UGC NET Paper 2 Sociology Mock Test - 1 - UGC NET MCQ

1. Homogeneity: It concepts often used in the sciences and statistics relating to the uniformity in a substance or organism. A material or image that is homogeneous is uniform in composition or character (i.e. color, shape, size, weight, height, distribution, texture, language, income, disease, temperature, radioactivity, architectural design, etc.); one that is heterogeneous is distinctly nonuniform in one of these qualities.

2. Self-sufficiency: It overlapping state of being in which a person or organization needs little or no help from, or interaction with, others. Self-sufficiency entails self-being enough (to fulfill needs), and a self-sustaining entity can maintain self-sufficiency indefinitely. These states represent types of personal or collective autonomy. A self-sufficient economy is one that requires little or no trade with the outside world and is called an autarky.

3. Primary relations: Trademark distinctiveness is an important concept in the law governing trademarks and service marks. A trademark may be eligible for registration, or registrable, if it performs the essential trademark function, and has a distinctive character. Registrability can be understood as a continuum, with "inherently distinctive" marks at one end, "generic" and "descriptive" marks with no distinctive character at the other end, and "suggestive" and "arbitrary" marks lying between these two points. "Descriptive" marks must acquire distinctiveness through secondary meaning - consumers have come to recognize the mark as a source indicator - to be protectable. "Generic" terms are used to refer to the product or service itself and cannot be used as trademarks.

In geography, "doubling time" is a common term used when studying population growth. It is the projected amount of time that it will take for a given population to double. It is based on the annual growth rate and is calculated by what is known as "The Rule of 70." Since doubling time is based on a population's annual growth rate, it can also vary over time. It's rare that a doubling time remains the same for long, though unless a monumental event happens, it rarely fluctuates drastically. Instead, it is often a gradual decrease or increases over years.

A social institution is an interrelated system of social norms and social roles that are organized and provide patterns of behaviors that contribute to meeting the basic social needs of society.

• For example, societies need laws, education, and an economic system.
• Social institutions are interdependent, and one typically functions with the other; therefore, when a change to one social institution happens, it can affect the other social institutions.
• For example, family, which is a social institution, is closely connected to the education of another social institution. If school is shut down for a pandemic, the family social institution will be impacted.

In the Industrialised Western societies, 12 chief aim of marriage is not only procreation but emotional and psychological support and companionship.

Marriage, is a socially or ritually recognized union between spouses that establishes rights and obligations between those spouses, as well as between them and any resulting biological or adopted children and affinity (in-laws and another family through marriage).

The correct answer is a - 4, b - 3, c - 2, and d - 1.
Key Points

• Social Process was written by Charles H. Cooley. By social processes we mean those ways in which individuals and groups interact and establish social relationships. 
• William Graham Sumner wrote Folkways. term “folkways” was coined by Yale sociologist William Graham Sumner in his 1906 book of that name. “Folkways” is a term that describes norms, rules, and symbolic social controls that determine shape, and regulate individual as well as institutional behavior in a society.
• Herbert Spencer wrote Principles of Sociology.
• Emile Durkheim wrote Division of Labour in Society. Division of labor is essential to economic progress because it allows people to specialize in particular tasks.

Additional Information

• Herbert Spencer was an English philosopher, psychologist, biologist, anthropologist, and sociologist. Spencer originated the expression "survival of the fittest", which he coined in Principles of Biology after reading Charles Darwin's 1859 book On the Origin of Species.
• David Émile Durkheim was a French sociologist. Durkheim formally established the academic discipline of sociology and is commonly cited as one of the principal architects of modern social science, along with both Karl Marx and Max Weber.
• William Graham Sumner was an American clergyman, social scientist, and classical liberal. He taught social sciences at Yale University—where he held the nation's first professorship in sociology.
• According to sociologist Charles Horton Cooley, individuals develop their concept of self by observing how they are perceived by others, a concept Cooley coined as the “looking-glass self.” 

Thus, 

The correct answer is E B Tylor.Key Points

• Tylor said that culture is "that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society." Of course, it is not limited to men.
• Tylor has considered the contribution of each element to the culture as a whole.
• Tylor promoted an evolutionary theory of culture, which viewed cultures as progressing from savage to civilized states. He famously defined culture as a holistic concept consisting of belief, art, laws, morals, etc.

Additional Information

• Malinowski's primary scientific interest was in the study of culture as a universal phenomenon and in the development of a methodological framework that would permit the systematic study of specific cultures in all their particularities and open the way to systematic cross-cultural comparison.
• Radcliffe-Brown defined social structure empirically as patterned, or “normal,” social relations (those aspects of social activities that conform to accepted social rules or norms). These rules bind society's members to socially useful activities.
• Lévi-Strauss, however, believed that structural similarities underlie all cultures and that an analysis of the relationships among cultural units could provide insight into innate and universal principles of human thought.

Thus, Tylor has considered the contribution of each element to the culture as a whole.

At glance conflict and functional perspective looks mutually exclusive. Conflict perspective's main concern is emancipation. Conflict perspective focuses on inequality and injustice present in the society and how the very structure of society produces and sustains these. Whereas Functionalist perspective is status quoist. They put emphasis on social order and integration within the society.

Key Points

• Lewis Coser was the first thinker who made a successful attempt at bringing functional and conflict perspective together. He draws the majority of his theory from Simmel’s work rather than commonly understood classical sociological thinkers like Marx, Durkheim and Weber.
  • His ideas are encapsulated in his work “The Function of Social Conflict”.
  • He lists out two benefits. If conflict is external i.e. between two groups then it results in solidification of group identity, social cohesiveness. Secondly if the conflict is internal I.e. within the group then under controlled conditions it provides space to vent out frustrations, addressing grievances thus promoting integration within the group.

Thus, Option 4) is correct answer.

Additional Information

• Karl Marx: According to Marx, conflict in the society has economic roots. It occurs because of deep antagonism in the interests of classes. In other words, the conflict that he is talking about is class conflict. He defines class as group of people who share same position within the production process. The position is nothing but their relations to forces/means of production. If they own means of production then they will be categorised as Haves. If not then they will constitute the part of Have nots.
  • His theory is a macro take on conflict existing in society.
  • Important works by Karl Marx are Das Capital, Economic and Philosphical Manuscripts, German Ideology, Communist Manifesto, A critique of Political Economy etc.

• Randall collins takes a micro-sociological perspective of conflict. Emotions play a significant role in his conflict analysis. According to him, Power is located in material as well as emotional energy.

  • His important works are Conflict Sociology: Toward an Explanatory Science (1975), The Sociology of Philosophies: A Global Theory of Intellectual Change (1998), Interaction Ritual Chains (2004), Violence: A micro-sociological Theory (2008) etc.

  • Interaction Ritual Chains studies how patterns of conflict and cooperation gets shaped by everyday interaction among people in social settings. Situational context like emotional outburts and collective emotional state leads to violent behaviour.

• Ralph Dahrendorf’s work is seen as improvement over Marx’s theory of class conflict. Inspite of having all the supposed right conditions for proletariat revolution in Germany, revolution to overthrow bourgeoisie didn’t take place. This led him to look for alternate explanations.

  • He observed that advancement of capitalism does not turn the classes into homogeneous groups. Rather they experience further decomposition/fragmentation. This fragmentation obstructs the development of class consciousness.

  • Inspired by Max Weber, He saw the source of conflict in unequal distribution or access to power and authority in the society. The power/authority lies in organizational units which he calls ICA.

  • ICA stands for Imperatively Coordinated Associations. These groupings are based on notions of hierarchy and authority. The power does not lie with an individual but in positions within the very structure of organisations. Example: A corporate office, Bureucratic and military organizations etc.

  • Important work by him “Class and Class conflict in Industrial Society (1959)”.

Phenomenology traces its origin to Immanuel Kant's concept of 'phenomena' and 'neumena'. Neumena stands for the reality that exist outside. But that reality can not be perceived in its totality by humans as we perceive things through our senses which have their limits. He calls Phenomena to that reality which an individual perceives.

Key Points

• Alfred Schutz belonged to phenomenological tradition.
  • Inspired by Edmund Hussrel and Weber's Interpretivism.
  • Instrumental work 'The Phenomenology of the Social World (1932)'.
  • Main concern was to decipher the ways through which people come to grasp the consciousness of others.
  • His conceptual framework includes life-world, intersubjectivity, typification etc.
  • Schutz perceived social reality as intersubjective world which was created by dialectical interaction of people's actions with pre-existing inherited socio-cultural conditions.

Additional Information

• Edmund Husserl was a german mathematician. He is credited as Founder of Phenomenology.
  • sought to develop Philosophy as 'rigorous science' in the sense that the way knowledge about reality is gained should be certain/fixed.
  • Before seeking after the metaphysical truth Philosophers should first enagage with the experinece of individuals in their everyday lives.
  • Once they make sense of this 'concrete' reality then they can move ahead to look for abstract truths.
  • His conceptual framework includes Natural attitude, intentionality and epoche (process of bracketing the 'object world').
  • he defines consciousness consists of 'intentional acts' done with respect to 'intentional objects'.
  • His important works are Logical Investigations (1900), Cartesian Meditations (1931) and Idea of Phenomenology (1913).
  • Inspired Alfred Schutz whose work established phenomology as separate perspective.
• G.F. Hegel
  • ​'Phenomenology of Spirit' is his first published book.
  • Has theological elements. His conception of spirit is tripartite (Just like Trinity that exists in Christianity)- Thesis, Antithesis and Synthesis.
  • He saw the ideas as the foundation of social reality.
  • In each epoch there is a particular idea dominates the entire discourse.
  • Using the concept of dialectics, he proposes that the idea (thesis) contains within itself its contradictory idea (anti-thesis).
  • This contradiction gets resolved by the synthesis of thesis and anti-thesis.
  • This new idea then come to dominate the next epoch and the cycle continues.
  • Marx used to be member of 'Young Hegelians'. With time he found the Hegel's views as detached from the reality, dealing with only metaphysical queries.
  • His disillusionment with Hegel led him to formulate his own Theory of Historical Materialism.
• Joseph Schumpeter
  • Though his ideas today have multi-disciplinary audience, but he was a political economist to begin with.
  • His work theory of entrepreneurship holds a significant position in Sociology and Economics.
  • Role of entrepreneur is to foster technological advancements and innovations in the society.
  • Capitalism will be destroyed by its successes not by class conflict and revolution as predicted by Marx.
  • Defends Capitalism as it leads to entrepreneurship. He was the first to give claer-cut definition of the term 'entrepreneur'.
  • Entrepreneurship with its innovations leads to "creative destruction" which he sees as progress.
  • Agrees with view that perfect competition is necessary to maximize profit.
  • However also points out that certain degree of monopoly should also be there to protect society against too much and too fast innovations.
  • ​His important works include Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy (1942).

Confusion Points

• The book 'Idea of Phenomenology (1913)' by Edmund Hussrel.
• The book ' The Phenomenology of the life world' or 'The Phenomenology of the Social world' by Alfred Schutz.
• Founder of Phenomenology is Edmund Hussrel.
• Father of Phenomenology is Alfred Schutz.
• The book 'Phenomenlogy of Mind/Spirit (1807)' is by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (G.W.F. Hegel).

Statement 2 is Correct. It is the definition of functional perspective.Important Points

• Conflict perspective emphasizes the social, political or material inequality of a social group.
• It critiques the broad socio-political system and the inequalities that exist in all societies globally & maintain control over scarce resources.
• Society as a struggle for resource and power.
• Conflict between classes determines social change.
• Change is inevitable, often beneficial and can be violent.

Additional Information

• The functional perspective of society focuses on the structures that create the society and on how the society is able to remain stable.
• For example, the government provides education for the children of the family, which in turn pays taxes on which the state depends to keep itself running.

• Functionalism is a sociological theory that views society as a complex system of interdependent parts, or structures, that work together to maintain social order and stability.
• The theory holds that each part of society serves a function and that together, these parts form a cohesive and interconnected whole. Social institutions such as education, religion, and family are seen as important components of this social system, and they work together to maintain social equilibrium.
• The Assertion states that functionalism considers human society as a social system, as a set of interconnected parts that together form a whole, which is true.
• The Reason states that social institutions such as education and religion are viewed as part of the social system rather than as isolated units, which is also true and provides the correct explanation of the Assertion.

Hence, the correct answer is Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.

Parsons' Action Frame of Reference arranges social action subsystems based on unequal distribution of energy and information.

The author of 'Master of Sociology Thought' is Lewis A. Coser.

Key Points

• Lewis A. Coser was a German-American sociologist.
• He wrote a thesis 'Toward a Sociology of Social Conflict.'
• He was the first sociologist to try to bring together structural functionalism and conflict theory. His work was focused on finding the functions of social conflict.

Additional Information

The correct answer is Boption 4

Key Points

• A census is a collection of information from all units in the population or a 'complete enumeration' of the population. However, due to limited resources this is not always possible.
• Coding or categorising the data is the most important stage in the qualitative data analysis process.
• Formal experimental designs include: (I) Completely Randomized Design (CRD), (ii) Randomized Block Design (RBD), (iii) Latin Square Design (LSD), and (iv) Factorial designs.
• Generalization: a statement about a group of people or things that is based on only a few people or things in the group
• Interpretation: an act or result of explaining or interpreting something: the way something is explained or understand.

Therefore, the correct answer is Generalisation and Interpretation are synonymous in the research process for hypotheses.

The correct answer is option 2 - A - 4, B - 3, C - 1, D - 2.

Important Points
Ethnography:
This is a qualitative research method which involves immersing oneself in the culture or social group being studied. This method includes:

• Deep understanding: The goal of ethnography is to gain a deep understanding of a people's culture, behaviors, and perceptions in their natural setting.
• Lengthy fieldwork: Ethnographers often conduct extensive fieldwork, living among the study participants for extended periods.
• Use of various data collection techniques: These can include participant observation, interviews, field notes, and analyses of relevant documents and materials.

Survey:
This is a common quantitative research method which involves collecting standardized data from specific populations.

• Large populations: Surveys can be conducted on large populations and are often used when the study involves a large geographic area.
• Standardized data collection: Data is collected using standardized methods, often through questionnaires or structured interviews.
• Statistical analysis: The collected data is quantifiable and can be analyzed statistically to identify patterns and trends.

Historical:
This research method involves studying past events to understand how society has evolved.

• Investigation: Using various sources like archival data, documents, letters, diaries, autobiographies, and historical records, researchers explore past societies, events, or people.
• Interpretation: Researchers seek to learn from the past, understanding the historical context, and making connections to the present.
• Narration: Results are often presented in a narrative format, focused on telling the story of the past and its relevant implications.

Comparative:
This research method involves comparing two or more societies, cultures, or variables generally to understand their similarities and differences.

• Broad comparative factors: May compare a wide variety of factors, including cultural practices, social structures, societal values, or political systems.
• Cross-cultural comparison: Often used in cross-cultural studies.
• Generate theories: Helps in generating theories by understanding patterns of similarities or differences.
• Understand social change: Can be deployed to understand social change over time.

Note: Please try to understand these methods. It can be helpful in many research questions.

The correct answer is C) Stratified sampling allows for the examination of subgroups within the population.

Concept:

• In stratified sampling, the population is divided into subgroups or strata based on some relevant characteristic, such as age, gender, or socioeconomic status. Then, a random sample is taken from each stratum. This method is used when the population is heterogeneous, and the goal is to ensure that the sample includes a sufficient number of observations from each stratum.
• The main advantage of stratified sampling over simple random sampling is that it allows for a more precise estimation of population parameters. By dividing the population into strata, stratified sampling ensures that the sample includes a sufficient number of observations from each stratum, reducing the sampling error and increasing the precision of the estimates.
• Additionally, it also allows for the estimation of population parameters separately for each stratum, which can be useful for understanding the underlying variation in the population.

Explanation:

• Stratified sampling is a sampling technique in which the population is divided into subgroups (strata) based on some criterion, and then a simple random sample is selected from each stratum.
• This allows for the examination of subgroups within the population, which is not possible with simple random sampling.
• the primary advantage of stratified sampling over simple random sampling is that it tends to produce samples that are more representative of the population, allowing for a more precise estimation of population parameters and reducing the sampling error.
• Additionally, it allows for the estimation of population parameters separately for each stratum, which can be useful for understanding the underlying variation in the population.

Structural dualism are the concepts Giddens uses in his theory of structuration. Giddens argues that just as an individual's autonomy is influenced by structure, structures are maintained and adapted through the exercise of agency. Structuration theory takes the position that social action cannot be fully explained by the structure or agency theories alone.

Structural dualism actually stands as a distinctive reproductive process in a plurality of forces because it explains and evaluates the strength of diverse aspects of reproduction that may be undermined in a simple classification context.

A dyadic is a group of two people that interact while a triad is another person added on to create more communicational interactions. For example: adding an extra person, therefore creating a triad, this can result in different language barriers, personal connection, and an overall impression of the third person.

A status set is a collection of social statuses that an individual holds. A person may have the status of a daughter, wife, mother, student, worker, church member and a citizen. The term "status set" was coined by Robert K. Merton in 1957. He made a clear distinction between a "role set" and a "status set".

The main tasks of research in modern society are to learn new things and to keep pace with the advancement in knowledge to systematically examine and critically analyze the investigations/sources with the objective.

A crucial difference between interest groups and political parties is that they do not seek to present themselves as candidates for government.

Interest groups do not always indulge in irresponsible gestures, and even if they did, this would not distinguish them clearly from political parties. Some interest group leaders are inspired by self-interest, while some politicians are inspired by principle.

The first sentence of the fifth paragraph says that "India’s top 4,000 odd companies had a combined turnover of roughly ₹100 trillion in 2021-22." As it matches, therefore, statement A is correct.

The sixth sentence of the third paragraph says that "Services with no factories add to ecological atrophy with their buildings and servers that add to global warming." As the highlighted portion does not match therefore statement B is incorrect.

The fourth sentence of the second paragraph says that "With the country going digital and most business units GST registered, we have records of what each firm does." As the highlighted portion does not match therefore statement C is incorrect.

Therefore from the above sentence, we can certainly say that among all the combinations option (B) contains both statements B and C.

According to the passage, "net zero carbon emission means companies produce carbon-based gases via their operations, they will either completely eliminate them or entirely compensate for them by removing an equal amount of carbon dioxide from the environment."

The second sentence of the first paragraph says that "Companies are working towards net zero, which means that as their business operations emit carbon-laden gases, they will either reduce these pollutants to nil or fully compensate for them by absorbing the same quantity from the atmosphere."

A green tax would help augment government revenue can be the suitable title for the passage.

The passage talks about climate change and companies are working towards net zero carbon emissions as their ecological responsibility.

It also highlights the question of whether the government can do something to earn a green tax from the companies that pollute the environment rather than imposing more taxes on existing taxpayers.

Due to technological advancements and a revival in economic activity are the causes of India's severe electricity shortage.

Refer to: "…The advancement of technology and the resurgence of economic activity following the COVID-19 disruptions increased the demand for power..."

Renewable energy refers to energy obtained from natural processes that are continually replenished, such as sunlight, wind, rain, or geothermal heat. This definition emphasizes not only the natural origin of the energy but also its sustainable and inexhaustible nature, distinguishing it from non-renewable energy sources.

Rajasthan, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh states were badly affected by the severe power shortage.

Refer to: "… Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, UP, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh were the most affected states....…."

The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 consolidated the anti-dowry laws which had been passed on certain states.

This Act may be called the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961. It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, appoint.

​​De-notified Tribes:

• The term 'De-notified Tribes' stands for all those communities which were once notified under the Criminal Tribes Acts, enforced by the British Raj between 1871 and 1947. So, statement 1 is correct.
• These Acts were repealed by the Government of India in 1952, and these communities were "De-Notified".
• More than 10 crore Indians from over 1,400 communities are either denotified (settled in various States of the country), nomadic (continue to be largely nomadic) or semi-nomadic. So, statement 3 is correct.
• The Government of India in 2014 constituted the National Commission for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (NCDNT)/Idate Commission for a period of 3 years -
  • To prepare a State-wise list of castes belonging to Denotified and Nomadic Tribes and
  • To suggest appropriate measures in respect of Denotified and Nomadic Tribes that may be undertaken by the Central or the State Government.
• The NCDNT/Renke Commission (2008) was earlier commissioned to identify and list the DNT communities.
• The SEED (Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs) scheme: The scheme was launched in (February) 2022 by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, with an allocation of ₹ 200 crores, to be spent over five years from FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26. So, statement 2 is incorrect.

The Mandal Commission had recommended reservations for the Other Backward Classes in government jobs. In 1990, Prime Minister VP Singh announced in Parliament that the recommendations of the Mandal Commission would be implemented. The Commission is also called the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Commission.

Taking the Mandal Commission into consideration the government under VP Singh announced 27% reservation for the Other Backward Classes (OBC) in government jobs. The Mandal Commission was founded in 1979 under the prime ministership of Morarji Desai. He chose Bindeshwari Prasad Mandal, a former chief minister of Bihar, to head the Second Backward Class Commission. Criteria depend on educational, social, and economical backgrounds.

So, both of them are correct.