volunteer but excludes those who repeatedly exploit others. What agency and mechanism are illustrated?

40 A judge applies a law and imposes a sentence after finding a defendant guilty. Which agency is exercising social control?

41 A society experiences rapid technological change, weakening customary expectations but lacking effective legal institutions. Which outcome most directly indicates a social-control deficit?

42 A university introduces an honor code. Cheating initially declines because students view compliance as morally appropriate, even though formal penalties remain unchanged. What does this best demonstrate?

43 Which situation best illustrates the difference between social control and mere behavioral influence?

44 A government responds to a minor norm violation with an extremely severe penalty. Which sociological concern is most relevant?

45 A neighborhood has no written rules, yet residents coordinate childcare, quiet hours, and emergency assistance through mutual expectations. What is the primary function of this arrangement?

46 A society maintains order by persuading citizens that its rules reflect universal justice, although the rules systematically favor one class. Which critical interpretation is strongest?

47 Which example most clearly represents informal negative social control?

48 A student volunteers for difficult tasks because classmates publicly praise civic responsibility. Which classification best fits the control involved?

49 A city legally requires vaccination but also uses community recognition for neighborhoods with high participation. What combination of control is present?

50 Which case best demonstrates internal rather than external social control?

51 A customary practice becomes codified into law, but most people continue following it because of family tradition rather than fear of punishment. Which conclusion is most accurate?

52 An online platform removes a user's post under its terms of service, while the user's peers criticize the post in a group chat. How should these responses be classified?

53 A state increases surveillance and punishment, yet rule violations rise because citizens regard the government as illegitimate. Which inference is best supported?

54 A child learns that interrupting elders is disrespectful at home, receives praise for waiting at school, and later follows the norm independently. Which sequence is illustrated?

55 A peer group discourages a member from reporting workplace harassment because doing so would violate group loyalty. What does this case reveal about peers as an agency of control?

56 A news network repeatedly portrays protestors as dangerous outsiders, leading viewers to support restrictions on demonstrations. Which agency function is most evident?

57 A religious institution forgives a violation but requires public confession and renewed participation. Which analysis is most appropriate?

58 Police arrest two people for identical conduct but treat one more harshly because of racial stereotypes. Which issue does this most directly raise?

59 A school suspends a student for defending a classmate, while classmates praise the action and organize support. Which conclusion best captures the conflict among agencies?

60 A corporation requires diversity training but rewards managers mainly for short-term output, leading discriminatory practices to continue. Which explanation is strongest?