Question 1

Which of the following perspectives argues that a greater inequality of payoffs to interacting parties will lead to a greater chance that there will be a breakdown in interaction?

Accepted Answer

Conflict theory suggests that social life is characterized by conflicts due to inequalities in resources and power. It argues that these inequalities lead to tensions and conflicts, including the potential breakdown of interactions, as those with less power or resources strive for equity or challenge the status quo.

Question 2

The lead character in Avatar learns about himself and the world around him through his interaction as a member of the Na'vi. This method of developing an appreciation of the generalized other draws on the work of which of the following theorists?

Accepted Answer

George Herbert Mead developed the concept of the generalized other, which refers to the social expectations and roles learned through interaction with others in society. The lead character in Avatar learns about the generalized other through his experience as a member of the Na'vi community.

Question 3

According to the textbook, why is conflict theory too narrow?

Accepted Answer

Conflict theory focuses overwhelmingly on competition and tension between social groups, classes or categories. As such, it tends to overlook practices that entail altruism or cooperation, assuming people are primarily driven by self-interest. This constitutes a significant limitation, as it fails to grasp the complexity of social behaviour and overlooks critical phenomena such as reciprocity, moral obligations or empathy, which often underpin solidarity and social cohesion.

Question 4

During an early season of the popular television series Grey's Anatomy, George, one of the main characters, steps out in front of a city bus to pull a woman to safety. What do his actions illustrate?

Accepted Answer

George's actions illustrate altruism, which is the selfless concern for the welfare of others. He put himself in danger to save a stranger, without expecting any reward or benefit in return.

Question 5

As passengers board the aircraft upon which Damien is employed as a flight attendant, he smiles and greets them. Every time an elderly person passes him, he looks at his co-workers and rolls his eyes. What is his eye rolling an example of?

Accepted Answer

Damien's eye-rolling is an example of backstage behavior, which refers to actions or expressions individuals display when they are in a setting away from the audience or when they believe they are not being observed by the audience. This contrasts with front-stage behavior, which is the performance meant for public view.

Question 6

What does symbolic interactionism identify as the basis of social interaction?

Accepted Answer

Symbolic interactionism identifies constant negotiation of roles, statuses, and norms as the basis of social interaction. This theory emphasizes the importance of symbols, language, and gestures in shaping our interactions with others, and suggests that these interactions are constantly being negotiated and re-negotiated based on our interpretations of each other's actions and behaviors. While individual psychological mindsets, cultural scripts, and interpretive belief structures certainly play a role in shaping social interaction, symbolic interactionism focuses specifically on the negotiation of roles, statuses, and norms.

Question 7

Carrie-Lee is embarrassed when her friends from college see her working as a Walmart greeter, so she explains to them that she is only doing it in order to find out first-hand how the company treats its employees. What is Carrie-Lee engaged in when she justifies her actions to her friends?

Accepted Answer

Carrie-Lee is engaging in role distancing, which is when someone downplays the importance of their role in order to cope with feelings of embarrassment or shame. She is trying to distance herself from the perception that working at Walmart is a reflection of her as a person, and instead justify her actions as being motivated by a desire to learn about the company's treatment of employees.

Question 8

Which of the following, first undertaken by Erving Goffman, is one of the most widely applied approaches to a symbolic interactionist assessment of social interaction?

Accepted Answer

Dramaturgical analysis, also known as the dramaturgical approach, was first introduced by Erving Goffman in his book "The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life." It is now one of the most widely applied approaches to a symbolic interactionist assessment of social interaction. This approach suggests that individuals engage in a sort of performance or "impression management" in their interactions with others, where they try to present themselves in a favorable light and shape others' perceptions of them.

Question 9

Which of the following is altruistic or heroic behaviour based on?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is altruistic or...

Question 10

In whose work did dramaturgical analysis originate?

Accepted Answer

Dramaturgical analysis originated in the work of Erving Goffman, a prominent sociologist in the mid-20th century.

Question 11

Which of the following facts highlights the open-endedness of social interaction?

Accepted Answer

The fact that people negotiate and modify norms, roles, and statuses as they interact with others highlights the open-endedness of social interaction. This means that social interaction is not predetermined or fixed, but rather flexible and subject to negotiation and modification based on the individuals involved in the interaction. The other options (A, B, and C) do not necessarily highlight the open-endedness of social interaction.

Question 12

Every time Rachel gets together for coffee with Mike, he talks only about himself and ignores any attempts she makes to talk about her own situation. What is the likely outcome for this pair of friends?

Accepted Answer

Rachel's need for attention is not being met, which can ultimately lead to frustration and resentment towards Mike. If the pattern continues, Rachel may decide to end the friendship because it is not fulfilling her emotional needs. While option B is possible, it is not guaranteed that Mike will realize his behavior and make changes to the dynamic of the friendship. Option A is not healthy because Rachel's need for attention should not be ignored, and option D is unlikely to be the sole reason for the end of the friendship.

Question 13

The line "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players," from Shakespeare's play As You Like It, illustrates which of the following?

Accepted Answer

This line exemplifies dramaturgical analysis, a concept in sociology that views social life as a series of dramatic performances akin to a play, where individuals are actors on the societal stage, playing roles for an audience.

Question 14

Brian, a first-year student at a university, is finding it puzzling that some of his professors don't insist on being called "Sir," or "Professor," or "Doctor." Instead they encourage him to address them by their first names. Brian is puzzled because in high school, all his teachers insisted on being called "Sir," or "Ms." Which of the following is the response that is required of him in adjusting to the new norms he must now deal with?

Accepted Answer

In this situation, the best way for Brian to adjust to the new norms of addressing his professors by their first names is to negotiate those norms. This means that he should try to understand the reasoning behind the new norms and then adjust his behavior accordingly. It may require him to initiate a conversation with his professors to clarify their expectations and preferences. By negotiating these norms, Brian can better understand and respect the culture of his new academic environment.

Question 15

If Larry distinguishes between a public persona and a view of his true self, which of the following is Larry engaged in?

Accepted Answer

Larry is engaging in role distancing, which is the process of separating one's public persona or role from their true self or private identity. This can involve consciously choosing to present oneself in a certain way in public while maintaining a different self-concept in private. It is a strategy used to manage the impressions others have of oneself and to maintain a sense of authenticity and individuality.

Question 16

When Larry began teaching at the military academy he decided that, in order to be taken seriously by his students, he would have to refrain from making jokes all the time, as he normally did in his everyday life. By doing this, which of the following was Larry engaged in?

Accepted Answer

Larry was engaged in role distancing, which means he was deliberately creating a separation between his personal persona, where he makes jokes all the time, and his professional persona, where he wanted to be taken more seriously as a teacher.

Question 17

What is the term used in dramaturgical analysis for public settings that require the use of props, set gestures, and memorized lines?

Accepted Answer

Front stage refers to the public settings in dramaturgical analysis where individuals perform using props, set gestures, and memorized lines. This is the part of the performance that is visible to the audience or the general public. Onstage, Offstage, and Backstage refer to different aspects of the performance or the settings where the performance is being prepared.

Question 18

Daniel and Sukumar are talking about where one can find the best deal on a brand of very expensive shoes. However, whenever Sukumar talks, Daniel either responds with "hmmmm" or does not respond at all, and then goes on to talk about his opinion of the best stores. What is Daniel doing?

Accepted Answer

Daniel is not acknowledging Sukumar's input and instead redirects the conversation towards his own opinion. This behavior indicates that he is attempting to shift the conversation to himself.

Question 19

Which of the following schools of thought is based on the idea that social interaction involves competition over valued resources?

Accepted Answer

Conflict theory is based on the idea that social interaction involves competition over valued resources such as wealth, power, and prestige. This idea suggests that there is a constant struggle for these limited resources, which creates tension and conflict in society.

Question 20

What is occurring when a person exhibits little enthusiasm or commitment when adopting a role that's personally disagreeable or incompatible with his or her self-image?

Accepted Answer

Role distancing is the act of creating psychological distance between oneself and a role that is perceived as incompatible with one's self-image. This can lead to a lack of enthusiasm and commitment towards that role. Role conflict refers to situations where an individual experiences competing demands from two or more roles. Role rejection is the complete refusal to accept a role, while role strain refers to situations where stress arises from conflicting demands within a single role.

Quiz 4: From Social Interaction to Social Organizations