MICHIGAN
TEST OBJECTIVES
FIELD 612: SOCIOLOGY

Foundations: Prerequisite Concepts and Skills
Individuals, Groups, and Social Interaction
Social Organization
Social Stratification and Change
U.S. Social Problems

FOUNDATIONS: PREREQUISITE CONCEPTS AND SKILLS

Identify sociological terms, concepts, and theories.

Includes characteristics of the sociological perspective; sociological terms and concepts; and major sociological theories and theorists.

Understand research techniques used by sociologists.

Includes types and characteristics of sociological research techniques; and appropriate techniques for various sociological research needs.

Understand characteristics, objectives, and issues in contemporary U.S. sociology.

Includes identification of major characteristics, objectives, and issues in contemporary U.S. sociology.

Apply procedures for locating and gathering social science information.

Includes note-taking skills; and the identification and application of appropriate reference sources.

Apply procedures for translating, synthesizing, and organizing social science information.

Includes the interpretation and synthesis of information in written and graphic form; and the categorization and sequencing of data.

Apply analytical thinking skills to social science.

Includes drawing conclusions from stated information; evaluating sources of information; and assessing the validity of conclusions.

Apply problem-solving and research skills to social science.

Includes topics and thesis statements; problem-solving steps; and research methods or models for solving problems.

INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS, AND SOCIAL INTERACTION

Understand socialization processes.

Includes agents of socialization; socialization processes; types, characteristics, and goals of socialization at various stages of the life cycle; and the relationship between socialization and gender roles.

Understand the relationship between culture and personality.

Includes social factors that contribute to the development of personality and self-image; and the effects of culture on personality.

Understand the formation of individual values, beliefs, and attitudes.

Includes the formation of values, norms, beliefs, and attitudes, and their relationship to social, cultural, and economic factors.

Understand theories and consequences of deviance, and methods of social control.

Includes theories of deviance; individual and social consequences of deviance; and agents and methods of social control.

Identify types and functions of groups.

Includes characteristics of various types of groups, group structures, and group functions.

Understand group processes.

Includes processes and interactions that occur within and between groups.

Understand types of communication, their functions, and their significance.

Includes types, characteristics, and functions of verbal, nonverbal, and symbolic communication; the development and significance of mass media; and the functions, applications, and significance of propaganda.

SOCIAL ORGANIZATION

Understand the determination and implications of social status in various kinds of societies.

Includes types and characteristics of status; factors that determine an individual’s status; and the effects of various status designations on the individual.

Understand the formation and acquisition of roles in various kinds of societies.

Includes factors that determine roles; role types and numbers; and the consequences of multiple roles on the individual.

Understand kinship, marriage, and family systems.

Includes types, characteristics, roles, and functions related to various kinship, marriage, and family systems.

Understand types of political systems.

Includes types and characteristics of various political systems; power and authority in various political systems; the functions of government; and the basic rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens in relation to citizens of other political systems.

Understand types of economic systems.

Includes types, characteristics, bases, functions, and goals of traditional and contemporary economic systems.

Understand educational systems.

Includes the structure, function, and role of education; and the relationship of education to other social institutions.

Understand religious institutions.

Includes the structure, function, and role of religious institutions; and the relationship of religious institutions to other social institutions.

SOCIAL STRATIFICATION AND CHANGE

Understand socioeconomic stratification and class in contemporary society.

Includes forms of inequality and their bases, characteristics, effects, and significance; and factors contributing to class inequality.

Analyze racial and ethnic stratification in contemporary society.

Includes factors, effects, and significance of racial and ethnic stratification.

Analyze gender and age stratification in contemporary society.

Includes factors, effects, and significance of age and gender stratification.

Analyze social mobility in contemporary societies.

Includes channels and determinants of social mobility; factors that facilitate and inhibit social mobility; and the implications of social mobility trends.

Understand culture and cultural variation.

Includes components of culture; sources and explanations of cultural variation; and factors that promote or inhibit cultural variation.

Understand social continuity and change.

Includes sources, processes, and mechanisms of social integration, continuity, conflict, and change.

Understand urbanization and industrialization.

Includes effects of and societal factors contributing to urbanization and industrialization; and the effects of modernization on individuals, families, and communities.

Understand types of social movements, their origins, and their impact.

Includes types, functions, characteristics, methods, and goals of social movements; and factors contributing to social movements and revolutions.

U.S. SOCIAL PROBLEMS

Analyze the issues concerning race and ethnic relations in the United States.

Includes concepts related to race and ethnic relations; and factors involved in the origin and continuation of racism and prejudice.

Understand issues related to the achievement of equal rights in the United States.

Includes barriers to achievement; examples of institutional discrimination; and channels for gaining equal rights.

Analyze poverty and the social welfare system in the United States.

Includes contributing factors and effects of urban and rural poverty; and the major characteristics, goals, programs, benefits, and limitations of the U.S. social welfare system.

Understand crime and the criminal justice system in the United States.

Includes types and characteristics of crime, and their trends; factors that promote crime; and components, characteristics, goals, and current issues in criminal justice.

Understand contemporary ecological issues in the United States.

Includes major terms and concepts; ecological problems and their relationships to society; and intervention methods for ecological problems, their social costs, and their benefits.

Understand U.S. population trends and processes.

Includes trends, processes, characteristics, costs, and benefits of various approaches to population growth.

Analyze urban problems in the United States.

Includes urban trends and problems; contributing factors and effects of urban problems; and methods for alleviating urban problems.

Understand issues related to aging in the United States.

Includes trends in U.S. health and longevity, and their social implications; and contributing factors and effects of problems related to aging.

Understand issues related to health care in the United States.

Includes types and characteristics of health institutions; and trends and problems in the provision of health services.

Understand contemporary family life in the United States.

Includes trends in family formation and dissolution; characteristics, factors, and effects of changing family structures and roles; and the effects of and social factors contributing to family dissolution trends.