Which of the following situations is most characteristic of a riot?

• A. Twelve people who have never met before are all in the grocery store at the same time.
• B. A group organizes a march to advocate for changes to environmental policy.
• C. After a controversial call is made, a group of angry fans runs across the field of a soccer game, screaming and attacking the players and referees.
• D. A large, angry crowd gathers outside an insurance company to protest high medical costs.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the definition of a riot in sociology. A riot is typically characterized by a large group of people engaging in violent and disorderly behavior, often spontaneously and without a clear organization or leadership.
2. Step 2: Analyze each situation to identify key features such as organization, purpose, and behavior. For example, a march is usually organized and purposeful, while a protest can be peaceful or potentially disruptive but not necessarily violent.
3. Step 3: Identify the situation that involves spontaneous, violent, and disorderly behavior by a crowd that is not organized or unified by prior relationships or a clear plan.
4. Step 4: Compare the options: the march is organized and purposeful; the protest is large but may not be violent; the angry fans running onto the field and attacking players show spontaneous violence and disorder; the grocery store scenario involves unrelated individuals simply being present together, which does not fit riot characteristics.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the situation most characteristic of a riot is the one involving spontaneous violent behavior by a crowd, such as the angry fans attacking players and referees after a controversial call.