The Tipping Point

Norm M · Member

Book Study Questions - Week 3

Erin T · Member

Week 3

1.) Bernhard Goetz was the man who shot 4 men, Cabey, Allen, Ramseur, and Cantey on a subway train in December of 1984 after they attempted to rob him and became a “symbol of a dark movement in New York City history.”

2.) “During the 1980’s, New York City averaged well over 2,000 murders and 600,000 serious felonies a year.” After people fare-beat they waited for the late subway trains on “dimly lit platform(s), surrounded on all sides by dark, damp and graffiti-covered walls. “There were about 15,00 felonies on the (subway) system a year—a number that would hit 20,00 a year by the end of the decade—and harassment of riders by panhandlers and petty criminals was so pervasive that ridership of the trains had sunk to its lowest level in the history of the subway system.”
According to Gladwell, the Power of Context tipped the NYC crime epidemic.

3.) The Broken Windows Theory is that “if a window is broken and left unrepaired, people walking by will conclude that no one cares and no oni is in charge. Soon, more windows will be broken, and the sense of anarchy will spread from the building to the street on which it faces, sending a signal that anything goes.”

4.) I couldn’t agree more that “behavior is a function of social context” and “what really matters is little things, “ because I see both of those items influence children’s behavior everyday all day. When children are often asked, “Why did you do that?” and they will respond, “because ______ did it.” They use social context to rationalize things or make sense of the world around them. They also will respond very quickly to a positive comment to a student or another child in their proximity. For example, if I say, “I really like how Joe is using his 0 voice in the hallway.” Then others around him will do the same do receive the positive attention and thus by using a zero voice in the hallway we are not interrupting other classes.

5.) David Gunn put the Broken Window Theory into effect in New York City by cleaning up the graffiti and reclaiming the subway cars from the graffiti artists.

6.) William Bratton aided Gunn with the Broken Window theory when he addressed the fare-beating at the subways, by arresting those who were not paying their fares and also checking them for warrants and weapons.

7.) “In the early 1970’s , a group of social scientists at Stanford Univeristy, led by Philip Zimbardo, decided to create a mock prison in the basement of the university’s psychology building. Out of the 75 people that applied to be in the mock prison they chose “21 who appeared the most normal and healthy on psychological tests. Then they divided the group into guards and inmates. They created mock cells, wore prison guard uniforms, and gave the “inmates” prison uniforms to wear and numbers for identification. The immediate environment of the mock prison began to have an effect of volunteers and they began to act like guards and inmates even though they were only roles.
I find the experiment fascinating and disheartening. I was surprised at how quickly they took on their roles and owned them. However, it made me think of all of those in this area that prison is a reality for as an occupation or incarceration.

8.) Surprisingly to me, birth order has no effect on personality.

9.) The Good Samaritan research was done to see if the reason those that chose to study Theology, the context of the speech they were offered to give, and the time in which they were expected to arrive to the place of the speech had an affect on their ability to be a good samaritan. What they found was that the item that had the most effect on their ability to be a good Samaritan was time. I thought this was so sad. I really thought that those who were asked to speak on the story of the Good Samaritan would have been much higher. It then made me think about myself and how time affects my ability to help others. I also wonder what I would have done in that situation. I hope that I would have stopped, however I too would have probably passed them by as I do those at street corners due to lack time or fear.

10.) I really do believe an environment makes an impact on our actions. For example, I learned some time ago that when a child falls and you make a big deal out of it by rushing over, sighing, etc. the larger the reaction is from the child. If instead when the child falls you say oops and keep going they too usually say oops and keep going!

11) Character is how to describe a persons traits. Gladwell says that when ‘we describe someone’s character we are optimistic and generally describe how they act most of the time and are usually very nice about it or over generalize it. I must say that I have to agree with him. I don’t say they are nice most of the time unless you talk about Susie Q. and then forget it.

12.) I must say that I follow the immediate context of my behavior. If someone greets me and says that they are doing O.K. I will too say that I am O.K. even if I’m great or horrible. If someone is being negative about a certain topic such as school reform, I tend to be negative too.

Chapter 5

1. Ya Ya Sisterhood tipped due to San Francisco’s large number of book clubs that were able to read this book and have deeper and more meaningful connections that brought them together.

2. Channel capacity is “the amount of space in our brain for certain kinds of information. For example, phone numbers are 7 digits, if we went beyond seven like Bell wanted to, we would have no idea what our friends and families phone numbers were.

3. Robin Dunbar argued that “brains evolve, they get bigger in order to handle the complexities of larger social groups. “

4. The Rule of 150 is that if a group is of 150, “at that size, orders can be implemented and unruly behavior controlled on the basis of personal loyalties and direct man-to-man contacts. With larger groups, this becomes impossible, “ according to Dunbar.

6.Gore became and stayed so successful due to following the Rule of 150. They knew that in order for groups to work well together, know each other’s relationships, and skills they needed to keep their numbers below 150 or subgroups would start to immerge. Therefore, finding out the best way for their employees to work together and know each other’s abilities, they are able to be successful.

6. I think Gore is a wonderful business model. They really understand what is best for its’ employees and what helps fuel ideas. I definitely think that there would be less corruption and job dissatisfaction if others followed this model because it really embodies teamwork.

7. Transactive memory is “based on an understanding about who is best suited to remember what kinds of things.” I definitely believe in the idea of family memory sharing, because we do that at every event. I know to always call my mother-in-law if I need to remember a birthday, etc.

8. Husband Des
Mom Mother-in-Law
Dad Brother-in-Law
Grandma
Grandpa
Sister
Aunt
Uncle

My list definitely falls in line with Gladwell’s assumption about groups and time, especially since I’m not a Connector.

9. All of the groups I belong to fit into the Rule of !50. Each group has it’s own dynamics. However, in each group I try to be very aware of the relationships those within the group have with each other and me.

Patty O · Member

Chapter 4.The Power of Context (Part One): Bernie Goetz & the Rise & Fall of New York City Crime

1.Who is Bernhard Goetz?

Bernard Goetz is a commuter who responded to a perceived threat by shooting 4 men in a New York City subway.

2.Describe New York City in the 1980s—specifically crime and public transportation. According to Gladwell, what tipped the NYC crime epidemic?

The subways in the 1980”s were dirty, littered with trash and covered with graffiti. Because more serious crimes were considered more important, law enforcement tolerated gate jumping and other non-violent crimes. Gladwell suggests that targeting the visual elements of disorder along with actively and visibly prosecuting small infractions (gate jumping) changed perceptions and actions of subway riders.

3.Explain the Broken Windows theory.

The Broken Window supposes that a seemingly small lapse or oversight that permits an infraction (or its evidence) to persist creates the impression of consent which precipitates additional and escalating infractions.

4.Do you agree that “behavior is a function of social context” and that “what really matters is little things” (on page 150)?

Nearly everything we do and much of what we think is based on social contexts, expectations and understandings. Our daily behavior is guided by myriad rules associated with cultures, relationships of people present, location, activity, time of day, etc. Infractions are duly noted. Additionally, personal beliefs acted out in a team environment can impact all members of the team. A relatively innocuous relaxation of a rule by one member of a teaching team can have a large impact on student behavior in all classrooms, creating battles for those who enforce the rule. Little things make a big difference.

5.How did David Gunn, the new subway director, put the Broken Window theory into effect in New York City?

Gunn first targeted graffiti, refusing to allow vandalized equipment in operation

6.How did the new head of the transit police, William Bratton, aid Gunn with the Broken Window theory?

Bratton altered the system of incarceration to make it less time consuming and, thereby, feasible for officers to prosecute farebeaters aggressively and visibly.

7.Describe the prison experiment. What do you make of the results?

This experiment selected relatively emotionally stable men and randomly assigned them to be either prison guards or prisoners in a fabricated prison environment. The experiment was cut short because of the dramatic personality/ psychological changes that resulted to all parties of the elaborate role-play.

It is a shocking and thought-provoking result. I am less surprised by the change than by the speed and by the degree of change in spite of the awareness of the fantasy. I might anticipate unexpected changes to individuals under stress (ie. witch hunts, depression, long-term illnesses and disasters—and parents of athletes), but discussion of context reminds me of Abraham Lincoln. He once said something like “a man may do well in good times and in bad, but if you want to test his character, give him power.” The guards were given power. From there, it seems more like mob mentality as they all proceeded to better each other, or at the least, support each other, in exerting their will over their subordinates. That seems pretty contextual to me.

8.What effect does birth order have on personality?

Research shows very little difference in the real world, however within the context of the family unit, behavior patterns suggest that the oldest may be more domineering and conservative while the youngest is more creative and rebellious. I have four children. My oldest has always been very passive—non aggressive, while my youngest is undeniably the bossiest. I see no truth in it.

9.What is the Good Samaritan research and what do you think of it?

I can believe that people respond differently according to their context of urgency, as did the respondents in the study who felt they were already late for an appointment. Crossing paths with a victim in need, itt would be easy to consider their behaviors as self-inflicted—over-imbibing or drug withdrawal—because of the context of behaviors, however, with a few minutes to spare, one might be more likely to pursue verification. It’s sad, but, like Goetz, over exposure can create irritations and sensitivities that change what we see and think.

10.Gladwell states that “…our inner states are the result of our outer circumstances” (on page 152).Do you believe that environment truly makes an impact on our actions?

Illness or pain changes our level of patience. Previous bad experiences change our outlook. Chemical changes in our body change the way we think and feel. Even certain smells produce emotional reactions. Why not our environment? The brain is phenomenal when you consider the plethora of varied informative bytes it processes, formulating them into expectations and understandings. I find the idea revealing, but not revolutionary.

11.How do you define character? Look at how Gladwell defines it on page 163.Compare and contrast your thoughts to his.

I agree with Gladwell. Our character, good or bad, is developed by what we experience and our mental response to it. That is what makes us different than other animals—our ability to combine differentiated pieces of information and make moral and/or rational decisions rather than responding largely by instinct. Our legal system has written volumes of laws in an attempt to clearly and succinctly identify right and wrong, but the courts are still full of individuals arguing the variables. Integrity—good character-- involves weighing variables with a willingness to accept responsibility for seeing that our actions do not unfairly injure or offend others.

12.Do you follow your convictions and thoughts or the immediate context of your behavior? Give an example or two.

I’m sure most would insist that they follow logic based conviction. On a recent bout with kidney stones, the doctor asked for my level of pain on a scale of one to ten, ten being the worst pain. I contemplated many scenarios from devastating accidents to POW tortures and responded with a 6. The doctors responded with a misdiagnosis on the basis of pain. Nine days later they finally ran tests. Voila!

I ponder options—and my RN daughter-in-law assures me that that is not normal and is tutoring me in expected response: If you are in pain and want action, tell them TEN! Live and learn. Point: I am not impulsive. I use allotted time to consider various perspectives and respond with best intent—but am not always successful in recognizing expectations without sufficient context. (and I seem to require a lot more context than “normal” people) Everyone responds within the context of their genetic make-up and life experiences, dependent on the time constraints and understandings. Don’t they?

Chapter 5.The Power of Context (Part Two): The Magic Number of One Hundred and Fifty

1.How did theYa-Ya Sisterhoodtip?

It tipped because, “small, close-knit groups have the power to magnify the epidemic potential of a message or idea.” The lending of itself to discussion on a personal level, followed by bonding experiences in book-reading groups propelled this magnification.

2.What is channel capacity?

Channel Capacity refers to the amount of space allocated in our brain for a given type of information. At an intellectual level it refers to our information processing, but it is also true of feelings.

3.What is Robin Dunbar’s argument about brain evolution?

Dunbar suggests that neocortex size in mammals increases geometrically according to the cohesive group size. Humans, he feels, have evolved(according to neocortex size) to a capacity of 150 individuals that can honestly know each other on a personal level.

4.What is the Rule of 150 and how do Gladwell’s examples support the validity of this rule?

Beyond 150 group members, communication and friendship breaks down and clans threaten the stability of the group. Gladwell relates examples of groups that maintain relative isolation from other groups and verifies that they naturally and/or by design divide at that point. The military exceeds the number by 33%. I might think that the common singular goal, the intensity of the outcome and the tight structure of the military may facilitate a larger group cohesion.

5.How did Gore become and stay so successful as a business?

Gore plans his building to house no more than 150 workers, maintaining knowledge, communication and pressure from within that small number of members who have equal voice and authority.

6.Is Gore Associates a company more businesses should model?Do you think we’d see less corruption and job dissatisfaction if more companies subscribed to the Rule of 150 and Gore Associates’ philosophy?

From an experiential perspective, I have seen small businesses that are nice to work for and quite the opposite—contingent largely on their philosophy. On the other hand, businesses that rely on many specialty groups to produce a single large service (like a hospital) or product (a car) might be stymied by competition between factions or failure to collaborate effectively with many isolated groups. I would find it interesting to see if the same philosophy would create similar results without heed to rule of 150.

7.What is transactive memory? Do you believe in the idea of family memory sharing?Examine your own family and see if the process holds true.

Transactive memory refers to individuals in a group having various specific skills (memory) that can be shared throughout the group to form a more complete knowledge base. My son and daughter-in-law are a great example of opposites that join together to create a whole. He is quiet and logical, she is creative and adventuresome—and they beautifully bring out the best in each other. He supports her creativity with understanding of the tools of technology to bring her creations to life. Everything is a blend of talent. They would both be lost without each other.

8.Take Gladwell’s quiz: List all the people you know whose death would leave you devastated. Does your list fall in line with Gladwell’s assumption about groups and time?

Yes, my group falls within the limitations and it periodically requires a great deal of my energy. I appreciate those breaks when everybody is happy and healthy.

9.Think of groups you belong or belonged to.Do they fit into the Rule of 150?Describe each group’s dynamics.Would each group function better if it followed to the Rule of 150?

My son’s employer, Raytheon, is a multi-billion dollar corporation that is good to their employees. Projects are assigned to teams of workers, which may diminish the impact of the thousands of employees at his plant. I question whether the Gore strategy would work well in all situations ( for instance, dividing hospitals into small independent units could make it very difficult to diagnose and treat multiple issues in a timely and effective manner), but perhaps components can be considered and adjusted to maintain connections necessary for optimum function.

LaDawne B · Member

Chapter 4. The Power of Context (Part One): Bernie Goetz & the Rise & Fall of New York City Crime

1.Who is Bernhard Goetz?
He is a man who was on the subway where some kids were bothering him trying to steal his money, he shot them and was considered a hero because people were sick of the bad conditions on the subway.
2.Describe New York City in the 1980s—specifically crime and public transportation. According to Gladwell, what tipped the NYC crime epidemic?
The subway was a dirty place with trash and graffiti everywhere. No one was safe on the the subway and it was a place no one wanted to travel. The author said the tipping point was all of the small crimes leading to bigger ones.
3.Explain the Broken Windows theory.
The Broken Window theory is the idea that if people see things not fixed they assume they can break things or make them worse because that is what it looks like around them.
4.Do you agree that “behavior is a function of social context” and that “what really matters is little things” (on page 150)?
I agree with the idea that “behavior is a function of social context” because in our society, specifically in schools, I see very bright young men and women who struggle to succeed because they have grown up with parents who have taught them incorrect social norms for our society which have left the child believing incorrect ways of dealing with social problems in their lives.
5.How did David Gunn, the new subway director, put the Broken Window theory into effect in New York City?
David Gunn put the Broken Window theory into effect by cleaning up the graffiti in the subways their for showing people that it is no longer a place to keep dirty and unkempt but now clean and nice.
6.How did the new head of the transit police, William Bratton, aid Gunn with the Broken Window theory?
William Bratton used the Broken Window theory by making sure the small crimes were dealt with showing people what was expected which would lead to larger crimes not being tried as much.
7.Describe the prison experiment. What do you make of the results?
The prison experiment was a group of mentally stable people put in a fake prison where they were treated like real prisoners and then their actions were noted for changes. The results were scary to me because I would like to think, as the participants did, that I could handle the pressure because I think I am a strong person but the experiment showed that it is easy to sway people just by their environment.
8.What effect does birth order have on personality?
Birth order effects how you view your self in your own family but does not effect how others see you outside of your family.
9.What is the Good Samaritan research and what do you think of it?
The Good Samaritan research took seminary students and tested them to see if short term trials changed them or their long term values held out. I hope that my core values will keep me on the strait and narrow but I know their have been times that I have strayed and later regretted my hasty decision.
10.Gladwell states that “…our inner states are the result of our outer circumstances” (on page 152).Do you believe that environment truly makes an impact on our actions?
I believe that environment truly makes an impact on our actions because just like in the prison experiment people can be changed when their environment suddenly changes.
11.How do you define character?Look at how Gladwell defines it on page 163.Compare and contrast your thoughts to his.
Gladwell said that character is the impression you want to create about yourself. I define character as the type of person I want my son to know and be proud of and try to become because he looks up to the type of standards I hope myself to.
12.Do you follow your convictions and thoughts or the immediate context of your behavior?Give an example or two.
I try to focus on my convictions and thoughts during the day (Make sure God shows through my actions so that everyone around me knows I believe with out my saying anything) so that I am proud of myself and the way I acted at the end of the day but sometimes when a temptation (shopping! =) finds me I sometimes have an immediate need to buy!

Chapter 5. The Power of Context (Part Two): The Magic Number of One Hundred and Fifty

1.How did the Ya-Ya Sisterhood tip?
The Ya-Ya Sisterhood tipped because of work-of mouth, a salesman author, and a group influencing change.
2.What is channel capacity?
The amount of space our brain has to store information.
3.What is Robin Dunbar’s argument about brain evolution?
Robin Dunbar believes that our brain evolves as we enter different groups.
4.What is the Rule of 150 and how do Gladwell’s examples support the validity of this rule?
The Rule of 150 states that 150 relationships is the max we can have a personal relationship with. He feels that if you keep companies under 150 employees then they have more meanful relationships with help the company.
5.How did Gore become and stay so successful as a business?
Gore became and stayed successful by using the Rule of 150.
6.Is Gore Associates a company more businesses should model?Do you think we’d see less corruption and job dissatisfaction if more companies subscribed to the Rule of 150 and Gore Associates’ philosophy?
I believe we would have better companies if we kept numbers down and worried more about each person instead of the company first.
7.What is transactive memory? Do you believe in the idea of family memory sharing?Examine your own family and see if the process holds true.
Transactive memory is the idea that certain people in your family remember different things so that everything is remembered. This is true in my family because my husband remembers to check the mechanical items that we use and I remember when bills are due and what appointments are coming up.
8.Take Gladwell’s quiz: List all the people you know whose death would leave you devastated.Does your list fall in line with Gladwell’s assumption about groups and time?
I took the quiz and came up with 12. Galdwell’s quiz said the average was 12 so I guess I am worrying about the average amount of people. I am a worrier naturally so I almost think my number can go up during more stressful times.
9.Think of groups you belong or belonged to.Do they fit into the Rule of 150?Describe each group’s dynamics.Would each group function better if it followed to the Rule of 150?
The groups I belong to follow the full of 150 mainly because I live and work in a small community. I believe I love small communities because of the ability to know and be known by everyone in the community.

Penny I · Member

Chapter 4:

Bernhard Goetz was the man that was attacked on the New York subway by four hoodlum teenagers. He retaliated and shot each one of them and then walked down the subway, only a few days later to turn himself in.
Public transportation in New York City in the 1980’s was horrendous. Everything in the subway was vandalized and tagged and the crime actions of individuals were common place. The subway was losing money and had no means of making things better because of fare beaters—people who thought they could ride the subway for free. The thing that tipped the NYC crime epidemic was the fact that the law enforcement and public was letting little things slide, like graffiti cleanup, and fare beaters, and these little things escalated into bigger things that made a system people were afraid to take part in.
The Broken Window Theory is the simple concept that if a system is not fixed it must mean that people do not care about it. With this attitude in place little things start to take over and escalate into bigger things and the downfall of an entire system.
I totally agree with the idea that “what really matters is little things.” In the concept of group dynamics we know the little ways that we treat people will have a bigger affect on a single individual, not to mention the fact that you can change the lives of more people with little actions. I tell my husband all the time that it is the little things that make our relationship more meaningful everyday—the “I love you” before we go to bed, the “good supper” at dinner time, the “you look nice today” as I leave the house, the “thanks for working cows so late to make things better for us” when he has had a long hard day. Those are the special things that make communication work.
David Gunn decided that he would take the cleanup of the NYC subway system in little increments. He started by cleaning up the graffiti, it was this little action that began the downfall of the subway system and if reversed could have a positive effect on the rising of the system once again.
Bratton aided with the Broken Window theory by having his police force focus on the fare beaters. In doing this, checking every fare beaters criminal record, he found some shoddy people that should not have been allowed to walk the streets, let alone ride the subway.
The prison experiment was the challenge to prove that one’s surrounding has a great affect on their actions. Princeton University asked for several volunteers to either be prisoners or guards; their positions were randomly picked and each assignment had no bearing on who the person was. What they found was that each group started to take on the roles that they had been assigned. The results were not surprising to me. I totally agree that a person will start to act how they are treated. If one is given authority, as humans we tend to take that to the extreme. If we are treated like criminals and lowly, our human nature lends us to have resentment and that characteristic only reeks bad actions, making us change our attitude to a negative status.
Birth order has a definite affect in the family setting, but not necessarily in the social setting. In the family the older children are usually more conservative and domineering; younger siblings are more rebellious and creative. However, when they are put in a public setting, these characteristics prove to not always be true.
The Good Samaritan research was the idea that researchers were trying to see how many people would stop and help someone in need. What the experiment found was that if the theology student had time they would stop and help, if they did not have time they often by passed the person in need. It also mattered why the person decided to become a theology major. If they got into the program because they wanted to help people and make life better for a society, they were more likely to stop and help the person. I think is a sad but true measure of our society today. People are first and foremost concerned about themselves and then they may or may not think about someone else. We have a fear factor built into our system in this day and age that this could potentially be a hazardous situation—which is a viable attitude, but there are other ways to help, such as calling authorities and letting them know that there is an individual in need. In some situations, however, we just have to have faith that what we are doing is the right thing and there is a higher power that is watching out for us.
“…our inner states are a result of our outer circumstances…” is a concept that I mentioned a bit above, but I have a personal example of this theory that hits the nail on the head. A few weeks ago we were driving on a cold, snowy night in a part of Aurora that is not a great neighborhood. As we sat in our warm car and drove out of town we encountered a man in a wheelchair on a sidewalk that had not been shoveled. He was stooped over, possibly trying to stay warm, or possibly no longer breathing. It was dark and we had all 6 of our children with us. We were afraid to stop and help ourselves because the instability of the neighborhood, so we chose to call 911 and alert them of the situation. If this scenario would have been in a better neighborhood that had a better reputation, perhaps we would have taken measures into our own hands and helped the man and maybe not, because our circumstances that our children’s lives were at risk and so were ours. Now that I think back at that situation, I wish I could make a different decision, but growing up in the city, I don’t know that I can let down that guard that was built up since I was young.
I define character as a link between a person’s actions and their moral beliefs. Gladwell states that character has to do with habits, tendencies, and interests bound together and dependant on the circumstances. I think his is more prevalent in a teenage/student situation. Students actions can be persuaded by that concept of peer pressure. My definition is possibly more relevant in, at least I hope so, with a more mature audience. I would hope that we as adults have conviction in our beliefs and would not fall into peer pressure—what a perfect world that would be.
I would regrettably have to say that I follow the immediate context of my actions. An example of this would be the new job of counselor that I took on this year. At the beginning of the year I was trying to figure out a schedule for our junior high. Taking suggestions from my successor, I assigned a class to a teacher who felt she was not ready or prepared to teach that class with the notice given. She was a bit upset about the situation that she was put in. Being a person that hates conflict, I gave up one of my guidance hours to teach the class that she refused to teach. I wish I could have sensibly talked the situation out with the staff, but I didn’t really feel that confident, it seemed easier for me to adhere to the situation, and immediately make the context a better situation for this teacher, who is a good friend. I didn’t want her thinking that I had intentionally tried to make her teaching more difficult. With this situation I decided that administration was not something that I wanted to pursue.

Chapter 5

The Ya-Ya Sisterhood tipped because people could relate to the relationships that were posed in the book, this caused them to form their own Ya-Ya relationships bringing the book concept to life in each individual.
Channel capacity is the maximum information that our human brains can handle. For example, this is why phone numbers are 7 digits long…that is the most information of numbers our brains can handle.
Robin Dunbar’s argument about brain evolution is that the evolution has to do with group size—the larger the group the greater the chances of handling complex situations.
The rule of 150 is the fact that a group can function in a successful and harmonious way if the number of participants stays below 150 people. The example that he gives about Gore Associates is remarkable. It validates the fact that everyone has a personal investment in the product that they are promoting because they are intimately involved with some aspect of it.
I believe that Gore Associate became so successful because they have everyone invested in it…everyone is working towards one common goal and they all have a expertise tied to some aspect of it. The fact that they work in small teams allows them to build relationships with one another that promote the concept that you want someone you are close to to do well…therefore, everyone is pulling for each other. Not having someone above someone else in ranking helps to eliminate the characteristics of jealousy and envy that can often times be the demise of a company.
I feel that if more companies and school systems would adhere to this philosophy then there would be more good happening in the different circumstances. If we look at big districts, there is no cooperation happening, thus our students are not seeing any role modeling of what it means to work together for a common goal and accomplish the things as a team.
Transactive memory is when each person in a group or pair is assigned a certain bit of information to remember, or be an expert at. Family memory sharing holds the same concept…in my family we rely on each child to remember certain things in our daily routines. We might be driving to school and the older kids will always ask their sister that is 9 what is for lunch because she makes it a point to memorize the lunch menu each morning. Our oldest daughter is always assigned to letting us know the words or tunes to songs because she is the expert on itunes and pop music. Our youngest daughter, 5, is always asked questions about what Grandma is up to because she spends all day with her and she can give you play by play details about her schedule or how she is feeling that day. I can see this role making her very proud that she knows information that the others don’t.
As I was making my list I thought oh I am going to go on forever and forever, but when I looked back over it I realized it was people that I spent the most time with, the people that I have invested my heart and soul in and that have invested a great deal in me.
In the school systems that I have taught in I have been in smaller groups. My current district has its sets of cliques, its sets of disagreement, but we do hold on to the concept of one goal and that is that we are in this for the kids. We currently got together as a group to work on a new schedule and it was such a productive meeting because the math people gave their expertise on when math should be taught, the science teachers expressed their concerns for students having biology in the afternoon, and the ag teacher explained the things that had to be in place for his program to be funded by the state. With this collaboration and insight into expertise, we were able to create a schedule that everyone had a say in, had an investment in, and therefore, had a passion to implement because it was for the good of all students. Oh don’t get me wrong, we had our share of devils advocates, but I think you have to have that outlook because not everything is peaches and cream. We have to see the other side of things to make out circumstances more powerful.

alan4444 · Member

Chapter 4. The Power of Context (Part One): Bernie Goetz & the Rise & Fall of New York City Crime

1.Who is Bernhard Goetz?

Bernhard Goetz was a man who shot four black youths on a subway in New York City in the 1980's. He was elevated to hero status by many New Yorkers fed up with the high crime rate at the time.

2.Describe New York City in the 1980s—specifically crime and public transportation. According to Gladwell, what tipped the NYC crime epidemic?

Crime in NYC was at it's highest point in NY history. Public transportation system was a haven for criminal activities. The crime epidemic was tipped by taking care of the smaller elements of criminal activities such as not paying the subway toll. This showed on a basic level that crime would not be tolerated.

3.Explain the Broken Windows theory.

The Broken Window theory states that if one goes by a house with a broken window, and it is not repaired within a reasonable amount of time, the public will assume that no one cares. Other damages will occur to the house and eventually spill out into the street.

4.Do you agree that “behavior is a function of social context” and that “what really matters is little things” (on page 150)?

Yes I agree that behavior is a function of social context because we are creatures that need to interact with each other in meaningful ways. I disagree with the book that all that matters is the little things unless we are functioning at a primitive intellectual level.

5.How did David Gunn, the new subway director, put the Broken Window theory into effect in New York City?

David Gunn starting making riders pay the tolls and set up a system that took care of the little criminal activities as a foundation of fighting the total crime picture including more severe criminal activities. This worked because many people committing small crimes also had more extensive criminal activity.

6.How did the new head of the transit police, William Bratton, aid Gunn with the Broken Window theory?

William Bratton aided Gunn by making it possible to expedite small crime quickly leaving time to process many more crimes.

7.Describe the prison experiment. What do you make of the results?

The prison experiment showed that prison guards with authority behave ruthlessly toward prisoners. The prisoners acted in a desperate manner because they did not have any control over their abuse. I think these results show that complete power does corrupt completely and unfortunately, when people experience the prison system as a prisoner, it can predispose them to criminal personality traits. The guards also proved that even nice people, placed in a dominant situation can become despicable.

8.What effect does birth order have on personality?

Birth order affects personality only when that person is in the family environment.

9.What is the Good Samaritan research and what do you think of it?

Good Samaritan research showed that all Good Samaritans react differently depending on their outlining agendas.

10.Gladwell states that “…our inner states are the result of our outer circumstances” (on page 152).Do you believe that environment truly makes an impact on our actions?

Of course our environment controls our actions. If you have a fire in your house, you leave. However, I believe that people have the intelligence in simple situations to control their own actions.

11.How do you define character?Look at how Gladwell defines it on page 163.Compare and contrast your thoughts to his.

Gladwell's definition of character and environment have some credence. However, part of good character is going outside your comfort zone and making good decisions based upon the true essence of who you are.

12.Do you follow your convictions and thoughts or the immediate context of your behavior?Give an example or two.

I usually follow my convictions and thoughts. An example would be when I vote it is what is good for the country and not for me as an individual.

alan4444 · Member

Chapter 5. The Power of Context (Part Two): The Magic Number of One Hundred and Fifty

1.How did the Ya-Ya Sisterhood tip?

The Ya-Ya Sisterhood tipped because the small groups in the book studies exploited the bonds of peer pressure and memory through the power of content provided by the book.

2.What is channel capacity?

Channel capacity is the amount of information people can ascertain on any given subject at any particular time.

3.What is Robin Dunbar’s argument about brain evolution?

Human beings evolved to deal with smaller group sizes and closer social interactions and functioned at their best level that way.

4.What is the Rule of 150 and how do Gladwell’s examples support the validity of this rule?

The rule of 150 is that people cannot have close interpersonal relationships with more than 150 people. Under 150 rule" orders can be implemented and behavior controlled on the basis of personal loyalties and direct man-to-man contact." Some examples are the company Gore, the group leader Bill Gross of Hutterite Colony. This was supported that when groups got larger than 150 people became impersonal and peer pressure was no longer relevant.

5.How did Gore become and stay so successful as a business?

Gore stayed successful by keeping each individual working building less than 150 people.

6.Is Gore Associates a company more businesses should model?Do you think we’d see less corruption and job dissatisfaction if more companies subscribed to the Rule of 150 and Gore Associates’ philosophy?

Yes I do think smaller groups allows for individuals to be more responsible for their own actions, thus allowing more pride in the product.

7.What is transactive memory? Do you believe in the idea of family memory sharing?Examine your own family and see if the process holds true.

Transactive memory is using the memory of other people close to you to supplement your memory. Yes, I have no doubt this is true as my wife and I rely heavily on each other respective memories.

8.Take Gladwell’s quiz: List all the people you know whose death would leave you devastated.Does your list fall in line with Gladwell’s assumption about groups and time?

I don't believe this applies to me as I teach at a school small enough to develop interpersonal relationships with each student. Any of my student's deaths would be devastating.

Greg L · Member

Book Study Questions - Week 3 Reply Quote Printer Friendly

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 4. The Power of Context (Part One): Bernie Goetz & the Rise & Fall of New York City Crime

1.Who is Bernhard Goetz? Goetz was a seemingly average guy who became a vigilante of sorts (when influenced by the Power of Context) and shot four men in the subway in NYC.

2.Describe New York City in the 1980s—specifically crime and public transportation. According to Gladwell, what tipped the NYC crime epidemic? They cleaned off graffiti (systematically) and stopped "fare-beaters".

3.Explain the Broken Windows theory. The theory goes that if something is in disrepair, it shows neglect. If things are neglected it looks like people don't care - which in turn makes it more appealing to commit a crime.

4.Do you agree that “behavior is a function of social context” and that “what really matters is little things” (on page 150)? Yes, this is all you need to make something tip.

5.How did David Gunn, the new subway director, put the Broken Window theory into effect in New York City? His motivation was to clean all graffiti off the rail cars and platforms - to change perception.

6.How did the new head of the transit police, William Bratton, aid Gunn with the Broken Window theory? He began catching all fare-beaters. After charging all those arrested, it was discovered that 1 in 7 of those charged had committed other crimes or had a warrant for their arrest. This brought a welcome side-effect to catching the fare-beaters.

7.Describe the prison experiment. What do you make of the results? The prison experiment put volunteers into the roles of either prisoner or guard. After six days of role-play, it showed that the “situation” can have a dramatic effect on one's behavior. The prisoners became “victims” and the guards became aggressive and abusive.

8.What effect does birth order have on personality? Birth order seems to follow a pattern in comparison to interactions with other family members. However, in non-family settings, there is no longer any pattern followed (which is contrary to conventional wisdom).

9.What is the Good Samaritan research and what do you think of it? In the experiment, it was shown that the #1 most important factor in whether someone will help another in need is whether they had enough time to spare to help – not what their moral convictions they held.

10.Gladwell states that “…our inner states are the result of our outer circumstances” (on page 152).Do you believe that environment truly makes an impact on our actions? He seems to make a compelling argument that numerous studies have proven this point. So, yes.

11.How do you define character?Look at how Gladwell defines it on page 163.Compare and contrast your thoughts to his. Gladwell points out that most people are very good at controlling their personal environment. This could really affect our personality. I can certainly see my personality change depending on the environment and the types of people with whom I interact.

12.Do you follow your convictions and thoughts or the immediate context of your behavior?Give an example or two. I feel that I do follow my convictions most of the time. For example, as a teacher, my duty is to do as much as I can to help my students. Even though I may have a class that tries to get out of doing the assignment or activity to take a break. I will stick to my plan.

Chapter 5. The Power of Context (Part Two): The Magic Number of One Hundred and Fifty

1.How did the Ya-Ya Sisterhood tip?
It used the power of small book groups to pass the message around the country.

2.What is channel capacity? Channel capacity is the amount of space in our brain that is available to process certain kinds of info.

3.What is Robin Dunbar’s argument about brain evolution? Dunbar's argument states that the larger the brain's neocortex is – the greater amount of social connections it can handle. Humans can handle more social connections that other primates.

4.What is the Rule of 150 and how do Gladwell’s examples support the validity of this rule? The Rule of 150 states that groups of people under 150 members are small enough to create interpersonal bonds with one another. Gore Associates and the Hutterite people succeeded by always adhering to this principle.

5.How did Gore become and stay so successful as a business? They always adhered to the Rule of 150. As soon as one of their offices or factories hit the 150 mark, they would begin making a new building and branch-out, in order to keep the number in each location under 150 people.

6.Is Gore Associates a company more businesses should model?Do you think we’d see less corruption and job dissatisfaction if more companies subscribed to the Rule of 150 and Gore Associates’ philosophy? Gladwell makes a sound argument that this would benefit most companies. I'm sure that there could be some situations where having 150 or less might not be feasible though.

7.What is transactive memory? Do you believe in the idea of family memory sharing?Examine your own family and see if the process holds true. Transactive memory is information that is shared between intimate groups of people. Families certainly benefit from transactive memory. In my family, different members brings different skills to the table. If I need information on a certain topic, I usually can ask a certain family member for help with it by shooting out an email.

8.Take Gladwell’s quiz: List all the people you know whose death would leave you devastated. Does your list fall in line with Gladwell’s assumption about groups and time? Wife, three kids, parents, best friend, sister. My list does fall in line with Gladwell's assumption.

9.Think of groups you belong or belonged to. Do they fit into the Rule of 150? Describe each group’s dynamics. Would each group function better if it followed to the Rule of 150? Currently, I teach at a school that has about 20 staff and 225 students. By these numbers, the rule says that we should downsize the school. By having a different school for each grade, we could achieve this goal. However, economics makes this impossible. We would need to have a different school for each grade level in my school district. I would say that not all the students know each other very well. This probably has a distinct effect on how interactions take place and could affect learning.

Betty B · Member

Week 3 Chapters 4-5