4 Social Structure and Interaction in Everyday Life

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Social Structure

and Interaction in Everyday Lif E?

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SociaL Structure:The MacroLeveL Perspective Components of SociaL Structure

StatusRoles GroupsSocial Institutions

Societies: Changes in SociaL Structure

Durkheim: Mechanical and Organic SolidarityTi:innies:

Gemeinschaft

and

Gesellschaft

Industrial and Postindustrial Societies

SociaL Interaction: The MicroLeveL Perspective

Social Interaction and Meaning TheSocial Construction of RealityEthnomethodology Dramaturgical Analysis TheSociology of EmotionsNonverbal Com munication

Changing SociaL Structureand Interaction in the Future

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began Dumpster diving [scavenging in a largegarbage bin] about a year before I becamehomeless .... The area I frequent is inhabitedby many affluent college students. I am not here bychance; the Dumpsters in this area are very rich.Students throw out many good things, includingfood. In particular they tend to throw everythingout when they move at the end of a semester,before and after breaks, and around midterm,when many ofthem despair of college. SoI find itadvantageous to keep an eye on the academiccalendar. Ilearned to scavenge gradually, on myown. Since then I have initiated severalcompanions into the trade. I have learned thatthere is a predictable series ofstages a persongoes through in learning to scavenge.At first the new scavenger is filled with disgustand self-loathing. He is ashamed ofbeing seen andmay lurk around, trying to duck behind things, orhe may dive at night.(In fact, most peopleinstinctively look away from a scavenger. Byskulking around, the novice calls attention tohimself and arouses suspicion. Diving at night isineffective and needlessly messy.) ... That stagepasses with experience. The scavenger finds a pairofrunning shoes that fit and look and smell brand-

~Questions for Critical Thinking

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1. Considerthe conceptof thelooking-glass self How do youthink others perceive you?Do you think mostpeople perceiveyoucorrectly? 2.What are your "I" traits? What are your"me"traits? Whichones are stronger? 3.What are some differentways that you might study the effect of toys on thesocialization of children?

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The Kendall Companion Website

http://thomsonedu.com/socioLogy/kendalL

Supplement your review of this chapterbygoingto the companionwebsite to take one of the tutorial quizzes,use the f lash cards to masterkey terms, and check outthe many other studyaids you'll f ind How couldyouisolatethetoy variablef rom other variablesthat inf luence children's socialization? 4.Isthe attemptedrehabilitation of criminaloffend- ers-through bootcamp programs, for example- a form of socialization or resocialization? there.You'llalso find specialfeatures such as GSS Data and Census 2000 informationthat will put data and resources at your fingertips tohelpyou with thatspecial pro jectorhelp you do some research on your own.

new.... He begins to understand: People throw away perfectly good stuff ,a lot ofperfectly goodstuff .At this stage, Dumpster shyness begins todissipate. The diver,after all,has thelast laugh. Heis finding all manner ofgoodthingsthat are his for the taking. Thosewho disparage his prof ession arethefools,not he.

-AuthorLarsEighner recalls hisexperiences as a Dumpster diver while living under a showercurtain in a stand of bamboo in a public park.Eighner became homeless when he was evicted from his "shack" af terbeingunemployed f orabout ayear.(Eighner,

1993:111-119)

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ighner's "diving" activities reflect a spe-cific pattern of social behavior.All activities in life-including scavenging ingarbage bins and living"on the streets"-are social in nature.Homeless persons and domiciled persons (those with homes) live in social worldsthat

have

predictable patterns of social interac-tion.

Social interaction

is the process by whichpeople act toward or respond to other peopleand is the foundation for all relationships andgroups in society. In this chapter, we look at therelationship between social structure and social interaction.In the process,homelessness is used as an example of how social problems occur andhow they may be perpetuated within social struc-tures and patterns of interaction.

Social structure

is the complex framework of societal institutions (such as the economy, poli-tics, and religion) and the social practices (such

All activitiesin life-including scavenging in garbagebins and living"on the streets" -are socialin nature.

as rules and social roles) that make up a societyand that organize and establish limits on peo-ple's behavior. This structure is essential for thesurvival of society and for the well-being of individ- uals because it provides a social web of familial sup-port andsocialrelationshipsthat connects each of us to the largersociety.Many homeless people

h ave

lost this vital linkage.As a result,they oftenexperi- ence a loss of personal dignity and a sense of moral