Sociology: Ch 3 Sec 1Definitions

“Social Structure”

“Building Blocks of Social Structure”

Standards: 4.11, 5.13

Section 1 Vocabulary

1. Social Structure: Network of interrelated statuses and roles that guide human interaction

2. Status: a socially defined position in a group or in society

3. Role: behavior, right, and obligations expected of someone occupying a particular status

Types of Status 4. Ascribed Status: assigned status given based on

qualities that are out of a person’s control (Black/White) 5. Achieved Status: Status achieved through own direct

efforts 6. Master Status: The status that plays the greatest role in

shaping a person’s life and determining his or her social identity.

Can be ascribed OR achieved (U.S. Mostly achieved) Ex: Occupation, wealth, marital status, and parenthood…etc.

Types of Roles 7. Reciprocal Roles: corresponding roles that

define the patterns of interaction between related statuses… huh? Ok: How can you perform the role of husband if there is no one there to perform the roles of the wife? (other Ex: Doctor/Patient; Sales Clerk/Customer)(Mini play dialogue between two people: Conversation expectations)

Ex: Doctor: “take a deep breath” Patient: “No” Now, how does the doctor fulfill his role as doctor?

Role Expectation and Role Performance

8. Role Expectations: Socially determined behaviors expected of a person performing a role

Ex: Police: “Protect and Serve” 9. Role Performance: ACTUAL role behavior;

does not always match behavior expected by society

Ex: Police brutality, child abuse…etc

Role Conflict and Role Strain 10. Role Set: Different roles attached to a single status… Can

lead to conflict 11. Role Conflict: occurs when filling the role expectations of

one status makes it difficult to fulfill the role expectations of another status

Ex: “To be a good employee, one has to spend extra time at work; to be a good parent, one has to spend extra time at home” Both can NOT occur; a compromise has to be reached

12. Role Strain: occurs when an individual has difficulty meeting expectations of a single status (ex: boss boosting morale and production

Basic Needs of Society 13. Social Institution: When statuses and roles are

organized to satisfy one or more needs of society Needs… -Provide physical and emotional support to

members -Transmit knowledge -Produce goods and services -maintain social control*

Sociology: Ch 3 Sec 2

“Types of Social Interaction”

Standards: 3.2, 3.5

Exchange Theory 14. Exchange: Whenever people interact in an

effort to receive a reward or return for their actions 15. Reciprocity: the idea that if you do something

for some one, then that person “owes” you something in return… (Not a reward…just EVEN things out)

16. Exchange Theory: People are motivated by “Self” interests in interactions with other people

Competition

17. Competition: Occurs when two or more people or groups oppose each other to achieve goal that only ONE can attain (winners and losers; dodgeball debate)

Very Common in “Western” societies 18. Conflict: is the deliberate attempt to control a

person by force

4 Sources of Conflict Georg Simmel: 1. Wars 2. Disagreements within group 3. Legal disputes 4. Clashes over ideology *Sometimes begin as competition *Conflict can also be positive because it reinforces group

boundaries and promotes loyalty. *Can also “Expose” problems that need to be addressed. Read: “Social Interaction” p. 60-61

Cooperation and Accommodation 19. Cooperation: two or more people or groups work

together to achieve a common goal that will benefit more than one person

20. Accommodation: a state of balance between conflict and cooperation COMPROMISE: We can rarely have everything that we want TRUCE, MEDIATION, and ARBITRATION are other

examples Help to ensure social stability

Sociology: Chapter 3 Sec 3

“Types of Societies”

Standards: 2.8, 3.4, 4.3, 4.13

Groups and Subsistence Strategies 21. Groups: a set of people that interact on the basis of

shared expectations and who possess a degree of common identity (Students…etc)

22. Subsistence Strategies: the way that society uses technology to provide for the needs of its members

THREE CATEGORIES of SOCIETIES Pre-industrial Industrial Postindustrial

Pre Industrial Societies 23. Pre-industrial societies: Food production, carried out

by human and animal labor, is the MAIN economic activity

Can be subdivided based on level of technology and method of producing food

A. Hunting and Gathering B. Pastoral C. Horticultural D. Agricultural

Preindustrial Societies 24. Hunting and Gathering: Daily collection of wild plants

and hunting wild animals (Nomads: Need for mobility keeps societies small: 60-100 people)

25. Pastoral Societies: Live a nomadic life; Domesticate animals that travel with society

Because food system is more efficient, fewer people are needed to produce food and can focus on craft and other “skill” jobs 26. Division of Labor: the specialization by individuals or

groups in the performance of specific economic activities

Pre Industrial… 27. Horticultural Societies: “Growers” Fruits and

vegetables are grown in garden plots cleared out of forests… Complexity level similar to Pastoral

28. Agricultural Societies: Animals are used to plow fields… Possible to plant more crops: Larger Farms: Less People feed more

Irrigation is also used 29. Barter: Trade: To exchange goods and services

Becomes more common

Industrial Societies 30. Industrial Societies: Emphasis shifts from the

production of food to the production of manufactured goods

*Dramatically affects population size *Larger Cities emerge 31. Urbanization: The concentration of population

in cities * A well defined “Middle” class usually develops

Postindustrial Societies 32. Postindustrial Society: economy shifts from

manufacturing goods to providing information and services Ex: United States… 76% of workforce is involved in

information and service industry 23% in Manufacturing 1% in Agriculture Standard of living improves Wages increase

Contrasting Societies: Durkheim 33. Mechanical Solidarity: Hold together pre-industrial

societies “When people share the same goals and perform the same

tasks, society is held together by a common whole” or Common Bond

34. Organic Solidarity: As division of labor becomes more complex, people become more dependent on others for survival. Relationships become based on need over values

Ferdinand Tonnies Studied the differences between simple and complex

societies (Two ideal types of society) 35. Gemeinschaft: German for “Community”: Refers

to societies in which most members know one another 36. Gesellschaft: German word for “Society”: larger

societies in which relationships are impersonal and based on need rather than emotion

Sociology: Chapter 3-4

“Groups within Society”

Standards: 3.5, 4.8, 4.12

What is a group? 1. Consists of two or more people 2. Interaction among members 3. Members must share expectations 4. Members must possess some common identity 37. Aggregate: When people gather at the same place at

the same time but lack organization. (line at movies) 38. Social Category: a means of classifying people based

on a shared trait or common status (students, women, and teenagers)

Group Sizes 39. Dyad: Smallest group possible (Two People) 40. Triad: Three person group 41. Small Group: One in which all members can interact on

a “face to face” basis ORGANIZATION: 42. Formal Group: Structure, goals, and activities are

clearly defined 43. Informal group: No official structure or rules of conduct

Types of Groups 44. Primary Groups: small group of people who interact over over a relatively long period of time (family)

45. Secondary Group: a group in which interaction is temporary and impersonal in nature (Teacher/Student)

46. Reference Group: Any group whose attitudes and values an individual adopts. (friends, clubs, and even gangs)

47. In Groups: The group that a person belongs to and identifies with

48. Out Group: A group that a person does NOT belong

…Types of Groups

49. E-Communities: Brought about by emergence of Internet (Argue, discuss, and interact over the web in a variety of different ways)

50. Social Networks: Include both direct and indirect relationships… do not have clear boundaries (“a friend of a friend”)

Can be important: (Job hunting)

Group Functions 1. Define boundaries 3. Set Goals 2. Select leaders 4. Control Behavior 51. Leaders: people who influence the behavior and

attitudes of others 52. Instrumental Leader: Task oriented; find a means to

reach group goal 53. Expressive Leader: Emotion oriented; find ways to keep

the group together *Read “A Small World” p. 82

Sociology: Chapter 3-5

“The Structure of Formal Organizations”

Standards: 2.13, 5.1

Formal Organizations 54. Formal Organizations: a large complex secondary

group that has been established to achieve specific goals 55. Bureaucracy: a ranked authority structure that operates

according to specific rules and procedures. (rose to prominence during “Industrial Revolution”)

56. Rationality: subjecting every feature of human behavior to calculation, measurement, and Control

57. Alienation: Workers in Bureaucracies feel “unconnected” to co-workers, bosses, and company

Weber’s Model of Bureaucracies Characteristics: “IDEAL TYPE” 1. Division of Labor: Work divided among specialists 2. Ranking of authority: Cleat cut lines of responsibility 3. Employment based on qualifications: Qualifications

required for specific jobs 4. Rules and regulations: Objective rules and procedures of

what needs to happen 5. Specific lines of promotion and advance: Rewards for

following proper procedures See Chart page 86. 58. Voluntary Association: nonprofit organization formed to

pursue some common interests: Less Bureaucratic than Weber’s ideal type

Relationships in formal organizations Read “Corporate Life in Japan” p. 84-85 How effective are Bureaucracies? Positive: Keep order; good for coordinating large numbers of

people. Negative: Often lose sight of goals; Too structured..loses sense

of independence *They tend to result in Oligarchies: Few people rule the

masses 59. Iron Law of Oligarchy: Robert Michels: Tendency of

organizations to become dominated by small groups of people (Corporations)

Read: “The Peter Principle” p. 88 Read: “Parkinson Law” p. 89