You Are Not Alone
You walk into Gross Hall and think, “Everyone else understands this lecture except me.” Later, Ed Discussion is full of confused posts. What was wrong with your assumption?
Most people were confused too; you just could not see it.
At Duke, most people walk on the right side of a crowded sidewalk without being told. What are these unwritten rules of behavior called?
Norms.
A student hears about an internship from an older student in their club. What sociological concept helped create that opportunity?
Social networks.
Some students can take unpaid internships, while others need paid summer jobs. What does this show?
Students have different resources and starting points.
A first-year thinks everyone else already has friends, so they stop trying to meet people. Which concept best explains the false assumption?
Pluralistic ignorance.
A student feels like they are the only one without a close friend group yet, even though many first-years feel the same way. What sociological idea does this show?
Pluralistic ignorance.
“We sit on the C1 in silence and avoid making eye contact with strangers.”
Is this describing what people actually do or what people should do?
What people actually do; a descriptive norm.
Two students are equally qualified, but one knows upperclassmen who share advice about classes, internships, and professors. Who has an advantage?
The student with stronger social network access.
A student has family members who help edit their resume, pay for flights, and explain professional etiquette. What kind of advantage is this?
Social and economic privilege/resources.
Two students are caught cheating on the same exam. One is a scholarship student with a prior warning; the other is a legacy student with no record. The scholarship student faces expulsion, while the other gets academic probation. Neither the rule nor the behavior was different. What sociological concept explains why the consequences were?
Labeling — society reacts differently to the same behavior depending on who the person is, and that label can define them more than the act itself.
At a party, someone drinks more than they want because they think “everyone else is into it,” but most people are actually uncomfortable too. What is driving their behavior?
False social pressure / pluralistic ignorance.
“You should not sit directly next to someone in an empty Perkins study room.” What type of norm is this?
A proscriptive norm.
At Duke, club admissions, Greek life, sports teams, and friend groups can shape what information people hear about. What does this show about opportunity?
Opportunity is not distributed equally; it often travels through networks.
Two students put in the same effort, but one has more money, free time, connections, and family support. Why might their outcomes still differ?
Because stratification affects opportunities and starting points.
A student gets an internship after hearing about it from a club friend, while another equally qualified student never hears about it. What concept explains this difference?
Social networks.
Why can everyone in a group privately feel uncertain, but the group still seem confident on the outside?
Because people hide their uncertainty and assume others are more confident than they really are.
Everyone puts their hands up during Duke free throws, so you do too.
What type of norm is shaping your behavior?
A descriptive norm.
A student says, “I got this internship completely on my own,” but they learned about it from a friend, got resume advice from a club member, and practiced interviews with an upperclassman. What are they overlooking?
The role of social networks and social support in their success.
Why is “just work harder” an incomplete explanation for success at Duke?
Because effort matters, but resources, privilege, networks, and starting position also shape outcomes.
Two students break the same rule, but one is treated as “just making a mistake,” while the other is judged more harshly. What concepts are interacting here?
Labeling and stratification.
A student does not ask a question in class because they think everyone else gets it. Then no one else asks either. What happens to the whole room?
Everyone’s silence reinforces the false belief that they are the only one confused.
Someone loudly FaceTimes in the silent floor of Perkins and everyone gives them side-eye. What is the side-eye an example of?
A social sanction.
Why might a casual acquaintance in a club sometimes be more useful for finding opportunities than your closest friends?
They may connect you to new people, information, or circles.
A student who has to work extra hours misses club events where friendships and internships are formed. What larger sociological issue does this show?
Stratification: unequal resources can affect social and professional opportunities.
A Duke student feels like they are the only one struggling, does not ask for help because it feels embarrassing, misses out on advice from peers, and falls further behind. Name two sociological concepts happening here.
Pluralistic ignorance, norms/social pressure, social networks, or stratification.
(Any two with a good explanation should count)