Question 1

According to the textbook, which of the following is among the main positive symbolic associations of the car?&#10;A) Freedom&#10;B) Family&#10;C) Duty&#10;D) Affordability

Accepted Answer

The textbook states that one of the main positive symbolic associations of the car is freedom, as it allows individuals to move around independently and explore new places.

Question 2

Which of the following is a synonym for &#34;automobility&#34;?&#10;A) Car activism&#10;B) Car culture&#10;C) Car ownership&#10;D) Car driving

Accepted Answer

Automobility refers to the cultural and social aspects of cars and driving, which are encompassed in the term "car culture." Car activism may refer to political or social movements related to cars, while car ownership and car driving are more specific aspects of automobility.

Question 3

After WWII, the U.S. government made house purchases in suburbs more affordable than those in cities, by guaranteeing mortgages in the former, but not the latter. Which of the following features of automobility does this policy exemplify?

A) State ownership
B) Contested nature
C) Systemic character
D) Symbolic power

C

Accepted Answer

This policy exemplifies the systemic character of automobility, as it was a deliberate government decision to incentivize suburban living and car ownership through the guarantee of mortgages. This decision had far-reaching consequences for the layout and development of American cities and suburbs, and the dominance of the automobile in American culture. The other options do not accurately reflect the nature of this policy.

Question 4

Even cities which would like to control traffic congestion find it difficult to do so, because past government decisions have weakened public transit systems and other alternatives to driving. Which of the following phenomena does this exemplify?

A) Functionalism
B) Social structures
C) Social system
D) Path dependence

Accepted Answer

This exemplifies path dependence, which refers to the idea that past decisions or events can limit the range of future options. In this case, past decisions to weaken public transit systems and other alternatives to driving have limited the options available for controlling traffic congestion.

Question 5

According to the textbook, systematic weakening of public transit systems in the 1930s U.S. was due to actions of:&#10;A) car manufacturers&#10;B) the middle class&#10;C) the government&#10;D) the unions

Accepted Answer

The textbook states that the systematic weakening of public transit systems in the 1930s U.S. was due to the actions of car manufacturers, who intentionally worked to undermine public transit systems in order to sell more cars.

Question 6

Why is it expected that the rate of car ownership in the global South will increase in the near future?&#10;A) The level of inequalities is expected to increase&#10;B) The middle class is expected to expand&#10;C) The rich are expected to grow richer&#10;D) State regulation of car ownership is expected to cease

Accepted Answer

The expansion of the middle class in the global South is expected to lead to an increase in car ownership. As people's incomes rise, they are more likely to purchase vehicles for personal transportation. The other options, such as increased inequality or the wealthy getting richer, do not necessarily directly lead to an increase in car ownership. The option about state regulation ending is also unlikely, as many governments around the world continue to regulate car ownership and usage.

Question 7

Research has found that young people appreciate driving primarily because it enables them to:&#10;A) attend remote schools&#10;B) help their parents&#10;C) socialize&#10;D) volunteer

Accepted Answer

Research has found that young people appreciate driving primarily because it enables them to socialize.

Question 8

In a car culture, driving is to independence as car ownership is to:&#10;A) youthfulness&#10;B) maturity&#10;C) social solidarity&#10;D) success and status

Accepted Answer

In Western car cultures, car ownership is often associated with success and status. Having a car is viewed as a sign of financial stability and independence, allowing individuals to travel as they please and customize their vehicle to fit their personal preferences. This cultural association with car ownership is often perpetuated through advertising and popular media, further reinforcing the idea that owning a car is a symbol of success and status.

Question 9

A &#34;dream car&#34; is an example of:&#10;A) bridging commodity&#10;B) reference commodity&#10;C) indispensable commodity&#10;D) consumable commodity

Accepted Answer

A dream car is a bridging commodity because it is a durable good that is purchased infrequently and is used for a long period of time.

Question 10

Which of the following processes enabled the transformation of the car from a luxury item to a widely accessible commodity?&#10;A) Automation&#10;B) Fordism&#10;C) Post-Fordism&#10;D) Post-industrialism

Accepted Answer

Fordism refers to the mass production of standardized goods using assembly line technology, which greatly reduced production time and costs. This enabled the production of cars to become more efficient and affordable, ultimately allowing cars to become accessible to the average person.

Question 11

Mass production is to mass consumption as flexible production is to:&#10;A) conspicuous consumption&#10;B) elite consumption&#10;C) niche consumption&#10;D) flexible consumption

Accepted Answer

The answer of Mass production is to mass consumption as...

Question 12

Which of the following is a characteristic of Post-Fordism?&#10;A) Low cost of production&#10;B) High cost of production&#10;C) Low product differentiation&#10;D) High product differentiation

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is a characteristic...

Question 13

The textbook points out that the endurance of the American car industry can be explained by the endurance of its:&#10;A) symbolic power&#10;B) systemic features&#10;C) political influence&#10;D) social utility

Accepted Answer

The answer of The textbook points out that the endurance...

Question 14

Which of the following phenomena is relevant both to the treatment of cars as fashion products and to their environmental impact?&#10;A) Premature disposal&#10;B) Mass availability&#10;C) Flexible production&#10;D) Global production chains

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following phenomena is relevant...

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT a focus of post-materialist critique of automobility?&#10;A) Community building&#10;B) Personal growth&#10;C) Saving industrial jobs&#10;D) Environmental sustainability

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is NOT a...

Question 16

Which of the following is a feature of the sharing economy?&#10;A) Post-materialist attitude&#10;B) Low carbon foot print&#10;C) Community building&#10;D) Short-term rental

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is a feature...

Question 17

Sociologist Denis Soron writes that car driving is a form of &#34;compulsory consumption.&#34; Explain this statement.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Sociologist Denis Soron writes that car driving...

Question 18

Define the critical features of automobility.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Define the critical features of automobility....

Question 19

What is meant by saying that the car facilitates both mobility and immobility?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is meant by saying that the...

Question 20

Summarize the main findings of Walsh's study into the representation of women in American car advertising.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Summarize the main findings of Walsh's study...

Question 21

Compare the conditions of employment in the American car manufacturing during the Fordist and post-Fordist periods of its development.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Compare the conditions of employment in the...

Question 22

Define post-materialism and give an example of it.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Define post-materialism and give an example of...

Deck 13: Our Love-Hate Relationship With the Car: Masculinity, Industry, and Environmental Sustainability