Chapter 6 - Networks, Groups, Bureaucracies, and Societies Flashcards
Bureaucracy (what (3) and who)
- a large, impersonal organization
- many clearly defined positions arranged in a hierarchy - permanent, salaried staff of qualified experts and written goals, rules, and procedures
- staff members always try to find ways of running the bureaucracy more efficiently
- Weber
Efficiency
achieving the bureaucracy’s goals at the least cost
Social Network
a set of individuals linked by the exchange of material or emotional resources, including everything from money to friendship
What determines the boundaries of a social network?
the patterns of exchange determine the boundaries of the network
Virtual Communities
bounded patterns of interaction and exchange that exist online, independently of time and space
Dyad (definition and examples)
a social relationship between two nodes or social units (e.g., people, firms, organizations, countries)
Triad (definition and examples)
a social relationship among three nodes or social units (e.g., people, firms, organizations, countries)
Social Groups
made up of one or more networks of people who identify with one another, interact on a regular basis, and adhere to specific norms, roles, and statuses
Social Categories
people share a similar status but do not identify with one another (eg. coffee drinkers)
Primary Groups (3)
- members agree on norms, roles, and statuses but do not define them in writing
- strong emotional ties, extends over a long period, and involves a wide range of activities
- results in group members knowing one another well
Secondary Groups (3)
- larger and more impersonal than primary groups
- weaker emotional ties, extends over a shorter period, and involves a narrow range of activities.
- results in most group members having at most a passing acquaintance with one another
Groupthink
group pressure to conform despite individual misgivings. dangers of groupthink are greatest in high-stress situations
Bystander Apathy
occurs when people observe someone in an emergency but offer no help
In-Group Members
people who belong to a group
Out-Group Members
people who are excluded from an in-group
Reference Group (2)
- comprises people against whom an individual evaluates his or her situation or conduct
- members of a reference group function as role models
Formal Organizations (definition and example)
- secondary groups designed to achieve particular objectives
- the most common and influential formal organizations are bureaucracies
Dehumanization (when does it occur and what are its effects?)
- occurs when bureaucracies treat clients as standard cases and personnel as cogs in a giant machine
- this treatment frustrates clients and lowers worker morale
Bureaucratic Ritualism
involves bureaucrats becoming so preoccupied with rules and regulations that they make it difficult for the organization to fulfill its goals
Oligarchy (translation and definition)
- means “rule of the few.”
- all bureaucracies have a supposed tendency for power to become increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few people at the top of the organizational pyramid
Bureaucratic Inertia
refers to the tendency of large, rigid bureaucracies to continue their policies even when their clients’ needs change
3 Types of Leadership
- laissez-faire leadership
- authoritarian leadership
- democratic leadership
Laissez-Faire Leadership (2)
- subordinates work things out on their own, no direction from above
- least effective type of leadership
Authoritarian Leadership (2)
- strict compliance from subordinates
- most effective in a crisis, such as a war or the emergency room of a hospital
Democratic Leadership (3)
- more guidance than laissez-faire but less control than authoritarian
- try to include all group members in the decision-making process, taking the best ideas from the group and moulding them into a strategy with which all can identify
- most effective leadership style, except in crisis situations
Societies
collectivities of interacting people who share a culture and, usually, a territory
Foraging Societies
people live by searching for wild plants and hunting wild animals. inequality, the division of labour, productivity, and settlement size are very low in such societies
Horticultural Societies
societies in which people domesticate plants and use simple hand tools to garden
Pastoral Societies
societies in which people domesticate cattle, camels, pigs, goats, sheep, horses, and reindeer
Agricultural Societies
societies in which plows and animal power are used to substantially increase food supply and dependability as compared with horticultural and pastoral societies
Industrial Societies
societies that use machines and fuel to greatly increase the supply and dependability of food and finished goods
Post-Industrial Societies
societies in which most workers are employed in the service sector and computers spur substantial increases in the division of labour and productivity
Recombinant DNA
involves removing a segment of DNA from a gene or splicing together segments of DNA from different living things, thus effectively creating a new life form
Community vs Society according to Ferdinand Tönnies (2)
- community (such as a small town) = intimate and emotionally intense social ties
- society (such as a big city) = many impersonal relationships held together by self interest
How many degrees of separation are there between any two people in the world?
6 degrees
Two main factors that underlie bureaucratic inefficiency
size and social structure
Why is it a “small world”?
most people interact repeatedly with a small circle of family members, friends, and co-workers. however, our personal networks overlap with other social networks, which is why only a few links separate us from complete strangers
3 ways in which social groups shape our actions
- Norms of solidarity demand conformity.
- Structures of authority tend to render people obedient.
- Bureaucracies are highly effective structures of authority.
4 irrationalities of rationality
- people are no longer individuals with unique needs
- increasingly difficult for organization to achieve goals
- oligarchy, people at top have power
- perpetuation of the established procedures and modes
