Ch.5: Social Groups And Formal Organizations Flashcards
Group
People who interact with one another and who believe that what they have in common is significant
Aggregate
Individuals who temporarily hare the same physical space but who do not see themselves as belonging together
Category
People, objects, and events that have similar characteristics and are classified together
Primary Group
A small group characterized by cooperative, intimate, long-term, face-to-face relationships
Secondary Group
Compared with primary group, a larger, relatively temporary, more anonymous, formal, and impersonal group based on some interest or activity
Voluntary Associations
Groups made up of people who voluntarily organize on the basis of some mutual interest
Iron Law of Oligarchy
Robert Michels’ term for the tendency of formal organizations to be dominated by a small, self-perpetuation elite
In-group
A group toward which one feels loyalty
Out-group
A group toward which one feels antagonism
Reference Group
A group whose standards we refer to as we evaluate ourselves
Social Network
The social ties radiating outward from the self that link people together
Clique
A cluster of people within a larger group who choose to interact with one another
Bureaucracy
A formal organization with a hierarchy of authority and a clear division of labor; emphasis on impersonality of positions and written rules, communications, and records
Goal Displacement
An organization replacing old goals with new ones
McDonaldization of Society
The process by which ordinary aspects of life are rationalized and efficiency comes to rule them, including such this as food preparation
Alienation
Marx’s term for workers’ lack of connection to the product of their labor
Self-Fulfilling Stereotype
Preconceived ideas of what someone is like that lead to the person’s behaving in ways that match the stereotype
Hidden Corporate Culture
Stereotypes of the traits that make for high-performing and underperforming workers, which end up producing both types of workers
Group Dynamics
The ways in which individuals affect groups and the ways in which groups influence individuals
Small Group
A group small enough for everyone to interact directly with all the other members
Dyad
The smallest possible group, consisting of two persons
Triad
A group of three people
Coalition
The alignment of some members of a group against others
Leader
Someone who influences other people
Instrumental Leader
An individual who tries to keep the group moving toward its goals
Expressive Leader
An individual who increases harmony and minimizes conflict in a group
Leadership Styles
Ways in which people express their leadership
Authoritarian Leader
An individual who leas by giving orders
Democratic Leader
An individual who leads by trying to reach a consensus
Laissez-Faire Leader
An individual who leads by being highly permissive
Groupthink
A narrowing of thought by a group of people, leading to the perception that there is only one correct answer no tht to even suggest alternatives is a sight of disloyalty
