Week 4: Social Groups Flashcards
What are social networks?
the direct and indirect connections that link one particular individual or group with other people or groups
What are social groups?
a collection of people who have a common identity and who regularly interact with one another on the basis of shared expectations
What are primary groups?
small groups characterized by face-to-face interaction, intimacy, and a strong sense of commitment (e.g. family and friends)
According to Dexter Dunphy, why did the Wehrmacht continue to fight even when German capitulation was inevitable?
They wanted to uphold their commitment to the primary group
*wanted to uphold the expectations and demands of the group members
According to Charles Lindholm, what explains the Jonestown tragedy?
Members were willing to give up their lives rather than lose their community, which provided them a sense of belonging
What are secondary groups?
groups that are large, impersonal, and formal (e.g. business and schools)
What is conformity?
when an individual adheres to group norms and standards
According to Soloman Ashe, what is majority influence?
the processes by which a group’s majority pressures an individual member to conform or adapt a specific position on some issue
What is normative social influence?
conformity is motivated by the desire to avoid standing out negatively
What are reference groups?
a group that provides a standard for judging one’s attitudes or behaviors
What are organizations?
a group with an identifiable membership that engages in collective action to achieve a common purpose (e.g. universities, religious bodies, corporations)
What are the characteristics of bureaucracies?
hierarchy of authority, written rules of procedure, staffed by full-time, salaried officials
According to Robert Michels, what is the iron law of oligarchy?
the flow of power towards the top is an inevitable part of the bureaucratic world
What is obedience?
submitting to the demands of an authority figure
What was the result of the Milgram Experiment?
65% of subjects were prepared to administer potentially fatal electric shocks when encouraged to do so by who they believed to be a legitimate authority figure
*they indicate that human nature cannot be counted on to protect citizens from brutality coming from an authority figure
