Question 1

Sometimes the motivations for large protests organized by college activists are criticized. Protests in Washington, D.C., are seen as "spring break" for activists, who take part more for the pleasure of belonging to something than for anything else. What theory would support this critique?

Accepted Answer

Mass society theory argues that modern society is characterized by a lack of community and a breakdown of traditional values, leading to people searching for identity and belonging through mass movements, such as large protests. This theory supports the critique that some activists participate in protests more for the pleasure of belonging to something than for the cause itself.

Question 2

Many people think that nuclear proliferation can be best understood as a tragedy of the commons. If someone sees nuclear proliferation this way, which of the following might she propose as a solution?

Accepted Answer

Seeing nuclear proliferation as a tragedy of the commons implies that individual governments prioritize their own national security over the international community's interest in disarmament. A solution proposed by someone holding this view would be to create a global movement demanding that governments destroy nuclear warheads, which would shift the focus from national security to global interests. Options B, C, D, and E do not address the underlying issue of proliferating nuclear weapons and focus more on mitigating the damage caused by their use.

Question 3

According to a study published in Conservation Letters, a research team led by the biologist Brian MacKenzie ran computer models of the population dynamics of the bluefin tuna that suggest that, even if fishing were banned immediately, the population of bluefin in the Atlantic and Mediterranean Oceans will most likely collapse. This is a serious issue for sushi lovers everywhere, and some sociologists call it:

Accepted Answer

The situation described in the study is a classic example of the tragedy of the commons, where individuals acting in their own self-interest deplete a shared resource (in this case, the bluefin tuna population) to the point of collapse. The fact that even a ban on fishing would not prevent this outcome highlights the severity of the problem.

Question 4

According to the text, when someone listens to public radio but never contributes during pledge drives, that person would be considered by sociologists:

Accepted Answer

The term “free rider” refers to a person who enjoys the benefits of a public good without contributing to its production. In the context of the text, a person who listens to public radio but never contributes during pledge drives is benefiting from the public good of quality programming without making a financial contribution to support it, thus making them a free rider.

Question 5

Litter may not be the most pressing problem facing our society, but many people still wish that our streets and parks had less trash strewn about. However, it is difficult to convince people to clean these public areas, a problem that sociologists would call:

Accepted Answer

A public goods dilemma occurs when a group of individuals share a common resource or public good, but there is no incentive for any individual to contribute to the maintenance or improvement of that resource. In the case of litter, no individual necessarily benefits from cleaning up public areas, and so there is a collective action problem that prevents individuals from taking action. Therefore, the best answer is A) a public goods dilemma.

Question 6

In 1968 Garrett Hardin described the tragedy of the commons. The classic example of the commons is a pasture where any community member can graze his livestock. What would be the modern equivalent of the commons?

Accepted Answer

The modern equivalent of the commons would be natural resources like water, air, forests, and plants. These resources are often not owned by anyone in particular and are accessible to everyone, leading to potential overuse and depletion. The tragedy of the commons is still a relevant issue today, with concerns over climate change, deforestation, and water scarcity.

Question 7

According to Garrett Hardin, how can social dilemmas be solved?

Accepted Answer

According to Garrett Hardin, social dilemmas can be solved by changing the behaviors of the people involved. This can be achieved through education, social norms, and incentives that encourage cooperation and discourage selfish behavior. Hardin argues that technical solutions and increased resources may provide temporary relief but will ultimately lead to further exploitation and depletion of resources. Instead, a focus on changing behaviors and promoting collective responsibility is essential for solving social dilemmas.

Question 8

What do sociologists call behaviors that are rational for any given individual but that lead to disaster for an entire group?

Accepted Answer

Sociologists call behaviors that are rational for any given individual but that lead to disaster for an entire group "social dilemmas". This term refers to situations where individuals pursue their own self-interest, but the collective result is negative for the group as a whole.

Question 9

People who take advantage of a public good without contributing to it are called:

Accepted Answer

These individuals benefit from the public good without paying for it, essentially "riding for free." This can lead to a breakdown of the provision of the public good if too many people engage in free riding.

Question 10

When individual fishing boats harvest more fish each year in order to maximize profits while, as a result, threatening the fish population with extinction, it is called:

Accepted Answer

The scenario described is an example of the tragedy of the commons, where individual self-interest leads to the depletion or degradation of a shared resource, in this case, the fish population. This phenomenon often occurs when there is a lack of regulation or ownership of the resource.

Question 11

A public goods dilemma occurs when:

Accepted Answer

The answer of A public goods dilemma occurs when:
...

Question 12

Why would a political campaign NOT qualify as a social movement?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why would a political campaign NOT qualify...

Question 13

The Shriners are a fraternity based on the Masonic principles of brotherly love, relief, and truth. They have roughly 375,000 members and 191 temples in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The Shriners support Shriners Hospitals for Children, a system of 22 hospitals dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing specialty pediatric care. Why are the Shriners not a social movement?

Accepted Answer

Social movements seek to alter the status quo and bring about social change, while the Shriners are focused on charitable work and supporting children's hospitals. They do not actively seek to challenge or change societal norms or structures, making them more of a traditional organization rather than a social movement.

Question 14

An office has a "coffee fund," an old coffee can where people can toss change anytime they pour a cup of coffee. The fund can be used to buy new coffee for the office when the supply runs out. However, one individual always takes coffee and never puts any money in the fund, making him a:

Accepted Answer

The individual who always takes coffee but never contributes to the coffee fund is a free rider, benefiting from the contributions of others without bearing any of the costs.

Question 15

Although it might cause a great deal of harm in the long run, individual companies have an economic interest in fossil fuels. What is it called when the pursuit of individual gain leads to loss for a larger group?

Accepted Answer

This is known as a tragedy of the commons, where individuals pursue their own self-interest at the expense of a larger group or common good. In this case, the common good being harmed is the environment and the global climate.

Question 16

How does a fad differ from fashion?

Accepted Answer

Fads are short-lived trends that become very popular for a brief period of time among a specific group of people, while fashion refers to widely popular styles of behavior, clothing, or accessories that last for longer periods of time.

Question 17

If you believe that poor people join groups dedicated to keeping toxic waste dumps out of low-income communities because they want to enjoy the same standard of living and quality of life as the rest of society, then you believe in:

Accepted Answer

Relative deprivation theory suggests that people join social movements because they feel deprived of resources or opportunities relative to others in society. In the case of poor people joining groups opposing toxic waste dumps, it is likely that they feel deprived of a clean and healthy living environment compared to wealthier communities. Structural functionalism, globalization, mass society theory, and resource mobilization theory do not address this specific motivation for joining social movements.

Question 18

A company that dumps toxic waste in a river to keep costs down will likely never get caught by environmental regulators. According to Garrett Harden, we can best understand the costs of this action in terms of:

Accepted Answer

The situation described in the question is a classic example of the tragedy of the commons, where individuals or companies exploit a shared resource for their own benefit, resulting in collective harm. In this case, the river is a common resource that the company is using to lower costs, but it is harming the environment and other users of the river. The tragedy of the commons concept highlights the importance of implementing regulations to prevent overuse or exploitation of shared resources.

Question 19

When African Americans joined a protest movement because it was harder for them to vote than it was for white Americans, they were acting out of:

Accepted Answer

When African Americans joined a protest movement because it was harder for them to vote than it was for white Americans, they were acting out of relative deprivation. This is because they were comparing their situation to that of white Americans and recognizing that they were deprived of the same rights and opportunities that white Americans enjoyed.

Question 20

What do the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution, Nazism, birth control, and Protestantism all have in common?

Accepted Answer

The Nineteenth Amendment, Nazism, birth control, and Protestantism are all examples of social movements. The Nineteenth Amendment was the result of the women's suffrage movement, Nazism emerged as a political and social movement in Germany, birth control was pushed for by the birth control movement, and Protestantism began as a religious and social movement in the 16th century.

Quiz 16: Social Change: Looking Toward Tomorrow