The Outliers Questions and Answers Already Graded A

The Outliers Questions and Answers Already Graded A What is an outlier? Something that is situated away from or classed differently from a main or related body. Explain the Roseto Mystery The secret was Roseto itself and how the community was the reason for everyone's health. It wasn't diet or exercise or genes or location Why were the Rosetans healthy? Why does the explanation for the good health of Rosetans illustrate Durkheim's theory of suicide? healthy not because of individual efforts to stay healthy but because the people lived in a supportive environment surrounded by their close friends and family members. . close-knit support group Why should the medical establishment look beyond the individual to understand health? What do they need to understand? It is necessary/beneficial to understand the culture he or she was part of, and who their friends/families were, and what town their families came from. They had to appreciate the idea that the values of the world we inhabit and the people we surround ourselves with have a profound effect on who we are. What is the "Matthew Effect"? It is those who are successfulm in other words, who are most likely to be given the kinds of special opportunities that lead to further success What explains success in Canadian hockey? In Canada the eligibility cutoff for age-class is Jan 1. A boy who turns ten on Jan 2 could be playing against someone who doesn't turn ten for 12 more months and at age 10, a 12 month gap in age is a huge difference in physical maturity. (the best are those born in the 1st the months due to being oldest and most mature in age group) Give three examples of outliers -In the bible, Joseph is cast out by his brothers and sold into slavery but rises to become a pharoah's right hand man due to his brilliance and insight -In Horatio Alger's novels, a young boy born into poverty rises to riches through pluck and initiative -Jeb Bush, being the son and brother of two American presidents and the grandson of a wealthy Wall Street banker and US senator, running for governor of Florida (and president of US) -Benjamin Franklin "a man who rose from nothing, who owed nothing to parentage or patronage, who enjoyed no advantages of early education which are not open .... who lived to stand before Kings, and died to leave a name which the world will never forget" How does Malcolm Gladwell try to convince us that personal explanations of success don't work? Success does not come from nowhere, but rather hidden advantages, extraordinary opportunities, and cultural legacies that allow them to learn and work hard, makes a difference where & when they grew up, culture shapes patterns of our achievement; Compares to ecology of an organism- the tallest oak in the forest is the tallest not just because it grew from the hardiest acorn, but also because no other trees blocked its sunlight, the soil was deep and rich, no rabbit chewed its bark as a sapling, no lumberjack cut it down; Successful people come from hardy seeds- but also were raised with opportunities, (nature & nurture both in play) What was strange about the 2007 Medicine Hat Tigers player roster? Most were born in January, February, March or April What does the eligibility cutoff for age-class hockey in Canada have to do with being a successful hockey player? Those born closer to the cut-off date will be more likely to be chosen for travelling squad Why is European soccer similar to Canadian hockey? The cutoff is September 1st, and those born closest to the cutoff date have an advantage over those that are born later in the calendar year. The physical advantage locks children into patterns of achievement and underachievement. Why, according to Gladwell, are hockey players who make it to the professional leel more talented than most of us? (p.30) They got a big head start, an opportunity that they didn't deserve or earn; but an opportunity that played a critical role in their success. How did sociologist Robert Merton explain the "Matthew Effect"? It is those that are successful that are most likely to get special opportunities that lead to further success. Success is the result of accumulative advantage. The little difference in beginning talent levels in hockey players, leads to an opportunity that makes the difference a lot bigger and that edge keeps on until the hockey player becomes a genuine outlier. What is the "10,000-Hour Rule"? It takes roughly 10,000 hours to achieve mastery of a subject. Those that have natural talent don't float to the top faster or at all without 10,000 hours. How long does it take to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert? Give two examples of someone who illustrates the "10,000-Hour Rule." 10,000 hours Bill Joy, and The Beatles Why is it almost impossible to reach 10,000 hours of practice by the time you are a young adult? Why is it more difficult if you are born into poverty? ---It's an enormous amount of time. It's all but impossible to reach that number all by yourself by the time you're a young adult. You have to have parents who encourage and support you. You can't be poor. Most people can only reach that number if they get into some type of special program. ---If you are born into poverty you do not have time to practice your sport or instrument because you are probably helping earn money for your family by getting a job Who is Bill Joy? What does his story illustrate? (p. 42) He was a computer programmer who fell in love with software at the University of Michigan. He rewrote a software and made the majority of software for modern day computers, founded sun microsystems, and rewrote Java. He didn't just have natural talent. He was lucky and was presented with opportunities that led to him getting the 10,000 hours of practice. Why does the Beatles' Hamburg experience illustrate the 10,000-Hour-Rule? They had to play extremely long sets at clubs, which helped them get there 10,000 hours and forced them to be creative and experiment. What kinds of opportunities contributed to Bill Gates' success, according to Gladwell? His private school was able to fund a sophisticated computer in their computer club, and he lived close to the University of Washington (where he could use an even better computer). Gladwell claims that the stories of hockey players, the Beatles, Bill Joy, and Bill Gates provide a more complete picture of the path to success. What truly distinguishes their histories? It wasn't their talents that distinguishes their histories, but the opportunities that they had. What did Gladwell's analysis of the seventy-five richest people in human history show? They happened to come "of age" at a time when that extraordinary effort was rewarded by the rest of society. It really mattered how old they were when the greatest transformation in history happened. What explains the extraordinary wealth of the 20% of the richest people in human history that come from a single generation in the United States? What did C. Wright Mills observe about the special American cohort from the 1830s? In this era, most business leaders came from a privileged background, the one exception being the cohort from the 1830s. That shows how big the advantage was of being born in that decade. It was the only time that people from modest circumstances had a realistic shot at real riches. What does Chris Langan's story suggest about intelligence and success? (pp. 69-115) Gladwell is suggesting that success is much more than just gifts of a child prodigy. What mistake did Lewis Terman make in believing that talent was the most important factor in extraordinary achievement? He didn't understand what a real outlier was. He also didn't understand how privilege and opportunity affect individuals. How smart do you have to be to win a Nobel Prize, according to Gladwell? (p. 83) You have to be smart enough to get into a college as good as Notre Dame What did the lifetime achievements of Terman's termites show? (p. 89) The termites were a group of people that were selected based on their intelligence test scores. This example showed that people with high intelligence do have advantages, but it is not the main reason for their success. It showed that just because the termites were "geniuses" as children, did not mean that they would go on to do great things that would be recognized nationally, such as win a Nobel Prize. Chris Langan and Robert Oppenheimer both ran into problems in college. Why did the outcomes of these two students differ? How did the lives of these geniuses differ? (p. 98) Langan didn't get what he wanted, Oppenheimer did. Langan had a much harder life growing up than Oppenheimer. Oppenheimer was much more "savvy" and knew how to get what he wanted by convincing people with his words. What is "practical intelligence," according to Robert Sternberg? (p. 101) Where does it come from? Practical Intelligence is knowledge that helps you read situations correctly and get what you want. What is social savvy? How do we acquire it? (p. 102) What did the research of Annette Lareau show us? (p. 102) Social Savvy is an ability to skillfully negotiate multiple social and professional environments. She analyzed the lifestyles of third graders and the parenting styles used. She claimed that there were two basic parenting styles known as "concerted cultivation" and "accomplishment of natural growth." How does social class influence parenting philosophies? What does this have to do with success? Lareua says that each social class raises their children in different ways. Their success depends on which way they were raised. What advantage did Robert Oppenheimer have that Chris Langan did not have? (p. 108) Why did this prepare him to handle the challenges of his life so brilliantly? (p. 109) Oppenheimer was raised in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Manhattan. He saw first hand from his father how to negotiate his way out of a tight spot. Lewis Terman followed the Termites into adulthood. At that point, he examined their records and divided them into three groups: the A group, the B group, and the C group. What in the end mattered more than anything else in the success of these individuals? (p. 111) Family Background The story of Joe Flom appears to be a rags-to-riches story, which flies in the face of Gladwell's argument about success. But what did a further examination of his life show? What do we learn about the New York immigrant world in which Joe Flom grew up? What were Joe Flom's opportunities? Factors in his life that may seem like disadvantages were actually advantages (see 43) What three lessons does Gladwell teach us from the life of Joe Flom? 1. The Importance of Being Jewish 2. Demographic Luck 3. The Garment Industry and Meaningful Work What obstacle did Alexander Bikel face in his career? His "antecedents". He was a poor jewish man and didn't get a job because of it. What is a "white-shoe" firm? (p. 122) Does this concept fit C. Wright Mills' theory of the Power Elite? Why or why not? They were only interested in hiring clean-cut, "nordic" individuals who went to the right schools and had the right social backgrounds. What kind of work did the "white-shoe" firms disdain in the 1950s and 1960s? (p. 125) Why did this offer an opportunity to Joe Flom's law firm? These white shoe firms disdained from litigation and corporate takeovers. This offered an opportunity to Joe Flom's law firm because the "white shoe" firms and companies would hire them to handle hostile takeovers, general corporate takeovers and litigations. How did the 10,000 Hour-Rule work for Joe Flom? (p. 128) It worked out well because he had his 10,000 hours before corporate take overs were the big thing. He was ready and the "white-shoe" firms weren't. Therefore, he got the business and made a fortune. Why did Mort Janklow succeed where his father, Maurice Janklow, did not? What does this have to do with the sociological imagination? -Maurice's career was during the Great Depression- Mort was born at the perfect time for a NY Jewish lawyer (#43) -Maurice went to public schools when they were most crowded, Mort when to public schools when they were best -Mort went to better univeristy What does the story of Louis and Regina Borgenicht teach us about opportunities? "To exploit that opportunity, you have to have certain virtues" (hard work, making sacrifices, saving $, investing wisely) What three things make work satisfying, according to Gladwell? (p. 149) Autonomy- being responsible for your own decisions and direction Complexity- engaging mind and imagination connection between effort and reward- Harder you work = better reward What did Louise Farkas' research show about Jewish family trees? (p. 153) Jews tended to have success because they came from a literate and intellectual culture- they are known as "the people of the book". What opportunities did the worlds of the Katzes, the Rosens, the Liptons, the Wachtells, and the Floms give to them? (p. 156-158) What would C. Wright Mills say about this? -Perfect date of birth for a New York Jewish lawyer (around 1930)- small generation, 40 years old in 1970 during beginning of legal revolution -Being an outsider -Had parents who did meaningful work -Culture, generation, family history provided opportunities