Question 1

___________refers to rumors about the personal lives of individuals.

Accepted Answer

Gossip refers to rumors or conversation about the personal or private affairs of others. It's often exchanged in private conversations or social gatherings, and can be harmful to the reputation of those involved. Mass hysteria, a fad, and panic do not accurately describe rumors about personal lives.

Question 2

Propaganda is ____________.

Accepted Answer

Propaganda is usually disseminated by individuals or organizations with a vested interest in the issue. This can include governments, political parties, corporations, activist groups, and individuals seeking to influence public opinion or promote a particular agenda. While propaganda can sometimes contain false information, it does not necessarily have to be false to be considered propaganda. Additionally, propaganda is typically not measured through polls or surveys, and it is not limited to information from governmental agencies.

Question 3

Members of the public attempt to influence those in power, and vice versa, with the dissemination of ___________, which is information provided by those with a vested interest in furthering their own cause or damaging an opposing one.

Accepted Answer

Propaganda is information presented in a biased or misleading way with the intention of promoting a particular political cause or point of view. It is often disseminated by individuals or groups with a vested interest in furthering their own cause, and can be used to influence public opinion or sway the actions of those in power. Rumor, public opinion, and cultural capital are all related concepts but do not necessarily involve the intentional manipulation of information for political gain.

Question 4

Sociologists refer to a form of dispersed collective behavior that occurs when a large number of people react with strong emotions and self-destructive behavior to a real or perceived threat as ___________.

Accepted Answer

Mass hysteria is a form of dispersed collective behavior where a large number of people react with strong emotions and self-destructive behavior to a real or perceived threat. Gossip and rumor refer to the spread of information or news, while "mass mob" is not a commonly recognized sociological term.

Question 5

___________refers to unsubstantiated reports on an issue or subject.

Accepted Answer

A rumor is an unverified and unconfirmed report or story about a particular issue or subject that is spread by word of mouth or through social media platforms without any evidence or factual basis.

Question 6

Emergent norm theory is rooted in the ___________perspective.

Accepted Answer

Emergent norm theory focuses on how norms and collective behaviors emerge from interactions among individuals in a given situation, emphasizing the micro-level perspective of symbolic interactionism. Functionalism, conflict theory, and postmodernism are more macro-level perspectives that emphasize larger social structures and power dynamics.

Question 7

Sociologist ___________asserted that fashion serves mainly to institutionalize conspicuous consumption among the wealthy.

Accepted Answer

The statement is referring to the concept of conspicuous consumption, which was introduced and developed by Thorstein Veblen in his book "The Theory of the Leisure Class". Veblen argued that fashion and other forms of consumption serve to display one's social status and wealth, thereby perpetuating a cycle of ostentatious spending among the upper classes. The other named sociologists have made significant contributions to the field, but are not directly relevant to this specific assertion.

Question 8

Some emergent norms give people a shared conviction that they may disregard ordinary rules such as waiting in line, taking turns, or treating a speaker courteously. These are termed ___________norms.

Accepted Answer

Permissive norms are those that allow individuals to deviate from traditional norms and rules. This includes actions such as cutting in line or interrupting a speaker, as the group collectively agrees to these deviations. This is in contrast to restrictive norms that limit behaviors, proactive norms that encourage behaviors, and reactive norms that respond to behaviors.

Question 9

The difference between a fad and a fashion is that ___________.

Accepted Answer

Fashions are generally more enduring and long-lasting than fads, which are characterized by their quick rise and fall in popularity.

Question 10

The text observes that most sociological research on fashion has focused on___________ .

Accepted Answer

The text states that most sociological research on fashion has focused on clothing, especially women's apparel. There is no mention of other options such as men's accessories, makeup, or hairstyles.

Question 11

A ___________is a temporary but widely copied activity enthusiastically followed by large numbers of people.

Accepted Answer

A fad is a temporary but widely copied activity enthusiastically followed by large numbers of people. Styles and fashion can be long-lasting and have deeper cultural and social significance, while crazes are usually associated with irrational behavior.

Question 12

In his theory of fashion, Herbert Blumer argued that ___________.

Accepted Answer

Blumer's theory of fashion argues that taste is a matter of experience and collective selection. He suggested that fashion emerges from a process of collective selection, where individuals, influenced by their social environment, choose certain styles and trends. Thus, fashion becomes a way for individuals to express their social position and to participate in the cultural practices of their social group. Blumer also argued that taste is not a matter of innate ability, but rather an acquired skill that reflects an individual's exposure to cultural influences.

Question 13

Not all collective behavior takes place in face-to-face collectivities.___________ behavior is collective behavior that takes place when people who may be geographically separated from one another respond to the same event in much the same way.

Accepted Answer

Mass behavior is the collective behavior that takes place when people who may be geographically separated from one another respond to the same event in much the same way. Riots, mobs, and panics all involve face-to-face interaction.

Question 14

___________is an organized group that acts consciously to promote or resist change through collective action. It tends to be long lasting, is organized, and has specific goals or purposes.

Accepted Answer

A social movement is an organized group that acts consciously to promote or resist change through collective action. They tend to be long lasting, have specific goals or purposes, and are organized in their efforts. A revolution focuses more on overthrowing a government or system, civil disobedience is a form of nonviolent protest, and an acting mob is a group of individuals acting impulsively without organization or goals.

Question 15

Tabloid newspapers and magazines such as the National Enquirer and People, and television entertainment "news" programs that present "inside" information on the lives of celebrities, are sources of contemporary ___________.

Accepted Answer

Tabloid newspapers, magazines, and entertainment news programs are known for presenting gossip about the lives of celebrities, making option C the best choice as it relates to the context provided. Options A, B, and D are not relevant to the context or supported by the information given.

Question 16

Sociologists using the___________ approach are interested in how individuals in a given collectivity learn about what is going on, how to interpret activities, and how to behave.

Accepted Answer

Emergent norm theory examines how new norms and behaviors emerge from collective actions and how individuals learn and interpret these new norms within a collectivity. It explores the process of norm emergence and how individuals conform to these norms through their socialization within the collectivity. The other options (B) circular reaction, (C) contagion, and (D) convergence, do not directly address the learning and interpretation of behaviors within a collectivity.

Question 17

Sociologist ___________suggested a classic "trickle-down" theory to describe the process by which members of the lower classes emulate the fashions of the upper class.

Accepted Answer

Georg Simmel proposed the "trickle-down" theory, which explains how fashion trends start with the upper class and then are adopted by lower classes as those at the top seek new ways to distinguish themselves.

Question 18

A ___________is defined as a currently valued manner of behavior, thinking, or appearance that endures for a period of time.

Accepted Answer

A fashion is a currently valued style of behavior, thinking, or appearance that lasts for a certain period of time, distinguishing it from fads or crazes which are typically shorter-lived and less influential in terms of cultural impact.

Question 19

The most frequent types of ___________behavior are rumors, gossip, mass hysteria, public opinion, fashions, and fads.

Accepted Answer

The given examples of behavior all involve a large or widespread group of people, indicating a "mass" behavior. A riot, mob, and crowd are all examples of behaviors that involve physical presence and potential for violence, which are not included in the given examples.

Question 20

In 1938, actor Orson Welles hosted a radio broadcast dramatizing H. G. Wells's science fiction classic The War of the Worlds. A CBS radio dance-music program was interrupted suddenly by a news bulletin informing the audience that Martians had landed in New Jersey and were in the process of conquering Earth. The ensuing reaction was an example of ____________.

Accepted Answer

The reaction to the radio broadcast was an example of mass hysteria, as many listeners believed the fictional story to be real and panicked.

Quiz 16: Collective Behavior, Social Movements, and Social Change