Final answer:
The belief that people only went outside at night during the plague due to the heat is false; the societal response to the plague was complex and varied, including different medical and social strategies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The assertion that people only went outside at night during the height of the plague for fear of the heat is false. The social responses to the plague in medieval Europe were diverse and complex, including a range of reactions from increased religiosity to hedonism and resigned acceptance of death. Medical theories of the time, lacking an understanding of germ theory, were inadequate to prevent the spread of the disease, and proactive measures like quarantines were implemented ineffectively. Fear of plague was linked more to the recognition of its endemic nature rather than to the heat. Medical and social strategies varied widely across affected areas, but these did not typically include nocturnal avoidance of the outside. Mass funerals, remote surveillance, proactive public health measures, and religious observances were some of the varied responses documented across different regions stricken by the plague.