UGC NET Paper 2 Sociology Mock Test - 9 - UGC NET MCQ

Role expectations refer to the set of actions that are expected from a person playing a certain role.

• For instance, each profession has a specific set of roles that are expected from them.
• Role expectations include both actions and qualities: a teacher may be expected not only to deliver lectures, assign homework, and prepare examinations but also to be dedicated, concerned, honest, and responsible.
• Individuals usually occupy several positions, which may or may not be compatible with one another: one person may be husband, father, artist, and patient, with each role entailing certain obligations, duties, privileges, and rights vis-à-vis other persons.

The brainchild of Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, a successful businessman and philanthropist, the founder of the Indian Institute of Science Bangalore (IISc).

• To this end, Tata set up a provisional committee under the leadership of Burjorji Padshah, an educationist, to come up with a blueprint for the proposed university.
• The committee drafted a plan which went through several iterations before it was finalized.
• Tata also endowed a substantial part of his personal wealth for this ambitious project.

The correct answer is all of the above.Key Points

• Technological development has had a positive impact on family relations in numerous ways.
• Interactions with family groups:
• Technology has made it easier for family members to stay connected with each other, regardless of distance.
• With social media, messaging apps, and video conferencing tools, family members can easily communicate with each other, share updates, and maintain relationships over long distances.
• Parents engaging with apps in schools:
• With the development of educational apps, parents can now participate more actively in their children's education.
• They can easily track their children's progress, communicate with teachers, and access resources to help their children learn.
• Reach family in trouble:
• In times of emergency or crisis, technology can help family members quickly reach out to each other for help or support.
• Social media and messaging apps can be used to send alerts or requests for assistance to family members who can offer help.

• Overall, technological development has had a positive impact on family relations by making it easier for family members to stay connected, engage in educational activities, and support each other during difficult times.

So we can conclude that the correct answer is all of the above.

The correct answer is Bijker and Pinch.Key Points

• Trevor Pinch is Goldwin Smith Professor of Science and technology studies at Cornell University and coeditor of The Social Construction of Technological Systems: New Directions in the Sociology and History of Technology.
• Together with the systems and actor network, the social construction approach of Trevor Pinch and Wiebe Bijker became a widely adopted methodology among historians and sociologists of technology in Europe and the USA.

Additional Information

• Manuel Castells is a leading scholar on globalization, network society, and internet studies. Manuel Castells is a leading scholar on globalization, network society, and internet studies.
• Mary Lyon proposed that one of the two X chromosomes in female cells, selected at random, is stably inactivated during early embryo development and that the inactive state, once established, is then propagated through cell division throughout the lifetime of the animal.
• According to Wajcman (2010), the socialist feminist lens is a useful framework to examine the intersections of women's work and technology. This perspective stresses that the domestication of AI results from an "association with femininity as docile, responsive, and nurturing.
• The actor-network theory (Latour and Woolgar 1986, Latour 1987) is a form of constructivism that rejects the idea of a social determination of scientific knowledge, prominent in the Edinburgh school, mainly for the reason that the social is barely better understood than the natural.

Thus, Bijker and Pinch propounded the 'Social Construction of technological systems'.

Civil Society is not basic in Giddens's definition of modernity.Important Points 

• Anthony Giddens defined Modernity, "developed due to the interactions of many institutions and each level specified by classical theorists.
• Modernity has four institutional dimensions

1. Capitalism
2. Industrialism
3. Surveillance
4. Military power

Additional Information

• Civil society can be understood as the "third sector" of society, distinct from government and business, and including the family and the private sphere.
• Civil society is used in the sense of the aggregate of non-governmental organizations and institutions that advance the interests and will of citizens or individuals and organizations in a society which are independent of the government.

The right answer is - to reformulate sociological theory by including the standpoint of gender.

Important Points

•  According to the passage, Smith’s feminist sociology aims to reformulate sociological theory to incorporate the impact of gender on reality, providing a perspective that has traditionally been neglected.

The right answer is - Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The passage mentions these areas will see substantial urban growth in the future, indicating demographic shifts and urbanization challenges likely to be faced in these regions.

Important Points

•  In Sub-Saharan Africa, urban growth is fueled by both high fertility rates and rural-urban migration. As a result, many cities experience a high influx of young people looking for employment opportunities.
• This poses challenges related to housing, infrastructure, education, and providing essential services such as water, sewage, and healthcare for the rapidly growing population.
• South Asian countries, particularly India and Bangladesh, are also experiencing rapid urbanization including the expansion of mega-cities and growth of smaller towns. Similar to Africa, this trend has been driven by rural-urban migration as people search for employment and opportunities in urban areas. This growth has implications for infrastructure, housing, and service provision, with the additional challenge of managing this growth sustainably.

Both regions, therefore, face the critical task of urban planning and infrastructure development to meet the needs of their rapidly growing urban populations. This includes ensuring affordable housing, preventing the rise of informal settlements, and providing public services like education, healthcare, and transportation.

t also underscores the urgency for these regions to invest in sustainable urban development strategies addressing issues such as pollution, waste management, and climate resilience.

The passage mentions various forms of degradation as a result of increasing urbanization. This includes deforestation, water strain, pollution, and land use changes, all of which can strain the carrying capacity of the affected areas. Therefore, the correct answer is -"Changes in land use from agricultural to residential and industrial/commercial, deforestation, water depletion, and pollution."

Important Points

• Urbanization, while bringing many benefits, also has various negative impacts, such as ecological degradation and resource strain.
• The shift of land use from agriculture to residential and industrial has implications like deforestation, water depletion, pollution and increased waste, which are noted as significant challenges posed by urban sprawl.

The correct answer is Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.Key Points

•  Assertion (A) is true, Language is a system of symbols and rules that allows humans to communicate and negotiate to mean.
• Through language, humans are able to express their thoughts, feelings, and experiences, and to understand the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of others.
• Reason (R) is also true, Naming, or assigning words to concepts, objects, and experiences, is a fundamental aspect of language.
• The ability to name things allowed early humans to communicate about the world around them and to develop more complex forms of social organization.
• Naming and language use have allowed humans to accumulate knowledge and build on the knowledge of previous generations.

• Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A) because it provides further information and context that supports the assertion.

​So we can conclude that the correct answer is Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

The "Third wave" concept in the context of information society was propounded by Alvin Toffler.Important Points

• Toffler describes three types of societies, based on the concept of 'waves' which is as follows :
  1. The First Wave is the settled agricultural society that prevailed in much of the world after the Neolithic Revolution, which replaced hunter-gatherer cultures.
  2. The Second Wave is the Industrial Age society. The Second Wave began in Western Europe with the Industrial Revolution and subsequently spread across the world.
  3. The Third Wave is the post-industrial society. Toffler says that since the late 1950s, most countries have been transitioning from a Second Wave society into a Third Wave society.

Additional Information

• Alvin Toffler was an American writer, futurist, and businessman known for his works discussing modern technologies, including the digital revolution and the communication revolution, with emphasis on their effects on cultures worldwide.
• He is regarded as one of the world's outstanding futurists.

The Nixon-era policies were aimed at modernizing and consolidating agriculture in the United States, which led to a "Get Big or Get Out" mentality.Key Points

• During the Nixon era, the US government implemented a set of policies designed to modernize and consolidate agriculture in the country.
• These policies aimed to increase efficiency and productivity in agriculture, which meant encouraging farmers to adopt new technologies, increase their output, and decrease costs.
• As part of this effort, the government also sought to reduce the number of small farmers in the industry, arguing that they were inefficient and unable to compete with larger, more modern operations.
• The phrase "Get Big or Get Out" was coined by Earl Butz, the Secretary of Agriculture under Nixon, and it became a popular slogan among policymakers and farmers alike.
• The policy of "Get Big or Get Out" was based on the idea that larger farms could produce more food at a lower cost, which would benefit both consumers and farmers.
• To achieve this goal, the government provided subsidies to farmers who adopted new technologies and practices, and it also encouraged consolidation through mergers and acquisitions.
• However, the policy also had some negative consequences.
• It led to the displacement of many small farmers and contributed to the decline of rural communities.
• It also had environmental consequences, as large-scale farming operations often rely on chemical inputs and monoculture practices that can damage soil health and water quality.

• Overall, the "Get Big or Get Out" policy was a defining feature of the Nixon-era agricultural policies, and it had a significant impact on the structure of American agriculture.

Hence we can conclude that the Nixon-era policies were aimed at modernizing and consolidating agriculture in the United States, which led to a "Get Big or Get Out" mentality.

The correct option is Only 1.Key Points

• The digital divide refers to the unequal distribution of access to and use of digital technologies between different groups in society.
• One of the primary causes of the digital divide is socioeconomic inequality.
• People who are economically disadvantaged are less likely to have access to digital technologies, such as computers and high-speed internet, compared to those who are more affluent.
• This can further exacerbate existing inequalities, such as disparities in education and job opportunities.
• Broad levels of education can actually help to reduce the digital divide.
• By providing individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge to use digital technologies, they are more likely to be able to access and utilize these technologies to their fullest potential.
• Educational institutions, such as schools and universities, can also play a role in providing access to technology and digital literacy training to disadvantaged communities.
• In summary, while education can help to bridge the digital divide, it is not a cause of the digital divide.

• The biggest cause of the digital divide is socioeconomic inequality, which can limit access to digital technologies and further exacerbate existing inequalities.

Hence we can conclude that the correct option is Only 1.

All of the listed barriers can impede the implementation of e-governance:

• Unequal access to computer technology can create a digital divide, making it difficult for some citizens to access e-government services.
• High initial costs for setting up e-government solutions can be a barrier, particularly for smaller or less developed countries or localities.
• Digital security issues can raise concerns about data privacy and protection, and can undermine public trust in e-government systems.
• Resistance to change can be a challenge, particularly if citizens or government officials are not familiar with the benefits or potential of e-government solutions, or if they are attached to traditional ways of doing things.

Additional Information

• Unequal access to computer technology can be a result of factors such as income inequality, geographical location, age, and education level. Governments can address this barrier by investing in digital infrastructure and providing training and support for citizens to use e-government services.
• The high initial costs of setting up e-government solutions can include expenses such as hardware and software procurement, IT infrastructure development, and staff training. Governments may be able to mitigate these costs by partnering with private sector organizations or other governments to share resources and expertise.
• Digital security issues can include risks such as data breaches, identity theft, and cyberattacks. To address these concerns, governments can implement measures such as data encryption, two-factor authentication, and regular security audits.
• Resistance to change can be a natural human reaction to new technologies or processes, particularly if people are not familiar with the benefits or potential of e-government solutions. Governments can address this barrier by engaging with citizens and stakeholders to communicate the benefits of e-government services and address concerns or misconceptions.

Hence, all of the listed elements are the barriers to the implementation of e-governance.

• The digital divide refers to the gap that exists between people who have access to digital technologies, such as the internet, and those who do not. This gap can be caused by a number of factors, including geographical location, education, socio-economic status, and national development.
  • Geographical location: The digital divide can exist between people living in cities and those living in rural areas. In many rural areas, access to high-speed internet may be limited or even non-existent due to inadequate infrastructure, making it difficult for people in these areas to access digital technologies.
  • Education: The digital divide can also exist between those who are educated and those who are not. People with higher levels of education are generally more likely to have access to and be able to use digital technologies than those with lower levels of education.
  • Socio-economic status: The digital divide can also be caused by differences in socio-economic status. People from higher income families are generally more likely to have access to digital technologies than those from lower income families. This can be due to the cost of devices, internet service, and other related expenses.
  • National development: The digital divide can also exist between more and less developed nations. Countries with more developed economies and infrastructure tend to have better access to digital technologies than those with less developed economies and infrastructure.
• All of these factors contribute to the digital divide, and the effects can be significant. People who lack access to digital technologies may be disadvantaged in terms of education, employment, and other aspects of life.

Mass media is media, which can be used to communicate and interact with a large audience.

• Entertainment and media always go hand in hand, but in addition to entertainment, the mass media also remains an effective medium for communication, dissemination of information, advertising, marketing and in general, for expressing and sharing views, opinions and ideas.
• Different types of Media are Print media and electronic media like video games on mobiles, TV, internet etc.

Key Points The mass media is a double-edged sword, which means that it has a positive as well as a negative influence, especially on a child's mental development.

Positive Influence of Media:

1. Exposure to films, radio, TV and books affects mental development, specifically language development.
2. Readiness for learning
3. Educational enrichment by shaping sensibilities about the world
4. Opportunities to view or participate in discussions of social issues
5. Exposure to the arts through music and performance

The negative influence of media:

1. Exposure to violent behaviour through violent video games causes violent or aggressive actions in the child.
2. Promotion of unrealistic body images
3. Exposure to subtle or explicit sexual content
4. Exposure to persuasive advertising targeting the children

Hence, it can be concluded that both the statements: media plays an important role in shaping sensibilities about the world and Violent video games have pervasive harmful effects on a child's mental development are correct.

The correct answer is Marshall Sahlins.Key Points

• Marshall Sahlins (Stone Age Economics, 1972) has created a typology of gift-giving relations in different societies, ranging from the gratuitous gift at one pole to the exploitative relationship at the other.
• Generalized reciprocity refers to the European ideal of gift-giving, where one does not give in order to receive, and the return of the gift is not constrained by time, quality, or quantity.
• Marcel Mauss argued that gifts are widely obligatory and reciprocal.

Additional Information

• Marcel Mauss was a French sociologist and anthropologist known as the "father of French ethnology". The nephew of Émile Durkheim, Mauss, in his academic work, crossed the boundaries between sociology and anthropology.
• Theodore Caplow, Commonwealth Professor of Sociology emeritus at the University of Virginia, is the author of Peace Games (1989) and Forbidden Wars (2007), as well as co-author of Sociologie Militaire (2000), Leviathan Transformed (2001), and Systems of War and Peace (1995, 2004).
• Bronisław Kasper Malinowski was a Polish-British anthropologist and ethnologist whose writings on ethnography, social theory, and field research have exerted a lasting influence on the discipline of anthropology.

Thus, Marshall Sahlins created a typology of gift-giving relations in different societies.

Curriculum development is the process of designing and creating an educational plan. It involves determining what knowledge and skills students should acquire, selecting instructional methods, and creating assessment strategies. It aims to meet educational objectives, adapt to societal needs, and enhance the overall learning experience.

Key Points The sociological basis of curriculum development:

• Ontology:
  • Definition: Ontology deals with questions about the nature of reality and existence.
  • Curriculum Connection: In curriculum development, ontological considerations involve defining what knowledge is considered essential and real.
• Epistemology:
  • Definition: Epistemology is concerned with the nature of knowledge and how we come to know things.
  • Curriculum Connection: Epistemological considerations in curriculum development involve decisions about how knowledge should be acquired and validated.
• Structure:
  • Definition: Structure refers to the organization and arrangement of elements within a system.
  • Curriculum Connection: Sociological aspects of curriculum development necessitate an understanding of the social structures within which education occurs. This includes considerations about how educational institutions are organized, the hierarchical arrangements within schools, and the broader societal structures that influence educational systems.
• Agency:
  • Definition: Agency pertains to the capacity of individuals or groups to act independently and make choices.
  • Curriculum Connection: Sociological considerations involve recognizing the agency of various stakeholders in the educational process, such as teachers, students, administrators, and policymakers. Understanding how these actors influence and are influenced by the curriculum development process is crucial.

Thus, it is concluded that the sociological basis of curriculum development is Ontology, Epistemology, Structure, and Agency.

The correct answer is Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.Key Points

• Culture can be described as a way of life because it encompasses the beliefs, values, customs, traditions, language, and other aspects of human behaviour that are shared and transmitted across generations within a particular group or society.
• Culture is not just a collection of isolated practices or artefacts, but rather a system of meaning and significance that informs how people interact with each other, understand the world around them, and navigate their daily lives.
• Reason (R) is true and explains A: Knowledge is a fundamental element of culture. It includes traditional knowledge, accumulated wisdom, skills, and information passed down through generations. This knowledge informs cultural practices, beliefs, and behaviors.
• For example, cultural knowledge may include understanding the meaning and significance of certain symbols or rituals, knowing how to navigate social hierarchies and norms, or recognizing the importance of certain values such as honesty, respect, or generosity.

Therefore, culture being a way of life (A) is accurately explained by the fact that it incorporates knowledge (R).

The correct answer is - Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

Important Points

• Art is a type of skill - this is true, as art often requires specific technical skills such as drawing, painting, sculpting, etc.
• Creativity is not important in art - this is false, as creativity is a crucial aspect of art.
• It is the ability to think outside the box and generate new and unique ideas that make art interesting and engaging.
• There is no place for ideas in art - this is also false, as ideas often form the basis for many works of art. Art can be used to express ideas, communicate messages, or provoke thought.
• Mental and physical skills are used in arts - this is true, as art requires both mental and physical skills.
• Mental skills such as creativity, imagination, and problem-solving are necessary to generate ideas and execute them in a meaningful way, while physical skills such as dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and spatial awareness are necessary for the physical creation of art.
• Artists worship beauty - this is a subjective statement and not necessarily true for all artists.
• However, many artists do focus on creating works that are aesthetically pleasing and visually attractive.

With this objective, the Centre for Survey Training and Map Production was established at Hyderabad in 1967 with a Human Resource Development Institute within Survey of India under technical assistance from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Programmed instructional material is a technique of self-learning. With the help of this program, the disciples can learn themselves. The program can be fed into a machine in the form of a book or a recorded tap or cassette and is called programmed instructional material.

Polar Stratospheric Clouds are associated with Ozone layer depletion is environmental issues.

Polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs), also known as nacreous clouds from nacre, or mother of pearl, due to their iridescence (change of colours), are clouds in the winter polar stratosphere. PSCs are wave clouds. They are often found downwind of mountain ranges, which can induce gravity waves in the lower stratosphere.

It does not indicate procedures.

Community is a group of people who interact with one another within a bounded geographic territory, often sharing common values, beliefs, or behaviors.

Basic Elements of Community:

• Group of people
• Geographical territory: Living together facilities people to develop social contacts, give protection, safety and security.
• Community sentiment: It implies ‘a feeling of belonging together. Community feeling has the four important aspects such as we-feeling, interdependence, participation and community control.
• Interaction among them: Interaction among the people of group.

Institutions can refer to mechanisms which govern the behavior of a set of individuals within a given community; moreover, institutions are identified with a social purpose.

Characteristics of an Institution:

• Common cultural system: A cultural system exists and all follow the same cultural practices and traditions.
• Permanent recognition: The beliefs are laid out and tried and tested over time. It they sustain then they become the fundamental beliefs of the institution and gain a permanent recognition.
• Well-known defined objectives: The objectives resonate with the cultural norms.
• Transmitter of social heritage: It is in the institutions that individual learns basic values of the life. It helps to conserve and transmit social culture and heritage along generations.
• Resistant to social change: Social institutions are social patterns that establish the organized behaviour of human beings in the performance of basic social functions, therefore resistant to social change.

Mainly the correlational analysis focus on finding the association between one or more quantitative independent variables and one or more quantitative dependent variables.

Hattan has laid special emphasis on the study of primitive culture with the aim of finding out the reasons for the origin of the caste-system. They have tried to explain the prohibitions related to 'food and marriage' under the caste-system on the basis of 'Mana'.

A mixed economy is variously defined as an economic system blending elements of a market economy with elements of a planned economy, free markets with state interventionism, or private enterprise with public enterprise.

In general, the longitudinal approach is long-term research in which the researchers keep on examining similar individuals to detect if any change has occurred over a while.

(i) (iv) (ii) (iii) respectively are correct.

The Elementary Forms of Religious Life, published by the French sociologist E. Durkheim in 1912, is a book that analyzes religion as a social phenomenon.

Fifty years ago, William J. Goode published World Revolution and Family Patterns, a highly influential study of international family change.

The Power Elite is a 1956 book by sociologist C. W. Mills, in which Mills calls attention to the interwoven interests of the leaders of the military, corporate, and political elements of society and suggests that the ordinary citizen in modern times is a relatively powerless subject of manipulation by those three entities.

The Sociological Interpretation of Religion was written by Roland Robertson a sociologist and theorist of globalization who lectured at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland.