Chapter 4. The Power of Context (Part One): Bernie Goetz & the Rise & Fall of New York City Crime
1.Who is Bernhard Goetz? John Goetz ws a very angry disturbed man who killed 4 young black men by taking the law into his own hands.
2.Describe New York City in the 1980s—specifically crime and public transportation. According to Gladwell, what tipped the NYC crime epidemic? Crime in New York was very bad, especially on the subway system. People began to graffiti the cars and not care how clean the area was. When he graffiti was painted over and the cars were cleaned, people began to take care of the cars.
3.Explain the Broken Windows theory. With the broken window theory it was shown that if a place had broken windows crooks viewed the owners as people who did not care so they could continue to break windows. As soon as minor problems began to be taken care of, the physical environment began to tip
4.Do you agree that “behavior is a function of social context” and that “what really matters is little things” (on page 150)? I do beleave behavior is a function of the social context. If the environmental/physical suroundings aare not taken care of the people don't feel their behavior has to be good either.
5.How did David Gunn, the new subway director, put the Broken Window theory into effect in New York City? He began cleaning up the subway system in NYC. He did not any cars go out if the had any graffiti on them.
6.How did the new head of the transit police, William Bratton, aid Gunn with the Broken Window theory? Bratton aided Gunn by sending a mass infiltration of policemen who were visible. He kept the turnstiles working and made sure people paid their fares to ride the subway. He also stopped any horrasment while riding or waiting for the car.
7.Describe the prison experiment. What do you make of the results? In the prison experiment random people applied to take part in the experimenrt. They were then divided into 2 different groups, guards or inmates, and locked up just like in prison. It was proven, unless you are highly rained and dedicated, you can fall into the trap of the so called "brain game." The guards began to be very abusive towards the inmates when it was uncalled for.
8.What effect does birth order have on personality? Birth order does no have any effect on personality. However, within a family, depending on he number of childeren, personalities begin to take a type of servival trait.
9.What is the Good Samaritan research and what do you think of it? The Good Samaritan research has shown that when someone is a good samaritan and usually takes care of or helps he needy, when it comes to a time straint they tend to be less helpful to ohers and worry about what hey need to get done.
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? Yes- I do feel one will act differently depending on te type of envornment they are in-a small friendly group caompared to a small angry group.
11.How do you define character?Look at how Gladwell defines it on page 163.Compare and contrast your thoughts to his. I define character on what a persons beliefs and behaviors are.
Gladwell says it is "a bundle of habits, tendncies, interests, loosely bound togther and dependent, at certain times, on circumstances and context.
I feel your character/personality eventually comes out no matter the circumstances wether it is goor or bad.
12.Do you follow your convictions and thoughts or the immediate context of your behavior?Give an example or two. I tend to follow the immediate conext of my behavior. Meaning I find myself agreeing/disagreeing with thing I don't always. If I am with a group of people who are complaining and griping, even though I was in a good mood, I soon fall in the rutt with the group.
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 when a large number pf bppl clubs that were able te read the books as a group and discuss the book in deeper meaning that brought the group closer.
2.What is channel capacity? Channel capacity is the amount of information a certain part of the brain can remember.
3.What is Robin Dunbar’s argument about brain evolution? Dunbar's argument of brain evolution is that the human brain is larger do to the complexities of a larger social group.
4.What is the Rule of 150 and how do Gladwell’s examples support the validity of this rule? The rule of 150 is hat if their is a group of 150 people it is small enough to get to know on another in a "deeper" manner. More like friends.
5.How did Gore become and stay so successful as a business? Gore became and stayed successful because he followed his rule of 150. when businesses grew above 150 he would sale part or split it into 2 businesses to keep under or at 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 think businesses would run smoother and create mor jobs if they followed Gore's rule of 150. The employee group would not get to big to cause people divide into miny little groups to cause problems within the company.
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 someone in a family who knows a lot of pertnent information about family members, dates, celebrations, etc...I do believe in the family member sharing. I am he one who sends cards, gifts, and things for birthdays, anniversaries, etc.
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?
Husband Dave Mother, Mother In-Law Father, Father In-Law Siser, sister In-laws Broher In-Laws, Grandmas
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 list of groups I am in or have been in definately fall in the 150 dynamic. They are very enjoyable and this is the reason I'm still a member of these groups.
