Which term describes a general framework of diverse viewpoints about social life?

• A. Consensus
• B. Causation
• C. Perspectives
• D. Identity

Answer: (C)

A perspectives approach is a general framework that brings together a range of viewpoints about social life. In sociology, perspectives are the different lenses or theories—like functionalism, conflict theory, symbolic interactionism, feminism, and others—through which we analyze how society works. This concept emphasizes variety and breadth, showing how various angles can explain social phenomena from different angles and at different levels of analysis. Consensus describes broad agreement among people, not a framework of multiple viewpoints. Causation is about cause-and-effect relationships, not about different lenses for viewing society. Identity concerns how a person or group sees themselves, not the wide range of theoretical viewpoints used to study social life.