A __________ is a socially defined position in a group or society characterized by certain expectations, rights, and duties; it exists independently of the specific people occupying them.

If we say that all Americans who were born in the year 1954 will, on average, live to the age of 75, we are using a criterion called:

A 66-year-old woman is exploited financially by a bogus company purporting to replace the siding on her home. According to the text, the actions by this company may best be characterized as:

A                __________ group is a small, less specialized group in which members engage in face-to-face, emotion-based interactions over an extended period of time.

__________ leaders encourage group discussion and decision making through consensus building.

__________ include our family, close friends, and school- or work-related peer groups.

Although most people are related to members of their __________ by blood ties, those who are adopted have a legal tie that is patterned after a blood relationship.

A __________ is a set of organized beliefs and rules that establishes how a society will attempt to meet its basic social needs.

People do not voluntarily become members of __________ organizations (associations that people are forced to join).

Social scientists refer to __________ as the patterns of individuals marrying those who have similar characteristics such as race/ethnicity, religious background, age, education, and/or social class.