MCAT Psych #9 Flashcards
social interaction is ____ for humans to survive
vital
statuses
positions in society that are used to classify individuals.
o Ex: being premed versus a resident
o Not all personal characteristics are statuses, such as being left-handed is not a status
o 3 types of statuses:
Ascribed: one that is given involuntarily, due to factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, and family background
Achieved: is gained as a result of one’s efforts or choices, such as being a doctor
Master: the status by which a person is most identified. Most important one that an individual holds and affects all aspects of that person’s life.
• Can pigeonhole people (president only viewed as the president)
• How an individual views himself
ascribed status
one that is given involuntarily, due to factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, and family background
achieved status
is gained as a result of one’s efforts or choices, such as being a doctor
master status
the status by which a person is most identified. Most important one that an individual holds and affects all aspects of that person’s life.
• Can pigeonhole people (president only viewed as the president)
• How an individual views himself
role
a set of beliefs, values, attitudes, and norms that define expectations for those who hold the status.
each status has a role
role performance
the carrying out of behaviors associated with a given role.
role partner
causes behaviors and expectations to change, the person with whom one is interacting.
role set
the various roles associated with a status.
role conflict
difficulty in satisfying the requirements or expectations of multiple roles
single parent that works a full time job
role strain
difficulty satisfying the multiple requirements of the same role.
premed student: needing good grades, research, volunteering
role exit
the dropping of one identity for another or one role for another
Group (social Group)
consists of two or more people who share similar characteristics and a sense of unity. Common characteristics include values, interests, ethnicity, social background family ties, etc.
dyad
group of two people
triad
group of three people
as group size increases, it trades ____ for _____
intimacy for stability
a random set of individuals waiting at a crosswalk is/is not a group?
is not
what are the types of groups?
peer group family group in-group out-group reference group primary group secondary group
peer group
one that is defined by association of self-selected equals around similar interests, ages, and statuses.
• Friendship and feelings of belonging
family group
not self-selected but determined by birth, adoption, and marriage.
in-group
groups to which an individual belongs
out-group
with which an individual competes or is in opposition.
reference group
groups that establish the terms by which an individual evaluate themselves.
• Ex: to determine how strong of a medical school applicant you are, may consider yourself in relation to the reference group of all medical school applicants.
primary group
the interactions are direct, with close bonds providing warm, personal, and intimate relationships to members.
• Last a long time. Ex: core group of friends
secondary group
the interactions are superficial, with few emotional bonds.
• Short time, form and dissolve. Ex: group project group
community
Gemeinschaft
groups unified by feelings of togetherness due to shared beliefs, ancestry, or geography
• Ex: families and neighborhoods
society
Gesellschaft
groups that are formed because of mutual self-interests working together toward a goal.
• Ex: companies and counties
interaction process analysis
a technique for observing, classifying, and measuring the interactions within small groups.
• Revised to the system for multiple level observation of groups, based on the belief that there are three fundamental dimensions of interaction:
o Dominance vs. submission, friendliness vs. unfriendliness, instrumentally controlled vs. emotionally expressive.
what are the 3 fundamental dimensions of interaction for the system of multiple level of observation of groups
Dominance vs. submission, friendliness vs. unfriendliness, instrumentally controlled vs. emotionally expressive.
group conformity
groups apply pressure that change member’s behaviors even if they are in contrast with the individual’s goal.
• Conform in an attempt to fit in.
groupthink
group members begin to focus solely on ideas generated within the group, while ignoring outside ideas
network
used to describe the observable pattern of social relationships among individuals or groups.
o Can map the relationships between individuals.
o Network redundancy: if there are overlapping connections with the same individual.
o Individuals in networks face the demands and expectations of others in the network
o Ex: alumni network, held to standards but reap benefits when looking for a job
o Immediate networks: dense with strong ties, friends
o Distant networks: looser and contain weaker ties, acquaintances
network redundancy
if there are overlapping connections with the same individual.
immediate networks
dense with strong ties, friends
distant networks
looser and contain weaker ties, acquaintances
organizations
entities that are set up to achieve specific goals and are characterized by having a structure and a culture.
o Ex: school, sports teams
o Formal organizations: different from groups,
Continue despite the departure of a member, has a history before and after the member.
Have expressed goals.
Enforcement procedures that seek to control the activities of their members.
Hierarchical allotment of formal roles or duties.
o Characteristic institution: the basic organization of society
Originally kin or clan
Now it is bureaucracy: a rational system of political organization, administration, discipline, and control.
• Slow to change and less efficient than other organizations.
• Iron law of oligarchy: democratic or bureaucratic systems naturally shift to being ruled by an elite group.
o Eventual centralization
o McDonalidization: a shift in focus toward efficiency, predictability, calculability, and control in societies.
Based on McDonald’s, other examples are 24-hour news stations.
formal organizations and what makes them different from groups
different from groups
Continue despite the departure of a member, has a history before and after the member.
Have expressed goals.
Enforcement procedures that seek to control the activities of their members.
Hierarchical allotment of formal roles or duties.
characteristic institution
the basic organization of society
Originally kin or clan
Now it is bureaucracy: a rational system of political organization, administration, discipline, and control.
• Slow to change and less efficient than other organizations.
• Iron law of oligarchy: democratic or bureaucratic systems naturally shift to being ruled by an elite group.
o Eventual centralization
bureaucracy
a rational system of political organization, administration, discipline, and control.
Generally marked by 6 characteristics: paid officials on a fixed salary, nonelected 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.
what are the 6 characteristics of a bureaucracy
Generally marked by 6 characteristics: paid officials on a fixed salary, nonelected officials who are providing 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.