Question 1

In 1978 Jim Jones, the leader of the People's Temple, forced more than 900 of his followers to commit suicide at gun point by drinking poisoned Flavor Aid. In the run-up to this event, Jones had strictly enforced discipline, mocking and ridiculing anyone who expressed doubts, at times even having doubters sedated. This extreme effort to enforce conformity is an example of:

Accepted Answer

The extreme effort by Jim Jones to enforce discipline and conformity among his followers characterizes the use of peer pressure. Jones sought to ensure that his followers had a strong sense of belonging to the group and were afraid of being ostracized if they expressed any doubts or dissent. This type of social influence is an example of peer pressure, where individuals conform to a group's expectations to avoid rejection or ridicule.

Question 2

What factors can lead to increased group cohesion?

Accepted Answer

All of the above factors - shared values, common traits, an attraction to the group as a whole, and shared goals - can contribute to increased group cohesion. When members of a group share values, they are more likely to align their preferences and behaviors with one another. Common traits can also help members of a group better understand and relate to each other, further strengthening group bonds. Similarly, when members of a group feel an innate attraction to one another, they are more likely to form close friendships and support each other, building stronger ties within the group. Finally, when a group has a shared goal, members are more likely to work collaboratively and invest in each other's success, boosting group cohesion overall.

Question 3

Imagine that one of your professors has a large collection of offensive T-shirts, including one that reads, "I scream, you scream, we all scream for heroin." The professor makes sure to never wear this shirt to class, though, because she hopes to gain the rewards of continued employment and avoid being yelled at by her boss. What is this kind of conformity called?

Accepted Answer

The professor is conforming to the norms and expectations of her workplace in order to comply with the rules and avoid negative consequences. This kind of conformity is called compliance. Identification involves conforming because we admire or respect the person who embodies the norm. Internalization involves adopting a norm or value because we believe it is right or true. Groupthink involves conforming to the opinions or decisions of a group in order to maintain harmony or consensus. Peer pressure involves conforming to the behaviors or attitudes of one's peers in order to be accepted or liked. None of these concepts apply to the situation described in the question.

Question 4

When group members withhold their reservations and criticisms for the sake of consensus, they are engaging in:

Accepted Answer

Group members who withhold their criticisms and reservations for the sake of consensus are engaging in groupthink. This occurs when group members prioritize their desire for unanimity over critical thinking and evaluation of alternatives. This can lead to poor decision-making and negative outcomes for the group or organization.

Question 5

Which of the following is best suited to avoiding groupthink?

Accepted Answer

Groupthink occurs when a group of people prioritize agreement and conformity over critical evaluation and alternative viewpoints. A leader who encourages and rewards the presentation of alternative opinions creates an environment in which groupthink is less likely to occur.

Question 6

Why does actual group productivity never equal potential productivity?

Accepted Answer

Coordinating and organizing group members takes time and can have a negative impact on actual productivity. Even if everyone is motivated and working efficiently, it still takes time to ensure everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goals. This can result in a gap between potential and actual productivity. The other choices may also contribute in some cases, but coordinating and organizing is a more universal factor that affects most groups.

Question 7

If some sociologists set out to measure group cohesion within a neighborhood, which statement would you least expect to find on their survey?

Accepted Answer

The statement "I feel comfortable in all sorts of neighborhoods" is not related to measuring group cohesion within a specific neighborhood, as it pertains to the individual's personal comfort level. The other statements are more directly related to evaluating group cohesion within a neighborhood.

Question 8

When someone joins the Green Party and then starts recycling old plastic bags because she believes it can help save the environment, this is an example of what type of conformity?

Accepted Answer

This is an example of internalization, where the individual has adopted the beliefs and values of the group (the Green Party) and is motivated to conform based on their personal convictions about the environment.

Question 9

What sort of group dynamic may have led officials at NASA to ignore warnings and launch the space shuttle Challenger, which exploded shortly after takeoff?

Accepted Answer

The group dynamic that led officials at NASA to ignore warnings and launch the space shuttle Challenger was groupthink, which occurs when a group’s desire for consensus and harmony overrides their ability to critically evaluate information or alternative courses of action. In this case, NASA officials were under significant pressure to launch the Challenger on schedule and may have disregarded warning signs or dissenting opinions in order to maintain group cohesion and avoid conflict.

Question 10

What do sociologists call the conformity that is demonstrated by an individual dressing modestly in accordance with religious values, but doing so to avoid punishment rather than because she believes it truly matters?

Accepted Answer

This describes compliance, which is conforming to social norms or expectations to avoid negative consequences or gain rewards, rather than because one truly believes in the values or behaviors being upheld.

Question 11

What percentage of the subjects in the Asch experiments were "independents" who refused to give the wrong answer?

Accepted Answer

Approximately 25 percent of the subjects in the Asch experiments were "independents" who refused to give the wrong answer. The remaining 75 percent of participants gave at least one wrong answer to conform to the group majority.

Question 12

What was the Asch experiment measuring?

Accepted Answer

The Asch experiment involved a group of people giving answers to simple questions in order to measure the power of the group to influence the individual's perception and judgment.

Question 13

Graduate students almost never attend graduate school at the institution where they were undergraduates, which means that a new graduate student is almost always living in a new and unfamiliar town. It's logical that many new grad students form social bonds among themselves and share activities. One popular activity is to gather after class for beer and pizza. If a new grad student doesn't like beer or pizza but accompanies the group anyway because he wants to make friends, this is an example of:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Graduate students almost never attend graduate school...

Question 14

When individuals are members of groups, they are influenced by other members. What do sociologists call this?

Accepted Answer

Peer pressure refers to the influence exerted by a peer group in encouraging a person to change their attitudes, values, or behaviors to conform to group norms. Sociologists study this phenomenon to understand how individuals are influenced by their social environments.

Question 15

Before the Second Gulf War, many in the U.S. government believed that Iraq possessed significant stores of weapons of mass destruction. In part, this belief was supported by CIA intelligence reports that later turned out to be wrong. Some have blamed the intense need for group cohesion and loyalty for driving out anyone who disagreed with the analysis. What is this called?

Accepted Answer

Groupthink is the phenomenon where a group makes faulty decisions because it values group cohesion and solidarity over objective analysis. This can lead to the suppression of dissenting opinions and critical evaluation of alternatives, which can result in flawed decision-making. In this case, the belief that Iraq had significant stores of weapons of mass destruction was based on flawed intelligence analysis influenced by groupthink.

Question 16

The condition that often develops in large groups when tasks are neglected, because it is impossible for any one person to receive credit (or blame), is called:

Accepted Answer

Social loafing is the tendency for individuals to exert less effort when working in a group setting compared to when working alone, as it becomes difficult to attribute success or failure to any one person. This can lead to neglect of tasks and a decrease in overall performance.

Question 17

What is the strongest type of conformity that can occur as a result of social influence or peer pressure?

Accepted Answer

The strongest type of conformity that can occur as a result of social influence or peer pressure is internalization. This occurs when an individual adopts the beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of a group because they genuinely agree with them, rather than simply conforming to avoid ridicule or gain acceptance. Internalized conformity often results in long-lasting behavioral changes and is the most difficult type of conformity to reverse.

Question 18

The Solomon Asch experiment, in which a group of subjects were asked to compare the lengths of lines, demonstrated that:

Accepted Answer

The Solomon Asch experiment demonstrated that groups have great power to induce conformity. Participants were asked to compare the lengths of lines and the majority of the group intentionally chose the wrong answer, leading many participants to conform and give the same answer as the group. This experiment is often cited as evidence of the power of group influence on individual behavior.

Question 19

What is the danger of too much group cohesion?

Accepted Answer

Too much group cohesion can lead to groupthink, in which members become so strongly aligned with the group that they discourage dissenting opinions. This can lead to poor decision-making, lack of creativity, and failure to consider all possible options.

Question 20

Which of the following is a reason that group efficiency declines as groups increase in size?

Accepted Answer

Social loafing occurs when individuals feel that their individual contribution to the group will not be noticed or valued, causing them to put in less effort. This tendency increases as group size increases, leading to a decline in group efficiency.

Quiz 5: Separate and Together: Life in Groups