Chapter 9: Social Interaction

Question 1

Status

Answer 1

A position in society used to classify individuals.

Question 2

Ascribed Status

Answer 2

Involuntarily assigned to an individual based on race, ethnicity, gender, family background, and so on.

Question 3

Achieved Status

Answer 3

Voluntarily earned by an individual.

Question 4

Master Status

Answer 4

The status by which an individual is primarily identified.

Question 5

Role

Answer 5

A role is a set of beliefs, values, and norms that define the expectations of a certain status in a social situation.

Question 6

Role performance

Answer 6

Refers to carrying out the behaviors of a given role.

Question 7

Role Partner

Answer 7

Another individual who helps define a specific role within the relationship.

Question 8

Role Set

Answer 8

Contains all of the different roles associated with a status.

Question 9

Role Conflict

Answer 9

Occurs when one has difficulty in satisfying the requirements of multiple roles simultaneously.

Question 10

In-group vs. Out-group

Answer 10

An in-group is one with which an individual identifies.

An out-group is one with which an individual competes or opposes.

Question 11

Reference Group

Answer 11

A group to which an individual compares him- or herself.

Question 12

Primary vs. Secondary Groups

Answer 12

Primary groups are those that contain strong, emotional bonds.

Secondary groups are often temporary and contain fewer emotional bonds and weaker bonds overall.

Question 13

Gemeinschaft

Answer 13

(Community) is a group unified by feelings of togetherness due to shared beliefs, ancestry, or geography.

Question 14

Gesellschaft

Answer 14

(Society) is a group unified by mutual self-interests in achieving a goal.

Question 15

Groupthink

Answer 15

Occurs when members begin to conform to one another’s views and ignore outside perspectives.

Question 16

Organizations

Answer 16

Bodies of people with a structure and culture designed to achieve specific goals. They exist outside of each individual’s membership within the organization.

Question 17

Bureaucracy

Answer 17

A rational system of political organization, administration, discipline, and control.

Generally, a bureaucracy has these characteristics: paid, nonelected officials on a fixed salary; officials who are provided rights and privileges as a result of making their career out of holding office; regular salary increases, seniority rights, and promotions upon passing exams or milestones; officials who enter the organization by holding an advanced degree or training; responsibilities, obligations, privileges.

Question 18

Iron Law of Oligarchy

Answer 18

States that democratic or bureaucratic systems naturally shift to being ruled by an elite group.

Question 19

McDonaldization

Answer 19

Commonly used to refer to a shift in focus toward efficiency, predictability, calculability, and control in these societies.

Question 20

Basic Model

Answer 20

States that there are universal emotions, along with corresponding expressions, which can be understood across cultures.

Question 21

Social Construction Model

Answer 21

States that emotions are solely based on the situational context of social interactions.

Question 22

Display Rules

Answer 22

Unspoken rules that govern the expression of emotion.

Question 23

Impression Management

Answer 23

Refers to the maintenance of a public image, which is accomplished through various strategies:

Self-disclosure is sharing factual information.

Managing appearances refers to using props, appearance, emotional expression, or associations to create a positive image.

Ingratiation is using flattery or conformity to win over someone else.

Aligning actions is the use of excuses to account for questionable behavior.

Alter-casting is imposing an identity onto another person.

Question 24

Dramaturgical Approach

Answer 24

The dramaturgical approach says that individuals create images of themselves in the same way that actors perform a role in front of an audience.

The front stage is where the individual is seen by the audience and strives to preserve his desired image.

The back stage is where the individual is not in front of an audience and is free to act outside of his desired image.

Question 25

Verbal Communication

Answer 25

The conveyance of information through spoken, written, or signed words.

Question 26

Nonverbal Communication

Answer 26

The conveyance of information by means other than the use of words, such as body language, prosody, facial expressions, and gestures.

Question 27

Animal Communication

Answer 27

Takes place not only between nonhuman animals, but between humans and other animals as well. Animals use body language, rudimentary facial expressions, visual displays, scents, and vocalizations to communicate.