Which of the following best illustrates the Thomas theorem?
A) The 1980 decision to boycott the Moscow Olympics because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan resulted in fewer records being set in those games.
B) The 1973 oil crisis resulted in the so-called "toilet paper panic." The rumour of an expected shortage of toilet paper-resulting from a decline in the importation of oil-caused people to stockpile supplies of toilet paper and this caused a shortage.
C) The 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia because of ethnic cleansing of Kosovo Albanians by Serbians resulted in approximately 500 civilian casualties.
D) The 1929 crash of the New York stock market lead to a decade-long economic depression, with lower commodity prices and worldwide mass unemployment.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Thomas theorem states that if people define situations as real, they are real in their consequences. In this case, the fear of a toilet paper shortage caused by the oil crisis was not based on fact but on the perception of the situation, leading to actual shortages.

Which of the Following Best Illustrates the Thomas Theorem