Essentials of Sociology 5th Edition By Giddens - Richard P. Appelbaum - Test Bank

Essentials of Sociology 5th Edition By Giddens – Richard P. Appelbaum – Test Bank

 

Instant Download – Complete Test Bank With Answers

 

 

Sample Questions Are Posted Below

 

CHAPTER 5: Groups, Networks, and Organizations

 

MULTIPLE CHOICE

 

1. Which of the following is a social group?

a.	a brother and sister
b.	everyone in your sociology class who has blond hair
c.	people waiting at Terminal C for Flight 181
d.	passengers on a cruise ship
e.	Apple stockholders

 

 

ANS:  A                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 134        TOP:   Social Group (I.A.)

MSC:  Applied

 

2. The rich and varied group life of societies reflects:

a.	how dependent we are on transactional leaders
b.	our need to congregate and belong
c.	how we tend to live in social isolation
d.	our natural tendency to exclude others
e.	that most people do not have a self-identity

 

 

ANS:  B                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 134        TOP:   Social Group (I.A)

MSC:  Conceptual

 

3. Which of the following is a social aggregate?

a.	your family
b.	middle-class Asian American women
c.	people waiting at Terminal C for Flight 205
d.	Facebook friends
e.	a couple who have been dating for a year

 

 

ANS:  C                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 135        TOP:   Social Aggregate (I.A.i)

MSC:  Applied

 

4. People milling around in crowds, waiting for a bus, or strolling on a beach make up a:

a.	social group
b.	social triad
c.	social aggregate
d.	social category
e.	social network

 

 

ANS:  C                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   Page 135        TOP:   Social Aggregate (I.A.i)

MSC:  Factual

 

5. When a group of people share common  characteristics  such as  gender or ethnicity, the group is labeled a:

a.	social network
b.	social group
c.	social category
d.	social aggregate
e.	society

 

 

ANS:  C                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   Page 135        TOP:   Social Category (I.A.ii)

MSC:  Factual

 

6. Which of the following would be considered a social category?

a.	African Americans
b.	a group of soldiers who recently returned from war
c.	neighbors that are both Mexican-American
d.	two friends who are freshmen at the same college
e.	two sisters

 

 

ANS:  A                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   Page 135        TOP:   Social Category (I.A.ii)

MSC:  Factual

 

7. Which of the following is more likely to be an in-group?

a.	a family
b.	a sociology class
c.	the people in line at a supermarket
d.	Asian Americans
e.	the audience at a music concert

 

 

ANS:  A                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 135        TOP:   In-Group (I.A.iii)

MSC:  Applied

 

8. At the University of California, the Alpha Gamma Gamma fraternity always made fun of its rival fraternity, Alpha Sigma Sigma, during rush week when the brothers were recruiting new members. This increased the bonding and sense of loyalty among the members of Alpha Gamma Gamma and therefore we could consider these members:

a.	an out-group
b.	an in-group
c.	a network
d.	a social category
e.	anti-social

 

 

ANS:  B                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 135        TOP:   In-Group (I.A.iii)

MSC:  Applied

 

9. A new group recently emerged calling itself the “Real Americans.” This group’s activities reflect disdain and prejudicial attitudes toward recent immigrants to the United States. In relation to this group, recent immigrants could be classified as a(n):

a.	in-group
b.	out-group
c.	dyad
d.	triad
e.	aggregate

 

 

ANS:  B                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   Page 135        TOP:   Out-Group (I.A.iv)

MSC:  Applied

 

10. A brother and sister enrolled in a large chemistry class would be considered a(n):

a.	triad
b.	primary group
c.	secondary group
d.	social category
e.	aggregate group

 

 

ANS:  B                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 135        TOP:   Primary Group (I.A.v)

MSC:  Applied

 

11. Which of the following is an example of a primary group?

a.	a professor and the president of the university
b.	a bus driver and passenger
c.	a tutor and her student
d.	three best friends in high school
e.	two stepbrothers that rarely speak

 

 

ANS:  D                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 135        TOP:   Primary Group (I.A.v)

MSC:  Applied

 

12. Which of the following would be an example of why a person would want to be part of a secondary group?

a.	to find his or her soul mate
b.	to have a sense of closeness and camaraderie
c.	to associate with people who care about the person and his or her future
d.	to appreciate the importance of sacrificing individual needs for the group’s goals
e.	to accomplish a specific goal, such as graduating from college

 

 

ANS:  E                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 136        TOP:   Secondary Group (I.A.vi)

MSC:  Conceptual

 

13. Shelley spends most of her time at school and work, which leaves her with little time to socialize with her family and friends. Lately, Shelley is feeling socially isolated because she:

a.	is working too hard
b.	has friends and family who do not understand her time commitments
c.	does not like the people at school and work
d.	is interacting mostly with people in secondary groups, which tend to be large and produce impersonal relationships
e.	is neglecting her most important relationships

 

 

ANS:  D                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 136        TOP:   Secondary Group (I.A.vi)

MSC:  Conceptual

 

14. The group a person uses to measure his or her own social worth is called:

a.	a reference group
b.	a social aggregate
c.	a peer group
d.	a secondary group
e.	a family

 

 

ANS:  A                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   Page 137        TOP:   Reference Group (I.A.vii)

MSC:  Factual

 

15. Reference groups provide us with:

a.	the ability to be concerned with accomplishing a task
b.	strict conformity to rigid organizational structures
c.	the impersonal anonymity of modern life
d.	a standard for judging our attitudes and behaviors
e.	an organizational system by which to judge the behaviors of others

 

 

ANS:  D                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   Page 137        TOP:   Reference Group (I.A.vii)

MSC:  Factual

 

16. Most advertisements today try to associate a product with a specific reference group. For this marketing strategy to be effective, which of the following must be true?

a.	The product must be important to the person viewing the advertisement.
b.	The product must be a good price.
c.	The person viewing the advertisement must have interacted with the person or people in the advertisement.
d.	The person viewing the advertisement needs to recognize the person or people in the advertisement.
e.	The person viewing the advertisement must identify with the person or people in the advertisement.

 

 

ANS:  E                    DIF:    Difficult         REF:   Page 137        TOP:   Reference Group (I.A.vii)

MSC:  Applied

 

17. According to sociologists, what is the smallest size that can make up a social group?

a.	a dyad
b.	an ego and an alter ego
c.	a triad
d.	a family
e.	a bureaucracy

 

 

ANS:  A                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   Page 137        TOP:   Dyad (I.B.i)

MSC:  Applied

 

18. Juan and Sally got divorced after three years of marriage and both moved on to establish new relationships. Their divorce demonstrates that dyads are fragile social groups because:

a.	if one person leaves, the group disappears
b.	one member can hurt the other
c.	they do not require individuals to stay in the relationship
d.	the relationships are too intense
e.	they do not last if they do not get support from others outside the relationship

 

 

ANS:  A                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 137        TOP:   Dyad (I.B.i)

MSC:  Applied

 

19. Every Sunday, Janet, Laneitha, and Margaret get together for lunch, and Janet usually decides which restaurant they will eat at. However, one Sunday, Laneitha and Margaret told Janet they wanted to try a new restaurant in town. Laneitha and Margaret formed a:

a.	rift between the triad
b.	negative relationship
c.	dyad
d.	coalition or alliance
e.	threat to group stability

 

 

ANS:  D                    DIF:    Difficult         REF:   Page 137        TOP:   Triad (I.B.ii)

MSC:  Applied

 

20. Triads are generally more stable than dyads because:

a.	three are always better than two
b.	the third person relieves some of the pressures on the other two
c.	the third person makes the relationship more intense
d.	the third person can get jealous
e.	the more people in a group, the more fun people have together

 

 

ANS:  B                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   Page 137        TOP:   Triad (I.B.ii)

MSC:  Factual

 

21. Which of the following is true regarding large groups?

a.	Relationships in the group are more intense.
b.	They tend to be informal.
c.	They are unstable.
d.	They tend to be more exclusive.
e.	They tend to be inclusive.

 

 

ANS:  D                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   Pages 137–38

TOP:   Larger Groups (I.B.iii)                     MSC:  Factual

 

22. According to Georg Simmel, an important aspect of groups is:

a.	as group size decreases, their intensity and exclusivity decrease
b.	as group size increases, their stability and intensity increase
c.	as group size increases, their intensity decreases, but their stability and exclusivity increase
d.	group size has little impact on stability over time; what matters is the common goal of the group
e.	group size has little impact on stability over time; what matters is the personality of group members

 

 

ANS:  C                    DIF:    Difficult         REF:   Pages 137–38

TOP:   Larger Groups (I.B.iii)                     MSC:  Factual

 

23. The members of the drama club at Suzie’s high school had a disagreement about who should play the lead in the upcoming production of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Therefore, five of the twenty-five drama club members decided to leave the group, but this had little impact on the stability of the drama club, and it was able to go forward with the production because:

a.	the drama club had a good leader who was able to address the instability in the group
b.	larger groups are less exclusive, and it was easy to get new members
c.	the five members who left were troublemakers
d.	the club had a lot of money and was able to hire a good director
e.	the withdrawal of members from larger groups has little impact on the survival of the group

 

 

ANS:  E                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Pages 137–38

TOP:   Larger Groups (I.B.iii)                     MSC:  Conceptual

 

24. Nelson Mandela directed the dissolution of apartheid in South Africa. What kind of leader was he?

a.	Mandela was a transformational leader.
b.	Mandela was a transactional leader.
c.	Mandela was a despot.
d.	Mandela was an autocratic leader.
e.	Mandela was a religious leader.

 

 

ANS:  A                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   Page 138

TOP:   Transformational Leader (II.A.i)      MSC:  Factual

 

25. Which of the following is the best example of a transformational leader?

a.	a student government president who motivated the students at her college to turn their campus into a “green campus”
b.	a student government president who made sure the treasurer accounted for all the money spent by the student government at her college
c.	a student government president who expanded the campus recycling program to include paper as well as metal
d.	a student government president who most students really liked
e.	a student government president who ignored what most of the students on campus wanted and did what she wanted

 

 

ANS:  A                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 138

TOP:   Transformational Leader (II.A.i)      MSC:  Applied

 

26. Tanya is the CEO of Digi-Corp, a corporation that specializes in computer software. The corporation has made a substantial profit since Tanya became CEO and hired new software designers. What type of leader is Tanya?

a.	bureaucratic
b.	transactional
c.	transformational
d.	network
e.	mechanistic

 

 

ANS:  B                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 138

TOP:   Transactional Leader (II.A.ii)           MSC:  Applied

 

27. Solomon Asch’s experiment illustrated that:

a.	even if it makes them feel uncomfortable, many people are willing to discount their own perceptions rather than go against group consensus
b.	people stammered and fidgeted before speaking out against group conformity
c.	people can easily be bullied into changing their minds
d.	the last person to answer did not feel the need to conform or bow to group pressure
e.	most people will express their own beliefs without considering the group opinion

 

 

ANS:  A                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 140        TOP:   Solomon Asch (III.A)

MSC:  Factual

 

28. The experiments by Solomon Asch and Stanley Milgram illustrate that:

a.	conformity and authority have little influence on people when they are under pressure
b.	people get nervous around authority figures and large groups
c.	conformity and authority are powerful factors affecting people’s actions
d.	it is easy to persuade people to inflict pain on others
e.	most people will express their own beliefs and speak up when they think something is wrong

 

 

ANS:  C                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Pages 140–41

TOP:   Solomon Asch (III.A) | Stanley Milgram (III.B)                 MSC:  Factual

 

29. The Stanley Milgram study demonstrated that people are willing to obey authority:

a.	regardless of the pain they might inflict on others
b.	only when they feel that the authority figure is part of their primary group
c.	when the authority figure is part of their reference group
d.	if the orders do not have negative consequences for other people
e.	only when they agree with what the authority figure is asking them to do

 

 

ANS:  A                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 141        TOP:   Stanley Milgram (III.B)

MSC:  Factual

 

30. Stanley Milgram’s study demonstrated that even in extraordinary situations, ordinary people will:

a.	conform to the directives of transformative leaders
b.	resist authority
c.	obey those in positions of power
d.	exclude others
e.	conform to the directives of transactional leaders

 

 

ANS:  C                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 141        TOP:   Stanley Milgram (III.B)

MSC:  Factual

 

31. Groupthink takes place when:

a.	group members discuss strategies to increase group harmony
b.	group members work together to carefully weigh all the options presented to them
c.	group members revolt against the leader of the group.
d.	group members are all in agreement
e.	group members ignore the actions, plans, or ideas that go against group consensus

 

 

ANS:  E                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Pages 141–42

TOP:   Irving L. Janis (III.C)                       MSC:  Factual

 

32. The football team at Three Rivers High School wanted to steal the mascot—a horse—of the opposing team before the big homecoming game. Even though the captain of the football team knew the players would likely get caught and suspended by the principal, he agreed to steal the mascot. Why did the captain of the team agree to steal the mascot?

a.	The football captain was a transformational leader and convinced the players it would work even when common sense told them it would not.
b.	The groupthink of the football team made him uncomfortable, but he felt it was more important that there not be dissension before the homecoming game.
c.	The team captain feared that he would no longer be accepted in his social group for breaking expectations.
d.	The team captain and the players were part of the same primary group and wanted to think and play as a “we.”
e.	As a nonconformist, the team captain rejected the authority of the school principal.

 

 

ANS:  B                    DIF:    Difficult         REF:   Pages 141–42

TOP:   Groupthink (III.C.i)                         MSC:  Conceptual

 

33. In general, nonwhites tend to have ________ ties within networks than whites.

a.	weaker
b.	more familial
c.	more consistent
d.	more social
e.	stronger

 

 

ANS:  A                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   Page 142        TOP:   Networks (IV)

MSC:  Factual

 

34. James and Shannon both graduated from college with a high GPA and a good résumé in the field of accounting. A year after graduation, James was working as a waiter, and Shannon was working at an accounting firm that was headed by her father’s best friend. Shannon most likely got this job because:

a.	she had an advantage due to her father’s social networks, even if she did not know her father’s best friend well
b.	she had a better résumé than James.
c.	her father’s best friend thought she was pretty
d.	James was unmotivated and did not look for work very hard
e.	she was a go-getter

 

 

ANS:  A                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 142        TOP:   Networks (IV)

MSC:  Factual

 

35. In the absence of the physical and social cues involved in traditional face-to-face interactions, the Internet fosters the creation of relationships that:

a.	are often misleading and lead to hurt feelings
b.	are built on common interests rather than social characteristics such as race and gender
c.	are lasting and enduring
d.	are based on being members of the same social category
e.	all of the above

 

 

ANS:  B                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 143        TOP:   Internet (IV.A)

MSC:  Factual

 

36. The Internet often increases the diversity of one’s social networks beyond face-to-face interactions, which tend to limit social networks due to race, gender, and social status. However, the Internet can also limit the diversity of social networks for some people because:

a.	it is easy to find out someone’s gender, race, or social status on the Internet
b.	there is a “digital divide” in which low-income and ethnic minorities are less likely to have access to the Internet
c.	there are many racist and sexist groups that use the Internet to organize
d.	studies show that people tend to form networks on the Internet based on race, gender, and class instead of shared interests
e.	all of the above

 

 

ANS:  B                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 143        TOP:   Internet (IV.A)

MSC:  Factual

 

37. What term do sociologists use to refer to a group with an identifiable membership that engages in concerted collective actions to achieve a common purpose?

a.	primary group
b.	secondary group
c.	in-group
d.	out-group
e.	organization

 

 

ANS:  E                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   Page 144        TOP:   Organizations (V)

MSC:  Factual

 

38. A large grouping of people that engages in concerted collective actions to achieve specific objectives is called:

a.	an oligarchy
b.	an organization
c.	a primary group
d.	a peer group
e.	a global group

 

 

ANS:  B                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   Page 144        TOP:   Organizations (V)

MSC:  Factual

 

39. People in modern societies depend on organizations to:

a.	tell us how to act and behave
b.	make us feel connected to others
c.	take care of everything, including how we are born, our daily supply of running water, and even the way we die
d.	educate and employ us, but little else
e.	all of the above

 

 

ANS:  C                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 143        TOP:   Organizations (V)

MSC:  Factual

 

40. Max Weber was the first to develop a systematic interpretation of:

a.	conformity
b.	primary groups
c.	modern organizations
d.	secondary groups
e.	social capital

 

 

ANS:  C                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   Page 143        TOP:   Organizations (V)

MSC:  Factual

 

41. Formal organizations:

a.	are organized in ways that allow power to be evenly distributed within the organization
b.	are often flexible in the application of their rules, regulations, and procedures due to their size
c.	have risen to prominence in modern societies largely because we do not spend much time with our families anymore
d.	are rationally designed to achieve their objectives
e.	none of the above

 

 

ANS:  D                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 144        TOP:   Formal Organizations (V.A)

MSC:  Factual

 

42. All large organizations tend to be __________, according to Max Weber.

a.	bureaucracies
b.	primary groups
c.	inefficient
d.	rational
e.	Weberian

 

 

ANS:  A                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   Page 145        TOP:   Bureaucracy (VI.A)

MSC:  Factual

 

43. Max Weber argued that __________ is necessary in modern societies.

a.	tradition
b.	bureaucracy
c.	surveillance
d.	emotion
e.	charismatic authority

 

 

ANS:  B                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   Page 145        TOP:   Bureaucracy (VI.A)

MSC:  Factual

 

44. According to Max Weber, which of the following is difficult to achieve in a rigid bureaucratic organization?

a.	efficiency
b.	rationality
c.	compliance
d.	innovation
e.	all of the above

 

 

ANS:  D                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 147        TOP:   Bureaucracy (VI.A)

MSC:  Factual

 

45. Max Weber believed the more an organization approaches the ideal type of bureaucracy, the more effective it will be in pursuing the objectives for which it was established. However, he also recognized that bureaucracies can create some negatives such as:

a.	numerous unofficial ways of doing things because of the lack of flexibility in completing tasks in a bureaucracy
b.	inefficiency because of the strict adherence to rules and regulations that make it difficult to respond to new issues
c.	organizational tension between male authority figures and female subordinates
d.	increasing employee salary costs
e.	employees having difficulty separating family and work life

 

 

ANS:  B                    DIF:    Difficult         REF:   Page 145        TOP:   Ideal Type (VI.A.i)

MSC:  Conceptual

 

46. Max Weber concluded that the closer bureaucracies were to the ideal type, the more __________ they would become.

a.	ineffective in achieving their objectives
b.	effective in achieving their objectives
c.	loose and informal
d.	like a feudal estate
e.	like a democracy

 

 

ANS:  B                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   Page 145        TOP:   Ideal Type (VI.A.i)

MSC:  Factual

 

47. According to Max Weber’s ideal type of bureaucracy:

a.	There is a set of rules that govern the conduct of officials at all levels of the organization.
b.	There is a lot of room for innovation.
c.	Each job has a salary that is negotiable.
d.	Ownership is in the hands of the workers.
e.	All of the above are correct.

 

 

ANS:  A                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 145        TOP:   Ideal Type (VI.A.i)

MSC:  Factual

 

48. John Meyer and Brian Rowan found that the formal procedures in a bureaucracy are often:

a.	myths that people profess to follow but that have little basis in reality
b.	outdated and need revision
c.	identical to the practices adopted by members of the organization
d.	understood to be the “right” way to do things
e.	ignored by most members of the organization

 

 

ANS:  A                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 147        TOP:   Formal Relations (VI.A.ii)

MSC:  Factual

 

49. At Digi-Corp, each employee receives an employee manual outlining the rules on how employees and managers should work together and interact. These rules are referred to as the __________ between employee and manager.

a.	formal relations
b.	informal relations
c.	primary groups
d.	surveillance
e.	flexible rules

 

 

ANS:  A                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   Page 146        TOP:   Formal Relations (VI.A.ii)

MSC:  Factual

 

50. Robert Merton noted that bureaucrats are trained to:

a.	develop new written rules and procedures
b.	be flexible with the application of written rules and procedures
c.	ask for input from others in the organization about the application of written rules and procedures
d.	rely strictly on written rules and procedures
e.	ignore written rules and procedures

 

 

ANS:  D                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 147        TOP:   Dysfunctions (VI.A.iv)

MSC:  Applied

 

51. At the Symantec Corporation, a majority of the decisions were made by the CEO, the president, and the vice president, with little decision-making power given to upper-level managers or other employers. This type of concentration of power among a few people in an organization is called:

a.	oligarchy
b.	corporate concentration
c.	capitalism
d.	anarchy
e.	bureaucracy

 

 

ANS:  A                    DIF:    Difficult         REF:   Page 147

TOP:   Iron Law of Oligarchy (VI.B)          MSC:  Factual

 

52. According to Robert Michels’s concept of the “iron law of oligarchy”:

a.	Societies dominated by large-scale organizations will turn us all into machines.
b.	In large-scale organizations, power is inevitably concentrated at the top.
c.	Power is concentrated at the bottom in large-scale organizations.
d.	Large-scale organizations will become more concentrated until there are only a few organizations.
e.	Power is evenly distributed in large-scale organizations.

 

 

ANS:  B                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   Page 148

TOP:   Iron Law of Oligarchy (VI.B)          MSC:  Factual

 

53. Which of the following best characterizes the place of women in bureaucratic organizations such as corporations?

a.	Women are encouraged to climb the corporate ladder.
b.	Due to strict rules and regulations, women and men are in equal positions.
c.	Women are seen as playing supporting roles and perfoming routine tasks.
d.	Women are in key decision-making roles.
e.	Women are excluded.

 

 

ANS:  C                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 148

TOP:   Gender and Organizations (VI.C)     MSC:  Conceptual

 

54. Until the late twentieth century, organizational studies largely ignored:

a.	organizational size
b.	dysfunctions of bureaucracy
c.	the physical setting of organizations
d.	gender relations
e.	surveillance

 

 

ANS:  D                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   Page 148

TOP:   Gender and Organizations (VI.C)     MSC:  Factual

 

55. The imbalance of gender roles in organizations demonstrates that modern organizations have:

a.	encouraged women to stay home
b.	found men to be better at following written rules and procedures
c.	have developed in a gendered way
d.	found maternity to be too expensive
e.	had a difficult time recruiting women

 

 

ANS:  C                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 148

TOP:   Gender and Organizations (VI.C)     MSC:  Factual

 

56. Many of the organizations we see in modern society today have the hierarchical structure that Max Weber argued characterizes modern organizations. However, today many organizations are changing to a more __________ structure.

a.	free-flowing
b.	horizontal
c.	formal
d.	bottom-up
e.	cyclical

 

 

ANS:  B                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 149

TOP:   Bureaucracy Outdated? (VII)           MSC:  Factual

 

57. According to human resources management theory, which of the following is central to a company’s competitiveness?

a.	employee dedication to the company and its product
b.	a company mascot
c.	employee autonomy from the company
d.	telecommuting
e.	bottom-up decision making

 

 

ANS:  A                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 151

TOP:   Human Resources Management (VIII.A)                           MSC:  Factual

 

58. Every Friday, Google, Inc., encourages all of its employees to attend a speaker series in which authors, athletes, and other famous and inspiring people speak. This weekly corporate event is an example of a management trend known as:

a.	employee perks
b.	human resources management
c.	corporate culture
d.	socialism
e.	corporatism

 

 

ANS:  C                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 151        TOP:   Corporate Culture (VIII.B)

MSC:  Applied

 

59. Which of the following is an advantage of telecommuting?

a.	Workers are not wasting time with the kind of casual interaction that occurs around water coolers.
b.	Women have more time to devote to domestic chores.
c.	Workers can cheat on their time cards and say they worked more hours than they really did.
d.	It creates a two-strata employment system of technology experts and less autonomous clerical workers.
e.	It eliminates the time spent commuting to and from work.

 

 

ANS:  E                    DIF:    Difficult         REF:   Pages 152–53

TOP:   Information and Communication Technology (IX.A)         MSC:  Factual

 

60. According to the text, the use of information and communications technology in corporations has reduced the rigid hierarchical structure of corporations, but at the same time it has created:

a.	a two-strata employment system of technology experts and less autonomous clerical workers
b.	telecommuters who are totally disconnected from the corporate culture
c.	a three-strata employment system of powerful managers, autonomous technology experts, and less autonomous clerical workers
d.	unhappiness among employees who are telecommuters
e.	a crisis in leadership at many corporations

 

 

ANS:  A                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Pages 152–53

TOP:   Information and Communication Technology (IX.A)         MSC:  Factual

 

61. The McDonaldization of society refers to:

a.	the obesity epidemic in American society
b.	the taking over of key authority positions by baby boomers
c.	the increased uniformity and rationality of society due to automation
d.	the phenomenal success of McDonald’s restaurants as a model for other companies
e.	the increased number of gated communities in urban and suburban areas

 

 

ANS:  C                    DIF:    Easy               REF:   Page 154

TOP:   McDonaldization of Society (X)       MSC:  Factual

 

62. Of the following, which is NOT a principle of George Ritzer’s theory of the McDonaldization of society?

a.	efficiency
b.	calculability
c.	dependability
d.	uniformity
e.	control through automation

 

 

ANS:  C                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 154

TOP:   McDonaldization of Society (X)       MSC:  Factual

 

63. How can a decline in social capital have significant political implications?

a.	Fewer people will exercise their right to vote.
b.	More people feel removed from the political process.
c.	Democratic ideals are jeopardized.
d.	More people feel impotent to influence social, political, and economic change.
e.	All of the above are correct.

 

 

ANS:  E                    DIF:    Difficult         REF:   Page 157        TOP:   Social Capital (XI)

MSC:  Conceptual

 

64. According to Robert Putnam, television is the main cause of:

a.	an increase in violence
b.	an increase in sex among teenagers
c.	declining civic participation
d.	a declining attention span among young people
e.	a decline in family interaction

 

 

ANS:  C                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 157        TOP:   Social Capital (XI)

MSC:  Factual

 

65. Everyday after school Maria goes to the local teen center. She is part of a group that is organizing a multicultural festival for the community. This activity is likely to produce:

a.	bonding social capital
b.	bridging social capital
c.	community tension
d.	reference groups
e.	a transformational leader

 

 

ANS:  B                    DIF:    Moderate       REF:   Page 157        TOP:   Social Capital (XI)

MSC:  Applied

 

ESSAY

 

1. Today more of our social relationships are dominated by secondary groups instead of primary groups. Charles Horton Cooley worried about the loss of intimacy as secondary groups became more prominent and pervasive. Émile Durkheim and Georg Simmel saw some benefits to the development of more secondary groups. What do you think about the trend toward more secondary-group relationships in modern society?

 

ANS:

To answer this question, students should know the main differences between primary groups and secondary groups as well as the benefits and drawbacks of each type of social group. Primary groups are characterized by intense emotions, face-to-face interaction, intimacy, and a strong, enduring sense of commitment. Primary groups provide a sense of belonging and connection but can stifle individuality and force conformity. According to Simmel, primary groups are more likely to be intense and unstable since there are fewer group members. Secondary groups are characterized by their large size and by impersonal, fleeting relationships. Secondary groups have less intense relationships and are more stable over time due to the larger number of members. Secondary groups are more likely to be oriented around a specific task and organized to efficiently achieve that task. Durkheim believed that large organizations such as bureaucracies are the best way to deal with the administrative underpinning of large-scale societies. Yet Durkheim also felt that bureaucracies can quickly become inefficient and stifle creativity and innovation. Students will draw their own opinions about whether they think secondary-group relationships are good or bad (or both) for society, but they need to substantiate their answers with knowledge of the concepts and trends.

 

DIF:    Moderate        REF:   Page 136        TOP:   Secondary Group (I.A.vi)

MSC:  Applied

 

2. Give an example of a dyad, a triad, and a larger group. In which groups are the relationships more intense? In which are they more stable? Use your examples to explain why.

 

ANS:

To answer this question, students should know how to describe each type of social group and give an example. They need to be able to describe the dynamics of each type of social group. An example of a dyad is a married couple with no children. In this example, the relationship is very intense but also very unstable since if one member leaves, that group disappears. An example of a triad is three best friends. In this example, the relationships are still fairly intense, but they are more stable since one person can act as a mediator if conflict arises. However, alliances between two members can also arise and cause tensions. An example of a larger group would be an Introduction to Sociology class with 50 members. The relationships in this group have a very low level of intensity and are organized around achieving a goal. The relationships in this group are likely to be governed by formal rules and written procedures, which make the relationships more impersonal. These groups have a high level of stability since the loss of group members will not affect the overall structure or goal of the group.

 

DIF:    Moderate        REF:   Pages 135–38                                  TOP:   The Effect of Size (I.B)

MSC:  Factual

 

3. Compare transformational leadership and transactional leadership. Give an example of each from your own experience or from your knowledge of history.

 

ANS:

To answer this question, students should know the main differences between transformational leadership and transactional leadership. A transformational leader is able to instill in the members of a group a sense of mission or higher purpose, thereby changing the nature of the group itself. Good examples of transformational leaders are: Martin Luther King, Gandhi, and Mother Teresa. A transactional leader is concerned with accomplishing the group’s tasks, getting group members to do their jobs, and making certain that the group achieves its goals. Good examples of transactional leaders are CEOs, presidents, and professors. Students should provide clear examples and need to substantiate their answers with knowledge of the concepts.

 

DIF:    Moderate        REF:   Page 138        TOP:   Leader (II.A)

MSC:  Applied

 

4. How do the studies conducted by Solomon Asch, Stanley Milgram, and Irving Janis help us understand conformity? Pick one of these studies and explain how you think you would have responded as a subject in the study.

 

ANS:

To answer this question, students should demonstrate their knowledge of each study and how it specifically helps us understand why people do or do not conform. Asch’s experiments clearly showed that many people are willing to go along with the group consensus even if they believe it is incorrect. Milgram found that ordinary citizens will conform to orders given by someone in a position of power or authority—even if those orders have horrible consequences. Janis identified a phenomenon he called “groupthink,” a process by which the members of a group ignore those ideas, suggestions, and plans of action that go against the group consensus. Students must pick one of these studies and describe in detail how they would respond if put in the same situation as the participants in each study.

 

DIF:    Moderate        REF:   Pages 139–42                                  TOP:   Conformity (III)

MSC:  Factual

 

5. According to Irving Janis, what is groupthink? Why can groupthink lead to bad decisions by otherwise smart and strong-willed individuals? Provide a historical example in your explanation of groupthink.

 

ANS:

To answer this question, students should demonstrate their knowledge of the Janis study and the specifics of groupthink: a process by which the members of a group ignore those ideas, suggestions, and plans of action that go against the group consensus. Groupthink can lead to bad decision because the consensus may be ill chosen and possibly dangerous. Janis engaged in historical research to see if groupthink had characterized U.S. foreign policy decisions. Students must provide an example from history to illustrate the key points of groupthink, including intelligent, thoughtful group members; conformity to consensus; and a failure to examine alternative ideas or information that challenges the group consensus.

 

DIF:    Moderate        REF:   Pages 141–42                                  TOP:   Groupthink (III.C.i)

MSC:  Applied

 

6. What are the benefits of social networks? Explain how social networks facilitate the reproduction of existing inequalities for women, lower socioeconomic classes, and minorities. Give an example.

 

ANS:

To answer this question, students should first explain the benefits of social networks and then explain how not everyone has access to these benefits. Networks are beneficial because we are likely to rely on our networks for a broad range of contacts and resources. Most people rely on their personal networks to gain advantages, but not everyone has equal access to powerful networks. In general, whites and men have more advantageous social networks than do ethnic minorities and women. An example could be that as Internet-based social networks grow, they do so unevenly across the population since not everyone has equal access to the Internet. Lower-income persons and ethnic minorities are less likely to have Internet access than wealthier persons and whites.

 

DIF:    Difficult         REF:   Page 142        TOP:   Networks (IV)

MSC:  Conceptual

 

7. Explain how the Internet affects social relationships and social networks. Explain how it can have both a positive and a negative impact.

 

ANS:

To answer this question, students must first identify how the Internet changes our relationships and next explain the positives and negatives of these changes. The Internet has increased our access to social networks. The Internet provides rapid communication with a global reach, and we can extend our personal networks around the world. The Internet allows for networking with like-minded people on specific issues, such as politics, business, hobbies, and romance. It also enables people who might otherwise lack contact with others due to their location or physical condition to be part of global networks. The Internet fosters the creation of new relationships, often without the emotional and social baggage or constraints that go along with face-to-face encounters. In the absence of the usual physical and social cues, such as skin color or residential address, people can get together electronically on the basis of shared interests, such as gaming, rather than similar social characteristics. Social networks and relationships can be established across borders that previously affected face-to-face relationships. These include social position, wealth, race, ethnicity, gender, and physical disability. However, not everyone has equal access to the Internet. Lower-income persons and ethnic minorities are less likely to have Internet access than wealthier persons and whites.

 

DIF:    Moderate        REF:   Pages 142–43                                  TOP:   Internet (IV.A)

MSC:  Factual

 

8. List and explain the characteristics of the “ideal type of bureaucracy” that Max Weber described and how they are evident or not evident in your college or university.

 

ANS:

To answer this question, students must first define bureaucracy and ideal type and then explain the characteristics of an ideal type bureaucracy that Weber outlines. Bureaucracy is a type of organization marked by a clear hierarchy of authority, the existence of written rules of procedure, and a staff of full-time, salaried officials. An ideal type is a “pure type,” constructed by emphasizing certain traits of a social item that do not necessarily exist in reality. The characteristics of the ideal type of bureaucracy include: (1) a clear-cut hierarchy of authority such that tasks in the organization are distributed as “official duties”; (2) written rules govern the conduct of officials at all levels of the organization; (3) officials that are full time and salaried; (4) separation between the tasks of an official within the organization and his life outside; (5) members of the organization do not own the material resources with which they operate. After identifying these characteristics, students should explain how they are evident or not evident in their college or university.

 

DIF:    Difficult         REF:   Pages 145–46                                  TOP:   Bureaucracy (VI.A)

MSC:  Applied

 

9. According to George Ritzer, what is the McDonaldization of society? Explain the four guiding principles of McDonaldization, using the example of one of the following: your college or university, the healthcare system, or the movie industry.

 

ANS:

To answer this question, students must first define McDonaldization and the four guiding principles. According to Ritzer, McDonaldization is “the process by which the principles of the fast-food restaurants are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society as well as the rest of the world.” Ritzer uses the four guiding principles for McDonald’s restaurants—efficiency, calculability, uniformity, and control through automation—to show that our society is becoming ever more rationalized with time. Students must then use one of the examples provided to illustrate these four guiding principles.

 

DIF:    Difficult         REF:   Page 154        TOP:   McDonaldization of Society (X)

MSC:  Conceptual

 

10. Look at the organizations you belong to that may provide you with social capital. Describe one organization that provides you with bridging social capital and explain why. Describe another organization that provides you with bonding social capital and explain why.

 

ANS:

To answer this question, students must define social capital and distinguish between bridging social capital and bonding social capital. Social capital is the social knowledge and connections that enable people to accomplish their goals and extend their influence. Bridging social capital is outward looking and unifies people across social cleavages. Bonding social capital is inclusive and inward looking, thereby reinforcing exclusive identities and homogenous groups. Examples of organizations that provide bridging social capital are interfaith or interracial groups. Examples of organizations that provide bonding social capital are ethnic fraternal organizations, fraternities, and sororities. Students must pick an organization they belong to and demonstrate the type of social capital it provides them and why.

 

DIF:    Difficult         REF:   Page 157        TOP:   Social Capital (XI)

MSC:  Applied