STPGT-Sociology_Émile Durkheim: Religion

Model MCQ's Émile Durkheim

Émile Durkheim: Religion

1. According to Durkheim, what is the primary social function of religion?

(A) To explain natural phenomena

(B) To establish social cohesion and collective conscience

(C) To promote economic productivity

(D) To discourage individual freedom

(B) To establish social cohesion and collective conscience

Explanation: Durkheim argued religion reinforces social bonds and solidarity through collective beliefs and rituals.

2. Durkheim makes a fundamental distinction between which two spheres?

(A) Sacred and profane

(B) Mind and body

(C) Economy and politics

(D) Magic and science

(A) Sacred and profane

Explanation: He identified the sacred (set apart, forbidden) and the profane (ordinary, everyday) as the core duality of religion.

3. In Durkheim’s theory, the sacred is characterized by:

(A) Ordinary objects and ideas

(B) Objects and ideas set apart and forbidden, inspiring reverence

(C) Purely physical characteristics

(D) Natural phenomena only

(B) Objects and ideas set apart and forbidden, inspiring reverence

Explanation: Sacred things are set apart from the profane and are central to religious life.

4. Durkheim analyzes which form of religion as the elementary form?

(A) Christianity

(B) Totemism among Australian aboriginal clans

(C) Hinduism

(D) Islam

(B) Totemism among Australian aboriginal clans

Explanation: He studied Australian totemism as a basic and illustrative example of religion.

5. Totemism in Durkheim’s account refers to:

(A) Worship of a single god

(B) A system where clans identify with a natural object or animal as a symbol

(C) Magic to control nature

(D) Mythological stories only

(B) A system where clans identify with a natural object or animal as a symbol

Explanation: Totems symbolize the clan and unite group members through shared reverence.

6. Durkheim argues that religious symbols ultimately represent:

(A) The supernatural world only

(B) The society or moral community itself

(C) Natural forces exclusively

(D) Individual desires

(B) The society or moral community itself

Explanation: The totem and sacred objects symbolize the social group’s collective identity and power.

7. What does Durkheim mean by collective effervescence?

(A) Social isolation

(B) Intense communal rituals that create strong social energy and unity

(C) Individual worship alone

(D) Decline of religion

(B) Intense communal rituals that create strong social energy and unity

Explanation: Collective rituals generate a shared emotional energy that binds the group.

8. Religion, according to Durkheim, originates from:

(A) Individual fantasies

(B) Collective human experience and social life

(C) Economic interests

(D) Purely supernatural events

(B) Collective human experience and social life

Explanation: Religion is a social product arising from the need to live collectively.

9. The division between sacred and profane is:

(A) Arbitrary and varies across time and cultures

(B) Absolute and universal according to Durkheim

(C) Only relevant in modern society

(D) Inflexible within all societies

(A) Arbitrary and varies across time and cultures

Explanation: The boundary varies, but the duality itself is found universally.

10. Durkheim rejects the idea that religion is:

(A) A social phenomenon

(B) A system of beliefs and practices

(C) Simply a system of hallucinations or individual illusions

(D) Related to social cohesion

(C) Simply a system of hallucinations or individual illusions

Explanation: Religion reflects real social forces and collective consciousness, not mere hallucinations.

11. In totemism, the totem represents:

(A) The god worshipped alone

(B) Both the clan and a divine power linked to the clan

(C) Only an animal or plant

(D) The ancestors exclusively

(B) Both the clan and a divine power linked to the clan

Explanation: The totem is a symbol embodying both the clan's identity and its sacred power.

12. According to Durkheim, rites serve to:

(A) Maintain social norms and reinforce the sacredness of the totem

(B) Entertain individuals

(C) Have no social function

(D) Obscure reality

(A) Maintain social norms and reinforce the sacredness of the totem

Explanation: Rituals reactivate collective energies and reaffirm social solidarity.

13. The social group’s conscience that shapes religious symbols is called:

(A) Individual consciousness

(B) Collective conscience

(C) Personal beliefs

(D) Social roles

(B) Collective conscience

Explanation: Collective conscience is the shared social mind that creates moral authority.

14. Durkheim links the idea of ‘soul’ in religion to:

(A) A primitive hallucination

(B) The social nature of human beings and their community

(C) Purely biological functions

(D) Personal dreams only

(B) The social nature of human beings and their community

Explanation: The soul concept symbolizes the collective life and identity of the group.

15. Durkheim’s concept of God in religion corresponds to:

(A) A supernatural individual being

(B) The personification or symbolization of society itself

(C) A psychological projection

(D) A mythical ancestor

(B) The personification or symbolization of society itself

Explanation: God personifies collective social power and moral authority.

16. Durkheim argues that the sacred is:

(A) Inherent in objects by nature

(B) Made sacred by collective social recognition and ritual

(C) Accessible to any individual at any time

(D) A purely psychological attribute

(B) Made sacred by collective social recognition and ritual

Explanation: Sacredness is conferred through social processes and collective belief.

17. According to Durkheim, what is a ‘moral community’ in religious life?

(A) A political alliance

(B) A group united by shared beliefs, rituals, and values

(C) An economic class

(D) An individual’s private faith

(B) A group united by shared beliefs, rituals, and values

Explanation: Religious communities bind individuals into moral unity and social order.

18. Durkheim’s study of religion is mainly concerned with:

(A) The psychological state of the individual

(B) How religion functions as a social institution

(C) The historical accuracy of myths

(D) The truth of religious claims

(B) How religion functions as a social institution

Explanation: He explores religion’s role in building and maintaining social cohesion.

19. The ‘profane’ in Durkheim’s terms refers to:

(A) Evil and sin

(B) The ordinary, everyday world and activities outside religious context

(C) Sacred texts only

(D) Moral orders

(B) The ordinary, everyday world and activities outside religious context

Explanation: The profane is the domain of ordinary, non-sacred life.

20. ’Rites of initiation’ in many religions symbolize:

(A) Ordinary life transitions

(B) Death of the old self and rebirth into the sacred community

(C) Economic exchanges

(D) Random celebrations

(B) Death of the old self and rebirth into the sacred community

Explanation: Initiations mark the transformation and acceptance into the religious group.

21. Emile Durkheim defined religion primarily as:

(A) A belief in supernatural beings

(B) A unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things

(C) A system of magic and superstition

(D) Personal faith only

(B) A unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things

Explanation: Durkheim viewed religion as a system uniting people around sacred beliefs and practices.

22. What is the distinction Durkheim makes between the sacred and the profane?

(A) Sacred is evil; profane is good

(B) Sacred refers to things set apart and forbidden, profane to ordinary things

(C) Sacred is natural, profane is supernatural

(D) Sacred is personal; profane is communal

(B) Sacred refers to things set apart and forbidden, profane to ordinary things

Explanation: The sacred-profane divide is fundamental, with sacred things marked by respect and prohibition.

23. According to Durkheim, the core function of religion is:

(A) Explaining natural phenomena

(B) Creating and sustaining social cohesion

(C) Encouraging economic prosperity

(D) Personal salvation

(B) Creating and sustaining social cohesion

Explanation: Religion binds individuals into a moral community, strengthening social solidarity.

24. What form of religion did Durkheim analyze as the elementary form?

(A) Christianity

(B) Totemism of Australian Aboriginal clans

(C) Hinduism

(D) Islam

(B) Totemism of Australian Aboriginal clans

Explanation: Durkheim emphasized totemism as revealing the social foundations of religion.

25. Totemism is characterized by:

(A) Worship of a single deity

(B) Identification of clans with natural emblems or totems

(C) Pure magic rituals

(D) Individualistic worship only

(B) Identification of clans with natural emblems or totems

Explanation: The clan’s totem symbolizes a collective identity and sacred power.

26. What is collective effervescence in Durkheim’s theory?

(A) Individual prayer

(B) Intense communal rituals that generate shared emotional energy

(C) Routine worship

(D) Social isolation

(B) Intense communal rituals that generate shared emotional energy

Explanation: Collective effervescence creates bonds and affirms the sacred in group rituals.

27. What does Durkheim say about the origin of the notion of ‘force’ in religion?

(A) It is a product of individual imagination

(B) It originates in social life and collective representation

(C) It comes from natural phenomena only

(D) It has no social significance

(B) It originates in social life and collective representation

Explanation: The idea of impersonal power or force is rooted in society’s perception of itself as a living force.

28. How does religion relate to society, according to Durkheim?

(A) Religion is a reflection and personification of society itself

(B) Religion is independent of social life

(C) Religion only concerns the supernatural

(D) Religion is opposed to society

(A) Religion is a reflection and personification of society itself

Explanation: Religious symbols and beliefs express societal values and power.

29. Durkheim's theory rejects the interpretation of religion as:

(A) A social fact

(B) A source of moral order

(C) A set of hallucinations or illusions

(D) A system of collective representations

(C) A set of hallucinations or illusions

Explanation: Durkheim considered religion as expressing real social forces, not individual delusions.

30. What role do rites play in Durkheim’s understanding of religion?

(A) Entertainment only

(B) Maintain and reinforce the sacred and social cohesion

(C) Are meaningless traditions

(D) Individual acts only

(B) Maintain and reinforce the sacred and social cohesion

Explanation: Rituals sanctify social bonds and regenerate collective sentiments.

31. The ‘moral community’ in religion refers to:

(A) A group sharing financial interests

(B) A group united by common beliefs and moral codes

(C) Only clergy

(D) A political entity

(B) A group united by common beliefs and moral codes

Explanation: Religious groups share a collective conscience binding members morally.

32. In Durkheim’s view, the ‘soul’ concept in religion represents:

(A) A supernatural being entirely separate from humans

(B) The collective identity embodied in individuals

(C) Pure biology

(D) A mental hallucination

(B) The collective identity embodied in individuals

Explanation: The soul symbolizes a piece of the collective power or identity (totemic principle).

33. Durkheim explains that the sacred as ‘external’ to its substrate means:

(A) Sacred power is inherent in objects themselves

(B) Sacredness is a social effect placed upon objects by society

(C) Sacred things do not exist

(D) Sacredness is biological

(B) Sacredness is a social effect placed upon objects by society

Explanation: Sacredness is a quality society attributes through collective recognition and acts.

34. The ‘totemic principle’ or ‘mana’ described by Durkheim is:

(A) A myth

(B) A physical and moral force emanating from the clan symbol

(C) A natural resource

(D) An individual trait

(B) A physical and moral force emanating from the clan symbol

Explanation: This force embodies the power of the social collective made tangible via totems.

35. Durkheim’s analysis posits that religious prohibitions exist primarily to:

(A) Control individuals arbitrarily

(B) Protect the sacred from the profane

(C) Limit economic activities

(D) Suppress emotions

(B) Protect the sacred from the profane

Explanation: Prohibitions maintain the boundary and respect for sacred things.

36. What does Durkheim say about the relationship between religion and science?

(A) They are incompatible and opposed

(B) Religion addresses social and moral necessities, science explains nature

(C) Science is just a form of religion

(D) Science disproves all religious beliefs

(B) Religion addresses social and moral necessities, science explains nature

Explanation: Religion and science serve different human needs: moral/social vs. empirical/natural.

37. Durkheim’s approach to religion is best classified as:

(A) Theological

(B) Sociological and functionalist

(C) Psychological

(D) Mythological

(B) Sociological and functionalist

Explanation: He studied religion as a social institution fulfilling social functions.

38. What is Durkheim’s view on religions that lack belief in gods, such as Buddhism?

(A) They are not true religions

(B) They still constitute religion by organizing around sacred and profane

(C) They are forms of magic only

(D) They are superstitions

(B) They still constitute religion by organizing around sacred and profane

Explanation: Religion centers on sacredness and collective ritual, not necessarily belief in deities.

39. Which of these is NOT a key element of religion according to Durkheim?

(A) Beliefs

(B) Rituals

(C) The church or moral community

(D) Economic transactions

(D) Economic transactions

Explanation: Religion involves shared beliefs, practices, and communal moral bonds.

40. The Australian Aboriginal 'totem' functions as:

(A) A random symbol without meaning

(B) A symbol of both clan identity and sacred power

(C) An economic tool only

(D) A myth with no social function

(B) A symbol of both clan identity and sacred power

Explanation: Totems bind the social group and symbolize collective sacredness.

41. According to Durkheim, what distinguishes religious beliefs from other beliefs?

(A) Their basis in supernatural entities

(B) Their focus on the distinction between sacred and profane

(C) Their reliance on rituals alone

(D) Their exclusive relation to God

(B) Their focus on the distinction between sacred and profane

Explanation: Religious beliefs fundamentally classify the world into the sacred and the profane, a division crucial in all religions.

42. In Durkheim's theory, rituals primarily serve to:

(A) Entertain worshippers

(B) Reinforce social solidarity and the sacredness of symbols

(C) Disseminate myths

(D) Promote individualism

(B) Reinforce social solidarity and the sacredness of symbols

Explanation: Rituals function to sustain the collective effervescence that maintains social cohesion.

43. The sacred in religion, as per Durkheim:

(A) Is based on objective supernatural phenomena

(B) Is a social creation arising from collective belief

(C) Requires belief in a personal God

(D) Is reducible to natural phenomena

(B) Is a social creation arising from collective belief

Explanation: Sacredness is attributed by society, reflecting the group's power and identity.

44. What does Durkheim mean by 'collective representations' in religion?

(A) Historical myths only

(B) Shared symbols, beliefs, and practices representing social reality

(C) Individual hallucinations

(D) Political propaganda

(B) Shared symbols, beliefs, and practices representing social reality

Explanation: Collective representations are the socially constructed symbols that embody group identity.

45. Totemism, as described by Durkheim, is:

(A) Primitive ancestor worship

(B) An association of a clan with a natural emblem of spiritual power

(C) Worship of celestial bodies

(D) A mythological system

(B) An association of a clan with a natural emblem of spiritual power

Explanation: Totemism entails symbolic identification of a clan with a sacred emblem, such as an animal or plant.

46. According to Durkheim, the relationship between religious rites and beliefs is:

(A) Rites are independent of beliefs

(B) Rites are prescribed actions based on beliefs about sacred things

(C) Beliefs are products of rites

(D) Neither are related to social life

(B) Rites are prescribed actions based on beliefs about sacred things

Explanation: Rites are structured behaviors expressing and reinforcing beliefs about the sacred.

47. Durkheim's concept of ‘effervescence’ is best described as:

(A) A chemical reaction in rituals

(B) A heightened collective emotional state in communal ceremonies

(C) A misunderstanding of religious practice

(D) An individual spiritual experience

(B) A heightened collective emotional state in communal ceremonies

Explanation: Effervescence is the collective energy generated during religious gatherings that binds members.

48. What is the function of prohibitions in religious groups, according to Durkheim?

(A) Arbitrary taboos

(B) Protection of sacred objects by preventing contact with profane

(C) Economic control

(D) Personal preference

(B) Protection of sacred objects by preventing contact with profane

Explanation: Prohibitions maintain the necessary separation between sacred and profane realms.

49. How does Durkheim explain the sacred animals or plants in totemism?

(A) They are literally divine beings

(B) They symbolize the clan’s collective power and identity

(C) They are worshipped solely for economic reasons

(D) They are chosen at random

(B) They symbolize the clan’s collective power and identity

Explanation: Sacred animals and plants are emblematic of the social and spiritual power of the clan.

50. What does Durkheim identify as the origin of the religious idea of ‘force’ or ‘mana’?

(A) Imaginary spirits

(B) Collective social experience and power manifested in ritual

(C) Natural science explanations

(D) Personal hallucinations

(B) Collective social experience and power manifested in ritual

Explanation: Mana represents an impersonal power perceived during collective rituals, rooted in social interaction.

51. According to Durkheim, the essential feature of religion is the division between:

(A) Good and evil

(B) Sacred and profane

(C) Truth and falsehood

(D) Heaven and hell

(B) Sacred and profane

Explanation: Durkheim argued that all religions distinguish sacred things (set apart and revered) from profane things (ordinary and commonplace).

52. How did Durkheim define religion?

(A) A belief in supernatural beings

(B) A unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things that unite a moral community (church)

(C) Primitive superstition

(D) A personal experience

(B) A unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things that unite a moral community (church)

Explanation: Religion is a social institution comprising shared beliefs and rituals focusing on sacred things and uniting a community.

53. Durkheim believed that religion ultimately represents:

(A) The natural world

(B) The collective consciousness of society

(C) Individual psychological needs

(D) Myths and legends only

(B) The collective consciousness of society

Explanation: Religious symbols and rituals embody the power of the social group, or society itself.

54. What is the 'profane' in Durkheim's theory?

(A) Evil and sin

(B) The ordinary, everyday world contrasted with the sacred

(C) The devil

(D) The supernatural

(B) The ordinary, everyday world contrasted with the sacred

Explanation: Profane things are those common and worldly, set in opposition to sacred things.

55. Which of the following best illustrates Durkheim’s concept of collective effervescence?

(A) Individual meditation

(B) The heightened emotional state of group rituals reinforcing social bonds

(C) Daily work routines

(D) Private prayer

(B) The heightened emotional state of group rituals reinforcing social bonds

Explanation: Collective rituals generate intense shared emotions that enhance community solidarity.

56. What is a key reason Durkheim studied Australian Aboriginal totemism?

(A) To prove it was a primitive form of mythology

(B) To understand the simplest form of religion expressing social realities

(C) To criticize religious beliefs

(D) To show the inferiority of primitive peoples

(B) To understand the simplest form of religion expressing social realities

Explanation: Totemism offered an accessible example to analyze religion’s social foundations.

57. According to Durkheim, what is a totem?

(A) A god unrelated to society

(B) An object (animal, plant) symbolizing the clan and embodying collective power

(C) Merely a decorative emblem

(D) A personal idol

(B) An object (animal, plant) symbolizing the clan and embodying collective power

Explanation: Totems represent the clan identity and sacred power in totemic religions.

58. The sacredness of totemic objects arises from:

(A) Their natural properties

(B) Their association with the social group and collective representation

(C) Individual attribution

(D) Random selection

(B) Their association with the social group and collective representation

Explanation: Sacredness is socially conferred, reflecting collective identity and power.

59. In Durkheim’s theory, what is 'mana'?

(A) A specific deity

(B) The diffuse supernatural power attributed to sacred objects or clans

(C) A type of ritual

(D) An evil spirit

(B) The diffuse supernatural power attributed to sacred objects or clans

Explanation: Mana is a generalized sacred power believed to inhabit the totem and clan.

60. What does Durkheim identify as the function of religious rites?

(A) Mere entertainment

(B) Reinforcement of the sacred and renewal of social solidarity

(C) Superstition with no function

(D) Individual psychological relief

(B) Reinforcement of the sacred and renewal of social solidarity

Explanation: Rituals reactivate collective sentiments and maintain group cohesion.

61. Which of the following is NOT a key element of religion according to Durkheim?

(A) Beliefs

(B) Practices (rituals)

(C) Church (moral community)

(D) Economic transactions

(D) Economic transactions

Explanation: Religion comprises collective beliefs, rituals, and moral community rather than economic activity.

62. What is the role of 'moral community' or 'Church' in Durkheim's definition of religion?

(A) Collection of artifacts

(B) Social group united by religious beliefs and practices

(C) Religious texts

(D) Religious authorities only

(B) Social group united by religious beliefs and practices

Explanation: The Church is the collective of believers who uphold and enact religious life.

63. How does Durkheim distinguish religion from magic?

(A) Magic involves deities; religion does not

(B) Religion is collective and centers on the sacred; magic is individual and manipulative

(C) There is no difference

(D) Religion is a form of magic

(B) Religion is collective and centers on the sacred; magic is individual and manipulative

Explanation: Religion binds people together around sacred powers while magic is practical and individualistic.

64. According to Durkheim, the sacred is:

(A) A category that only exists in primitive societies

(B) Present in all societies, marking things as extraordinary and worthy of reverence

(C) The same as the supernatural

(D) A purely psychological feeling

(B) Present in all societies, marking things as extraordinary and worthy of reverence

Explanation: The sacred denotes things set apart and surrounded by prohibitions, fundamental to religion.

65. Which of the following did Durkheim reject as an explanation for the origin of religion?

(A) The social origin of religion

(B) That religion arises solely from fear and awe of the natural world

(C) The role of collective representations

(D) The function of religious rituals

(B) That religion arises solely from fear and awe of the natural world

Explanation: He dismissed explanations reducing religion to fear or animism as inadequate.

66. Durkheim’s study of totemism shows that:

(A) Totemism is a primitive form of animism

(B) Totemism is a social symbol representing the clan and its authority

(C) Totems are objects of magic only

(D) The totem is a personal symbol without social meaning

(B) Totemism is a social symbol representing the clan and its authority

Explanation: Totems symbolize the collective unity and power of the clan.

67. What is the significance of 'forbidden acts' in Durkheim's religious theory?

(A) They ensure social distance between sacred and profane, preserving the sacredness

(B) They are irrational superstitions

(C) They are unrelated to social cohesion

(D) They apply only to ancient societies

(A) They ensure social distance between sacred and profane, preserving the sacredness

Explanation: Prohibitions on contact with sacred things maintain social boundaries and order.

68. Durkheim viewed the religious concept of ‘soul’ as:

(A) A biological misunderstanding

(B) A social representation linked to the collective power of the clan

(C) A psychological illusion

(D) A purely individual idea

(B) A social representation linked to the collective power of the clan

Explanation: The soul symbolizes the collective force projected onto individuals.

69. According to Durkheim, religious beliefs are:

(A) Accurate descriptions of transcendent reality

(B) Collective representations expressing social realities

(C) Personal fantasies

(D) Falsehoods to control people

(B) Collective representations expressing social realities

Explanation: Religious ideas are social constructs representing collective experience.

70. How did Durkheim relate religion to science?

(A) They are completely incompatible

(B) Religion provides the conceptual framework for early thought; science evolves from religion

(C) Science negates religion entirely

(D) Religion is a form of defective science

(B) Religion provides the conceptual framework for early thought; science evolves from religion

Explanation: Durkheim saw religion as the foundation for abstract thought and conceptual categories later refined by science.

71. According to Durkheim, what distinguishes religious beliefs from other beliefs?

(A) Their basis in supernatural entities

(B) Their focus on the distinction between sacred and profane

(C) Their reliance on rituals alone

(D) Their exclusive relation to God

(B) Their focus on the distinction between sacred and profane

Explanation: Religious beliefs fundamentally classify the world into the sacred and the profane, a division crucial in all religions.

72. In Durkheim's theory, rituals primarily serve to:

(A) Entertain worshippers

(B) Reinforce social solidarity and the sacredness of symbols

(C) Disseminate myths

(D) Promote individualism

(B) Reinforce social solidarity and the sacredness of symbols

Explanation: Rituals function to sustain the collective effervescence that maintains social cohesion.

73. The sacred in religion, as per Durkheim:

(A) Is based on objective supernatural phenomena

(B) Is a social creation arising from collective belief

(C) Requires belief in a personal God

(D) Is reducible to natural phenomena

(B) Is a social creation arising from collective belief

Explanation: Sacredness is attributed by society, reflecting the group's power and identity.

74. What does Durkheim mean by 'collective representations' in religion?

(A) Historical myths only

(B) Shared symbols, beliefs, and practices representing social reality

(C) Individual hallucinations

(D) Political propaganda

(B) Shared symbols, beliefs, and practices representing social reality

Explanation: Collective representations are the socially constructed symbols that embody group identity.

75. Totemism, as described by Durkheim, is:

(A) Primitive ancestor worship

(B) An association of a clan with a natural emblem of spiritual power

(C) Worship of celestial bodies

(D) A mythological system

(B) An association of a clan with a natural emblem of spiritual power

Explanation: Totemism entails symbolic identification of a clan with a sacred emblem, such as an animal or plant.

76. According to Durkheim, the relationship between religious rites and beliefs is:

(A) Rites are independent of beliefs

(B) Rites are prescribed actions based on beliefs about sacred things

(C) Beliefs are products of rites

(D) Neither are related to social life

(B) Rites are prescribed actions based on beliefs about sacred things

Explanation: Rites are structured behaviors expressing and reinforcing beliefs about the sacred.

77. Durkheim's concept of ‘effervescence’ is best described as:

(A) A chemical reaction in rituals

(B) A heightened collective emotional state in communal ceremonies

(C) A misunderstanding of religious practice

(D) An individual spiritual experience

(B) A heightened collective emotional state in communal ceremonies

Explanation: Effervescence is the collective energy generated during religious gatherings that binds members.

78. What is the function of prohibitions in religious groups, according to Durkheim?

(A) Arbitrary taboos

(B) Protection of sacred objects by preventing contact with profane

(C) Economic control

(D) Personal preference

(B) Protection of sacred objects by preventing contact with profane

Explanation: Prohibitions maintain the necessary separation between sacred and profane realms.

79. How does Durkheim explain the sacred animals or plants in totemism?

(A) They are literally divine beings

(B) They symbolize the clan’s collective power and identity

(C) They are worshipped solely for economic reasons

(D) They are chosen at random

(B) They symbolize the clan’s collective power and identity

Explanation: Sacred animals and plants are emblematic of the social and spiritual power of the clan.

80. What does Durkheim identify as the origin of the religious idea of ‘force’ or ‘mana’?

(A) Imaginary spirits

(B) Collective social experience and power manifested in ritual

(C) Natural science explanations

(D) Personal hallucinations

(B) Collective social experience and power manifested in ritual

Explanation: Mana represents an impersonal power perceived during collective rituals, rooted in social interaction.

81. According to Durkheim, the essential feature of religion is the division between:

(A) Good and evil

(B) Sacred and profane

(C) Truth and falsehood

(D) Heaven and hell

(B) Sacred and profane

Explanation: Durkheim argued that all religions distinguish sacred things (set apart and revered) from profane things (ordinary and commonplace).

82. How did Durkheim define religion?

(A) A belief in supernatural beings

(B) A unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things and a moral community (church)

(C) Primitive superstition

(D) A personal experience

(B) A unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things and a moral community (church)

Explanation: Religion is a social institution comprising shared beliefs and rituals focusing on sacred things and uniting a community.

83. Durkheim believed that religion ultimately represents:

(A) The natural world

(B) The collective consciousness of society

(C) Individual psychological needs

(D) Myths and legends only

(B) The collective consciousness of society

Explanation: Religious symbols and rituals embody the power of the social group, or society itself.

84. What is the 'profane' in Durkheim's theory?

(A) Evil and sin

(B) The ordinary, everyday world contrasted with the sacred

(C) The devil

(D) The supernatural

(B) The ordinary, everyday world contrasted with the sacred

Explanation: Profane things are those common and worldly, set in opposition to sacred things.

85. Which of the following best illustrates Durkheim’s concept of collective effervescence?

(A) Individual meditation

(B) The heightened emotional state of group rituals reinforcing social bonds

(C) Daily work routines

(D) Private prayer

(B) The heightened emotional state of group rituals reinforcing social bonds

Explanation: Collective rituals generate intense shared emotions that enhance community solidarity.

86. What is a key reason Durkheim studied Australian Aboriginal totemism?

(A) To prove it was a primitive form of mythology

(B) To understand the simplest form of religion expressing social realities

(C) To criticize religious beliefs

(D) To show the inferiority of primitive peoples

(B) To understand the simplest form of religion expressing social realities

Explanation: Totemism offered an accessible example to analyze religion’s social foundations.

87. According to Durkheim, what is a totem?

(A) A god unrelated to society

(B) An object (animal, plant) symbolizing the clan and embodying collective power

(C) Merely a decorative emblem

(D) A personal idol

(B) An object (animal, plant) symbolizing the clan and embodying collective power

Explanation: Totems represent the clan identity and sacred power in totemic religions.

88. The sacredness of totemic objects arises from:

(A) Their natural properties

(B) Their association with the social group and collective representation

(C) Individual attribution

(D) Random selection

(B) Their association with the social group and collective representation

Explanation: Sacredness is socially conferred, reflecting collective identity and power.

89. In Durkheim’s theory, what is 'mana'?

(A) A specific deity

(B) The diffuse supernatural power attributed to sacred objects or clans

(C) A type of ritual

(D) An evil spirit

(B) The diffuse supernatural power attributed to sacred objects or clans

Explanation: Mana is a generalized sacred power believed to inhabit the totem and clan.

90. What does Durkheim identify as the function of religious rites?

(A) Mere entertainment

(B) Reinforcement of the sacred and renewal of social solidarity

(C) Superstition with no function

(D) Individual psychological relief

(B) Reinforcement of the sacred and renewal of social solidarity

Explanation: Rituals reactivate collective sentiments and maintain group cohesion.

91. Which of the following is NOT a key element of religion according to Durkheim?

(A) Beliefs

(B) Practices (rituals)

(C) Church (moral community)

(D) Economic transactions

(D) Economic transactions

Explanation: Religion involves shared beliefs, rituals, and a moral community, not economic activity.

92. What is the role of 'moral community' or 'Church' in Durkheim's definition of religion?

(A) Collection of artifacts

(B) Social group united by religious beliefs and practices

(C) Religious texts

(D) Religious authorities only

(B) Social group united by religious beliefs and practices

Explanation: The Church is the collective of believers who uphold and enact religious life.

93. How does Durkheim distinguish religion from magic?

(A) Magic involves deities; religion does not

(B) Religion is collective and centers on the sacred; magic is individual and manipulative

(C) There is no difference

(D) Religion is a form of magic

(B) Religion is collective and centers on the sacred; magic is individual and manipulative

Explanation: Religion binds people together around sacred powers while magic is practical and individualistic.

94. According to Durkheim, the sacred is:

(A) A category that only exists in primitive societies

(B) Present in all societies, marking things as extraordinary and worthy of reverence

(C) The same as the supernatural

(D) A purely psychological feeling

(B) Present in all societies, marking things as extraordinary and worthy of reverence

Explanation: The sacred denotes things set apart and surrounded by prohibitions, fundamental to religion.

95. Which of the following did Durkheim reject as an explanation for the origin of religion?

(A) The social origin of religion

(B) That religion arises solely from fear and awe of the natural world

(C) The role of collective representations

(D) The function of religious rituals

(B) That religion arises solely from fear and awe of the natural world

Explanation: He dismissed explanations reducing religion to fear or animism as inadequate.

96. Durkheim’s study of totemism shows that:

(A) Totemism is a primitive form of animism

(B) Totemism is a social symbol representing the clan and its authority

(C) Totems are objects of magic only

(D) The totem is a personal symbol without social meaning

(B) Totemism is a social symbol representing the clan and its authority

Explanation: Totems symbolize the collective unity and power of the clan.

97. What is the significance of 'forbidden acts' in Durkheim's religious theory?

(A) They ensure social distance between sacred and profane, preserving the sacredness

(B) They are irrational superstitions

(C) They are unrelated to social cohesion

(D) They apply only to ancient societies

(A) They ensure social distance between sacred and profane, preserving the sacredness

Explanation: Prohibitions on contact with sacred things maintain social boundaries and order.

98. Durkheim viewed the religious concept of ‘soul’ as:

(A) A biological misunderstanding

(B) A social representation linked to the collective power of the clan

(C) A psychological illusion

(D) A purely individual idea

(B) A social representation linked to the collective power of the clan

Explanation: The soul symbolizes the collective force projected onto individuals.

99. According to Durkheim, religious beliefs are:

(A) Accurate descriptions of transcendent reality

(B) Collective representations expressing social realities

(C) Personal fantasies

(D) Falsehoods to control people

(B) Collective representations expressing social realities

Explanation: Religious ideas are social constructs representing collective experience.

100. How did Durkheim relate religion to science?

(A) They are completely incompatible

(B) Religion provides the conceptual framework for early thought; science evolves from religion

(C) Science negates religion entirely

(D) Religion is a form of defective science

(B) Religion provides the conceptual framework for early thought; science evolves from religion

Explanation: Durkheim saw religion as the foundation for abstract thought and conceptual categories later refined by science.