SOC101, Unit II Summary, Outline, & Review for Chapters 4, 5, & 6

Principals of SociologySummary & Outline for Chapters 4, 5, & 6with Assignment and Unit Test Review

Compiled and Edited by Joe Eulohttp://PSYCH.MyUCCedu.com

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CHAPTER 4:

SOCIAL STRUCTRE AND INTERACTION IN EVERYDAY LIFE

WHAT IS SOCIAL STRUCTURE?

Social structure and interaction are critical components of everyday life. At the microlevel, socialinteraction is the foundation of meaningful relationships in society. At the macrolevel, social structure isthe stable pattern of social relationships that exist within a particular group or society. This structureincludes social institutions, groups, statuses, roles, and norms. Changes in social structure may

dramatically affect individuals and groups, as demonstrated by Durkheim’s concepts of mechanical andorganic solidarity and Tonnies’ Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft.

SOCIAL INTERACTION

Social interaction is the process by which people act toward or respond to other people and it is thefoundation of meaningful relationships in society. Social interaction within a society is guided by certainshared meanings of how we behave. Race, ethnicity, gender, and social class often influence perceptionsof meaning, however. The social construction of reality refers to the process by which our perception of reality is shaped by the subjective meaning we give to an experience.

Ethnomethodology

is the study of the commonsense knowledge that people use to understand thesituations in which they find themselves. Dramaturgical analysis is the study of social interaction thatcompares everyday life to a theatrical presentation. Presentation of self refers to efforts to present ourown self to others in ways that are most favorable to our own interests or image. Feeling rules shape theappropriate emotions for a given role or specific situation. Social interaction also is marked by nonverbalcommunication, which is the transfer of information between people without the use of speech. As weenter the future, macrolevel and microlevel analyses are essential in the determination of how oursocial structures should be shaped so that they can respond to pressing needs.

ROLE AND STATUS

Role is a pattern of behavior that is expected of an individual who occupies a particular status i society.Status is a given position. Status consists of ascribed status and achieved status. Ascribed status is Godgiven and can be examined in terms of gender, social class, and race. Achieved status is a status thatpeople earn through efforts. Roles help people structure their behavior in accordance with sociallyexpected guidelines.

I.

SOCIAL STRUCTURE: THE MACROLEVEL PERSPECTIVEA.

Social structure

is the stable pattern of social relationships that exist within a particulargroup or society.

B.

Social structure creates boundaries that define which persons or groups will be the"insiders" and which will be the "outsiders."1.

Social marginality

is the state of being part insider and part outsider in the socialstructure. Social marginality results in stigmatization.2.

A

stigma

is any physical or social attribute or sign that so devalues a person’s social

identity that it disqualifies that person from full social acceptance.

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II.

COMPONENTS OF SOCIAL STRUCTURE

A.

A

status

is a socially defined position in a group or society characterized by certainexpectations, rights, and duties.1.

A

status set

is composed of all the statuses that a person occupies at a given time.2.

Ascribed and achieved statuses:a.

An

ascribed status

is a social position conferred at birth or received involuntarilylater in life. Examples of ascribed statuses include race/ethnicity, age andgender.b.

An

achieved status

is a social position a person assumes voluntarily as a resultof personal choice, merit, or direct effort. Examples include occupation,education and income. Ascribed statuses have a significant influence on theachieved statuses we occupy.1.

A

master status

is the most important status a person occupies; it dominates all of the

individual’s other statuses and is the overriding ingredient in determining a person’s

general social position (e.g., being poor or rich is a master status).2.

Status symbols are material signs that inform others of a person’s general social

position. Examples include a wedding ring or a Rolls-Royce automobile.A.

A

role

is a set of behavioral expectations associated with a given status.

1.

Role expectation

- a gro

up’s or society’s definition of the way a specific role ought to

be played- may sharply contrast with

role performance

- how a person actually playsthe role.

2.

Role conflict

occurs when incompatible role demands are placed on a person by twoor more statuses held at the same time (e.g. a woman whose roles include full-timeemployee, mother, wife, caregiver for an elderly parent, and community volunteer.)

3.

Role strain

occurs when incompatible demands are built into a single status that aperson occupies (e.g., a doctor in a pubic clinic who is responsible for keepingexpenditures down and providing high quality patient care simultaneously). Sexualorientation, age, and occupation frequently are associated with role strain.

4.

Role exit

occurs when people disengage from social roles that have been central totheir self-identity (e.g., ex-convicts, ex-nuns, retirees, and divorced women and men).