Khan p 251-260 Sociology: McDonaldization and Bureaucracy

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Questions and Answers

What is a potential drawback of impersonality in bureaucratic settings?

Decreases discrimination

Leads to alienation among individuals (correct)

Promotes equal treatment

Fosters loyalty to the group

The Peter Principle suggests that employees are promoted until they reach what?

The highest position available

A level of incompetence (correct)

An optimal performance level

A level of complete competence

Which of the following statements about solitary foraging is accurate?

It involves animals hunting alone. (correct)

It is practiced by social animals like lions.

It ensures that animals find food more efficiently.

It significantly increases competition within a group.

What is a major advantage of group foraging?

Animals can take down larger prey collectively. Signup and view all the answers

In the context of foraging, cost-benefit analysis primarily evaluates what?

Energy extracted from food compared to energy spent searching for it. Signup and view all the answers

What role does genetics play in foraging behavior among animals?

It can influence strategies but is also shaped by learning. Signup and view all the answers

Which communication method is NOT commonly utilized by animals?

Language Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a con of employing individuals based solely on technical qualifications in a bureaucracy?

Decreases employee ambition. Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the main functions of animal communication?

To establish or defend territory Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following can be considered a type of animal communication?

Using colors to signal toxicity Signup and view all the answers

What are pheromones primarily used for in animal communication?

To attract mating partners Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following animals is likely to use sound as a form of communication?

Crickets rubbing their legs together Signup and view all the answers

What does auto-communication allow animals to do?

Gain information about their environment Signup and view all the answers

Why might anthropomorphism be problematic when interpreting animal behavior?

It can inaccurately represent the intentions of the animal. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about sound in animal communication is true?

Sound signals can convey information quickly but expose animals' locations. Signup and view all the answers

What term describes a dominant religious organization that most of society belongs to?

Ecclesia Signup and view all the answers

What type of information might animals convey through alarm calls?

Predator presence Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes a sect?

A group that breaks away from churches Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the weakening of the social and political power of religious organizations?

Secularization Signup and view all the answers

Which form of government is characterized by a single figurehead, such as a king or queen?

Monarchy Signup and view all the answers

What perspective does conflict theory represent?

A macro-perspective emphasizing power inequalities in society. Signup and view all the answers

In which economic system is there private ownership of production and a market economy based on supply and demand?

Capitalism Signup and view all the answers

What term describes a radical group that rejects the values of mainstream society and relies on an inspirational leader?

Cult Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following accurately describes microsociology?

The analysis of individual interactions and face-to-face relationships. Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary characteristic of socialism as an economic system?

Common ownership with societal benefit Signup and view all the answers

What does symbolic interactionism primarily focus on?

The significance individuals attach to objects and events. Signup and view all the answers

How does functionalism view the division of labor in society?

As essential for societal responsibility Signup and view all the answers

Which view suggests that institutions are natural by-products of human nature?

Conservative View Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of institutions?

They impose structure and guide individual behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by the term 'hidden curriculum' in education?

The unintended lessons learned through social interactions. Signup and view all the answers

Which institution plays a fundamental role in shaping individual identity within society?

Religion Signup and view all the answers

What effect do teacher expectations have on students according to the content?

They influence the way students are treated and their subsequent performance. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main consequence of assortative mating?

Enhanced likelihood of harmful recessive traits being passed on Signup and view all the answers

How does dis-assortative mating differ from assortative mating?

It leads to mating between individuals with diverse traits Signup and view all the answers

What does inclusive fitness emphasize in terms of evolutionary success?

Support provided by offspring to each other Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential drawback of inbreeding resulting from assortative mating?

Higher chances of developing harmful recessive traits Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes evolutionary game theory?

A framework predicting behavioral outcomes based on interaction and reproduction Signup and view all the answers

Why is reproduction significant in evolutionary game theory?

It requires the involvement of other individuals Signup and view all the answers

What does the concept of inclusive fitness help explain in social behaviors?

It promotes altruism towards those with genetic similarities Signup and view all the answers

What role does the environment play in evolutionary game theory?

It determines how well organisms fit into their social and physical contexts Signup and view all the answers

What does medicalization primarily refer to?

The definition of human conditions as medical problems Signup and view all the answers

How does the sick role affect societal expectations for individuals?

It allows individuals to avoid their responsibilities only temporarily Signup and view all the answers

What issue does the Affordable Care Act aim to address?

Lack of healthcare access for middle-income individuals Signup and view all the answers

How can chronic illness impact a person's identity?

Every decision may revolve around the chronic disease. Signup and view all the answers

What does social epidemiology primarily examine?

Social and cultural impacts on health and disease patterns Signup and view all the answers

What is a common misconception about conditions like depression and ADD?

Symptoms of sadness may indicate severe depression. Signup and view all the answers

What impact can access to palliative care have on illness experience?

It may enhance the coping mechanisms of individuals. Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential consequence of medicalizing conditions like alcoholism?

It leads to viewing alcoholism solely as a medical condition. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

McDonaldization

Fast-food organizations' policies (efficiency, calculability, predictability, uniformity, and control) are dominating other societal organizations.
Examples include movie theatres, with similar concession stands, movies, seating, and ticket systems (especially online).
This is not necessarily a bad thing, but a pervasive societal trend.

Ideal Bureaucracy

Max Weber studied organizational structures.
Five key characteristics of an ideal bureaucracy apply to organizations, regardless of purpose:
- Division of labor: employees trained for specific tasks, increasing efficiency but leading to alienation and lower worker satisfaction. Workers often don't see the whole process of their work.
- Hierarchy of organization: clear chain of command, reducing ambiguity but potentially limiting workers' input and voice.
- Written rules and regulations: clear expectations for performance, equal treatment of employees, and maintaining continuity through employee turnover. However, it can stifle creativity.
- Impersonality: maintaining impartiality in decision-making and activities; impartial treatment. Ideally, it protects individuals from favoritism.
These characteristics are applicable to businesses, charities, or other types of groups.

Self-Presentation And Interacting With Others

Charles Cooley, George Herbert Mead and their work on the "Looking-Glass Self" in social interaction

Foraging: a critical behavioral process involving the search for food to survive and reproduce.
Cost-benefit analysis: animals balance the energy expended in foraging against the energy gained from food. Includes solitary and group foraging as strategies.

Animal Communication

Diverse forms of communication exist (visual cues, chemical signals, somatosensory communication).
Visual cues aid in mating, mimicry, camouflage, and social cues/interactions
Communication methods may vary between species;
Chemical methods (pheromones): used for communication about food, mating, and/or predator avoidance.
Somatosensory (touch, movement) is important in courtship, territory defense, bonding.

Mating Strategies

Random mating: all individuals randomly mate with each other (ensures genetic diversity).
Assortative mating: individuals mate with others similar to themselves (often advantageous for preserving specific traits or physical characteristics in the group).
Dis-assortative mating (Non-assortative mating): individuals with diverse traits are more likely to mate with each other.

Evolutionary Game Theory

Framework used to understand decision-making and interactions among individuals (particularly in animals).
Predicts the evolution of behavior in populations based on strategies and outcomes.
Assesses how behaviours are influenced by the behaviours of others, and how survival strategies arise, and are maintained.

Discrimination

Discussion about discrimination, prejudice, power, stereotyping, and prejudice within culture and social groups.

Society and Culture

Macrosociology: analyzes large-scale social structures and effects.
Microsociology: analyzes (face-to-face) interactions between individuals.
Symbolic Interactionism: focus on the meanings individuals attribute to symbols and interactions.
Institutions: social structures for meeting societal needs (e.g., family, government, religion).

Two Views of Institutions

Conservative view: institutions are natural products of human nature.
Progressive view: institutions are artificial creations that should be redesigned to be more effective.

Education, Family, and Religion

Social institutions that shape individual development and cultural transmission.
Discuss hidden curriculum, family structures, and/or religious beliefs.

Fundamentalism

Reaction against secularization and a return to strict religious beliefs.

Government, Economy, Health, and Medicine

Discussion points about forms of government and associated principles.
Capitalism vs. socialism, and their respective economic implications are detailed in the text.
Medicalization and the societal expectation (or societal need) for health and healthcare is discussed.

Additional Concepts

Social roles
Sick role
Delivery of healthcare (inequalities)
Illness experience
Social epidemiology (how social factors influence health).

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Description

Explore the concepts of McDonaldization and ideal bureaucracy as proposed by Max Weber. This quiz delves into the impact of efficiency, predictability, and organizational hierarchies on society and workplaces. Understand how these trends shape both individual experiences and broader societal structures.