Which statement demonstrates a conflict theory approach to sociology?

• A. Individuals shape society through how they experience and make meaning from it.
• B. Families have the manifest function of rearing offspring and the latent function of preserving traditions.
• C. Events like the Olympics facilitate a sense of national pride and create unity.
• D. High-income individuals have access to better medical care in the United States, which preserves a power dynamic between social classes.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the core idea of conflict theory in sociology. Conflict theory focuses on the ways in which power, inequality, and social conflict shape society, emphasizing struggles between different social classes or groups.
2. Step 2: Analyze each statement by identifying whether it highlights social harmony and shared meanings (which aligns more with symbolic interactionism or functionalism) or whether it emphasizes power imbalances and social inequality (which aligns with conflict theory).
3. Step 3: Recognize that the statement about individuals shaping society through experience relates to symbolic interactionism, as it focuses on subjective meanings.
4. Step 4: Note that the statement about families having manifest and latent functions aligns with functionalism, which looks at social institutions and their roles in maintaining social stability.
5. Step 5: Identify that the statement about high-income individuals having better medical care and preserving power dynamics directly addresses social inequality and power struggles, which is the hallmark of conflict theory.