Ch 5. Life In Groups Flashcards
Group
Collection of people who share attributes, identify with each other, and have ongoing social relations
Crowd
Temporary gathering in a public place where members interact, yet don’t identify with each other or remain in contact
Aggregates
Collections of crowds, audiences, or ques who share a physical location but have no lasting social relations
Category
People who share attributes but lack a sense of belonging or identity because they don’t interact regularly
Primary groups
Families or close friends who are in intimately associated with each other
How do members in primary groups interact?
Face to face interaction with greater cooperation and a deeper feeling of belonging
What do primary groups provide its members with?
Emotional satisfaction, socialization, and a central identity
Why did Charles Cooley use the term “primary”?
Believed this group has the most profound effect on individuals and represents the most important “looking glass”
Secondary groups
Larger, less intimate groups like co-workers, college classes, or political parties
How do people in second groups interact?
Interaction more formal, impersonal, and organized around a specific activity or task; membership usually temporary
What is a consequence of secondary groups having large numbers of people?
There can be large geographical diffusion and have anonymous members
Consequential strangers
Familiar acquaintances that serves as anchors in everyday lives; checkout clerk or local barista
Social Networks
Web of direct or indirect ties that connect individuals to each others
Social ties
Connections between individuals in a network that can be direct or indirect (friend’s friend)
Indirect ties
Lines connection to second group must pass through people in first network; business transactions between nations
How can direct/indirect ties influence likelihood of getting a job?
People tend to form homogenous social networks; family of actors have network of acting contacts
It’s WHO YOU KNOW NOT WHAT YOU KNOW
According to Durkheim, what do all social groups have?
Norms that place certain limits on individual actions that prevent the search for unattainable desires; want 500 cookies
Anomie
Durkheim described as a state of “normlessness”caused by membership and fragmented modern society
How did Robert Puttman feel towards the evolving American society?
People no longer practice civic engagement or regular activities that keeps anomie at bay; league of women’s voters or Sunday picnics
Virtual communities
Social groups whose interactions are mediated through technology
How did Durkheim feel about technological and cultural changes?
People would become disconnected with each other, increasing the likelihood of suicide and creating a lack of cohesion and solidarity necessary for society
What did the Pew’s Research Center study about?
Reduced tech induced anxieties by claiming that technology increases social relations
In groups
A group one identifies with and feels loyalty towards
Out groups
A group toward which an individual feels opposition, rivalry, or hostility
What can result from in/out groups?
“Us vs them” mentality that exaggerates on the differences (“all Irishmen are drunks”)
Reference group
A group that provides standards by which a person evaluates his own personal attributes (wondering whether your grade is higher or lower than the rest of class)
Group Cohesion
The sense of solidarity or team spirit that members feel toward their group; binding
When are groups more cohesive?
When individuals feel strongly tied to membership (frats over classmates)
What does the life a group depend on?
Minimum level of cohesion… less commitment means group will disintegrate
How can cohesion be enhanced?
Interpersonal factors such as shared values and demographic traits like race, gender, or class (junior high girls)
Groupthink
Very cohesive groups that demand conformity and punish those who threaten or undermine it
How is groupthink good and bad?
It can help maintain solidarity but also create a desire for unanimity over critical reasoning (hazing)
Social Influence
Peer pressure
Why is understanding social influence important?
To convince others to act in a certain way or know when others are trying to influence you
How was social influence used during World War II?
Social scientists tried to help in war effort by using motivational films to boost morale among servicemen
Why do people conform anyways?
Acceptance and approval (positive sanctions)
Avoid rejection and disapproval (negative sanctions)
Prescriptions
Doing the things we are supposed to do
Proscriptions
Avoiding the things we aren’t supposed to do
What does social influence produce?
3 kinds of conformity: Compliance, identification, internalization
Compliance
Mildest form of conformity and means going along with something because you expect to gain rewards or avoid punishment; doesn’t change thoughts/beliefs
Identification
Stronger form of conformity that is induced by a person’s desire to establish or maintain a relationship with a person or group
Internalization
Strongest and most long lasting form of conformity when individuals adopt the beliefs of a leader or group as their own; no separation between beliefs and behavior
Asch Experiment
Experiment on visual perception; participants asked to match length of 4th line to the other 3 and most subjects gave into the majority and answered incorrectly
What is one thing almost all leaders have in common?
Power, the ability to control the actions of others
Coercive power
Power that is backed by the threat of force
Influential power
Power that is supported by persuasion
Authority
The legitimate right to wield power in an officially recognized form (formal organizations)
Traditional Authority
Based in custom, birthright, or divine right, and is usually associated with archies and dynasties; personal qualities don’t matter (kings and queens inherit throne)
Legal Rational Authority
Based in laws and rules, not in the lineage of any individual leader (modern presidencies and parliaments)
Charismatic Authority
Based in the remarkable qualities of the leader; can be revolutionary, breaking rules and defying traditions (Jesus and Hitler)
Instrumental Leadership
Leadership that is task or goal oriented; concerned more with getting job done than people’s feelings
Expressive Leadership
Leadership that is concerned with maintaining harmony within the group; interest in people’s emotions and achievements
