Exam 21: Networks, Groups, and Bureaucracies

In his research,Mark Granovetter found that strong ties are more important than weak ties when trying to find a job.

Heads of bureaucracies generally have a good handle on what is happening in their organizations.

Some difficult cuts had to be made in the school budget and everyone on the board knew there had to be consensus on the decisions.Even though many members disagreed with certain recommendations,each one received either unanimous support or defeat and no one offered conflicting viewpoints.Which concept is best described by this example?

What is the concept of bystander apathy related to?

In her essay "Group Minds",Doris Lessing asserts,"When we're in a group,we tend to think as that group does.It is the hardest thing in the world to maintain an individual dissident opinion as a member of a group." Do you agree or disagree with her? Discuss,using examples from the text and your own personal experiences.

Discuss the two main factors that underlie bureaucratic inefficiency.

Scott is desperately in need of employment and asks you for help in finding a job.According to the text,what should you advise him to do?

According to the research of Wellman,Carrington,and Hall (1997),how many social ties does each Torontonian have,on average?

List the sociological factors,as outlined in the text,which contribute to the ability of humans to commit evil acts upon others.

A student told all of his friends a wrong answer for a subjective test question just before the test.The teacher could find no reference to the answer in the textbook,but since 10 students in the class had put the same answer,he figured it must be right and marked it correct.Which social phenomenon is this an example of?

Who is credited with saying: "It is always possible to say no,even to the worst tyrant"?

Who advanced the classic conception of a bureaucracy and argued that it was an efficient way for a modern society to conduct its business?

Which of the following was NOT addressed in Weber's definition of bureaucracy?

Which of the following is NOT a leadership style?

How many dyadic relationships are possible among 50 people?

Most of us develop some degree of loyalty to secondary groups in our lives-such as school loyalty or company loyalty-yet we may know only a fraction of the members in these groups.According to the text,how is this commitment fostered?

Daniel needed to see a famous doctor quickly,but no one he knew had any connections to the doctor.At least,that was the case until he realized that he had an acquaintance who had a similar illness and who had seen the same doctor.Daniel contacted the acquaintance,who was able to help him.According to Granovetter,which phenomenon does this demonstrate?

In his research of small group (5-6 people)communications,social psychologist Robert Bales discovered that three roles regularly emerged in discussion groups.One person would become the task leader,another the emotional leader,and a third would be the joker of the group.Do you think these particular roles would more likely emerge in primary groups or secondary groups,or equally in both? Explain your answer.

A young woman tries to return a defective coffeemaker she had received as a wedding gift five weeks earlier,only to be told that head-office policy states all returns and exchanges must occur within 30 days and be accompanied with a receipt.What aspect of bureaucracy is captured in this example?

Which charactieristic of bueaurcracy is exemplified by long waits at the emergency department of a hospital,having to "take a number," and interacting with workers who seem more mired in routine than concerned about you?