Test: Understanding Social Institutions - 2 - Humanities/Arts MCQ

- Statement i is correct as institutions do operate based on established rules and can be categorized into formal (e.g., law, education) and informal (e.g., family, religion) types.

- Statement ii is incorrect because the functionalist perspective does not suggest that institutions only benefit dominant groups; rather, it highlights how they meet societal needs.

- Statement iii is correct since family and religion are indeed classified as informal institutions, while law and education are formal.

- Statement iv is incorrect because the conflict perspective argues that social institutions maintain and reinforce social inequalities rather than promote equality.

Therefore, the correct statements are i and iii, making Option A the right choice.

- Statement i is incorrect because a family includes individuals connected by both blood and marriage, not solely by marriage.

- Statement ii is correct as the functionalist perspective indeed emphasizes the nuclear family as crucial for fulfilling societal needs.

- Statement iii is incorrect because, in the traditional nuclear family model, the husband typically takes on the "instrumental" role (breadwinner), while the wife assumes the "affective" role (emotional care).

- Statement iv is correct as kinship can be formed through both blood relations and marriage. Thus, the correct statements are ii and iv, making Option A the correct answer.

• The assertion is correct; stateless societies do maintain order using informal mechanisms such as kinship and social rituals.
• The reason is incorrect; modern states do have formal institutions but may also incorporate informal mechanisms for order.
• Therefore, while both statements are true, the reason does not correctly explain the assertion, as it overlooks the informal practices present in modern states.

• The assertion is true; sovereignty is indeed a foundational element of modern statehood, defining its authority over a territory.
• The reason is also true; sovereignty is crucial for the exercise of citizenship rights as it ensures that external forces do not undermine the state's authority.
• In this case, the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion, as both statements are aligned in their context and implications.

- Statement i is correct as it highlights the common misconception about work being limited to paid employment.

- Statement ii is incorrect because the informal economy, which includes various unregulated work forms, is often not reflected in official employment statistics.

- Statement iii is correct as it accurately describes the evolution of labor division in modern societies compared to pre-modern ones.

- Statement iv is also correct, as industrialization indeed resulted in a shift where work was no longer primarily conducted at home but in centralized locations like factories.

Thus, the correct answer is Option C: i, iii, and iv.

Answer: Option B

Solution:
Endogamy refers to the practice of marrying within a specific group (A-1). Exogamy is the practice of marrying outside a specific group (B-2). Monogamy involves one husband and one wife (C-3), while Polygamy involves multiple spouses (D-4).

Max Weber is the sociologist who linked Calvinism to the rise of capitalism, demonstrating how religious beliefs can influence economic behavior.

Sovereignty refers to the ultimate and uncontested political authority of a state over a defined territorial area, establishing the state's independence and control.

Matrilocal family structure refers to living with the wife’s parents. In contrast, patrilocal involves living with the husband's parents, while patriarchal and matriarchal relate to authority and power within the family, not living arrangements.

Statement I is true because widow remarriage was historically restricted among upper-caste Hindus, particularly in the 19th century. Statement II is false because village exogamy is practiced to minimize interference from a bride’s natal kin by marrying her into a distant village, thereby reducing the frequency of visits, not encouraging them.