Sociology: Primary & Secondary Groups

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Questions and Answers

What does social creativity aim to achieve?

Revaluating negative aspects of ingroups (correct)

Promoting competitive traits in outgroups

Encouraging rigid social structures

Eliminating all forms of social comparison

In a pluralistic society, what is a hallmark of social mobility?

Permanent association with one group

Fluidity in shifting groups (correct)

Rigid movement between social strata

Absence of social competition

How does social change differ from social mobility?

Social change results in individuals being unable to move easily between groups (correct)

Social change encourages individual social mobility

Social change is more flexible than social mobility

Social change promotes better self-concept

What characterizes primary groups?

They have close and enduring personal relationships. Signup and view all the answers

What do superordinate goals aim to achieve in intergroup relations?

Facilitate cooperation among diverse groups Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of the Intergroup Contact Hypothesis?

To investigate how groups can reduce conflict through contact Signup and view all the answers

What is group cohesion?

The desire of members to remain in the group. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of cohesion results from individuals liking each other and wanting to spend time together?

Social cohesion Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about social competition is correct?

It is driven by the desire to improve self-concept Signup and view all the answers

How do group norms affect members?

They guide how members conduct themselves with each other. Signup and view all the answers

What best describes the consequence of continuous contact between culturally diverse groups?

Potential for conflict resolution Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following strategies could enhance social comparison?

Highlighting a distinct characteristic of the ingroup Signup and view all the answers

Why might individuals conform to group expectations?

To gain resources and benefits from the group. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of secondary groups?

They promote deep personal relationships. Signup and view all the answers

What is task cohesion?

The connectedness through working on a shared task. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes ingroups and outgroups?

Ingroups consist of groups we belong to and outgroups consist of those we do not. Signup and view all the answers

Which trait is not considered a proximal trait important for effective leadership?

Invention skills Signup and view all the answers

What primary factor influences effective leadership according to the contingency theories?

The fit between leader traits and situational needs Signup and view all the answers

Which type of leader is characterized by a focus on interpersonal relationships?

Relationship-oriented leaders Signup and view all the answers

According to Fiedler's model, task-oriented leaders perform best under which conditions?

Conditions that are highly favorable and highly unfavorable Signup and view all the answers

How did the Ohio State and Michigan studies contribute to leadership theory?

They emphasized behavioral patterns in leadership. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is emphasized as a key skill for effective leadership?

Oral/written communication Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is not highlighted as crucial for effective leadership?

Personality type Signup and view all the answers

Effective leadership is best achieved through which of the following approaches?

Adapting leadership style to situational demands Signup and view all the answers

What role do group dynamics play in leadership according to social identity theory?

They create boundaries and momentum for leaders to emerge. Signup and view all the answers

Which element is NOT key to effective leadership in the context of social identity theory?

Crafting a sense of achievement Signup and view all the answers

How does a leader acquire legitimacy within a group according to social identity theory?

By embodying the group's social identity. Signup and view all the answers

What impact does strong identification with a group have on individuals?

It makes them likely to conform to the group prototype. Signup and view all the answers

In social identity leadership, leaders are more influential when they are perceived as:

Representing a social identity that the group shares. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes a leader acting as an ingroup champion?

Standing up for the group’s values even at cost. Signup and view all the answers

The concept of 'us' in social identity leadership refers to:

A shared identity and values among group members. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the group prototype in leadership dynamics?

It defines the characteristics of the ideal group member. Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary focus of Bandura's Bobo Doll Experiment?

The relationship between aggression and role models Signup and view all the answers

Which hypothesis was popular prior to Bandura’s study regarding aggressive behavior?

Catharsis Hypothesis Signup and view all the answers

According to Brocato et al. (2010), what effect does exposure to violent media have on children?

It significantly increases aggression Signup and view all the answers

What type of relationship was found between violent music and behavior in the study by Fischer and Greitemeyer (2006)?

Increased aggression in both male and female participants Signup and view all the answers

What did the meta-analysis by Ferguson et al. (2022) suggest regarding non-violent pornography?

It has no significant correlation with sexual aggression Signup and view all the answers

What phenomenon did Phillips (1983) observe following heavyweight championship prize fights?

A sharp increase in U.S. homicides Signup and view all the answers

What does media provide us with that can influence our expression of aggression?

Scripts, schemas, and beliefs Signup and view all the answers

What effect does positive modeling have on behavior according to the findings mentioned?

It promotes pro-social behaviors Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Primary & Secondary Groups

Primary groups are characterized by close personal relationships.
Primary groups are small and often have enduring relationships.
Values and norms play a significant role in primary group cohesion.
Examples of primary groups are families, friendship groups, and religious groups.
Secondary groups are large, impersonal groups with often time-limited relationships.
Members of secondary groups often share goals.
Corporations, universities, and sports teams are examples of secondary groups.
Ingroups are groups that we belong to, while outgroups are groups we do not belong to.

Group Cohesion

Group cohesion is the desire of group members to stay in the group.
Social cohesion refers to the connectedness that results from individual members liking each other and wanting to spend time together.
Task cohesion is the connectedness that results when individuals work together on a shared task.
Members of high cohesion groups often have more influence on each other.
Conformity levels are also higher in high cohesion groups.

Group Norms

Group norms dictate what goals are important and how they will be achieved.
Group norms guide member conduct with other members.
They determine what is considered 'appropriate behavior'.
Group norms can be used to distinguish group members from non-members.

Reasons for Individual Conformity

Individuals conform to groups to receive benefits and resources.
These benefits include emotional and physical support, income, status, and positive self-appraisal.
Individuals also conform to manage threats arising from conflict with other groups.
Groups provide members with cognitive frameworks for understanding social reality.
Groups shape and validate individual opinions.

Social creativity provides groups with solutions when their social identity is challenged.
Social creativity can help mitigate negative social identity by reversing the negative value attached to the in-group attribute.
Social creativity can also emphasize and celebrate another group characteristic.
Shifting comparison to a different group can also aid in social creativity.

Social comparison is a direct attempt to change the relative positions of the ingroup and outgroup on the most salient dimensions.

Social mobility reflects the flexibility and permeability within a society, as individuals move between groups.
Social change reflects inflexibility and rigidity within a society.
Social change occurs when people within a society cannot easily move between groups and advocate for greater social change to improve their position.

Resolving Conflict Between Groups

Superordinate goals can help resolve conflict between diverse groups.
Diverse groups can 'band-together' to achieve shared objectives.
The Intergroup Contact Hypothesis (Allport 1954, Pettigrew 1998) states that continuous contact between different cultural groups can lead to reduced conflict.

Effective Leadership Traits

Effective leaders possess a range of traits, including communication skills, interpersonal skills, problem-solving abilities, decision-making skills, technical knowledge, and management skills

Effective Leadership: The Interplay of Traits & Conditions

Effective leadership cannot be reduced to an individual's personal profile/traits.
Effective leadership is dependent on factors that are outside of the leader.
Effective leadership requires a good fit between leader traits and situational needs.

Contingency Theories of Leadership

The Fiedler Model of Contingency Leadership highlights two distinct leadership styles, both of which can be effective under the right circumstances.
Relationship-oriented leaders are skilled at building interpersonal relationships and managing conflict.
Task-oriented leaders excel at organizing teams to efficiently and effectively complete tasks.
Task-oriented leadership is effective in highly unfavorable and highly favorable situations.
Relationship-oriented leadership is effective in moderately unfavorable and moderately favorable situations.

Behavioral Theories of Leadership

The Ohio State Studies and The Michigan Studies suggested two dimensions of leadership behavior.
The two dimensions are non-exclusive which means an individual can exhibit both simultaneously.

Focuses on the role of followers in shaping leadership.
People derive part of their self-concept from social groups to which they belong.
A strong group identification can lead to conformity with group norms and prototypes.
Leaders who successfully represent the group prototype are more likely to emerge in leadership positions.
Group norms, goals, and values influence what constitutes effective leadership.

Leadership is a process of social identity management that focuses on a leader's ability to create, represent, promote, and embed a shared sense of "us."

Leaders must create and reinforce a sense of "us" among the group.
Leaders should appear to be acting in the best interest of the group.
Leaders must craft a shared sense of identity that unites the group.
Leaders should strive to make the group matter and have a positive impact on the wider world.

Leaders as Ingroup Prototypes

Leaders are more effective if they are perceived as representing the social identity of the group.
Leaders need to be seen as "one of us" and as embodying who we are and what we want to be.

Leaders as Ingroup Champions

Leaders are more effective if they are perceived as standing up for the group and its values.
Leaders should be willing to make sacrifices on behalf of the group, even if it leads to short-term costs.

The Bobo Doll Experiment demonstrated that children will imitate what they see.
The experiment suggests that aggression can be learned through observational learning.
Prior to the study, the Catharsis Hypothesis argued that people purged and expended aggression through the performance of aggressive acts.

Violence in Popular Culture

There is strong evidence of a causal relationship between media violence and aggressive behavior.
The exposure to violent content in media provides "scripts, schemas, and beliefs" about how and when to express aggression.
Positive modeling through positive portrayals in media can promote pro-social behaviors.

Phillips Finding on Media Violence

Phillips (1983) found a sharp increase in US homicides following heavyweight championship fights.

Violent Music & Pornography

Fischer and Greitemeyer (2006) found that exposure to aggressive music increased aggression in both men and women.
Ferguson et al (2022) conducted a meta-analysis of studies on pornography and sexual aggression.
The meta-analysis found that non-violent pornography is not associated with sexual aggression.
There was some weak evidence that violent pornography is correlated with sexual aggression. However, methodological problems with studies made it difficult to draw strong conclusions.

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Description

Explore the concepts of primary and secondary groups in sociology. This quiz covers key characteristics, examples, and the importance of group cohesion, including social and task cohesion. Test your understanding of how these groups function in society.