Social Interaction, Groups and Social Structures

Question 1

Status

Answer 1

Any of the full range of socially defined positions within a large group or society, from lowest to highest (ex. son, neighbor, teacher, etc…)

Question 2

Ascribed Status

Answer 2

Assigned to a person by society without regard for the person’s unique talents or characteristics

Question 3

Master Status

Answer 3

Dominates other status’s and determines a person’s general position in society (ex: skin color, sex, etc…)

Question 4

Role Conflict

Answer 4

Occurs when incompatible expectations arise from two or more social positions held by the same person

Question 5

Role Strain

Answer 5

Difficulty that arises when the same social position imposes conflicting demands and expectations

Question 6

Role Exit

Answer 6

Process of disagreement from a role that is central to one’s self-identity in order to establish a new role and identity

Question 7

Primary Group

Answer 7

A small group characterized by intimate, face-to-face association and cooperation

Question 8

Secondary Group

Answer 8

A formal, impersonal group in which there is little social intimacy or mutual understanding

Question 9

In-Group

Answer 9

Any group or category to which people feel they belong

Question 10

Out-Group

Answer 10

Any group or category to which people feel they do NOT belong

Question 11

Reference Group

Answer 11

Any groups that individuals use as a standard for evaluating themselves and their own behavior

Question 12

Coalition

Answer 12

Temporary or permanent alliance geared toward a common goal

Question 13

Social Network

Answer 13

A series of social relationships that link a person directly to others, and through them indirectly to still more people

Question 14

Social Institutions

Answer 14

Organized patterns of beliefs and behavior centered on basic social needs

Question 15

Formal Organizations

Answer 15

A group designed for a special purpose and structured for maximum efficiency

Question 16

Bureaucracy

Answer 16

A component of formal organization that uses rules and hierarchy ranking to achieve efficiency

Question 17

Ideal Type

Answer 17

A construct or model for evaluating specific cases

Question 18

Alienation

Answer 18

A condition of estrangement or dissociation from the surrounding society

Question 19

Trained Capacity

Answer 19

Workers become so specialized that they develop blind spots and fail to notice obvious problems

Question 20

Peter Principle

Answer 20

Every employee within a hierarchy tends to rise ti his or her level of incompetence

Question 21

Bureaucratization

Answer 21

Process by which a group, organization, or social movement becomes increasingly bureaucratic

Question 22

Iron Law of Oligarchy

Answer 22

Describes how even a democratic organization will eventually develop into a bureaucracy ruled by a few, called an oligarchy