Deck 6: Groups and Organization

Question 1

Identify an example of McDonaldization (other than a fast-food restaurant) . Explain how your example fits the definition of McDonaldization, demonstrating how each of Ritzer's four dimensions are addressed.

Answer 1

An example of McDonaldization outside of the fast-food industry is the concept of "big-box" retail stores such as Walmart or Target. These stores have become emblematic of the McDonaldization process, as they embody the principles of efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control.

Efficiency is evident in the standardized layout and processes of these stores, which are designed to maximize productivity and minimize costs. For example, Walmart's use of self-checkout kiosks and automated inventory management systems streamlines the shopping experience and reduces the need for human labor.

Calculability is reflected in the emphasis on quantity over quality, with these stores offering a wide range of products at low prices. The focus on numbers and statistics, such as sales figures and customer traffic, drives decision-making and shapes the consumer experience.

Predictability is seen in the uniformity of these stores, from their identical store layouts and signage to their consistent product offerings. Customers can expect the same experience at any Walmart or Target location, regardless of geographic location.

Control is evident in the strict regulations and protocols that govern every aspect of these stores, from employee behavior to customer interactions. This control extends to the supply chain, as these stores exert significant influence over their suppliers and dictate terms to meet their own needs.

In conclusion, big-box retail stores exemplify McDonaldization through their adherence to the principles of efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control. These stores have become emblematic of the standardization and rationalization of consumer experiences, mirroring the processes seen in fast-food restaurants.

Question 2

Mike belongs to a college fraternity and tends to see his fellow students as either "like us" and part of the fraternity and sorority system or "not like us" and thus not a part of the system.  Mike therefore sees himself as being part of the 

A) out-group
B) instrumental group
C) reference group
D) in-group

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Describe a study of formal organizations in which the researcher would use a macroanalysis approach. How would this differ from a study using a microanalysis approach?

Answer 3

A study of formal organizations using a macroanalysis approach would involve examining the larger structural and systemic factors that influence the organization as a whole. This could include looking at the organization's overall goals, policies, and procedures, as well as its interactions with other organizations and the broader societal context in which it operates.

In contrast, a study using a microanalysis approach would focus on the individual-level interactions, behaviors, and experiences within the organization. This could involve looking at the communication patterns, decision-making processes, and interpersonal dynamics among employees or specific departments within the organization.

The macroanalysis approach would differ from the microanalysis approach in that it takes a more holistic and broad perspective, looking at the organization as a whole and its place within the larger social and economic context. On the other hand, the microanalysis approach would focus on the specific details and interactions within the organization at a smaller scale. Both approaches can provide valuable insights into formal organizations, but they offer different levels of analysis and focus.

Question 4

_____ promote a sense of "us"; _____ promote a sense of "them."

A) Dyads; triads
B) Primary groups; secondary groups
C) In-groups; out-groups
D) Reference groups; attribution groups

Question 5

Why is it important for sociologists to have a shared definition of groups?

A) Having a shared definition helps in understanding the behavior of people in society.
B) If all sociologists cannot agree on a definition of groups, then groups cannot exist.
C) Groups are a very simple aspect of sociology; the definition makes them seem more academic.
D) A shared definition allows sociologists from around the world to collaborate.

Question 6

When Sondra has a particularly horrible week at school and work, she calls her aunt, who helped raise her. Sondra knows that her aunt will patiently listen and then help Sondra put things in perspective and get on with her life. This is consistent with the observation that

A) primary groups help fulfill expressive needs.
B) secondary groups are sources of support.
C) only those we know from our earliest years are part of primary groups.
D) primary groups are helpful only when we ask for help.

Question 7

In their research on groups, sociologists have found that

A) primary groups shape self-identity and serve expressive needs.
B) primary groups often take on the characteristics of secondary groups.
C) secondary groups are more important in today's fast-paced, mobile society.
D) secondary groups tend to be most significant in the emotional lives of people.

Question 8

If a sociologist is studying the functioning of formal organizations and bureaucracies, the _____ level analysis is most likely being used.

A) micro
B) macro
C) universal
D) individual

Question 9

Discuss how McDonaldization has come to dominate American lifestyles beyond the fast-food industry.

Question 10

An out-group is all of these except

A) created by the existence of an in-group.
B) the opposite of an in-group.
C) an attribute of society.
D) always a secondary group.

Question 11

Dimitri enjoys being with the others on his intramural basketball team. They play well together, have an outstanding record, and sometimes go out as a group to celebrate their wins. Sitting in his sociology class, Dimitri muses over whether the team is a primary or a secondary group. What should Dimitri keep in mind when making the distinction?

A) Secondary groups are less intimate than primary groups.
B) Primary groups are larger in membership than secondary groups.
C) Primary groups are less long lasting than secondary groups.
D) Secondary groups include only family members.

Question 12

Explain how your college or university fits the definition of a bureaucracy, citing specific examples of how each criterion is satisfied.

Question 13

Primary groups provide for an individual's _____ needs; secondary groups provide for an individual's _____ needs.

A) expressive; instrumental
B) instrumental; psychological
C) instrumental; expressive
D) socioemotional; expressive

Question 14

Explain the phenomenon of groupthink and the conditions that make it most likely to occur. Name at least two historical events that took place as a result of groupthink.

Question 15

In a study of the role of small voluntary groups in society, Robert Wuthnow and his associates found that

A) voluntary groups are not able to fill the void left by the breakdown of community and family.
B) voluntary interest groups have lost their importance within U.S. society.
C) people seek small voluntary groups for a sense of community and a spiritual connection.
D) voluntary group membership has been declining in the United States.

Question 16

Provide a definition of attribution theory and describe an example applying this theory. Include details about the occurrence of attribution error.

Question 17

Explain how the functionalist and conflict perspectives view formal organizations. Offer an example for each, including descriptions of the key elements of these approaches.

Question 18

According to attribution theory, when an out-group member's behavior is unclear,

A) it will be interpreted in a neutral way by in-group members.
B) it will be interpreted in a negative manner by in-group members.
C) it will be interpreted as positive by in-group members.
D) in-group members will not pay attention to it.

Question 19

Which of these statements about reference groups is false?

A) Reference groups always provide good role models.
B) One does not belong to a reference group.
C) The influence of a reference group may be positive or negative.
D) Identification with a social group can strongly influence self-esteem.

Question 20

Which of the following is true of reference groups?

A) Reference groups are not "groups" in the sense that they involve interaction.
B) A well-adjusted person has only one reference group at a time.
C) The influence of a given reference group can be positive or negative but not both.
D) Reference groups influence our behavior only during childhood.

Question 21

Which of these statements about occupations and networks is false?

A) Compared with Whites, Latinos and Blacks are more likely to be harmed by a lack of social contacts.
B) The "old boy network" has virtually disappeared.
C) When a member of your social network helps you find a job, that person probably is similar to you in terms of race and class.
D) Black leaders have formed a network closer than that of White leaders.

Question 22

Georg Simmel found that the mere difference between two and three people spawned entirely different dynamics, an observation known as the

A) numeric modifier.
B) triadic transformation.
C) groupthink effect.
D) group size effect.

Question 23

Applied to a situation like the torture of Iraqi prisoners in Abu Ghraib, Milgram's and Asch's findings would indicate that

A) there was a serious breakdown in respect for authority that caused soldiers to violate the international standards for treatment of prisoners.
B) the cause of the American soldiers' inhumane treatment of prisoners is partly a result of the structure of the situation and group pressure.
C) American soldiers would commit torture only if following a direct order with fear of punishment for not carrying it out.
D) soldiers are more sadistic than the average college student or American citizen.

Question 24

The reality of the expression "it's a small world" is that

A) there is no interconnection throughout the world.
B) people are interconnected in close social networks regardless of their sex, race, and social class.
C) the world is a small place for most people in it.
D) the world is a small place only for those in one's immediate social network.

Question 25

In the famous Milgram obedience studies, researchers found

A) people will not conform when they believe their behavior will harm another person.
B) women are less likely to engage in behavior that is potentially harmful for others than men are.
C) there is a significant difference between what people believe they will do and how they actually behave.
D) people conform only up to a certain point but will not violate moral or ethical standards.

Question 26

The statement that there is "strength in weak ties" refers to the fact that

A) members of a secondary group can still be emotionally supportive.
B) even a dysfunctional family may be useful at times.
C) one doesn't have to know a lot of people in a network in order for the network to be useful.
D) sometimes the friend you are the least close to is the most helpful.

Question 27

According to research, which of the following is most likely to lead to getting a job?

A) Using a personal network
B) Applying through a job listing online
C) Answering a help-wanted ad
D) Using a placement agency

Question 28

A person reads in the paper that a Black youth has been shot by a White police officer. If no other information is available, attribution theory suggests that, in general, 

A) a White person will view the shooting as an unnecessary act of violence.
B) both Black and White people will assume that youth gang activity was a problem.
C) a Black person will likely believe the shooting was unnecessary, while a White person will assume the officer acted appropriately.
D) neither a Black nor a White person will make any assumptions about the situation until they have learned more information.

Question 29

According to social psychologist Philip Zimbardo, how do most people respond to hearing about the disappointingly conforming behavior of others in groups?

A) They empathize because they know they would behave the same way.
B) They understand that for most people, conformity is the norm.
C) They believe that they, themselves, would not succumb to group pressure.
D) They think that the conformity is the result of group members being tricked in some way.

Question 30

In his classic study of perception and group pressure, Asch asked participants to indicate which of two lines was closer in length to a third. Despite the fact that the answer was obvious, Asch found that

A) even rather gentle pressure was sufficient to cause an astonishing rise in the number of wrong answers.
B) most people would not bend to the opinions of others without a great deal of anger and argument.
C) the majority of people make up their minds for themselves and stick to those opinions.
D) there is no real pressure to conform in most situations.

Question 31

Thomas Pettigrew's summary of research on attribution theory found that

A) individuals are accurate in their perception of the motives of other people's acts, regardless of their in-group or out-group membership.
B) attribution error is much less common than people think.
C) individuals commonly distort the motives and acts of people whom they see as out-group members.
D) when provided with information about out-groups that disproves negative perceptions of them, people quickly alter their perceptions.

Question 32

The idea of strength in weak ties refers to the idea that

A) knowing one person in a network gives access to the entire network.
B) knowing many people in a network can make accessing the network more complex.
C) a network made of people with different backgrounds is often weak.
D) networks vary in their willingness to help out.

Question 33

When asked to administer potentially harmful shocks to other people in a research setting, most people will

A) administer only very weak shocks; they refuse to give stronger shocks.
B) refuse to administer any type of shocks; they will quit the research project.
C) give whatever strength of electric shock they are asked to, regardless of the risk to another person.
D) call the authorities and report the person telling them to shock another person.

Question 34

Damian is devoted to heavy metal music to the extent that he dresses like, often behaves like, and wants to be like the members of his favorite bands. Those bands are best described as Damian's

A) primary group.
B) secondary group.
C) reference group.
D) attribution group.

Question 35

Sometimes people will comment that it is a "small world" when they coincidentally meet the friend of a friend. Research into the "small world problem" demonstrates that

A) networks do not reach as far as was believed in the past.
B) employment agencies are more effective than networks at directing people toward jobs.
C) social networking is a thing of the past; it is now out of date.
D) networks make the world seem a lot smaller than many might think.

Question 36

Which of the following illustrates a common type of attribution error?

A) When Tina notices a student next to her has gotten a higher grade than she did, Tina assumes the professor must, for some reason, really like that student.
B) Nicolette notices a group of students talking loudly and animatedly and assumes they must be excited about something, so she walks over to find out what is happening.
C) Syed has been very busy with the social aspects of college and has not studied much. When his grades are not what he hoped for, he acknowledges it was because he hadn't studied.
D) Kaden is participating in a social service project, and as he serves food at a shelter for homeless men, he wonders what circumstances in their lives led them to be homeless.

Question 37

Which of the following is false about the formation of social networks?

A) Networks are most often formed in very conscious and formal ways.
B) The formation of networks can be very spontaneous.
C) Social networks may form at home, work, church, or many other places.
D) Family networks can lead to jobs and upward mobility.

Question 38

Which of the following is a criticism of Travers and Milgram's "small world problem" research?

A) They had a small sample size.
B) Only one-third of the documents ever reached the targets.
C) They did not include any Black or Hispanic senders or targets.
D) The senders were highly incentivized for their work.

Question 39

Research suggests that networks based on _____ are especially important when you are searching for a job.

A) age
B) skill set
C) experience and union membership
D) race, class, and gender

Question 40

A study by Taylor and associates looked at networks among Black leaders in the United States. The researchers found that Black leaders

A) do not depend on networks as much as Whites.
B) feel isolated and do not know others who share their situation and background.
C) form networks that are both closer and denser than those of Whites.
D) do not attach any importance to networks, preferring to work only through friends.

Question 41

Deindividuation refers to

A) the inability of a person to think for themselves.
B) the willingness of a person to take the blame for the entire group.
C) the sense of merging with a group so that blame for bad outcomes will be shared.
D) a sense of normlessness.

Question 42

Despite being warned of danger, NASA scientists proceeded with the 1986 launch of the space shuttle Challenger, which subsequently exploded, killing all onboard. Sociological analysis of this situation finds it was caused by

A) a lack of communication.
B) a combination of risky shift and organizational ritualism.
C) organizational alienation.
D) delayed communication and lengthy decision-making processes.

Question 43

Groups that are organized to pursue goals the members find worthwhile, such as Kiwanis clubs, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) , B'nai B'rith, and the National LGBTQ Task Force, are called _____organizations.

A) affiliative
B) normative
C) coercive
D) utilitarian

Question 44

Alienation refers to the _____ and is associated with increased turnover, tardiness, absenteeism, and overall dissatisfaction with an organization.

A) psychological separation of a person from an organization
B) rigid adherence to rules and regulations by organizations
C) shift away from intimate relationships with others
D) physical movement away from a negative interaction

Question 45

Mac joined a well-known multilevel marketing group that sells various household cleaning products in order to be his own boss and earn what he believes will be quite a bit of money. Mac joined a _____ organization.

A) normative
B) utilitarian
C) coercive
D) voluntary

Question 46

According to Weber, the _____ bureaucracy is characterized by a high degree of division of labor and a hierarchy of authority.

A) primary
B) principle
C) ideal type
D) model

Question 47

In a triad, when two of the people are interacting and form a dyad, the sociological term for the third person is

A) an outcast.
B) an isolate.
C) a third party.
D) a co-participant.

Question 48

Which of the following is not characteristic of Weber's "ideal type" of bureaucracy?

A) Close interpersonal relationships and egalitarianism
B) A focus on instrumental rather than expressive needs
C) Formal rules and regulations
D) High levels of efficiency

Question 49

Triadic segregation refers to the

A) tendency for triads to develop into a pair and an isolate.
B) likelihood of dyads to be stable.
C) emergence of coalitions.
D) predisposition for primary groups to be small.

Question 50

The primary reason that people join normative organizations is

A) to pursue goals they believe are worthwhile.
B) to increase their financial status.
C) because of coercive pressure.
D) to increase the size of their social networks.

Question 51

L. L. Janis argued that even highly educated people are subject to groupthink and illustrated this by identifying government decisions that reflected its operation. According to your text, which of these government decisions reflects groupthink? 

A) U.S. entry into World War II after the Pearl Harbor attack
B) Underestimation of the threat of terrorism prior to the 9/11 attacks
C) The Johnson administration's 1967 decision to start the War on Poverty
D) The Obama administration's decision to reform health care

Question 52

The study of formal organizations represents an example of

A) macroanalysis.
B) microanalysis.
C) meta-analysis.
D) mezzo-analysis.

Question 53

The tragic cases of the Challengerin 1986 and the Columbiain 2003 are used to illustrate the point that

A) people need to be more responsible in their jobs.
B) the informal network does not always have a positive effect.
C) rigid conformity within an organization can be very dangerous.
D) failure to follow the chain of command may end in tragedy.

Question 54

Which statement about organizations as sociologists view them is correct?

A) All utilitarian organizations are for-profit.
B) Formal organizations start out as bureaucracies but subsequently evolve.
C) Total institutions are special types of coercive organizations.
D) Normative organizations are always involved charitable giving.

Question 55

Regardless of where one is, a hamburger purchased at McDonald's is likely to be very much the same. This is due to what Ritzer called

A) efficiency.
B) calculability.
C) predictability.
D) control.

Question 56

The informal structure of a bureaucracy

A) includes social interactions outside the formal structure.
B) develops among those at the top of the organizational structure.
C) increases the feelings of solidarity among all workers.
D) uses alternate channels to get some things done faster.

Question 57

Individuals often join _____ organizations, such as Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, for monetary reasons.

A) coercive
B) volunteer
C) normative
D) utilitarian

Question 58

Which of the following statements about bureaucracy is false?

A) It is uncommon for bureaucracies to meet Weber's criteria for ideal bureaucracies.
B) Secretaries and other assistants often have more power than their job description or salary indicates.
C) The informal culture of a bureaucracy typically connects high-ranking employees to those of the lower ranks.
D) Informal norms within a bureaucracy may increase or decrease worker productivity.

Question 59

Which of the following is not characteristic of formal organizations?

A) They develop their own cultures and routine practices.
B) They are independent of any other organization.
C) They change over time but also tend to remain in existence.
D) They may be tools for creating social change.

Question 60

According to Goffman, total institutions are _____ organizations that are cut off from the rest of society and in which members lead strictly controlled lives.

A) coercive
B) utilitarian
C) monolithic
D) . normative

Question 61

The proliferation of social media has increased the number of face-to-face interactions people experience.

Question 62

When someone relies on a network to find a job, it is likely that the members of the network share social characteristics, including social class, with the job seeker.

Question 63

In his study of the effect of size on group dynamics, Simmel found that

A) a dyad is basically an unstable social grouping.
B) a triad is an unstable social grouping, whereas dyads are relatively stable.
C) adding a third person to a dyad has no effect on the stability of the group.
D) the size of the group has no effect on interaction.

Question 64

Studies of groupthink indicate that it will be more likely to occur in groups that

A) have a falsely negative impression of those who are antagonists to the group's plans.
B) encourage a thorough discussion of the issue, including seeking expert opinions.
C) recognize and encourage diversity of opinion within the decision-making group
D) understand that they will be held individually accountable for the outcomes of their decisions.

Question 65

Rosabeth Moss Kanter's classic study of organizational structure indicated that

A) there is no indication that the hierarchical structure of the bureaucracy negatively impacts on minorities or women.
B) while race and gender play a major role determining people's place within the organization, social class does not.
C) the stressful effects of tokenism on women and minorities can have very negative consequences.
D) in modern organizations, token minorities and/or women hires no longer exist; persons are hired and fired strictly on their own merit.

Question 66

Identification with a reference group rarely has an impact on one's self-esteem.

Question 67

Networks of White political and religious leaders tend to be more closely bonded than those of Black political and religious leaders.

Question 68

Overall, the primary organizational principle that motivates McDonaldization is

A) an emphasis on efficiency since people expect to be served fast.
B) calculability so that inputs, outputs, and profits are easily measured.
C) predictability so that people will always know what they are getting.
D) control so that the behavior of the customers and workers is reduced to a series of machinelike actions.

Question 69

Secondary groups may take on characteristics of primary groups in times of extreme stress, such as following a natural disaster.

Question 70

By definition, reference groups are groups to which one belongs.

Question 71

Asch's experiment on the effects of group pressure has been replicated numerous times, demonstrating that diverse populations are susceptible to group pressure, even when the group is objectively wrong.

Question 72

The sociologist who introduced the concept of primary groups is

A) Charles Horton Cooley.
B) George Herbert Mead.
C) Georg Simmel.
D) Charles Page.

Question 73

What are the effects of social class and race on people's roles within an organization?

A) Race and social class do not have any consistent effect on people's roles within an organization.
B) People of upper- and middle-class backgrounds are more likely to be promoted to executive positions than someone with a lower-class background, even if they are of the same race.
C) When members of minority groups have the same level of education as their White peers, there is no difference in the rates of promotion.
D) When people with a lower social class background have the same level of education as their peers, they are just as likely to be promoted.

Question 74

The process of judging members of in-groups and out-groups is the same, with both groups tending to receive the same amount of personal credit and being extended the same benefit of the doubt.

Question 75

Most people vote with the same political party and have the same religious beliefs as do their parents.

Question 76

Which of the following is false in regard to patterns of discrimination within organizations?

A) The most powerful positions in any organization are typically held by White men of upper-class status.
B) Discrimination persists even when formal barriers have been removed.
C) Minority employees increasingly have the same amounts of education as White employees.
D) In situations where minority job applicants have the same amount of education as Whites, job offers are equally likely.

Question 77

Certain gatherings are not groups in the strict sociological sense but may be social categories (e.g., teenagers or truck drivers) or audiences (e.g., everyone watching a movie) .

Question 78

Secondary groups inevitably become intimate over time.

Question 79

According to sociologists, any set of people who occupy the same space at the same time is considered a group.

Question 80

A triad is more stable than a dyad.