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• Describe your preconceptions about sociology before playing Reel Society. Then explain how Reel Society has helped change your understanding of sociology. Based on your analysis, do you think that Americans in general have an accurate understanding of what sociologists do?
• Think back on a class you have taken in another social science discipline, such as anthropology, psychology, political science, or economics. Write an essay in which you rely on your memories to describe how sociology and another social science discipline differ in their approach to the social world.

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• Consider a current issue or event that has been discussed in the news recently. Explain how a functionalist, a conflict theorist, and an interactionist would approach this issue.
• In Reel Society, you see a group of friends argue about the value of television, a form of mass media. Reel Society is itself a form of mass media. What do you think that a functionalist, an interactionist, and a conflict sociologist would have to say about Reel Society?

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• You are a sociologist who uses the conflict perspective to study various aspects of our society. How do you think you would interpret homelessness? Contrast this view with the functionalist perspective.
• You are walking down the street in your city or hometown. In looking around you, you can't help noticing that half or more of the people you see are overweight. How do you explain your observation? If you were C. Wright Mills, how do you think you would explain it?

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• One way to break down a concept into very simple terms is by teaching it to a child. Imagine that you are explaining the concept of the sociological imagination to a ten-year-old child. How would you approach this task?
• Read some passages from the work of a founding figure in sociology who lived before the era of C. Wright Mills. To what extent did he or she use a sociological imagination? What do you conclude about use of the sociological imagination before Mills coined this term?

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• Sociologists are interested in the process of social change. After viewing several of the Reel Society videos, analyze whether any of the decisions the characters make or do not make might lead to broader social change. For example, if Molly decides not to participate in the fountain run, could she start a chain-reaction in which other students feel more comfortable saying "no" to peer pressure? Are the changes you envision positive, negative, or both? What does this exercise tell you about social change and how it happens?
• For one week, be especially aware of any difficult decisions you have to make. As you make your decision(s), try to use your sociological imagination. Describe two or three of these decision-making processes. How did using your sociological imagination make a difference?

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• Sociologists are interested in how social relationships influence people's attitudes and behavior. Think about the last serious decision you made. Perhaps you had to decide which college to attend, or whether to end a romantic relationship. In making this decision, did you consult with friends and family, or consider how your decision would impact the important people in your life? Can you think of other ways that social relationships had a bearing on your decision?
• Imagine that you are playing Reel Society for the first time, and are just being introduced to the key characters. Among the characters you have been introduced to, which would you have guessed is most likely to be able to use his or her sociological imagination? What are the characteristics of this person that make you think he or she will be able to view events through the eyes of a sociologist?