- A demographer studies how parental education relates to family formation patterns and children's educational outcomes. In a sample of 3,200 adults aged 30–45, those with a bachelor's degree reported later average age at first birth and lower rates of single-parent households than those without a degree. In parallel, their children showed higher average reading scores in elementary school. The demographer cautions that these associations may reflect differences in economic stability and access to institutional supports rather than innate ability.
How does the demographic pattern most directly support a structural interpretation linking education and family institutions?
Answer: It suggests that parental education is associated with family formation patterns that may shape children's educational environments through resources and stability.
This question tests understanding of how demographic patterns support structural interpretations linking education and family institutions. The data shows parents with bachelor's degrees have later first births, lower single-parent rates, and children with higher reading scores, suggesting education shapes family formation patterns that affect children's environments. The correct answer (B) accurately identifies this as a structural interpretation where parental education associates with family patterns that shape children's educational environments through resources and stability. Answer C incorrectly suggests a biological mechanism independent of family context, which ignores the structural factors emphasized in the question. When analyzing demographic associations, consider how educational attainment may shape family structures and resources that subsequently influence children's outcomes rather than assuming direct causal mechanisms.
- A research team uses a conflict theory approach to interpret demographic differences in college enrollment by family income. The team reports that first-year college enrollment increased overall in the last decade, but the increase was concentrated among students from the highest income quartile. Interviews indicate that higher-income families were more likely to finance unpaid internships, relocate for better school districts, and pay application fees without hardship. Lower-income families reported prioritizing immediate wages after high school and facing greater uncertainty about debt.
Which inference is most consistent with conflict theory given these trends?
Answer: Higher-income families can convert economic resources into educational credentials, contributing to the reproduction of advantage across generations.
This question tests application of conflict theory to interpret income-based disparities in college enrollment trends. Conflict theory emphasizes how economic resources translate into educational advantages, perpetuating class divisions across generations. The vignette shows enrollment increases concentrated among the highest income quartile, with higher-income families financing internships, relocating for better schools, and paying fees without hardship. The correct answer (B) aligns with conflict theory by recognizing how higher-income families convert economic resources into educational credentials, reproducing advantage. Answer A incorrectly suggests education has become meritocratic with no income effects, which directly contradicts the data showing concentrated gains among high-income students. When applying conflict theory to educational trends, look for how economic inequalities translate into differential access and outcomes.
- A research team frames education through functionalism, focusing on how schooling supports social stability while interacting with family roles. In a region with rising dual-earner households, schools expanded after-school tutoring and structured extracurriculars. Survey data (n = 1,100 parents) show that families reporting unpredictable work schedules are more likely to rely on school-based programs for supervision and academic support, and their children report higher homework completion when enrolled in these programs.
Based on functionalism, which outcome is most consistent with the school's expanded role in this family context?
Answer: School-based programs help maintain social order by providing childcare and skill development that complement changing family labor patterns.
This question assesses knowledge of education and family as social institutions that collaborate to maintain societal stability amid changing work patterns. Functionalism interprets institutions like schools as fulfilling essential roles that promote social order and integration by adapting to broader needs. Here, the expansion of after-school programs addresses the rise in dual-earner households with unpredictable schedules, providing supervision and academic support that enhance homework completion. Choice D is consistent because it illustrates how schools complement family labor roles, contributing to overall social stability. Conversely, choice B errs by framing the programs as intensifying class conflict, which misapplies a conflict theory perspective and ignores functionalism's emphasis on harmony. In analogous scenarios, verify that the answer aligns with functionalism by checking for adaptations that support system-wide equilibrium. A useful strategy is to eliminate options suggesting causation from outcomes back to structural causes, ensuring logical temporal flow.
- A sociologist applies functionalism to a rural district where multigenerational households increased from 12% to 19% over a decade. Schools introduced family literacy nights and parent–grandparent conferencing to coordinate homework routines and attendance expectations. Administrators report fewer unexcused absences among students whose households attend at least one conference.
Based on functionalism, which interpretation best explains the school's conferencing initiative in relation to family structure?
Answer: It supports social integration by aligning household caregiving roles with school norms, helping stabilize expectations across institutions.
This question probes the role of education and family institutions in fostering social cohesion amid evolving household structures. Functionalism sees institutions as interdependent parts that contribute to societal stability by fulfilling manifest and latent functions. In this rural district, the increase in multigenerational households prompts schools to implement conferencing that aligns caregiving roles with attendance norms, leading to fewer unexcused absences. Choice D is appropriate as it demonstrates how such initiatives support integration and stabilize expectations across institutions. Choice B is incorrect because it invokes symbolic interactionist labeling, misapplying a micro-level theory and neglecting functionalism's macro focus on system stability. To approach similar items, identify functionalist elements by looking for adaptations that enhance overall harmony. A key strategy is to dismiss options that attribute macro outcomes to individual-level processes alone.
- Researchers applying functionalism evaluate how education helps families adapt to demographic change. In a county where the share of households with at least one grandparent co-residing increased from 8% to 14% over a decade, schools expanded evening parent–teacher conferences and added multilingual communication to accommodate caregivers. Interviews suggest that when schools provided predictable schedules and clear role expectations for caregivers (parents and grandparents), students had fewer absences and families reported less conflict over homework supervision.
Based on functionalism, which interpretation best explains the described institutional changes?
Answer: Schools adjust routines to help families coordinate caregiving roles, promoting stability and efficient socialization under changing household composition.
This question tests understanding of functionalism's perspective on how educational institutions adapt to demographic changes in family structure. Functionalism emphasizes how institutions adjust their functions to maintain social stability when faced with changing conditions. The vignette describes schools expanding evening conferences and multilingual communication to accommodate multigenerational households, resulting in fewer absences and less family conflict. The correct answer (A) captures the functionalist interpretation by explaining how schools adjust routines to help families coordinate caregiving roles and promote stability. Answer B incorrectly applies a conflict theory perspective about class domination, which contradicts the functionalist framework. When analyzing institutional changes through functionalism, focus on adaptive responses that maintain equilibrium rather than create or intensify inequality.
- Applying conflict theory, a study examines how immigration-related demographic change intersects with family constraints and schooling. In District X, the share of students who speak a language other than English at home rose from 22% to 35% in 8 years. The district offers optional parent–teacher meetings during standard work hours only. Attendance records show lower meeting participation among households where adults report hourly wage work with limited schedule control.
Which interpretation best fits conflict theory regarding the relationship between family work conditions and educational engagement in this district?
Answer: Institutional practices can privilege families with greater workplace autonomy, converting class-based power differences into unequal school participation.
This question explores how education and family institutions interact with work conditions to affect parental engagement, amid demographic changes. Conflict theory contends that institutions perpetuate disparities by privileging those with greater autonomy and resources. The district's scheduling of meetings during work hours disadvantages hourly wage families with limited control, resulting in lower participation rates. Choice A is logical as it connects institutional practices to class-based power differences in school involvement. Choice B errs by suggesting schools equalize engagement through shared values, a functionalist assumption that overlooks conflict theory's inequality focus. When tackling parallel questions, align with the theory by prioritizing explanations of stratified access. Also, scrutinize for reverse causation in options, ensuring family conditions precede educational outcomes.
- A study grounded in conflict theory examines how families' social networks affect access to selective educational programs. In one district, admission to a magnet program requires a recommendation letter and an unpaid summer enrichment course. Parents with professional occupations report knowing teachers and administrators who can advise on application strategies, and they are more able to accommodate unpaid summer participation. The researcher argues that these requirements advantage families with greater social and economic capital, thereby reproducing inequality. Which outcome is most consistent with this conflict-theory account?
Answer: Families with greater capital will be overrepresented in the magnet program because they can better meet hidden costs and navigate gatekeeping.
This question tests understanding of conflict theory's analysis of how social and economic capital advantages translate into educational opportunities. Conflict theory examines how families with greater resources can navigate institutional gatekeeping and meet hidden costs that exclude less privileged groups. The vignette describes magnet program requirements (recommendation letters, unpaid summer courses) that advantage families with professional networks and economic flexibility, illustrating how seemingly meritocratic systems reproduce inequality. The correct answer (B) accurately predicts that families with greater capital will be overrepresented due to their ability to meet requirements and navigate gatekeeping. Answer A incorrectly assumes meritocracy eliminates resource influences; C diverts to value transmission; and D reverses temporal causality. When analyzing educational access through conflict theory, identify how formal requirements interact with unequal family resources to create systematic advantages for privileged groups despite apparent fairness.
- A sociologist applies functionalism to a national trend: the median age at first birth has increased alongside rising educational attainment among women. In interviews, many families report delaying childbearing to complete degrees and establish stable employment, describing education as a pathway to predictable income and health insurance. The sociologist argues that this coordination reflects institutional adaptation to meet societal needs for an educated workforce. Based on functionalism, which interpretation best links education and family in this trend?
Answer: Families adjust timing of childbearing to align with educational and labor-market role preparation, supporting social stability and role allocation.
This question evaluates comprehension of functionalism's perspective on how education and family institutions coordinate to meet societal needs. Functionalism views social institutions as interdependent systems that adapt to maintain stability and fulfill necessary functions like workforce preparation. The vignette describes families delaying childbearing to complete education and establish stable employment, viewing education as providing predictable income and benefits - illustrating institutional coordination for role preparation. The correct answer (C) properly reflects functionalist thinking by showing families adjusting childbearing timing to align with educational and occupational role preparation, supporting stability. Answer A incorrectly emphasizes micro-level identity negotiation; B reflects conflict theory's power preservation focus; and D reverses causality. To recognize functionalist interpretations, look for answers emphasizing how institutions coordinate and adapt together to prepare individuals for adult roles while maintaining social equilibrium.
- A population health team examines demographic trends linking family structure, parental education, and adolescents' school persistence. Using a cross-sectional survey of 5,000 adolescents, the team reports that students living with two parents had higher average school persistence than those living with a single parent, but the difference was smaller when the single parent had a bachelor's degree. The team hypothesizes that parental education may buffer time and resource constraints through higher earnings, greater familiarity with school systems, and stronger access to supportive networks.
How does the demographic pattern most strongly support the relationship between education and family structure described in the vignette?
Answer: It suggests that parental education moderates the association between family structure and school persistence by reducing the gap for single-parent households.
This question tests understanding of how demographic patterns reveal relationships between family structure, parental education, and educational outcomes. The key finding is that while two-parent households show higher school persistence than single-parent households, this gap narrows when single parents have bachelor's degrees, suggesting education acts as a buffer. The correct answer (B) accurately identifies this as a moderating effect, where parental education reduces the disadvantage associated with single-parent households through higher earnings, system familiarity, and support networks. Answer D incorrectly claims a uniform effect regardless of parental education, which directly contradicts the data showing the gap narrows with higher education. When analyzing demographic patterns, look for how variables interact rather than assuming simple, uniform relationships across all groups.
- A researcher using a conflict theory framework analyzes a district's shift to an online homework platform. The district provided devices but required home internet access for full functionality. In focus groups, higher-income families reported stable broadband, quiet study spaces, and parents who could troubleshoot technical issues. Lower-income families reported shared devices, intermittent connectivity, and less capacity to contact teachers during work hours. The researcher argues that a formally uniform educational tool can yield unequal returns because families differ in the resources needed to leverage it.
Based on conflict theory, which finding would most strongly support the researcher's argument?
Answer: After adoption, achievement gaps widen because families with greater resources can more effectively convert the platform into academic advantage.
This question tests application of conflict theory to understand how formally uniform educational tools can produce unequal outcomes based on family resources. Conflict theory emphasizes that equal access does not guarantee equal outcomes when families differ in their capacity to leverage resources. The vignette shows higher-income families have stable internet, quiet spaces, and technical support, while lower-income families face connectivity issues and limited parent availability. The correct answer (C) aligns with conflict theory by predicting achievement gaps will widen as families with greater resources more effectively convert the platform into academic advantage. Answer B incorrectly assumes equal benefits from identical content, ignoring how family resources mediate educational tool effectiveness. When applying conflict theory to educational technology, consider how implementation requirements may advantage families with greater economic and cultural capital.
- A sociologist uses functionalism to examine how education supports families during economic volatility. In a district with rising housing instability, schools expanded free breakfast programs and created standardized communication routines for caregivers (e.g., weekly progress reports). Survey responses from 600 caregivers indicated that families experiencing frequent moves reported fewer missed assignments when schools provided consistent expectations and material supports. The sociologist argues these school functions reduce disruption in children's role performance as students and help families meet basic needs.
Which outcome is most consistent with a functionalist account of education's role in this family context?
Answer: School supports help maintain continuity in socialization and role expectations for students, promoting stability despite family disruption.
This question tests understanding of functionalism's perspective on how schools support families during economic instability. Functionalism emphasizes how institutions provide functions that maintain social stability, particularly during periods of disruption. The vignette describes schools expanding breakfast programs and creating standardized communication routines, which help families experiencing housing instability maintain children's academic performance. The correct answer (A) captures the functionalist view that school supports maintain continuity in socialization and role expectations despite family disruption. Answer D incorrectly suggests schools should increase inequality to preserve elite dominance, which represents a conflict theory perspective incompatible with functionalism. When analyzing institutional responses through functionalism, focus on how they restore or maintain stability rather than create conflict.
- A team adopts functionalism to analyze demographic change and schooling. In a city where the proportion of households with children declined from 34% to 27% over 15 years, the school district consolidated campuses and expanded adult education and vocational retraining programs. Surveys indicate that adults who enroll in retraining report improved employment stability, and families report fewer periods of housing instability.
How does functionalism best explain the district's shift toward adult education in relation to family well-being?
Answer: The school system adapts its functions to meet changing societal needs by supporting workforce stability, which can indirectly stabilize families.
This question tests insight into education and family institutions adapting to demographic shifts for societal well-being. Functionalism theorizes that institutions evolve to meet changing needs, thereby preserving social equilibrium. In this city, the decline in child households leads the district to expand adult retraining, which improves employment and reduces family housing instability. Choice D aligns by showing how schools support workforce stability, indirectly bolstering family functions. Choice B misses the mark by emphasizing elite control and exploitation, a conflict-oriented view that contradicts functionalism's adaptive harmony. For similar analyses, confirm functionalist interpretations by seeking evidence of institutional adjustments aiding stability. A transferable tip is to reject distractors that invert cause and effect, like suggesting outcomes precede their structural drivers.
- A sociologist using conflict theory analyzes a metropolitan school district where advanced coursework is concentrated in a small number of high schools. Families with higher incomes report higher rates of private tutoring and greater ability to move into neighborhoods zoned for these schools. District data show that students whose parents have a bachelor's degree are more likely to enroll in advanced courses and later attend 4-year colleges. The researcher argues that these patterns reflect how education can reproduce existing social stratification through unequal access to valued credentials. Based on the vignette and data, which outcome is most consistent with the conflict-theory interpretation of education's role in relation to family background?
Answer: Families with more economic and cultural resources will convert those advantages into educational credentials that help maintain their group's social position.
This question tests understanding of conflict theory's perspective on how education reproduces social stratification through unequal access to resources. Conflict theory views education as a mechanism through which dominant groups maintain their advantages by converting economic and cultural capital into educational credentials. In the vignette, families with higher incomes can afford private tutoring and strategically relocate to access better schools, while parents with bachelor's degrees pass on advantages that lead to advanced coursework and college attendance. The correct answer (B) captures how families with more resources convert these advantages into credentials that maintain their social position. Answer A incorrectly suggests equal distribution, which contradicts conflict theory's emphasis on inequality; C focuses too narrowly on labeling rather than structural resource differences; and D reverses causality by suggesting achievement causes parental education. When analyzing conflict theory questions, look for answers emphasizing how resource inequalities translate into educational advantages that perpetuate stratification.
- Using a conflict theory lens, a researcher studies a rural county where families differ in access to broadband internet. The local high school assigns substantial online homework and offers optional virtual test-prep modules. Survey data show that students from households without reliable internet report fewer completed assignments and lower standardized test scores, even after controlling for prior GPA. The researcher argues that educational requirements can amplify resource-based inequalities rooted in family circumstances. Based on the vignette, which conclusion is most consistent with conflict theory?
Answer: Resource gaps tied to family circumstances can be converted into academic advantages, reinforcing stratification through school evaluation systems.
This question assesses understanding of conflict theory's analysis of how educational requirements can amplify existing resource inequalities. Conflict theory examines how seemingly neutral educational practices can advantage those with greater resources while disadvantaging others, thereby reproducing stratification. The vignette describes how online homework requirements disadvantage students without reliable internet access, leading to lower completion rates and test scores even controlling for prior achievement - demonstrating how educational demands interact with unequal family resources. The correct answer (B) accurately captures how resource gaps tied to family circumstances become academic advantages through school evaluation systems, reinforcing stratification. Answer A incorrectly claims equalization; C diverts to shared norms rather than structural inequality; and D reverses the causal relationship. When analyzing conflict theory scenarios, identify how institutional requirements interact with unequal resource distribution to create cumulative advantages for privileged groups.
- A sociologist uses a conflict theory lens to analyze how family background shapes access to advanced coursework. In a statewide dataset of 120 public high schools, students were grouped by whether their parents had completed college. The analyst notes that schools serving higher proportions of college-educated parents offered more advanced courses and had more experienced teachers, and that families with higher education were more likely to mobilize through parent associations to influence school priorities. The analyst argues that institutional decision-making reflects unequal capacity to convert family resources into educational advantages.
Which conclusion best follows from conflict theory as applied to this scenario?
Answer: Advanced course availability is distributed in a way that can reinforce stratification by enabling advantaged families to secure additional educational benefits.
This question tests application of conflict theory to understand how educational resources are distributed based on family background. Conflict theory emphasizes how institutions reflect and reinforce existing power inequalities, with dominant groups using their resources to secure advantages. The vignette shows schools serving college-educated parents offer more advanced courses and experienced teachers, while these families mobilize through parent associations to influence priorities. The correct answer (D) aligns with conflict theory by recognizing that advanced course availability reinforces stratification by enabling advantaged families to secure additional benefits. Answer B incorrectly invokes functionalist concepts of value consensus, which contradicts the conflict theory framework. When applying conflict theory, focus on how institutional arrangements perpetuate advantages for those with greater resources rather than promoting equality.
- Researchers applying functionalism examine how education and family jointly contribute to social stability in a region experiencing a rapid increase in dual-earner households. In interviews with 80 parents, families described relying on schools not only for instruction but also for childcare-like supervision, routine schedules, and access to meals and counseling. Teachers reported that predictable attendance and parental engagement improved classroom order and facilitated skill acquisition. The researchers argue that, as more parents work full-time, schools increasingly perform functions that help families maintain daily routines, while families support schools by socializing children to comply with classroom norms.
Based on the vignette, which outcome is most consistent with a functionalist interpretation of the education–family relationship?
Answer: Schools and families coordinate to maintain social order by reinforcing routines and role expectations that support the broader social system.
This question tests understanding of functionalism's perspective on how education and family work together to maintain social stability. Functionalism views social institutions as interdependent parts that contribute to overall societal equilibrium through complementary functions. The vignette describes schools providing childcare-like supervision and routine schedules while families socialize children to comply with classroom norms, demonstrating mutual reinforcement. The correct answer (D) captures this functionalist interpretation by emphasizing coordination between schools and families to maintain social order through routines and role expectations. Answer B incorrectly applies a conflict theory perspective about legitimating power relations, which contradicts the functionalist framework specified in the question. When approaching functionalist questions, focus on how institutions work together harmoniously to maintain stability rather than create conflict or inequality.
- A study uses symbolic interactionism to examine how family involvement shapes day-to-day educational experiences. In observed parent-teacher conferences at one middle school, teachers more often describe students with frequent parental contact as "motivated" and recommend them for enriched classes. Students whose caregivers work multiple jobs attend fewer conferences and are more often described as "unprepared," even when grades are similar. The researcher argues that these interactional labels can influence subsequent opportunities through self-fulfilling prophecies. Based on the vignette, which interpretation best fits symbolic interactionism?
Answer: Differential labeling during routine interactions can shape students' educational trajectories by altering expectations and opportunities.
This question tests recognition of symbolic interactionism's focus on how meanings created through social interactions shape educational outcomes. Symbolic interactionism examines how labels and interpretations emerging from face-to-face interactions influence individuals' self-concepts and opportunities through self-fulfilling prophecies. The vignette shows teachers differentially labeling students based on parental conference attendance, with "motivated" labels leading to enriched class recommendations while "unprepared" labels may limit opportunities, despite similar grades. The correct answer (A) captures how differential labeling during interactions shapes trajectories by altering expectations and opportunities. Answer B reflects conflict theory's macro-level focus; C represents functionalism's emphasis on shared values; and D reverses causality. To identify symbolic interactionist explanations, look for answers emphasizing how meanings created through interactions (labeling, interpretation) influence subsequent behaviors and outcomes through altered self-concepts and expectations.
- A sociologist uses conflict theory to analyze intergenerational educational mobility. In a cohort study, students from families in the top income quintile are more likely to attend well-resourced schools and to complete college. Students from the bottom quintile are more likely to attend under-resourced schools and to enter the workforce without a degree, often citing family financial obligations. The sociologist argues that education can legitimate inequality by framing unequal outcomes as individual merit while access to resources remains uneven. Based on this account, which finding would most strongly support the conflict-theory claim?
Answer: After controlling for prior achievement, students from higher-income families are still more likely to complete college, suggesting resource advantages beyond merit.
This question tests comprehension of conflict theory's argument that education legitimates inequality by framing unequal outcomes as individual merit while masking resource advantages. Conflict theory examines how educational systems appear meritocratic while actually reproducing class advantages through unequal access to resources throughout the educational pipeline. The vignette describes how students from different income quintiles attend differently resourced schools and have divergent college completion rates, with lower-income students citing financial obligations as barriers. The correct answer (A) provides the strongest support by showing that resource advantages persist even after controlling for achievement, revealing how inequality operates beyond apparent merit. Answer B incorrectly emphasizes symbolic meanings over structural factors; C contradicts the described patterns; and D impossibly reverses temporal causality. To evaluate conflict theory claims about education, look for evidence that advantages persist after controlling for individual factors, revealing structural reproduction of inequality.
- A sociologist uses a conflict theory framework to study how family resources shape educational trajectories. In a metropolitan sample of 2,400 12th-grade students, parental education and household income were used as proxies for family socioeconomic status (SES). Students were tracked for postsecondary enrollment within 12 months of graduation. The researcher notes that higher-SES families reported more access to private tutoring, test-prep courses, and flexible work schedules that allowed parents to attend school meetings. The study also observed that schools in lower-income catchment areas had higher student–teacher ratios and fewer advanced placement offerings. The researcher argues that these differences represent structural constraints rather than individual motivation.
Based on the vignette and conflict theory, which outcome is most consistent with the role of education in reproducing inequality across families?
Answer: Postsecondary enrollment gaps persist because educational credentials and school resources disproportionately benefit students from higher-SES families.
This question tests understanding of conflict theory's perspective on how education reproduces social inequality through family resources. Conflict theory views education as a mechanism that perpetuates existing power structures and class divisions, where those with greater resources can secure better educational outcomes. In the vignette, higher-SES families have access to private tutoring, test-prep courses, and flexible schedules, while lower-SES students attend schools with fewer resources and higher student-teacher ratios. The correct answer (B) accurately reflects conflict theory by stating that educational credentials and school resources disproportionately benefit higher-SES families, thus maintaining enrollment gaps. Answer A incorrectly suggests schools integrate students equally regardless of background, which contradicts conflict theory's emphasis on structural inequality. When analyzing questions through a conflict theory lens, always look for answers that highlight how institutions maintain or reproduce existing inequalities rather than reducing them.
- A researcher uses symbolic interactionism to study how family structure is interpreted within schools. In classroom observations, teachers more frequently interpret missed homework from students in shared-custody arrangements as "disorganization," while interpreting similar patterns among students in two-parent households as "temporary stress." Over the semester, students labeled "disorganized" receive more behavioral referrals and are less often encouraged to seek academic help. Based on the vignette, which mechanism best explains the observed pattern?
Answer: Teacher interpretations create meanings that shape subsequent interactions and opportunities, contributing to cumulative educational disadvantages.
This question assesses recognition of symbolic interactionism's focus on how teacher interpretations of family structure create meanings affecting student outcomes. Symbolic interactionism examines how social meanings emerge through interaction and shape subsequent behaviors and opportunities through labeling processes. The vignette shows teachers interpreting identical behaviors differently based on family structure - shared custody linked to "disorganization" while two-parent households receive "temporary stress" labels, with disorganization labels leading to more referrals and less encouragement. The correct answer (A) properly identifies how teacher interpretations create meanings that shape interactions and opportunities, producing cumulative disadvantages. Answer B incorrectly emphasizes standardized testing over interaction; C reflects conflict theory's macro focus; and D reverses causality. To identify symbolic interactionist mechanisms, focus on how differential interpretation and labeling in face-to-face interactions create divergent pathways through altered expectations and treatment.