Social Connections Quiz

Why did the speaker first become interested in studying social connections?

• Because he wanted to reduce hospital costs

• Because he observed emotional and health effects among patients’ families

• Because his supervisor asked him to

• Because he wanted to become famous

What was the widowhood effect that the speaker studied?

• The tendency for widows to remarry quickly

• The emotional stress experienced before marriage

• The increased risk of death after losing a spouse

• The financial problems after a spouse’s death

What realization did the speaker have after talking to the husband’s friend?

• That depression is genetic

• That the widowhood effect could extend beyond couples

• That doctors need more training in psychology

• That friendships are stronger than marriages

What is the main idea behind social networks according to the speaker?

• They are primarily digital platforms like Facebook

• They are complex human connections that influence our lives

• They exist only in workplaces

• They are based on economic relationships

What was the speaker’s first research topic related to social networks?

• Happiness

• Death

• Obesity

• Divorce

What did the yellow dots represent in the obesity study?

• Underweight people

• People who were clinically obese

• People who exercised regularly

• People who were not part of the network

According to the research, if your friend is obese, your risk of obesity increases by about:

• 15%

• 25%

• 45%

• 57%

What are the three possible explanations for obesity clustering mentioned by the speaker?

• Induction, homophily, and confounding

• Inheritance, imitation, and confusion

• Obsession, depression, and compulsion

• Genetics, diet, and environment

What does homophily mean in this context?

• The desire to be alone

• Birds of a feather flock together — people with similar traits connect

• The spread of disease between friends

• The process of losing weight together

What did the European headline suggest about responsibility for obesity?

• That individuals could influence their friends’ weight gain

• That obesity was caused by the government

• That only genes determine weight

• That obesity is not a social issue