Elements of Social Interaction Flashcards
Status
A position in society used to classify individuals
Ascribed status
Involuntarily assigned to an individual based on race, gender, ethnicity, etc
Master Status
the status by which an individual is primarily identified
Role
A set of beliefs, values, and norms that define the expectations of a certain status in a social situation
Role Performance
Refers to carrying out behaviors of a given role
Role Partner
Another individual who helps define a specific role within the relationship
Role Set
A set of all roles that are associated with a status
Role Conflict
Difficulty managing MULTIPLE roles
Role Strain
Difficulty managing JUST ONE role
Groups
2 or more people with similar characteristics that share a sense of unity
Peer Group
A self-selected group formed around shared interests
Family Group
Group to which you are born, adopted, or married
Kinship (2)
- Affinal Kinship (related by choice, i.e. marriage)
2. Consanguineous Kinship (related by blood)
In-Group
The group you are in
Out-Group
Group you compete with or oppose
Reference Group
Group you compare yourself to
Primary Group
Those that contain strong emotional bonds
Secondary Group
Often temporarily. Contain weaker bonds overall
Gemeinshaft
Community
Gesellshaft
Society
Groupthink
Occurs when members begin to conform to one another’s views and ignore outside perspectives
Network
An observable pattern of social relationships between individuals or groups
Organization
A group with identifiable membership that engages in certain action to achieve a common purpose
Bureaucracy
A rational system of administration, discipline, and control
Max Weber gave it six defining characteristics
Weber’s 6 Defining Characteristics of a Bureaucracy
- It has a formal hierarchical structure
- It is managed via a set of defined, specific rules and regulations
- It is organized by functional specialty, with different workers performing different, specialized tasks
- The organizations focus is either “up-focused,” that is, to serve shareholders, a board, or some other entity that empowers it, or “in-focused,” that is, to serve itself through maximizing profit or maximizing market share.
- It is purposefully impersonal.
- Employment is based on technical qualifications like advanced degrees or training.
Iron Law of Oligarchy
Democratic or bureaucratic systems naturally shift to being ruled by an elite group
Sect
A religious group that arose from a split from a larger religion
