Deck 5: Groups and Organizations

Question 1

Facebook, email, and other forms of newer media have weakened the informal structure that used to be a part of most bureaucratic organizations.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

In our rapidly changing society, formal organizations continually make significant changes in the way they are structured.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Once a bureaucratic organization becomes established, it is very resistant to change.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

According to Weber, most modern bureaucracies will fit his ideal type and have all of the characteristics as he described them.

Question 5

Gender and racial/ethnic inequalities tend to be perpetuated in bureaucracies.

Question 6

It is possible for a secondary group or an aggregate to become a primary group.

Question 7

The impersonality and focus on technical ability within bureaucracies make them resistant to inequality based on race, gender, and class.

Question 8

Weber's theory did not account for the informal side of bureaucracy.

Question 9

In government and other high-level professional organizations, individuals are more likely to advocate for their own professional opinions rather than succumb to the pressure of the group.

Question 10

One of the most important characteristics of a group is its size.

Question 11

It is possible that people will accept the values of a reference group more than the values of the groups of which they are members.

Question 12

A person's socioeconomic class is the most significant predictor of whether that person will join a mainstream normative organization.

Question 13

Sociologists are in agreement that virtual communities-that is online communities of various types-fit the sociological definition of a community.

Question 14

People do not voluntarily become members of coercive organizations.

Question 15

In the United States there is little support for authoritarian leadership.

Question 16

In his series of experiments Asch found that virtually no one was willing to stand up to group pressure and give the correct response.

Question 17

The Milgram study provides evidence that obedience to even seemingly unreasonable authority may be more common than most of us would like to believe.

Question 18

The existence of an outgroup creates a threat and is dysfunctional for the ingroup.

Question 19

Larger groups typically have less solidarity and more formalized leadership than smaller groups.

Question 20

Only secondary group have leaders; primary groups do not.

Question 21

Susan and Mary are middle-aged women who have been neighbors for twenty-five years. They talk daily about each other's grandchildren, share grocery shopping trips, and offer each other advice. They are an example of a(n) __________.

A) ​primary group
B) ​secondary group
C) ​formal organization
D) ​aggregate

Question 22

The sociologist who first defined the differences between primary and secondary groups is __________.

A) ​Charles H. Cooley
B) ​George H. Mead
C) ​C. Wright Mills
D) ​Talcott Parsons

Question 23

The least amount of interaction between members occurs in a __________.

A) ​social group
B) ​category
C) ​aggregate
D) ​formal organization

Question 24

A(n) __________ is a collection of people who happen to be in the same place at the same time but share little else in common.

A) ​social group
B) ​category
C) ​aggregate
D) ​primary group

Question 25

Sociologist Charles H. Cooley used the term __________ to describe a small, less specialized group in which members engage in face-to-face, emotion-based interactions over an extended period of time.

A) ​secondary group
B) ​formal group
C) ​informal group
D) ​primary group

Question 26

A(n) __________ is a number of people who may never have met one another but share a similar characteristic (such as education level, age, race, or gender).

A) ​social group
B) ​category
C) ​aggregate
D) ​secondary category

Question 27

Sociologist __________ coined the terms ingroup and outgroup to describe people's feelings toward members of their own and other groups.

A) ​Emile Durkheim
B) ​Max Weber
C) ​William Graham Sumner
D) ​Charles H. Cooley

Question 28

Students walking to class, shoppers in a department store, and people lined up to buy tickets are examples of __________.

A) ​aggregates
B) ​categories
C) ​social groups
D) ​primary groups

Question 29

In discussing primary and secondary groups, the text points out that__________________.

A) ​secondary and primary groups are always mutually exclusive
B) ​all secondary groups are approximately the same size
C) ​primary and secondary groups are equally likely to be specialized, but in different ways
D) ​people in a secondary group may eventually form a primary group

Question 30

Which of these characteristics do virtual communities and face-to-face communities have in common?​

A) ​geographic boundaries
B) ​social boundaries
C) ​shared interests
D) ​psychological detachment among members

Question 31

A(n) __________ is a group to which a person does not belong and toward which the person may feel a sense of competitiveness or hostility.

A) ​ingroup
B) ​outgroup
C) ​formal group
D) ​reference group

Question 32

Men with red hair, people who wear glasses, people over 6 feet tall, and college women who belong to a sorority are each an example of a(n) __________.

A) ​social group
B) ​category
C) ​aggregate
D) ​formal organization

Question 33

Within most bureaucratic organizations, there will be resistance to the iron law of oligarchy.

Question 34

A(n) __________ is a collection of two or more people who interact frequently with one another, share a sense of belonging, and have a feeling of interdependence.

A) ​social group
B) ​aggregate
C) ​category
D) ​secondary group

Question 35

Annette, Joshua, Sandra, and Luis are college students who met for the first time in a sociology class. They study together and pool their notes. Otherwise, they see each other only occasionally when their paths cross between classes. Sociologists would term them __________.

A) ​a primary group
B) ​a formal group
C) ​a secondary group
D) ​an informal group

Question 36

A(n) __________ is a group to which a person belongs and with which the person feels a sense of identity.

A) ​ingroup
B) ​outgroup
C) ​formal group
D) ​reference group

Question 37

Cody is a member of the L.A. Crips. The other gangs in his territory are the Bloods and Satan's Slaves. Cody feels very antagonistic toward the Bloods and Satan's Slaves. For Cody, these two rival gangs would be considered __________.

A) ​formal groups
B) ​ingroups
C) ​reference groups
D) ​outgroups

Question 38

Workers in Japan have greater job security than do workers in the United States.

Question 39

The term for people with whom we have primary relationships and those in our primary groups is __________.

A) ​personal others
B) ​significant others
C) ​formal others
D) ​generalized others

Question 40

Cooley coined the term __________ for a larger, more specialized group in which the members engage in impersonal, goal-oriented relationships for a limited period of time.

A) ​secondary
B) ​primary
C) ​formal
D) ​informal

Question 41

A group composed of three members is termed a(n) __________.

A) ​triad
B) ​affiliation
C) ​dyad
D) ​accommodation

Question 42

What is the term used by sociologists to describe individuals' awareness that they share commonalities with certain others?​

A) ​consciousness of kind
B) ​outgroup feelings
C) ​cultural relativism
D) ​homogeneity

Question 43

__________ needs cannot always be met by one person, so being in a group enables one to complete tasks or fulfill a specific goal.

A) ​Expressive
B) ​Instrumental
C) ​Social
D) ​Individual

Question 44

A(n) __________ is a group that strongly influences a person's behavior and social attitudes, regardless of whether that individual is an actual member.

A) ​social group
B) ​operational group
C) ​reference group
D) ​instrumental group

Question 45

A(n) __________ is an alliance created in an attempt to reach a shared objective or goal.

A) ​affiliation
B) ​coalition
C) ​dyad
D) ​accommodation

Question 46

In which of these types of groups is the participation of all members crucial to the survival of the group?​

A) ​triad
B) ​formal organization
C) ​dyad
D) ​secondary group

Question 47

Which of these terms does not fit with the concept of ingroup as well as the others?

A) ​consciousness of kind
B) ​ethnocentrism
C) ​cultural relativism
D) ​closed relationship

Question 48

__________ suggest that groups involve unequal power relationships so that not all members of a group are not equally likely to have their needs met.

A) ​Postmodern theorists
B) ​Functionalists
C) ​Conflict theorists
D) ​Symbolic interactionists

Question 49

Which of these is an example of a coalition?​

A) ​teachers in a school district work together to demand better wages
B) ​a couple with a new baby, increasing the size of the family
C) ​a married couple or domestic partnership of two people
D) ​friends going out to dinner together

Question 50

Jocelyn is a senior at the local university and plans to go to graduate school in sociology. During her last semester, she has been using graduate sociology student papers as standards in evaluating her own writing skills. For Jocelyn, the graduate sociology students have become her __________.

A) ​outgroup
B) ​significant others
C) ​primary group
D) ​reference group

Question 51

Which of these sociologists first suggested that small groups have interaction patterns that do not exist in larger groups?​

A) ​Emile Durkheim
B) ​Max Weber
C) ​Herbert Spencer
D) ​Georg Simmel

Question 52

Members of a country club, sorority or fraternity, or even a group of friends share values and beliefs and are aware of those whom they believe are like them. Sociologists term this awareness __________.

A) ​consciousness of kind
B) ​outgroup construction
C) ​cultural relativism
D) ​homogeneity

Question 53

Which type of theorist is most likely to note the scripted nature of interaction in contemporary society (for example between employees and customers in a fast food restaurant)? 

A) ​conflict theorists
B) ​symbolic interactionists
C) ​functionalists
D) ​postmodern theorists

Question 54

The text points out that ingroup and outgroup distinctions______________________.

A) ​may encourage social cohesion among group members
B) ​serve to prevent classism, racism, sexism, and ageism
C) ​discourage feelings of group superiority
D) ​are less likely to exist in contemporary societies than in traditional ones

Question 55

__________ needs are met by opportunities of self-expression and support from family, friends, and peers.

A) ​Expressive
B) ​Instrumental
C) ​Social
D) ​Individual

Question 56

Which of these is not likely to constitute a reference group for a person who strongly believes in the value of human rights and equal opportunity?​

A) ​Ku Klux Klan
B) ​American Civil Liberties Union
C) ​National Organization for Women
D) ​Human Rights Campaign

Question 57

From the __________ perspective, people form groups to meet instrumental and expressive needs.

A) ​symbolic interaction
B) ​functionalist
C) ​postmodern
D) ​conflict

Question 58

Two best friends, married couples, and domestic partnerships are each an example of a __________.

A) ​coalition
B) ​dyad
C) ​triad
D) ​affiliation

Question 59

__________ size refers to the number of members a group actually has.

A) ​Relative
B) ​Numeric
C) ​Absolute
D) ​Interaction

Question 60

Which type of theorist is most concerned with the influence of group size on the interaction among members?​

A) ​conflict theorists
B) ​symbolic interactionists
C) ​functionalists
D) ​postmodern theorists

Question 61

The three major styles of leadership of ingroups include __________ leadership.

A) ​religious
B) ​charismatic
C) ​laissez-faire
D) ​cooperative

Question 62

__________ leadership is most appropriate when the group is dealing with emotional issues, and when harmony, solidarity, and high morale are needed.

A) ​Expressive
B) ​Transitional
C) ​Relational
D) ​Instrumental

Question 63

In times of crisis, such as a war or natural disaster, __________ leaders may be commended for their decisive actions. In other situations, however, they may be criticized for being dictatorial and for fostering intergroup hostility.

A) ​cooperative
B) ​laissez-faire
C) ​authoritarian
D) ​democratic

Question 64

In his study of conformity, Solomon Asch found that __________.

A) ​subjects stood by their own answers and were not influenced by the incorrect responses of Asch's assistants
B) ​subjects chose to conform to the incorrect responses of Asch's assistants about one‑third (33 percent) of the time
C) ​subjects chose to conform to the incorrect responses of Asch's assistants over one‑half (50 percent) of the time
D) ​subjects always chose to conform to the incorrect responses of Asch's assistants

Question 65

__________ leadership is most appropriate when the group's purpose is to complete a task or reach a particular goal.

A) ​Expressive
B) ​Transitional
C) ​Relational
D) ​Instrumental

Question 66

The research conducted by Stanley Milgram and his colleagues provides evidence that obedience to authority __________.

A) ​is relatively uncommon
B) ​takes place only in the presence of charismatic leadership
C) ​may be more common than most people would like to believe
D) ​occurs only in totalitarian situations

Question 67

Sociologists refer to the process of maintaining or changing behavior to comply with the norms established by a society, subculture, or other group as __________.

A) ​conformity
B) ​anticipatory socialization
C) ​social control
D) ​groupthink

Question 68

Leaders using the __________ style of leadership are only minimally involved in decision making and encourage group members to make their own decisions.

A) ​democratic
B) ​authoritarian
C) ​laissez-faire
D) ​cooperative

Question 69

__________ leadership provides emotional support for members.

A) ​Instrumental
B) ​Expressive
C) ​Relational
D) ​Transitional

Question 70

Leaders using the __________ style of leadership may be praised for their expressive, supportive behavior toward group members, but they may also be blamed for being indecisive in times of crisis.

A) ​authoritarian
B) ​laissez-faire
C) ​cooperative
D) ​democratic

Question 71

The supervisor of the office has been informed that Sarah consistently extends her lunch hour by 30 minutes. He chooses to take a passive approach to this problem, hoping that it will fix itself. This particular supervisor is exhibiting which style of leadership?​

A) ​authoritarian
B) ​cooperative
C) ​democratic
D) ​laissez-faire

Question 72

Jeremy is a member of a group working on a project for his sociology class. Whenever the group meets, there is conflict among several group members, and this is upsetting to the others. Joe is continuously trying to improve group harmony and trying to reduce the conflict in the group. Joe would be considered the __________ leader of the group.

A) ​transitional
B) ​instrumental
C) ​expressive
D) ​laissez-faire

Question 73

__________ is the term for compliance in which people follow direct orders from someone in a position of authority.

A) ​Cohesion
B) ​Obedience
C) ​Symbolic response
D) ​Learning

Question 74

A dozen inexperienced backpackers are preparing to settle in for the night when they realize that someone in the group is missing. The __________ style of leadership would be most effective in this situation.

A) ​authoritarian
B) ​democratic
C) ​cooperative
D) ​laissez-faire

Question 75

A teacher gives students ideas for an assignment, but encourages them to be creative and pick their own subject and format. The teacher is using a _________ leadership style.

A) ​democratic
B) ​laissez-faire
C) ​authoritarian
D) ​autocratic

Question 76

After conducting his research, Solomon Asch concluded that __________.

A) ​succumbing to group pressure is less common than many people would like to believe
B) ​the size of the group has little influence on the extent to which individuals respond to group pressure
C) ​the degree of social cohesion felt by participants is very important regarding how individuals respond to group pressure
D) ​when it comes to encouraging compliance, groups wield very little power over individuals

Question 77

Latisha is a member of a group working on a research project for a class assignment. Whenever the group meets, other members are easily sidetracked and Latisha is always trying to keep the group focused on the assignment. Latisha would be considered the __________ leader of the group.

A) ​laissez faire
B) ​expressive
C) ​instrumental
D) ​authoritarian

Question 78

__________ leadership is goal- or task-oriented.

A) ​Instrumental
B) ​Expressive
C) ​Relational
D) ​Transitional

Question 79

From a __________ perspective, if groups exist to meet the instrumental and expressive needs of their members, then leaders are responsible for helping the group meet those needs.

A) ​premodern
B) ​conflict
C) ​symbolic interactionist
D) ​functionalist

Question 80

__________ size refers to the number of potential members a group has.

A) ​Hypothetical
B) ​Absolute
C) ​Dyadic
D) ​Relative