What are theories, and how do sociologists use theories to make sense of the social world? In what ways are theories developed by sociologists better than your own theorizing?

Max Weber said the world is becoming increasingly rational­ized. What are the benefits and disadvantages of rationality?

Do your consumption habits reflect Veblen’s theory of con­spicuous consumption? Consider the brand names on your clothing, cell phone, and laptop. Are they expensive brands with visible logos and high status, or less expensive, no-name brands with little or no status?

What are the functions and dysfunctions of using the Internet to consume goods and services? On balance, do you think that consumption through the Internet is positive or negative? Why?

Is your life affected by intersectionality? Do the different statuses you hold intersect? How do those intersections adversely affect you?

What are the differences between participant and nonpar­ticipant observational methods? In both approaches, how do sociologists ensure that their observations are systematic?

Have you ever conducted or participated in an interview, per­haps for a job or an internship? How closely did it adhere to the guidelines for prestructured interviews listed in this chapter?

Why do sociologists who conduct surveys rely on samples? What techniques do researchers use to avoid biases in their samples?

Some experiments allow researchers to take advantage of a naturally occurring event to study its effect on one or more dependent variables. Can you think of any recent events that might have been conducive to natural experiments? What would be the dependent variable or variables in your example?

What are some of the ethical concerns raised by sociological research? Use a specific example from research discussed in this chapter to describe these ethical concerns.