Sociology Chapter 6 Flashcards

Social Groups

• Comprised of individuals sharing attributes and interactions, fostering a sense of belonging.
• Identification with specific groups enhances personal connection, including friends, family, and workgroups.

Types of Social Groups

• Primary Groups: Characterized by close, personal interactions over time; crucial for social identity and personal development.
• Secondary Groups: Formed for specific goals or activities that are more structured and fulfill instrumental needs.

Ideal Types

• General traits describing social phenomena, offering insight into variations from common societal realities.

In-Groups and Out-Groups

• In-Groups: Share identity, promote solidarity, often excluding outsiders.
• Out-Groups: Viewed negatively due to differing values or beliefs compared to the in-group.

Reference Groups

• Influence behavior, values, and self-identity without personal support; examples include role models and professional groups.

Group Dynamics

• Dyads: Groups of two, inherently unstable but highly cohesive.
• Triads: Groups of three, more stable, with less frequent interaction among members.

Leadership Styles

• Authoritarian: Directive, focusing on task completion, effective under time constraints but limits creativity.
• Democratic: Encourages participation and expressive needs; less effective in crises.
• Laissez-faire: Minimal guidance, relies on member expertise; can lead to inefficiency and low motivation.

Research on Conformity and Authority

• Solomon Asch's research highlighted peer pressure inducing individuals to conform.
• Stanley Milgram demonstrated obedience to authority even amidst ethical concerns.
• Philip Zimbardo’s study showed group dynamics could lead to harmful behavior under peer pressure.

Decision Making

• Irving Janis warned against groupthink, emphasizing the need for external input to mitigate biased group decisions.

Social Networks

• Systems connecting individuals or groups, often organized around shared interests through digital platforms.

Formal Organizations

• Secondary groups aimed at achieving specific goals efficiently, characterized by structured roles, hierarchies, and established norms.

Organizational Types

• Utilitarian: Focus on material rewards; includes agencies and corporations.
• Normative: Join for shared interests and rewarding ambitions; includes civic and religious organizations.
• Coercive: Membership is involuntary, with punishments for non-compliance; includes total institutions.

Bureaucracies

• Efficient, rational structures with defined roles, hierarchies, and written rules; however, they may hinder creativity and lead to alienation and inefficiency.

Limitations of Bureaucracies

• Rigid rules and poor reward systems can diminish creativity and lead to communication issues, as well as the "iron law of oligarchy" where power consolidates among a few.

Hawthorne Studies

• Found informal group dynamics vital for organizational effectiveness, revealing a complex relationship between formal and informal structures.

Self-Managing Work Teams

• Also called post-bureaucratic organizations; these collectives take responsibility for their results, emphasizing goal commitment and collaboration.

Theoretical Perspectives in Sociology

• Functionalist Perspective: Describes organizations as interrelated parts that, despite dysfunctions, fulfill societal roles.
• Feminist Perspective: Highlights women’s underrepresentation in leadership across all social classes.
• Symbolic Interactionist Perspective: Focuses on interpersonal relationships, individual perceptions, and group dynamics affecting behavior and identity.

Importance of Social Institutions

• Vital for societal needs, shaping norms and behaviors; understanding institutions is key to grasping societal operations.

Impact of Institutions on Weight Issues

• Research links obesity to health concerns; various societal sectors influence health and behaviors, from families to political systems.

Essential Needs Met by Social Institutions

• Family: Reproduction and sexual control.
• Sports: Entertainment and community economics.
• Education: Knowledge transmission and childcare.
• Science: Medical advancements and resource efficiency.