Exam 5: Separate and Together: Life in Groups

Sociologists would not consider fans of the rock musician Bruce Springsteen to be a group.Why not?

Which type of group is characterized by long-term,intimate,face-to-face relationships?

All left-handed people in the United States would be classified as a(n):

Penn State leaders quashed child sexual abuse rumors,dissent,and complaints about assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky 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 young children was a result of:

Imagine that one of your professors has a large collection of countercultural 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 wants to keep her job and avoid being yelled at by her department chairperson.What is this kind of conformity called?

What do sociologists call a group that provides standards by which an individual can judge his own accomplishments?

There is a social tie between my best friend's uncle and me even though I've never met him.

Secondary groups cannot be geographically dispersed.

What type of group provides most of our emotional satisfaction?

What kind of power is exhibited by a police officer who pulls over a suspect after a high-speed pursuit?

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.Therefore,it's logical that many new grad students form social bonds among themselves and share activities,such as gathering 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:

The sociologist Duncan Watts examined the way people may change their minds about whom to vote for based on the opinions of friends and acquaintances.What concept was Watts studying?

Our social networks consist of just our closest friends and family.

How does the size of a group affect how it operates and the sorts of relationships that are possible within it?

According to Robin Leidner in fast food,fast Talk,how do fast-food restaurants rationalize the process of providing food to customers?

Around the third week of a college class,a professor decides she's had enough,is tired of dealing with bureaucracies,and wants out.So one day,instead of coming to class,she flies to Tahiti and sells souvenirs on the beach.If this happened,the college would simply assign a substitute to finish the course.What does this tell you about the nature of the authority wielded by a professor?

A twenty-eight-year-old woman is on the verge of a big promotion at work.Because she didn't finish college until she was twenty-five,she wonders about getting her career moving,especially because 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.If her old high school classmates can have this much influence on her decision to attend the reunion,what do sociologists say they represent?

Explain how primary groups and secondary groups are not always distinct and unique from one another.

When a large group is asked to complete a task,individual members often neglect their responsibilities,because it is impossible for any one person to receive credit or blame.This phenomenon is called:

John gets a job with a large firm that audits small businesses.While working there,he becomes friends with Dave,who invites him to attend a weekly poker game.The game soon becomes a meaningful part of John's social life.Some weeks the game is the only thing he has to look forward to.This is an example of: