Ch. 5: Social Structure and Social Interaction

Question 1

What is society?

Answer 1

A system of social interaction that includes both culture and social organization

Question 2

Define social interaction.

Answer 2

Behavior between 2 or more people that is given meaning by them

Question 3

Define macroanalysis.

Answer 3

Analysis of the whole of society, how it is organized and how it changes

Question 4

Define microanalysis.

Answer 4

Analysis of the smallest, most immediately visible parts of social life, such as people interacting

Question 5

What are social institutions?

Answer 5

An established and organized system of social behavior with a recognized purpose.

Question 6

What are some functions of social institutions?

Answer 6

Socialization of new members, maintenance of stability/existence, provides sense of purpose

Question 7

What is social structure?

Answer 7

Organized patterns of social relationships and social institutions that together comprise society

Question 8

Describe mechanical solidarity.

Answer 8

When members play similar roles within the society, share the same values, and hold the same things sacred.

Question 9

Describe organic solidarity.

Answer 9

When people have many different roles and the roles are highly differentiated

Question 10

Define gemeinschaft.

Answer 10

When communities have a “we” feeling, strong family relationships, and simple social institutions.

Question 11

Define gesellschaft.

Answer 11

Societies with fewer personal ties. These societies have an elaborated division of labor.

Question 12

What are the 3 types of societies?

Answer 12

Preindustrial, industrial, and postindustrial

Question 13

What are the 4 subtypes of preindustrial societies?

Answer 13

Foraging, pastoral, horitcultural, agricultural

Question 14

Describe preindustrial societies.

Answer 14

A society that directly uses, modifies, and/or tills the land as a major means of survival

Question 15

Describe industrial societies.

Answer 15

A society that uses machines and other advanced technologies to produce and distribute goods and services

Question 16

Describe postindustrial societies.

Answer 16

A society that depends economically on the production and distribution of services, information, and knowledge.

Question 17

What is a group by sociology standards?

Answer 17

A collection of individuals who interact and communicate with each other, share goals and norms, and have a subjective awareness of themselves as a distinct social unit

Question 18

Define status.

Answer 18

An established position in a social structure that carries a degree of social rank or value

Question 19

What are the 3 types of statuses?

Answer 19

Achieved, ascribed, and master

Question 20

Define roles.

Answer 20

Expected behavior associated with a particular status.

Question 21

What are role sets?

Answer 21

All the roles occupied by the person at a given time.

Question 22

Define role conflict.

Answer 22

When 2 or more roles impose conflicting expectations.

Question 23

What variable tends to make people attract to each other?

Answer 23

Amount of time in close contact with each other (proxemic determinant)

Question 24

Describe the social construction of reality.

Answer 24

Our perception of what is real is determined by the subjective meaning that we assign to an experience

Question 25

Describe ethnomethodology.

Answer 25

Studying norms by violating them to reveal people’s standards

Question 26

Define impression management.

Answer 26

How one watches and manipulates another’s behavior to the other’s expectations

Question 27

Describe social exchange theory.

Answer 27

Our interactions are determined by the rewards/punishments we receive from others.

Question 28

Define social organization.

Answer 28

The order established in social groups.

Question 29

What is status inconsistency?

Answer 29

When the different statuses occupied by the individual bring with them significantly different amounts of prestige.

Question 30

What is the collective conciousness?

Answer 30

The body of beliefs common to a community or society that give people a sense of belonging

Question 31

Define division of labor.

Answer 31

Relatedness of different tasks that develop with society.

Question 32

What is a status set?

Answer 32

The complete set of statuses occupied by a person at a given time

Question 33

Define role strain.

Answer 33

Conflicting expectations within a single role