Question 1

Only 25 percent of subjects in the Asch experiment were "independents" who refused to
A) give the wrong answer.
B) inhabit the role of "guard."
C) obey authorities asking them to shock participants.
D) inhabit the role of "prisoner."

Accepted Answer

The Asch experiment was a study on conformity, in which participants were asked to match the length of lines. The majority of the participants (75 percent) conformed to the group's wrong answer at least once. The "independents" were the 25 percent of subjects who did not conform and gave their own, correct answer. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is A, as the "independents" refused to give the wrong answer.

Question 2

A twenty-eight-year-old woman is on the verge of a big promotion at work.She didn't finish college until she was twenty-five and the entry-level job she currently has is not impressive.She decides to attend her ten-year high school reunion only if she is promoted.What do sociologists say her high school classmates represent if they can have this much influence on her decision to attend the reunion?
A) an out-group
B) a reference group
C) a primary group
D) a virtual community

Accepted Answer

Sociologists would say that her high school classmates represent a reference group. This is a group that an individual uses as a standard for evaluating themselves and their behavior. In this case, the woman is using her high school classmates as a reference point for her own success and achievement, and is only willing to attend the reunion if she has reached a certain level of success (i.e. promotion).

Question 3

What are group members engaging in when they withhold their reservations and criticisms for the sake of consensus?
A) group solidarity
B) laissez-faire decision making
C) groupthink
D) expressive leadership

Accepted Answer

Withholding reservations and criticisms for the sake of consensus is a symptom of groupthink, which occurs when group members prioritize harmony and agreement over critical thinking and independent opinions. This can lead to flawed decision-making and outcomes.

Question 4

Which of the following is best suited to preventing groupthink?
A) a leader who encourages and rewards the presentation of alternative opinions
B) a strict meritocracy in which only the best and brightest are hired
C) strict control over the flow of information into and out of an organization
D) a strong leader who controls every aspect of the decision-making process

Accepted Answer

Encouraging and rewarding the presentation of alternative opinions allows for diverse perspectives and prevents groupthink, which is the tendency to conform to the group's opinion without critically evaluating it. A strict meritocracy or strict control over information flow may not necessarily prevent groupthink. A strong leader who controls every aspect of decision-making can also lead to groupthink if they do not allow for input from others.

Question 5

What do sociologists call it when members of groups are influenced by other members?
A) internalization
B) commodification
C) peer pressure
D) rationalization

Accepted Answer

Peer pressure is the term used by sociologists to describe the influence that members of a group exert on each other.

Question 6

The Solomon Asch experiment,in which groups of participants were asked to compare the lengths of lines,demonstrated that
A) an authoritarian leader can strongly influence group members.
B) groups have great power to induce conformity.
C) the larger the group is, the less each member has a sense of individual responsibility.
D) peer pressure emerges when a group's task is relatively difficult or demanding.

Accepted Answer

The Solomon Asch experiment demonstrated that groups have great power to induce conformity, as participants in the study were willing to give incorrect answers in order to conform to the group consensus. This was especially true when the group was unanimous in their response.

Question 7

What was the Asch experiment measuring?
A) the power of peer pressure
B) the extent of social networks
C) the value of teamwork compared with individual effort
D) the type of organization that can best achieve social goals

Accepted Answer

The Asch experiment was measuring the power of peer pressure and conformity. He showed participants lines of different lengths and asked them to match them with a standard line. The participants were then surrounded by a group of confederates who purposely gave the wrong answers, leading the participant to conform and give the wrong answer as well. Asch was interested in studying the extent to which people would conform to group pressure, even when it goes against their own perceptions or beliefs.

Question 8

University leaders ignore rumors and complaints about the football coach sexually abusing students in order to uphold the reputation of the university's award-winning football program.This action to preserve public image over protecting the safety of students is a result of
A) a primary group.
B) anomie or normlessness.
C) groupthink.
D) a reference group.

Accepted Answer

The university leaders' decision to ignore the rumors and complaints about the football coach due to a desire to uphold the reputation of the football program can be attributed to groupthink. Groupthink occurs when a group prioritizes cohesion and conformity over considering alternative perspectives and making ethical decisions. In this case, the university leaders prioritize the reputation of the football program over the well-being and safety of the students, demonstrating a lack of ethical decision-making.

Question 9

If a sociologist measured group cohesion within a neighborhood and found a high level of group cohesion,which response would you LEAST expect to find on the survey?
A) "Overall, I find this neighborhood very attractive."
B) "If my neighbors were planning something, I would think of it as something 'we' were doing rather than something 'they' were doing."
C) "I feel a sense of loyalty to my neighbors."
D) "I feel comfortable in all sorts of neighborhoods."

Accepted Answer

A high level of group cohesion in a neighborhood would suggest that residents feel a sense of belonging and loyalty to their community, making them less likely to feel comfortable in all sorts of neighborhoods. Option D implies that the respondent is equally comfortable in any type of neighborhood, which does not fit with the notion of strong group cohesion.

Question 10

The sense of solidarity or team spirit that an individual feels toward his or her group is called
A) expressive leadership.
B) group cohesion.
C) anomie.
D) instrumental leadership.

Accepted Answer

Group cohesion refers to the sense of solidarity or team spirit that an individual feels toward his or her group. Expressive leadership refers to a leadership style that emphasizes emotional support and communication, while instrumental leadership focuses on achieving goals and tasks. Anomie refers to a sense of normlessness or a breakdown in social order.

Question 11

Which of the following statements would be most convincing to a sociologist if you were trying to explain the shift from A-mode and B-mode responses to C-mode responses on the Twenty Statements Test?
A) Americans have become more and more generous over the years and their answers reflect a desire to give something back.
B) People care less about what researchers think about them, so they are more likely to answer honestly and admit that they've always been selfish.
C) The accelerated pace of social change makes it increasingly difficult to think about the self in terms of group membership.
D) There has been a fundamental shift in individual values and psychology that has led to a long-term change in American social structure.

Accepted Answer

The shift from A-mode and B-mode responses to C-mode responses on the Twenty Statements Test reflects a change in the way individuals think about themselves and their place in society. Sociologists would be more convinced by the explanation that the accelerated pace of social change makes it increasingly difficult to think about the self in terms of group membership. This suggests that the shift towards C-mode responses is a result of changing social conditions rather than individual values or personality traits.

Question 12

The Twenty Statements Test asks respondents to make twenty true statements about themselves that begin with the phrase "I am." Why is this test discussed in a chapter about social groups?
A) It was developed to measure the extent to which individuals follow the norms of their primary groups.
B) It helps sociologists understand the extent to which group norms constrain individuals.
C) It helps to map social networks by establishing what social ties exist between people.
D) It was developed to measure the extent to which we base our identity on membership in groups.

Accepted Answer

The Twenty Statements Test was developed to measure the extent to which individuals base their identity on membership in groups. This makes it relevant to the discussion of social groups.

Question 13

A man arrested for driving under the influence must attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in accordance with a court order.He attends the meetings so as to avoid a jail sentence and a hefty fine,but not because he wants to.What do sociologists call this kind of conformity?
A) identification
B) internalization
C) proscription
D) compliance

Accepted Answer

The man is conforming to the court order to attend AA meetings out of obligation to avoid negative consequences (jail and fine), but not because he has internalized or identified with the values or beliefs of the group. This type of conformity is known as compliance.

Question 14

People today are more likely to identify themselves through personal characteristics than through group membership or affiliation.Why is this cause for concern to some sociologists?
A) People who identify themselves through personal characteristics are less likely to try to achieve their goals and advance themselves.
B) People who identify themselves through personal characteristics are more likely to blindly follow orders and bow to peer pressure.
C) People who identify themselves through personal characteristics are more likely to have large social networks and maintain connections to their communities.
D) People who identify themselves through personal characteristics might care less about the common good.

Accepted Answer

Some sociologists believe that identifying oneself primarily through personal characteristics may lead to a more individualistic perspective, where the common good and community values may not be prioritized as much as individual goals and desires. This could potentially harm social cohesion and overall societal harmony.

Question 15

What is the danger of too much group cohesion?
A) It leads to endless discussion that tends to preclude any real action.
B) It makes group members more susceptible to anomie or normlessness.
C) It reduces the degree to which members are attracted to the group.
D) It can lead to groupthink, in which dissenting opinions are strongly discouraged.

Accepted Answer

Too much group cohesion can lead to groupthink, where members may feel pressure to conform and suppress any dissenting opinions or ideas. This can lead to flawed decision-making and ultimately, negative outcomes.

Question 16

What is the strongest type of conformity that can occur as a result of social influence or peer pressure?
A) social loafing
B) identification
C) internalization
D) compliance

Accepted Answer

Internalization is the strongest type of conformity that occurs when a person changes their behavior and beliefs to reflect those of the group permanently. This occurs because the individual has fully accepted and internalized the norms and values of the group as their own, and they genuinely believe that the group's views are correct. Social loafing is not a type of conformity, but rather a phenomenon that occurs when individuals put in less effort when working in a group. Identification is a type of conformity where an individual changes their behavior and beliefs to reflect those of a group because they want to be accepted and valued by that group. Compliance is the most superficial type of conformity where an individual changes their behavior to fit in with the group, but they do not necessarily agree with the group's views.

Question 17

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?
A) groupthink
B) peer pressure
C) social influence
D) group cohesion

Accepted Answer

Groupthink is a phenomenon in which group members prioritize maintaining group harmony and consensus over making rational decisions. In the case of the Challenger launch, there was pressure to meet deadlines and maintain a positive image for NASA. The group responsible for making the decision may have ignored warnings and dissenting opinions to avoid disrupting group harmony and consensus.

Question 18

The Asch experiment yielded different results when other researchers tried to replicate it decades later,but a recent replication of Milgram's experiment had virtually the same results.What important implications does Milgram's research have for contemporary society?
A) It demonstrates that the power of conformity can still lead to real-life instances of obedience such as Abu Ghraib and the telephone hoax at fast-food restaurants.
B) It demonstrates how people can avoid social influence that would lead to criminal actions.
C) It challenges the notion that authoritative figures have any real power over personal decisions.
D) It demonstrates that people who cave to social pressure have major character flaws, which helps employers avoid poor employees.

Accepted Answer

Milgram's research demonstrates the power of obedience to authority and how it can lead to harmful acts such as those seen in real-life situations like Abu Ghraib and the fast-food restaurant hoax. This has important implications for contemporary society in terms of understanding how individuals can be influenced to engage in harmful or unethical behavior in the context of obedience to authority.

Question 19

Which of the following is a factor that can lead to increased group cohesion?
A) shared values
B) unique traits
C) apathy toward the group
D) differing goals

Accepted Answer

Shared values can create a sense of commonality and purpose among group members, which can increase group cohesion. Unique traits, differing goals, and apathy toward the group are more likely to lead to division and decreased cohesion.

Question 20

Sociologists are interested in how social groups have changed over time.Of particular note is the degree to which individuals base their identities on group membership.How has this changed in recent American history?
A) Americans today are more likely to base their self-concepts on group membership.
B) The degree to which Americans base their identities on group membership has changed very little in the past few decades.
C) Americans today are more likely to base their identities on secondary groups.
D) Americans are less likely to identify themselves as group members today than in the past.

Accepted Answer

Americans today are less likely to base their identities solely on group membership compared to the past. This shift reflects broader societal changes, including the rise of individualism and the diversification of identities and affiliations.

Quiz 5: Separate and Together: Life in Group

Only 25 percent of subjects in the Asch experiment were "independents" who refused to

What are group members engaging in when they withhold their reservations and criticisms for the sake of consensus?

Which of the following is best suited to preventing groupthink?

What do sociologists call it when members of groups are influenced by other members?

The Solomon Asch experiment,in which groups of participants were asked to compare the lengths of lines,demonstrated that

What was the Asch experiment measuring?

University leaders ignore rumors and complaints about the football coach sexually abusing students in order to uphold the reputation of the university's award-winning football program.This action to preserve public image over protecting the safety of students is a result of

If a sociologist measured group cohesion within a neighborhood and found a high level of group cohesion,which response would you LEAST expect to find on the survey?

The sense of solidarity or team spirit that an individual feels toward his or her group is called

Which of the following statements would be most convincing to a sociologist if you were trying to explain the shift from A-mode and B-mode responses to C-mode responses on the Twenty Statements Test?

The Twenty Statements Test asks respondents to make twenty true statements about themselves that begin with the phrase "I am." Why is this test discussed in a chapter about social groups?

A man arrested for driving under the influence must attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in accordance with a court order.He attends the meetings so as to avoid a jail sentence and a hefty fine,but not because he wants to.What do sociologists call this kind of conformity?

People today are more likely to identify themselves through personal characteristics than through group membership or affiliation.Why is this cause for concern to some sociologists?

What is the danger of too much group cohesion?

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

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?

The Asch experiment yielded different results when other researchers tried to replicate it decades later,but a recent replication of Milgram's experiment had virtually the same results.What important implications does Milgram's research have for contemporary society?

Which of the following is a factor that can lead to increased group cohesion?

Sociologists are interested in how social groups have changed over time.Of particular note is the degree to which individuals base their identities on group membership.How has this changed in recent American history?