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Questions and Answers
What is a social aggregate?
Define in-groups and out-groups.
In-groups are groups towards which one feels loyalty and respect, while out-groups are those towards which one feels contempt or exclusion.
Primary groups are usually _____, face-to-face interactions with a sense of commitment.
small
What is a reference group?
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Conformity entails feeling pressure to follow orders or go along with the group.
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Which of the following is NOT one of Weber's five characteristics of bureaucracy?
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What does Ritzer's McDonaldization of Society argue?
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Transactional leaders focus on _____ while transformational leaders inspire a higher purpose.
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Define groupthink.
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What is the main focus of Kanter's research?
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Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the Japanese model of bureaucracy?
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Study Notes
Social Aggregates and Categories
- Social Aggregate: Individuals present together in a specific place without significant interaction; e.g., people waiting in line at a movie theater.
- Social Category: A collection of individuals sharing a common characteristic, such as all men or college professors, despite their differences.
In-Groups and Out-Groups
- In-Group: A social group where members feel loyalty and respect, such as family or friends.
- Out-Group: A group viewed with contempt or exclusion, where individuals feel a disconnect, exemplified by cultural differences in relationships, like in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding."
Primary and Secondary Groups
- Primary Group: Small, intimate groups emphasizing emotional connections; examples include family and close friends.
- Secondary Groups: Larger, impersonal groups focused on achieving specific goals; examples include coworkers or study groups.
Reference Groups
- Reference Groups: Groups that help individuals gauge their attitudes and behaviors, often influencing actions. Examples include family or community groups.
- Anticipatory Socialization: Preparing for future group membership influenced by existing connections, like spending time with friends who have children when expecting a baby.
Conformity
- Conformity: The pressure to comply with group norms or authority figures.
- Milgram's Obedience Experiment: Tested individuals’ willingness to obey authority, revealing tendencies to conform, even against personal morals.
Weber's Bureaucracy Characteristics
- Hierarchy of Authority: Clear levels of command.
- Full-time Salaried Roles: Employment status defines commitment.
- Separation of Work and Home: Personal and work lives are distinct.
- Resource Ownership: Workers do not own their working resources.
- Rationalized Rules: Formal guidelines established to maximize efficiency.
Ritzer's McDonaldization of Society
- McDonaldization: Concept that principles of efficiency, calculability, uniformity, and control through automation are permeating all life areas, not just fast-food.
- Critique of Humanity: Aspects of life are increasingly regulated and impersonal, losing emotional connections.
Transactional vs. Transformational Leaders
- Transactional Leaders: Focus on task completion and achieving group goals with minimal emotional engagement.
- Transformational Leaders: Inspire and elevate the group by instilling a sense of mission and purpose, altering group dynamics.
Groupthink
- Groupthink: A phenomenon where group members overlook contradictory ideas or actions to maintain consensus, often at the cost of critical thinking.
Gender and Organizations
- Kanter's Research: Examined male homosociability resulting in women's exclusion from powerful networks within corporations.
- Ferguson's View: Argued that mere promotion of women cannot solve systemic issues; women should create their own organizations to counteract male-dominated values.
Japanese Model of Bureaucracy
- Bottom-Up Decision Making: Encourages input from all levels.
- Less Specialization: Emphasizes versatility in roles.
- Job Security: Provides long-term employment stability.
- Group Orientation: Fosters teamwork over individualism.
- Merging Work and Private Lives: Blurs distinctions between professional and personal spheres.
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Description
Test your knowledge with these flashcards covering key concepts from Sociology Chapter 6. This quiz focuses on social aggregates and social categories, exploring their definitions and examples. Enhance your understanding of how these concepts relate to group dynamics in society.
