Ch. 9: Social Interaction Flashcards
defn, cause, result: social interaction
defn: the basis of social life, helps humans reach their full potential
cause: preexisting commonalities btwn individuals and shared understanding or experiences
result: culture develops
defn: social statuses
perceived positions in society that are used to classify individuals
what are the 3 types of social statuses? describe them.
- ascribed
- achieved
- master
ASCRIBED = given involuntarily (usually at birth), based on race, ethnicity, sex, family background, etc.
ACHIEVED = gained as a result of one’s efforts or choices
MASTER = status by which one is most identified; pervasive in that person’s life (most important status they hold, affects all aspects of their life)
defn: roles
associated with each status
sets of beliefs, values, attitudes, and norms that define expectations for those who hold the status
defn: role peformance
carrying out of behaviors associated with a given role
defn: role partner
the person with whom one is interacting
affects behaviors and expectations
defn: role set
the various roles associated with a status
defn: role conflict vs. role strain vs. role exit
ROLE CONFLICT = difficulty in satisfying the requirements or expectations of multiple roles
ROLE STRAIN = difficulty in satisfying multiple requirements of the same role
ROLE EXIT = dropping of one identity for another
defn + types + char: group/social groups
2+ people who share any number of similar characteristics as well as a sense of unity
dyad: 2 people, triad: 3 people
as group size increases, the group trades intimacy for stability
common shared characteristics: values, interests, ethnicity, social background, family ties, politics
defn: in-group vs. out-group vs. reference group
IN-GROUP: a social group with which a person experiences a sense of belonging or identifies as a member
OUT-GROUP: a social group with which an individual does not identify
REFERENCE GROUP = groups that individuals use as a standard for evaluating themselves
defn: group conflict
when out-groups compete with or oppose in-groups
defn: peer group vs. family group
PEER GROUP = consists of self-selected equals assoc. by similar interests, ages, statuses (provide friendship, belonging)
FAMILY GROUP = not self-selected, determined by birth, adoption, marriage
defn: primary group vs. secondary group
PRIMARY GROUP = direct interactions, close bonds providing warm, personal, and intimate relationships; last a long time period (core friend circle, family, team members)
SECONDARY GROUP = impersonal, business-like interactions, few emotional bonds, goal of accomplishing a specific purpose; short time period (form and dissolve without special significance to those inovled)
defn: Gemeinschaft vs. Gesellschaft
GEMEINSCHAFT = community = groups unified by feelings of togetherness due to shared beliefs, ancestry, or geography (families, neighborhoods)
GESELLSCHAFT = society = less personal groups formed out of mutual self-interests working together toward the same goal (companies, countries)
defn: SYMLOG
system for multiple level observation of groups
based on the belief that there are three fundamental dimensions of interaction
- dominance vs. submission
- friendliness vs. unfriendliness
- instrumentally controlled vs. emotionally expressive
defn: group conformity
a group holds power over its members, creating group pressure that can ultimately shape members’ behaviors
individuals are compliant with group goals, even when they are in contrast with the individual’s goals
relates to groupthink
defn: network
the observable pattern of social relationships among individuals or groups
determined by mapping interactions btwn individual units
defn: network redundancy
overlapping connections with the same individual
defn: immediate network vs. distant network
immediate: dense with strong ties
distant: loose with weaker ties
defn: organization
complex secondary groups that are set up to achieve specific goals and are characterized by having a structure and a culture
defn: formal organization
developed during the Industrial Revolution as a way to maximize efficiency
formal: explicit goals that guide members and activities; enforcement procedures that seek to control the members’ activities; hierarchical allotment of formal roles or duties to members
defn: characteristic institution
where the basic organization of society is found (i.e. kin, clan, bureaucracy, etc.)
defn =: bureaucracy
a rational system of political organization, administration, discipline, and control
slow to change, less efficient than other organizations
defn: iron law of oligarchy
democratic or bureaucratic systems naturally shift to being ruled by an elite group
defn: McDonaldization
a shift in focus toward efficiency, predictability, calculability, and control in societal practices (think McDonald’s)
defn: self-presentation
the process of displaying ourselves to society visually and through our actions, often to make sure others see us in the best possible light
defn: basic model of emotional expression
Darwin states that emotional expression involves a number of components
- facial expressions
- behaviors
- postures
- vocal changes
- physiological changes
and is consistent with his theories on evolution and should be similar across cultures
defn: appraisal model
there are biologically predetermined expressions once an emotion is experienced, and there is a cognitive antecedent to emotional expression
defn: social construction model
assumes that there is no biological basis for emotions
emotions are based on experiences and the situational context alone
certain emotions can only exist within social encounters
emotions are expressed differently (and play different roles) across cultures
one must be familiar with social norms for a certain emotion to perform the corresp. emotional behaviors in a given social situation
defn: display rules
cultural expectations of emotions
govern which emotions can be expressed and to what degree (simulating, qualifying, amplifying, deamplifying, masking, neutralizing)
defn: cultural syndrome
a shared set of beliefs, attitudes, norms, values, and behaviors among members of the same culture that are organized around a central theme
influence the rules for expressing or suppressing emotions and the way emotions are experienced
defn: impression management
our attempts to influence how others perceive us by regulating or controlling information we present about ourselves in social interactions
what are the 3 selves involved in impression management? describe them.
AUTHENTIC SELF = who the person actually is, positive and negative attributes
IDEAL SELF = who we would like to be under optimal circumstances
TACTICAL SELF = who we market ourselves to be when we adhere to others’ expectations of us
what are the 5 impression management strategies? describe them.
- SELF-DISCLOSURE = giving info about oneself to establish an identity (disclosing you are premed)
- MANAGING APPEARANCES = using props, appearance, emotional expression, or associations with others to create a positive image (wearing a white coat, keeping calm while dealing with a hard patient, mentioning associations with important researchers during an interview)
- INGRATIATION = using flattery or conforming to expectations to win someone over
- ALIGNING ACTIONS = making questionable behavior acceptable through excuses
- ALTER-CASTING = imposing an identity onto another person (as a good MCAT student, you should)
defn and parts: dramaturgical approach
using the metaphor of a theatrical performance to describe how individuals create images of themselves in various situations
front-stage self: the persona a person presents to an audience (a person adapts this depending on the social situation similar to how an actor performs according to the setting, role, and script of the play)
back stage self: the persona adopted when not in a social situation and there is no concern about upholding the performance of a desired public image (when an actor is back stage, they are hidden from the audience and can act in ways not congruent with the character in the play)
defn: the Me and the I
Me: the part of self developed through interaction with others (comes from considering the generalized other based on a person’s established perceptions of societal expectations)
I: the individual’s own impulses (also shaped by their interpretation of society’s expectations)
THE ME SHAPES THE I
what qualifies as verbal communication (4)? what qualifies as nonverbal communication (6)?
Verbal:
1. spoken language
2. written language (print and electronic)
3. sign languages
4. tactile languages (Braille)
Nonverbal:
1. facial expressions
2. body language (posture)
3. gestures
4. tone of voice (prosody)
5. eye contact
6. amount of personal space
defn: animal communcation
any behavior of one animal that affects the behavior of another
what are the 5 methods of animal communicaton?
- body language
- facial expressions
- visual displays
- scents
- vocalizations
