Soc. Chapter 4 - Lecture notes 4 PDF

Preview

Summary

Warren Lucas...

Description

Soc. Chapter 4- Social Groups and Formal Organizations Group Relationships Groups- two or more people who share a feeling of unity and who are bound together in relatively stable patterns of social interaction—are products of social definitions. As such, they constitute constructed realities. A relationship is an association characterized by a stable set of expectations. Primary Groups and Secondary Groups- Primary groups involve two or more people who enjoy direct, intimate, cohesive relationships and are fundamental to both us and society. Expressive ties predominate in primary groups. Secondary groups entail two or more people who are involved in impersonal, touch-and-go relationships. Instrumental ties predominate in secondary groups. In-Groups and Out-Groups- The concepts of in-group and out-group highlight the importance of boundaries--social demarcation lines that tell us where interaction begins and ends. Boundaries prevent outsiders from entering a group’s sphere, and they keep insiders within the group’s sphere. Reference Groups- provide the models we use for appraising and shaping our attitudes, feelings, and actions. A reference group may or may not be our membership group. DIfferences between membership and reference groups may result in feelings of relative deprivation. Group Dynamics The dynamic qualities of groups make them a significant force in human life and important to sociologists. Group Size- the size of a group influences the nature of our interaction. Emotions and feelings tend to assume a larger role in dyads that in larger groups. The addition of a third member to a group--forming a triad--fundamentally alters a social situation. In this arrangement one person may be placed in the role of an outsider. Leadership- in group settings some members usually exert more influence than others. We call these individuals leaders. Two types of leadership roles tend to evolve in small groups: an instrumental leader and an expressive leader. Leaders may follow an authoritarian style, a democratic style, or a laissez-faire style. Social Loafing- When individuals work in groups, they work less hard than they do when working individually. Social Dilemmas- a situation in which members of a group are faced with a conflict between maximizing their personal interest and maximizing the collective welfare.

Groupthink- in group settings individuals may become victims of groupthink. Group members may share an illusion of invulnerability that leads to overconfidence and a greater willingness to take risks. Conformity- Groups bring powerful pressures to bear that produce conformity among their members. Although such pressures influence our behavior, we often are unaware of them. Formal Organizations For many tasks within modern societies, people require groups they can deliberately create for the achievement of specific goals. These groups are formal organizations. Types of Formal Organization- Amitai Etzioni classified organizations on the basis of people’s reasons for entering them: voluntary, coercive, and utilitarian. In total institutions, individuals undergo resocialization, often including mortification. Bureaucracy: A Functional Approach to Organizations- small organizations can often function reasonably well on the basis of face-to-face- interaction. Larger organizations must establish formal operating and administrative procedures. Characteristics of Bureaucracies- Max Weber approached bureaucracy as an ideal type with these characteristic: each office has clearly defined duties; all offices are organized in a hierarchy of authority; all activities are governed by a system of rules; all offices have qualifications; incumbents do not own their positions; employment by the organization is defined as a career; and administrative decisions are recorded in written documents. Problems of Bureaucracy- Bureaucracies have disadvantages and limitations. These include the principle of trained incapacity, Parkinson’s law, and the iron law of oligarchy. If formal organization is to operate smoothly, it requires informal organization for interpreting, translating, and supporting its goals and practices. Conflict and Interactionist Perspectives- sociologists from differing perspectives--particularly the conflict, symbolic interactionist, and ethnomethodological approaches--have looked at the ways by which organizational reality is generated through the actions of people and groups of people. Formal organizations can be seen as negotiated orders.

The Sociology of Work Organizations, groups, and group processes provide the social context for most U.S. workers. Work influences many aspects of our lives. The Significance of Work- people work for many reasons in addition to, “self-interest,” and work has many social meanings, especially those that define a person’s position in the social structure. Changes in the Work Experience- the work experience of Americans has undergone significant change over the past two centuries; the proportion working on farms has declined while the proportion employed in service industries has risen. Work in nonindustrialized societies is very different from work in industrialized societies. Satisfaction and Alienation in Work- Individuals in occupations that combine high economic, occupational and educational prestige typically show the greatest satisfaction with their work and the strongest job attachment. When individuals fail to find their work satisfying and fulfilling, they may experience alienation. Marx and Durkheim had differing conceptions of alienation. Humanizing Bureaucracies- among programs that make large organizations more humane are those that allow employee participation, flextime, small work groups and employee ownership. Glossary Alienation- a pervasive sense of powerlessness, meaninglessness, normlessness, isolation and self- estrangement. Bureaucracy- a social structure made up a hierarchy of statuses and roles that is prescribed by explicit rules and procedures and based on a division of function and authority. Coercive Organization- a formal organization that people become members of against their will. Dyad- a two member group Ethnomethodology- Procedures- the rules and activities- that people employ in making social life and society intelligible to themselves and others. Expressive Leader- a leader who focuses on overcoming interpersonal problems in a group, defusing tension, and promoting stability Expressive Ties- social links formed when we emotionally invest ourselves in and commit ourselves to other people. Formal Organization- a group formed deliberately for the achievement of specific objectives.

Group- two or more people who share a feeling of unity and who are bound together in relatively stable patterns of social interaction. Groupthink- a decision-making process found in highly cohesive groups in which the members become so preoccupied with maintaining group consensus that their critical faculties are impaired. Informal Organization- interpersonal networks and ties that arise in a formal organization but that are not defined or prescribed by it. In-group- a group with which we identify and to which we belong. Instrumental leader- a leader who focuses on appraising the problem at hand and organizing people’s activity to deal with it. Instrumental ties- social links formed when we cooperate with other people to achieve some goal. Iron Law of Oligarchy- the principle stating that bureaucracies invariably lead to the concentration of power in the hands of a few individuals who use their offices to advance their own fortunes and self-interests. Mortification- a procedure in which rituals employed by coercive organizations render individuals vulnerable to institutional control, discipline and resocialization. Negotiated Order- the fluid, ongoing understandings and agreements people reach as they go about their daily activities. Out-Group- a group with which we do not identify and to which we do not belong. Parkinson’s Law- the principle that states that work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion. Primary Group- two or more people who enjoy a direct, intimate, cohesive relationship with one another. Reference Group- a social unit we use for appraising and shaping our attitudes, feelings and actions. Relationship- an association that lasts long enough for two people to become linked together by a relatively stable set of expectations

Relative Deprivation- discontent associated with the gap between what we have and what we believe we should have. Resocialization- a process by which a person’s old roles and identities are stripped away and new ones are created. Secondary Group- two or more people who are involved in an impersonal relationship and have come together for a specific, practical purpose. Social Dilemma- a situation in which members of a group are faced with a conflict between maximizing their personal interests and maximizing the collective welfare. Social Loafing- the process in which individuals work less hard when working in groups than they do when working individually. Total Institutions- places of residence where individuals are isolated from the rest of society. Trained Incapacity- the term Thorstein Veblen applied to the tendency within bureaucracies for members to rely on established rules and regulations and to apply them in an unimaginative and mechanical fashion. Triad- a three-member group Utilitarian Organization- a formal organization set-up to achieve practical ends. Voluntary Organization- a formal organization that people enter and leave freely

Quiz Chapter 3 & 4 According to your text, small group research has shown that the optimal group size for problem solving is 7 persons. Groups of two or more people, who enjoy a direct, intimate, cohesive relationship with one another are known as: Primary Groups Erving Goffman calls our presentation of self in ways that will lead others to view us in a favorable light Impression Management Peggy Ann can't decide whether she is "pretty" or not. She thinks she may be, but she isn't sure. She decides to observe her friendsâ reactions to her in order to determine whether she is pretty or not. She then notices that they all behave toward her as one would toward a person who is "pretty." This illustrates: Looking Glass Self According to sociologists, the ways we think, feel and act are s haped by our interaction with others. If Bill and Alice maintain a stable social relationship over a significant period of time, sociologists could look upon them as a Dyad. Microsociology would focus primarily on the study of: What  people say, do and think moment by moment as they go about their daily lives The sociologist Max Weber used the term bureaucracy to refer to a  social structure or organization that is a complex system of statuses, roles, rules, and authority The Thomas Theorem states that if people define situations as real, they are real in their consequences The argument that bureaucracy leads to the concentration of power in the hands of a few people is the iron law of oligarchy....