Chapter 5

Question 1

dyad

Answer 1

a group of two

Question 2

triad

Answer 2

a group of three

Question 3

mediator

Answer 3

the member of a triad who attempts to resolve conflict between the two other actors in the group

Question 4

tertius gaudens

Answer 4

the member of a triad who benefits from conflict between the other two members of the group

Question 5

divide et impera

Answer 5

the role of a member of a triad who intentionally drives a wedge between the other two actors in the group

Question 6

small group

Answer 6

a group characterized by face-to-face interaction, a unifocal perspective, lack of formal arrangements or roles, and a certain level of equality

Question 7

party

Answer 7

a group that is similar to a small group but is multifocal

Question 8

large group

Answer 8

a group characterized by the presence of a formal structure that mediates interaction and, consequently, status differentiation

Question 9

primary groups

Answer 9

social groups, such as family or friends, composed of enduring, intimate face-to-face relationships that strongly influence the attitudes and ideals of those involved

Question 10

secondary groups

Answer 10

groups marked by impersonal, instrumental relationships (those existing as a means to an end)

Question 11

in-group

Answer 11

another term for the powerful group, most often the majority

Question 12

out-group

Answer 12

another term for the stigmatized or less powerful group, the minority

Question 13

reference groups

Answer 13

a group that helps us understand or make sense of our position in society relative to other groups

Question 14

social network

Answer 14

a set of relations—essentially, a set of dyads—held together by ties between individuals

Question 15

tie

Answer 15

he connection between two people in a relationship that varies in strength from one relationship to the next; a story that explains our relationship with another member of our network

Question 16

narrative

Answer 16

the sum of stories contained in a set of ties

Question 17

embeddedness

Answer 17

the degree to which ties are reinforced through indirect paths within a social network

Question 18

strength of weak ties

Answer 18

the notion that relatively weak ties often turn out to be quite valuable because they yield new information

Question 19

structural hole

Answer 19

a gap between network clusters, or even two individuals, if those individuals (or clusters) have complementary resources

Question 20

social capital

Answer 20

the information, knowledge of people or things, and connections that help individuals enter, gain power in, or otherwise leverage social networks

Question 21

organization

Answer 21

any social network that is defined by a common purpose and has a boundary between its membership and the rest of the social world

Question 22

organizational culture

Answer 22

he shared beliefs and behaviors within a social group; often used interchangeably with corporate culture

Question 23

organizational structure

Answer 23

the ways in which power and authority are distributed within an organization

Question 24

isomorphism

Answer 24

a constraining process that forces one unit in a population to resemble other units that face the same set of environmental conditions