Social Groups and Interdependence Quiz

Social Groups and Interdependence

• A social group is a collection of people with relationships.
• Interdependence is crucial for groups to achieve shared goals or promote values.
• An aggregate is simply a collection of people in a particular place, lacking relationships.

Types of Groups

• Primary groups are small, intimate, and less specialized.
• Secondary groups are larger, less intimate, and more specialized.
• In-groups are groups a person belongs to and identifies with.
• Out-groups are groups a person doesn't belong to, often leading to competition or hostility.
• Reference groups are groups a person compares themselves to.

Theories and Concepts

• Self-categorization theory suggests that people's group memberships influence their perceptions of others.
• Social networks connect individuals and groups enabling diverse identity sources.
• Social media are modern forms of media.

Human Biocultural and Social Evolution

• Societies evolved as humans adapted to their environment.
• Biological evolution involves genetic and physical changes.
• Technological evolution involves creating tools and equipment.
• Biocultural evolution is the interaction between biology and culture.
• Lewis Henry Morgan's evolutionary scheme (Savagery, Barbaric, Civilized) described stages of development.
• Cultural relativism suggests that attitudes are culturally contextual.

Hunting and Gathering Groups

• Simple social structures based on age, sex, and labor division.
• Bands are small, nomadic groups with leaders focused on movement and resource distribution.
• Tribes are more formal organizations of several bands.
• Headmen lead tribes with more formal authority than band leaders.
• Chiefdoms unite tribes under a single chief.

Society as Natural Institution

• Ancient Greeks believed society was a natural human product.
• Humans are inherently social and political.
• Polis (city-state) was the highest form of human interaction.

Society as a Product of Social Construct

• Social institutions are products of social agreement.

Modernization Theory

• Societies progress from primitive to developed stages.
• Historical Materialistic perspective focuses on means of production and ownership.
• Bureaucracy is a hierarchical organization of officials.
• Organic solidarity occurs with specialized labor divisions.

Social Institutions

• Social institutions are organized structures of beliefs, rules, and relationships.
• Institutional approach views institutions as ordered rules, norms, and values.
• Relational approach emphasizes social relations.

Family

• Family is a vital social institution.
• Related by blood, marriage, or shared residence
• Nuclear family: parents and children
• Reconstituted family: spouses and children from previous marriages.
• Kinship refers to relations by blood or marriage.
• Matrilineal kinship: lineage through females.
• Patrilineal kinship: lineage through males.
• Bilineal kinship: lineage through both parents.
• Monogamy: one spouse at a time
• Polygamy: multiple spouses

Economy

• The economy addresses society's resource allocation.
• Liberal economists believe the market dictates resource distribution.
• Market is a self-regulating mechanism (Adam Smith).
• Bourgeoisie control the market; proletariat are laborers.
• Invisible hand suggests minimal government intervention; however, market failures are possible.

Educational and Health Institutions

• Educational and health institutions uphold basic human rights.
• Educational institutions ensure literacy.
• Health institutions ensure access to healthcare.

Religion

• Religion is a set of beliefs and practices centered around a divine entity.
• Church is a religion supported by society.
• Sect challenges societal norms.
• Monotheism: belief in one God.
• Polytheism: belief in multiple Gods.
• Animism: the belief that spirits inhabit natural objects.

Political Institution

• Politics involves creating, maintaining, and changing governing rules.
• Power is the ability to act.
• Authority is legitimate power.
• Legitimacy is the rightfulness of power.
• Traditional authority is based on customs.
• Charismatic authority is based on special characteristics.
• Legal-Rational authority is based on rules and laws