Chapter 4. The Power of Context (Part One): Bernie Goetz & the Rise & Fall of New York City Crime
1.Who is Bernhard Goetz?
Bernarhard Goetz was an average appearing gentleman how reacted extremely towards four teenagers that were harassing patrons on the New York subway. When asked to give up some money he pulled a pistol and shoots and crippled all four.
2.Describe New York City in the 1980s—specifically crime and public transportation. According to Gladwell, what tipped the NYC crime epidemic?
New York was riddled with crime and abuse and lawlessness was rampant on the subway system. The crime rate tipped and lowered due to the concentration of efforts to reduce graffiti on the subway system and reduce the number of people attempting to skip on the subway fare.
3.Explain the Broken Windows theory.
The Broken Window theory addresses how little events that are overlooked tend to change the feelings of members of some sort of group, making the rate of more serious events increase. The message sent from not controlling small events causes the increase of more severe events.
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 believe that behavior is highly influenced by the social group one is in. The way people behave can be substantially influenced by peer pressure (social pressure). People often behave differently when with a group or being seen by others than they do by themselves. Little things make a huge difference. Often it is the little things that demonstrate how committed one is to their beliefs and/or what they believe in.
5.How did David Gunn, the new subway director, put the Broken Window theory into effect in New York City?
David Gunn addressed the issue of graffiti on the subway system. He believed that if the trains are taken care of and not being used dirty or full of graffiti that people will have more respect and commit less crime on the system.
6.How did the new head of the transit police, William Bratton, aid Gunn with the Broken Window theory?
Bratton assisted by designating more police to the system to control how many people would skip on the fare and ride on the system without paying. By arresting people for not paying for the subway, many of the people arrested were wanted for more serious crimes. They used the broken window theory to prevent a minor crime and ended up influencing more serious crime rates.
7.Describe the prison experiment. What do you make of the results?
The prison experiment assigned people the role of prisoners and prison guards and wanted to see if a person’s behavior would be affected by the role they were given. It showed clearly that the assigned prisoners quickly started acting persecuted and retaliated towards those in power. The people assigned to be guards quickly starting over using their power of authority.
8.What effect does birth order have on personality?
Birth order tends to impact the way one behaves in the family setting by setting a standard that most people tend to live up to. However, it does not seem to impact the person’s personality outside of the family structure.
9.What is the Good Samaritan research and what do you think of it?
The Good Samaritan research showed that people’s behavior most often tends to be controlled by the conditions of the situations they are in more than by their belief and personal values. I found the research to be disheartening; I would like to think that the opposite result would have come from the research.
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?
Absolutely, we are living organisms that are highly impacted by our environment. If you take some and place them in a situation that includes positive people and feelings they will tend to be positive. The opposite is also true, if you put someone around negative people and feelings they will tend to reflect negativity.
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 as how someone acts and behaves when others are not watching. I find Gladwells definition to be interesting. At first I felt like it was very different from my view. After considering his view, I began to see how they could actually complement each other. In other words Gladwells view that environment can influence character can be true and that influence could impact how a person acts and behaves when other are not present and watching.
12.Do you follow your convictions and thoughts or the immediate context of your behavior?Give an example or two.
I would like to think that I follow my convictions and thoughts; however I have to admit that I am strongly affected by my surroundings. For example, I tend to be a positive person when it comes to how I perceive students and teenagers. If I find myself interacting a lot with other teachers who tend not be very positive and often talk poorly of students, I begin to have less confidence and faith in my students.
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 after it came out in paperbacked and started being used as a book study book. When book groups started to use it, it got a following from people that could relate to it and would buy the many books at one time.
2.What is channel capacity?
Channel capacity refers to how much room we have in our brains for a certain type of information.
3.What is Robin Dunbar’s argument about brain evolution?
She believed that as humans evolved their brains got bigger and could handle more complexity and larger social groups. She felt that the modern human brain has the ability to handle and understand the complexities of larger social groups than that of other mammals.
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 humans can only have genuine social relationships with up to 150 people in a specific setting. If the number gets bigger than that it is difficult to have a connection with everyone in the group. His examples of the Gore company and military group size clearly shows how if the number of the group is bellow 150 they are able effectively work together and feel comfortable interacting in the group environment. When the number got over 150 the group lost connection with each other and smaller groups began to form on their own.
5.How did Gore become and stay so successful as a business?
The Gore Company would form new buildings when the limit of 150 people was reached. Also, they have a structure that places everyone on the same level of authority and does not promote“boss/employee” relationships. Each employee is an associate and has just as much importance as another.
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 it would be beneficial, it allows all employees to be viewed as an import contributor the business. It could also reduce the amount of dissention some employees feel toward their superiors.
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 in group’s individuals have specific items that they are responsible to remember. Yes, I do believe in the idea of family memory sharing. One benefit of a family is for a group of people (2 or more) to work towards a shared goal. In my family we may not specifically assign certain tasks but we do allow each other to focus on specific factors that allow for the family to work together.
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—Amber, Daughter—Maddie, Daughter—Brooke, Mom, Dad, Brothers—Allen and Bobby, Sister—Nancy, Friends—Scott, Wendy, Andrew and Snowy. Right on 12.
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?
I cannot think of many groups that have been involved with that have been as high as 150. Groups that I have been involved with have been well below 150, and for that reason I tend to enjoy the closeness of the group. One group that comes to mind is employees at our school. The entire staff of the schools is around 40 employees. Teachers are able to communicate with each other at both the elementary and secondary level as well as between levels. Also, teachers and classified staff are able to communicate, know and appreciate each other’s role in the building.
