Chapter 6: Networks, Groups, and Organizations

Which sociological theorist first placed great emphasis on the innate differences between dyads and triads?

Georg Simmel

George Ritzer identifies four principles at work in what he calls the "McDonaldization" of society. Match each principle to the corresponding example.

A restaurant keeps the dining area heavily air conditioned so patrons do not feel cozy and inclined to linger.efficiency Correct label: efficiency Two hotel chains in a corporate partnership advertise "Different names, same great service."uniformity Correct label: uniformity A medical office keeps track of the number of patients each doctor sees per day.calculability Correct label: calculability An auto maintenance shop has a website where car owners make appointments without speaking to a human scheduler.control Correct label: control

Identify benefits of workplace computerization for less-skilled workers.

Benefit(s) -easier casual interaction with co-workers and friends -partial relief from burdens of mundane, repetitive tasks

Identify whether or not each prediction is consistent with George Ritzer's "McDonaldization" theory.

Consistent with McDonaldization -People will rely on robots because robots are consistent and can be controlled. -Society will move toward more standardization and regulation.

Identify the defining characteristics of an organization.

Correct Answer(s) -Its members have come together for a common purpose. -There is a clear distinction between those who belong and those who do not.

Identify each personal characteristic as either more or less likely to be a factor in online social interactions, compared to face-to-face interactions.

More Likely to Be a Factor -hobbies -political views -personal history

In Christakis and Fowler's 32-year study of the correlation of obesity in pairs of people who were part of the same social networks, which of the following conclusions is correct?

People's body weight tends to change to match their friends' weight.

In the context of Charles Horton Cooley's theory of groups, classify each attribute as belonging to either primary or secondary groups.

Primary Group -high level of intimacy -strong sense of unity and commitment Secondary Group -instrumental in purpose -role-play by members -impersonal relationships

There are good reasons to think that the iron law of oligarchy is less iron than Robert Michels believes.

True

Identify the true and false statements about triads, according to Simmel.

True Statement(s) -Triads tend to be more stable than dyads. -In a triad, alliances are possible. -The relationships in triads tend to be less intense. False Statement(s) -Triads tend to develop a formal structure.

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Lawrence Garbuz was identified as "patient zero" in the metropolitan New York area after being the first in the region to receive a positive diagnosis. Identify each person, group, or institution as a direct connection or an indirect connection of Garbuz.

Direct Connection -the family members who live in Garbuz's household -the people who, with Garbuz, attended the bar and bat mitzvah at the Young Israel of New Rochelle synagogue Indirect Connection -Garbuz's children's high school and university -the local medical facility where Garbuz received treatment

Identify each research project as applying its sociological term accurately or inaccurately.

Accurately -Aerial photographs of people at Virginia Beach during spring break allow researchers to quantify and study this social aggregate. -Participant observation of students in an Introduction to Sociology course yields insights about social groups Inaccurately -A political sociologist measures emotional intensity among members of a political party, which is the factor defining them as a primary group. -A sociologist interviews members of an extended family in order to understand secondary groups.

Identify the advantages and disadvantages of telecommuting for the average worker.

Advantage(s) -decreased job satisfaction Disadvantage(s) -lack of face-to-face contact with co-workers -increased distractions due to home responsibilities -increased stress for female workers

Identify the factors that have been shown to contribute to obesity.

Correct Answer(s) -having overweight friends -biological factors -lack of healthy food options in one's community

Identify each statement about networks as either correct or incorrect.

Correct Statement(s) -Every social group represents a network. Incorrect Statement(s) -Every network represents a social group. -Every network is a type of organization. -Every social aggregate represents a network.

A corporation that is both profitable and ethical meets Max Weber's definition of an "ideal type."

False

Which statement describes how Christakis and Fowler, the researchers who published "The Spread of Obesity in a Large Social Network over 32 Years," answered their key question: How do one's friends affect one's weight?

People develop their ideas about acceptable body weight by looking at the people around them (the power of social norms).

Match each example to the correct type of group.

Social Group -students at your university -employees of the Target corporation Social Aggregate -the residents of Miami, Florida -everyone at Grand Central Station on a Tuesday

Fill in the blanks to complete the passage about bureaucracies.

The word bureaucracy, from words meaning "office" and "rule," refers to the governing of organizations and societies by a cadre of full-time professionals. According to Max Weber, although bureaucracy often stifles creativity, it is necessary for the administration of large-scale social systems.

Match each aspect of modern organizational architecture to its functional implications.

promotes informal relationships for improved morale and communicationlocating related work stations in close physical proximity with one another Correct label: locating related work stations in close physical proximity with one another reminds everyone of the seniority relationships in the organizationlocating the offices of senior management on the upper floors of a multistory building Correct label: locating the offices of senior management on the upper floors of a multistory building facilitates supervision and surveillance by managementusing large, open spaces with many work stations for low-level workers Correct label: using large, open spaces with many work stations for low-level workers