C5 Flashcards
Group
A collection of two or more people who share some attribute and identify with one another, and interact with each other
Crowd
A temporary gathering of people in a public place; members might interact but do not identify with each other and will not remain in contact
Aggregates
Collections of people who share a physical location but do not have lasting social relations
Category
People who share one or more attributes but who lack a sense of common identity or belonging
Primary groups
Groups are composed of the people who are most important to our sense of self; members’ relationships are typically characterized by face-to-face interaction, high levels of cooperation, and intense feelings of belongings
Secondary group
Groups that are larger and less intimate than primary groups; members’ relationships are usually organized around a specific goal and are often temporary
Social network
The web of direct and indirect ties connecting an individual to other people who may also affect the individual
Social ties
Connections between individuals
Anomie
“Normlessness”; term used to describe the alienation and loss of purpose that result from weaker social bonds and an increased pace of change
Virtual communities
Social groups whose interactions are mediated through information technologies, particularly the internet
Group dynamics
The patterns of interaction between groups and individuals
Dyad
A two person social group
Triad
A three person social group
In-group
A group that one identifies with and feels loyalty toward
Rite of passage
A ceremony marking an individual’s transformation from one type of group member to another
Out-group
A group toward which an individual feels opposition, rivalry, or hostility
Reference group
A group that provides a standard of comparison against which we evaluate ourselves
Group cohesion
The sense of solidarity or loyalty that individuals feel toward a group to which they belong
Groupthink
In very cohesive groups, the tendency to enforce a high degree of conformity among members, creating a demand for unanimous agreement
Social influence
Group impact on others’ decisions
Social identity theory
A theory of group formation and maintenance that stresses the need of individual members to feel a sense of belonging
Bureaucracy
A type of secondary group designed to perform tasks efficiently, characterized by specialization, technical competence, hierarchy, written rules, impersonality, and formal written communication
McDonaldization
The spread of bureaucratic rationalization and the accompanying increase in both efficiency and dehumanization
Rationalization
The application of economic logic to human activity; the use of formal rules and regulations to maximize efficiency without consideration of subjective or individual concerns
