Sociology Objective & Practice Questions and Answers for Competitive Exams

List of sociology objective and practice question and answers for competitive examinations. This will help you to learn about sociology objective and practice questions and answers which is more likely to be asked in UPSC, UGC-NET, IAS, Civil Services, eligibility tests and other competitive examinations!

1. The value of Sociological Theory lies in

(a) the number of questions raised

(b) describing society

(d) descending behavioural patterns

Ans. (a)

2. Thinker who has identified two types of general theory namely, the normative and non-normative is

(a) Pareto

(b) Homans

(d) Marx

Ans. (b)

3. Who gave the theory of Leisure Class?

(a) Parsons

(b) T. Veblen

(d) C.W. Mills

Ans. (b)

4. The concept ‘trained incapacity’ was propounded by

(a) Karl Marx

(b) T. Veblen

(d) R.E. Park

Ans. (b)

5. The concept ‘conspicuous consumption’ was propounded by

(a) Karl Marx

(b) Veblen

(d) Emile Durkheim

Ans. (b)

6. An institution is a

(a) defined way of behaviour

(b) cluster of traits

(d) institutionalised relations

Ans. (c)

7. Who has propounded the theory of cultural lag?

(a) W.F. Ogburn

(b) NimKoff

(d) Oscar Lewis

Ans. (a)

8. The acquisition of foreign culture by the subject people is called

(a) Assimilation

(b) Acculturation

(d) Subjectisation

Ans. (b)

9. Cultural relativism means

(a) Function and meaning of a trait are relative to its cultural setting

(b) culture is relatively rare

(d) cultural diffusion is relative

Ans. (a)

10. Which among the following is not true about assimilation?

(a) It brings about cultural diffusion

(b) It is a historical process

(d) Cultural conflict is there

Ans. (d)

11. If the maternal uncle comes first among all male relatives, than this kinship usage is called

(a) Maternity

(b) Avunculate

(d) Matenealate

Ans. (b)

12. Practice of making husband lead the life of an invalid along with his wife whenever she gives birth to a child is

(a) Imitation

(b) Couvade

(d) Rehearsal

Ans. (b)

13. A social mechanism for preventing certain kinship bonds from falling into neglect in a matrilineal society is

(a) Amitate

(b) Control mechanism

(d) Kin-contact

Ans. (a)

14. In Hindi, which is the only classificatory kinship terminology?

(a) Samaadhin

(b) Damaad

(d) Chacha

Ans. (a)

15. Which among the following is true regarding classificatory term of kinship?

(a) It refers to kin

(b) It refers to relationship

(d) It refers to family ties

Ans. (c)

16. In what way are goods divided among members of the society?

(a) Accumulation

(b) Reciprocity

(d) Dissemination

Ans. (c)

17. When the trade and money become developed activities, an institution becomes

(a) more varied

(b) less varied

(d) less dynamic

Ans. (a)

18. Name the factor which led to the weakening of working class power and unionism.

(a) Capital

(b) Technology

(d) Secondary organisation

Ans. (b)

19. Who was on the opinion that only those who are engaged in the production of goods are productive?

(a) Karl Marx

(b) Adam Smith

(d) David Ricardo

Ans. (b)

20. Which among the following did not influence the ‘production’?

(a) Social structure

(b) Technology

(d) Education

Ans. (d)

21. ‘Goa’ is an example of

(a) Religious city

(b) Industrial city

(d) Commercial city

Ans. (b)

22. Unlike rural community, urban community is

(a) More static

(b) Less familiar

(d) More traditional

Ans. (a)

23. What is the focus of human relation approach in the study of modern industrial set-up?

(a) Worker’s morale

(b) Profit making

(d) Solution of union grievances

Ans. (b)

24. A town which serves the hinterland and in return is served by the hinterland is called

(a) Central place

(b) Growth centre

(d) Service centre

Ans. (a)

25. In the Indian context urban is generally described as

(a) A function of population size and density

(b) A permanent settlement of cities

(d) A class of people characterised by higher education

Ans. (a)

26. “The state is the march of God on earth.” This statement belongs to

(a) A. Comte

(b) Le Play

(d) J.S. Mills

Ans. (a)

27. “The most important outward factor in the formation of nationalities is the state.” To whom do you attribute these words?

(a) Hans Kohn

(b) H. Laski

(d) Aristotle

Ans. (a)

28. State is supreme but not without limitations. Which of the following cannot be done by it?

(a) Fix the strength of the army

(b) Discipline public opinion

(d) Destroy all such people, whom it considers superfluous

Ans. (d)

29. In a democracy, education must be regarded as

(a) a social function

(b) an individual concern

(d) a state function

Ans. (a)

30. Who among the following believe that the state should not be passive but an active spectator in regulating the life of the citizens?

(a) Fascists

(b) Democrats

(d) Individualists

Ans. (a)

31. When did ‘Bourgeoisie’ system of social classes emerge?

(a) During tenth century

(b) During Renaissance period

(d) During eighteenth and nineteenth century

Ans. (d)

32. The ‘Estate’ system is more often associated with

(a) Socialism

(b) Ancient society

(d) Capitalist society

Ans. (c)

33. The class of ‘guilds’ had grown for the first time in India during the

(a) 11th century

(b) 13th century

(d) 16th century

Ans. (a)

34. Henry Maine was one of the opinion that the castes were born out of

(a) Occupational divisions crystallising into castes

(b) Brahmanical domination

(d) Religious sanctions

Ans. (a)

35. Who was of the view that ‘Social Stratification is a process by which individuals and groups are ranked in a more or less enduring hierarchy of status’?

(a) H. Maine

(b) Baden Powell

(d) T. Parsons

Ans. (c)

36. A society’s resistance to social change is likely to be negatively related to its

(a) Isolation

(b) Emphasis on conformity

(d) Culture

Ans. (a)

37. The most important single cause of social change since the industrial revolution has been

(a) Value

(b) Norms

(d) Secularization

Ans. (c)

38. Bhoodan movement had its beginning in

(a) Madhya Pradesh

(b) Bihar

(d) Andhra Pradesh

Ans. (d)

39. Ram is working as an accountant’s assistant. He is pursuing a course on business management with a hope to become a marketing manager. This process is called?

(a) Educational difference

(b) Educational mobility

(d) Socialisation

Ans. (b)

40. Emphasis on humanitarianism and rationalisation is a part of the process of _______ in India.

(a) Secularisation

(b) Westernisation

(d) Sanskritisation

Ans. (b)

41. The fundamental characteristic of an industrial society is

(a) Break up of joint families

(b) Emancipation of women

(d) Lack of faith in religion

Ans. (c)

42. Modern society is governed by

(a) Convention and tradition

(b) Rule of law

(d) Physical force applied by police

Ans. (b)

43. The book “Coming of the Post-Industrial Society” is written by?

(a) Alwin Toffler

(b) Daniel Bell

(d) Erwin Goffman

Ans. (b)

44. Techno structure is the characteristic of the

(a) Industrial society

(b) Post-industrial society

(d) Hydraulic and automatic society

Ans. (b)

45. Which of the following were the reasons for the emergence of post-industrial society?

1. Emergence of new classes

2. Emergence of new technologies

3. Emergence of new moral order

4. Emergence of new political power

(a) 1, 2, 3 and 4

(b) 1 and 2

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans. (b)

46. Which one of the following statements is not correct?

(a) Heterogeneity of population is a characteristic of a city community

(b) Social changes occur more rapidly in the cities than in the towns and villages

(d) Most of the major cities of India located on the coast or on navigable rivers.

Ans. (c)

47. The capacity of women for giving live births is called

(a) Fecundity

(b) Fertility

(d) Morbidity

Ans. (a)

48. The discipline concerned with the statistical analysis and description of population composition and change is called

(a) Demography

(b) Census

(d) Population statistics

Ans. (a)

49. The study of composition of marital status of a group of population is called

(a) Eugenics

(b) Alliance

(d) Nuptiality

Ans. (d)

50. As per the 1991 census of India, the state with the highest percentage of urban population is

(a) Maharashtra

(b) Kerala

(d) Gujarat

Ans. (a)

51. According to 1981 census

(a) 24% of Indian women are recorded as paid workers

(b) 87% of the women workers are in the unorganised sectors

(d) 27% of the women workers are in the organised sectors

Ans. (b)

52. Studies shows that if a women has internalised the dominance of home makers role she is likely to adopt a

(a) Noncompetitive, un-involved and low profile at work

(b) Competitive, involved and high profile at work

(d) None of the above

Ans. (a)

53. Who has written the book ‘Women and Society in India’?

(a) Neera Desai and Maithreyi Krishna Raj

(b) Leela Kasturi and Leela Dube

(d) Leela Dube and Pauline Kolenda

Ans. (a)

54. Which one of the given issues is not raised by the women’s organisations in the post- independence period?

(a) Lack of maternity benefits

(b) Lack of provisions of child care

(d) Wage discrimination between men and women

Ans. (c)

55. In the post-independent period the shift in response of the government in women’s issues was due to the

(a) Shift in issues and agenda for actions within women’s movement

(b) Research on women’s problems

(d) None of the above

Ans. (c)

56. Who regards social structure as the complex of the principal groups and institutions which constitute societies?

(a) Spencer

(b) Nadel

(d) Ginsberg

Ans. (d)

57. Mark the correct statement.

(a) role is the unit of an institution

(b) institution is the unit of social structure

(d) neither a nor b is true

Ans. (c)

58. ______ The sum total of the social relationships of all individuals at a given moment in time. This definition of ‘social structure’ is widely acknowledged and accepted in sociology and social anthropology. It was given by

(a) B. Malinowski

(b) A.R. Radcliffee-Brown

(d) M. Ginsberg

Ans. (b)

59. The theory of leisure class was given by

(a) Ivan lllich

(b) Parsons

(d) Veblen

Ans. (d)

60. ‘Social fact’ is a methodological tool adopted by

(a) Weber

(b) Becker

(d) Merton

Ans. (b)

61. Seeing a very big rally it was reported that JD will win the election, the conclusion was based on:

(a) random sampling

(b) cluster sampling

(d) systematic sampling

Ans. (b)

62. In a frequency distribution the last cumulative frequency is 500. Q₃ must lie in:

(a) 275^th item

(b) 375^th item

(d) 175^th item

Ans. (b)

63. The early decades of the 20th century saw a proliferation of caste organisation, conferences and associations, on the initiative of the educated of the intermediate and lower castes. These movements were:

1. A factional struggle against the lead established by the Brahmans and other upper castes in the professions and the services.

2. A movement of upward mobility through the process of sanskritisation.

3. They were distorted expression of socio-economic tensions, manifesting itself in caste conflicts and movements.

Which among the above are correct?

(A) 3 only

(B) 2 only

(D) 1, 2 and 3

Ans. (D)

64. Universalisation refers to the process in which:

(A) the elements of Great tradition move downward to become part of Little tradition.

(B) the Little tradition is exposed to Sanskrit ideas and values

(D) the elements of Little tradition move upward and become identified with Great tradition.

Ans. (D)

65. Radcliffe-Brown coined the term ‘Euphoria’ in order to delineate:

(A) A state of equilibrium

(B) A state of chaos

(D) A state of social upsurge

Ans. (C)

66. Which one of the following is not a feature of capitalism?

(A) Free market operations

(B) Maximisation of profit

(D) Dominance of public sector over private sector.

Ans. (D)

67. Who propounded the theory of ‘Internal Structure of Role’?

(A) Radcliffe-Brown

(B) Nadel

(D) Murdock

Ans. (C)

68. Who among the following formulated the theory of ‘Middle Class’ within the Marxian framework?

(A) Collins

(B) Coser

(D) Engles

Ans. (D)

69. According to Comte, like other sciences, the laws of social phenomena could be divided into two major fields of study, statics and dynamics. All sciences, for Comte are concerned with statics, i.e., discovery of laws of________________ and dynamics which was concerned with discovery of laws of succession:

(a) Integration

(b) Co-existence

(d) Universal social phenomena

Ans. (b)

70. According to______________ societies were formed by coming together and agreeing, or making a contract to live side by side in peace, rather than continuing to fight one another.

(a) E. Durkheim

(b) Thomas Hobbes

(d) V. Pareto

Ans. (b)

71. According to Mead, ‘self-conscious assumption of another’s acts or roles’ is called:

(a) Socialization

(b) Imitation

(d) Assimilation

Ans. (b)

72. Insects warming around an outdoor light is an example of:

(a) Gathering

(b) Aggregation

(d) Congregation

Ans. (b)

73. “An institution is a net of folk ways and mores that centre in the achievement of some human end or purpose”. This definition has been given by:

(a) Green

(b) Sumner

(d) Ginsberg

Ans. (b)

74. Institutions are the, “established forms of conditions of procedure characteristic of group activity.” This definition has been given by:

(a) Maclver

(b) Ginsberg

(d) None of the above

Ans. (a)

75. In secondary groups relationship among the members is-

(a) competitive

(b) cooperative

(d) none of the above

Ans. (a)

76. Which one of the following is a social group?

(a) church

(b) labour union

(d) crowd

Ans. (b)

77. Without________ behaviour would be unpredictable.

(a) norms

(b) socialization

(d) goals

Ans. (a)

78. Mark the correct statement out of the following:

(a) norms to a great extent, determine and provide guidance to the intuitive judgement of an individual

(b) norms act against the tendency of the individual to apply their intuitive judgement

(d) none of the above

Ans. (b)

79. As far as the individual attitudes are concerned:

(a) they are never influenced by the norms

(b) they are always influenced by the norms

(d) they have nothing to do with norms

Ans. (a)

80. Mark the correct statement-

(a) norms help in evolving a normative order in the groups

(b) norms help in evolving a possible order in the groups

(d) all the above

Ans. (a)

81. The theorist who developed labelling theory is-

(a) David Matza

(b) Erving Goffman

(d) Howard Becker

(d) Robin Williams

Ans. (c)

82. According to Thomas and Zaniecki the “Perfect conformist” would be the-

(a) Philistine

(b) Bohemian

(d) Innovato

Ans. (a)

83. Who said that socialization takes place through two major mechanism- identification and repression?

(a) M. Mead

(b) Tonnies

(d) Sumner

Ans. (c)

84. The super ego, according to Freud represents the part of an individual’s personality that was created-

(a) through socialization during the formative years

(b) through socialization

(d) none of the above

Ans. (a)

85. Which of the following statements is not true?

(a) Accommodation is not a permanent happening but assimilation is permanent

(b) Accommodation may be all of sudden but the assimilation is a slow and gradual process

(d) Accommodation is deliberate but assimilation is unconscious

Ans. (d)

86. In a large society-

(a) It is easy to achieve complete assimilation

(b) Complete assimilation is hypothetical only

(d) Nothing can be done

Ans. (b)

87. Who has written the book ‘Social Structure’?

(a) Maclver

(b) Kapadia

(d) Redcliffe Brown

Ans. (c)

88. _____ is the family into which an individual is born and in which he is socialized.

(a) Nuclear family

(b) Conjugal family

(d) Family of pro-creation

Ans. (b)

89. The Khasi family is known as_________.

(a) Ling

(b) Tarward

(d) Delingson

Ans. (a)

90. Kinship and descent are essential for maintaining:

(a) social system

(b) marriage

(d) none of the above

Ans. (a)

91. Secondary kin of the primary kin is called___________.

(a) distant kin

(b) third degree kin

(d) tertiary kin

Ans. (d)

92. Which one of the following is NOT the advantage of rule of descent?

(a) ‘Rights about inheritance of property’ are conveniently laid down

(b) Family feuds are easily settled

(d) Rights of each person are defined

Ans. (b)

93. Which one of the following was NOT an important factor of kinship in ancient India?

(a) Birth in the family

(b) Willing adoption

(d) Legal adoption

Ans. (d)

94. Which one of the following is NOT one of the three basic rules of descent?

(a) Patrilineal

(b) Matrilineal

(d) Fraternal

Ans. (d)

95. Who said “I don’t wish them (women) to have power over men, but over themselves”?

(a) Simone de Beauvoir

(b) Mary Wollstonecraft

(d) Elshtain

Ans. (b)

96. Mark the odd one out-

(a) Right to Information – Aruna Roy

(b) Narmada Bachao Movement – Medha Patkar

(d) Anti-Corruption Movement – Mohsina Qidwai

Ans. (d)

97. The famous Shah Bano case is related to Muslim wife’s:

(a) Right to Divorce

(b) Right to Separation

(d) Right to Husband’s property

Ans. (c)

98. Which among the following Acts had declared polygamy among Hindus to be illegal?

(a) Sharada Act 1929

(b) The Hindu Marriage Act 1955

(d) Shariat Bill 1937

Ans. (b)

99. The UN Decade of Women 1976-85 ended with the Conference in:

(a) Nairobi

(b) Beijing

(d) Stony point, New York

Ans. (a)

100. According to ___________, class is a historical category.

(a) Weber

(b) Engels

(d) Ralph Dahrendorf

Ans. (c)

101. According to Sir Herbert Risley, caste system originated in India due to ______________.

(a) an artificial creation by the clever priesthood for permanent division and subjection

(b) racial differences and hypergamy

(d) hereditary occupations and endogamy

Ans. (b)

102. Jajmani system is _____________.

(a) achieved

(b) hereditary

(d) none of the above

Ans. (b)

103. _____________ argues that stratification system derive from common values.

(a) Talcott Parsons

(b) Weber

(d) Tumin

Ans. (a)

104. Pre-revolutionary Russia, as a/an _____________ society in which the clergy, the nobility, merchants and peasants were separated into social strata that depended on birth and were controlled by law.

(a) classless

(b) caste ridden

(d) agricultural

Ans. (c)

105. In joint dormitories like that of the Muria, girl members are called ________ and the boys are called __________.

(a) rasik, chelia

(b) motiari, chelik

(d) rasik, chelik

Ans. (b)

106. In an agrarian society, sanctions are generally imposed-

(a) informally

(b) through law

(d) through police

Ans. (a)

107. The _________ tribe furnishes a classic example of pastoral economy.

(a) Baiga

(b) Bhil

(d) Jarwa

Ans. (c)

108. The Oron call their youth dormitory as ____________.

(a) Dhumkuria

(b) Gotul

(d) Arichu

Ans. (a)

109. The youth dormitory of Munda and Ho tribes is known as _________.

(a) Jonkerpa

(b) Dhangarabasa

(d) Gitiora

Ans. (d)

110. _________ has divided the systems of exchange into three types, viz., reciprocity, redistribution and market exchange.

(a) Karl Polyani

(b) Ogbum

(d) Wiser

Ans. (a)

111. In the broadest sense __________ may be defined as the economic system which, market the widest used capital in the process of production.

(a) capitalism

(b) socialism

(d) corporation

Ans. (a)

112. Primitive economic organisations are of __________ type.

(a) production

(b) subsistence

(d) market-oriented

Ans. (b)

113. Kula exchange among Trobrianders takes place as a reciprocal giving and taking between partners-

(a) who are temporary and easily changeable

(b) who are mutually chosen according to their free will

(d) none of the above

Ans. (c)

114. The presence of redistribution implies the existence of ____________.

(a) a value system

(b) a stable social relationship

(d) a king

Ans. (c)

115. Mark out among the following the principal cause that ended the village isolation:

(a) Development of means of transport and communication

(b) The expansion of literacy

(d) Freedom of the country and the setting up of the democratic institutions

Ans. (a)

116. Which type of town was termed as Matha?

(a) Commercial town

(b) The Royal capital

(d) Industrial town

Ans. (c)

117. In view of the religious observance and practices of villagers, and their recognised moral sense, which among the following gives a correct estimate of their situation?

(a) The villagers are uncultured

(b) That they lack sense of value

(d) That their circumstances have beguiled them

Ans. (d)

118. Social distance in a city is due to:

(a) The size of the city

(b) The distance between one’s residence and the working place

(d) The transport problem in the city

Ans. (c)

119. Temples down the ages have remained a part of village life. Indicate the non-religious matter connected with it.

(a) It is an educational centre for the children and for the adults

(b) It is a place where discussions on matters of social importance are held

(d) All of the above

Ans. (d)

120. The de-facto census method__________

(a) counts the population according to where it is on the night proceeding the census

(b) distributes the people on the basis of their usual place of residence

(d) none of these

Ans. a

121. The de-jure census method__________

(a) counts the population according to where it is on the night preceding the census

(b) distributes the people on the basis of their usual place of residence

(d) None of the above

Ans. b

122. A measure of the fertility that is particularly useful in making inter group comparisons is that of the total number of children ever born to various categories of women. This is termed as__________

(a) fertility rate

(b) fertility ratio

(d) fertility speed

Ans. b

123. According to Malthus, war is a___________ for the population

(a) positive check

(b) preventive check

(d) destructive exercise

Ans. a

124. Population pyramid is a graphic representation of___________

(a) fertility ratio of the population

(b) age-sex distribution of the population at a given time

(d) fertility and mortality ratio of the population

Ans. b

125.________ has defined ‘power’ as the chance of a man or a number of men to realize their own will in a communal action even against the resistance of others who are participating in the action.

(a) Marx

(b) Weber

(d) MacIver

Ans. b

126. Which one of the following is NOT an optional function of the state?

(a) To provide civic facilities

(b) To open educational institutions

(d) To promote international relations

Ans. d

127. There are some societies which do not have a single head as a source of authority. They are called head as a source of authority. They are called

(a) acephalous

(b) vacuum society

(d) none of the above

Ans. a

128. One of the features of_____________ is that they are run by officials who are free to specialize in the administration of the state,

(a) band

(b) acephalous system

(d) dictatorship

Ans. c

129. Where do the Guild Socialists and Syndicalists differ from each other? Both believe that

(a) state is an evil

(b) there should be a stateless society

(d) the capital is a theft

Ans. b

130. Prof. M.N. Srinivas is of the view that the caste system in India, since independence:

(a) has increased

(b) has very much decreased

(d) is limited to the elites

Ans. b

131. Who of the following belonging to the scheduled caste contributed significantly to the framing of the Indian constitution?

(a) K.M. Munshi

(b) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar

(d) A. Swami Aiyangar

Ans. b

132. The constitution of India does not provide for one of the following about scheduled castes and scheduled tribes?

(a) temples will be thrown open to them

(b) Village panchayats will have no seats for them

(d) land will be provided to the landless

Ans. b

133. The exercise about scheduling and descheduling in India gets hindered because:

(a) no new caste is prepared to come in the schedule

(b) no caste is willing to go out of the schedule

(d) the elite of the society oppose it

Ans. b

134. During freedom struggle our national leaders made it clear that after independence they will

(a) not touch caste system

(b) radically change caste hierarchy

(d) strengthen caste system

Ans. c

135. Who among the following does not belong to cyclical theory of social change?

(a) Spencer

(b)Toynbee

(d) Hobhouse

Ans.(a)

136. Aspirations for improvement in caste-status are common but it is not achieved unless a caste acquire –

(a) Ritual purity

(b) Group acceptance

(d) Official connections

Ans.(b)

137. Which statement on Sanskritization is correct?

(a) Sanskritization necessarily leads to social mobility

(b) Sanskritization is a very quick method of social mobility

(d) None of the above

Ans.(c)

138. A social movement based on the expectation or a sudden transformation of society through the intervention of the supernatural is –

(a) Revitalization movement

(b) Nativistic movement

(d) Vitalistic movement

Ans.(c)

139. When was Bhagvatism captured and absorbed by Brahmanism in general and Vaishnavism in particular?

(a) Mughal period

(b) Gupta period

(d) Mauryan period

Ans.(b)

140. Beliefs are-

(a) primitive knowledge

(b) tested empirical knowledge

(d) practical knowledge

Ans. (d)

141. Which among the following is a part of the himichci belief system?

(a) Karma and Sanskara

(b) Transmigration of soul

(d) All

Ans. (d)

142. Which of the following belief systems hold that evil is the result to unrealistic desire?

(a) Confucianism

(b) Buddhism

(d) Islam

Ans. (d)

143. Which among the following is a part of Catholic belief system?

(a) Concept of Trinity

(b) No asceticism, no mysticism

(d) Shadowy gods

Ans. (d)

144. Under the food rationing laws, the number of guests that can be invited at a particular function and the quantity of food that may be supplied is fixed. In our society what among the following will be in accordance with the norms’?

(a) To invite all friends and relations even if it falls beyond the prescribed limit

(b) To provide the eatable beyond the limit to a less than prescribed number

(d) To abide by Food Rationing Laws

Ans. (c)

145. Maclver has described _________ as the socially approved sequence of variation on a customary theme.

(a) conventions

(b) fashion

(d) culture

Ans. (b)

146. _________ need not be rational.

(a) Folkways

(b) Mores

(d) Law

Ans. (b)