Members: Ly MouyLeang

Thul Leakhena

PART TWO THEME: SOCIETY (Social Structure and Social Interaction)

I. Discussion Questions
1. Based on our opinion, Social Structure is a concept of classes’ arrangement to
identify groups of people in order to interact one another in the society.
2. We think, it is important for a society to allocate classes for the citizen. It’s not just
about the rich and poor, but we have to consider of consequences that might occur if
we don’t separate them. Imagine if a society had only rich people, then where could
we purchase supplies and food for our everyday life. Because when we were all
wealthy, what’s the point of doing difficult work like farming? Actually, a society is
just like a family we need someone to parent us, to guide the way and to tell us what
is wrong and right to do. What if there was no government? We may end up kill each
other and how should the victims find justice for themselves?
3. Social interaction: is what people do when they are in one another’s presence.
Conflict is one of Social Interaction. We sometimes encounter conflict with other
people, family or friends. Example: some people think iOS is better, some prefer
Android, each side wants to prove their opinion is right and that’s why they jump into
conflict.
II. Vocabulary Building
1. Yield (v) B. produce or generate (a result, gain, or financial return)
2. Vague (adj) H. of uncertain, indefinite, or unclear character or meaning
3. Euphoric (adj) F. characterized by or feeling intense excitement and happiness
4. Override (v) N. be more important than
5. Subdued (adj) C.(of a person or their manner) quiet and rather reflective or depressed
6. Seclusion (n) M. the state of being private and away from other people
7. Privileged J. having special rights, advantages, or immunities
(adj)
8. Deprived (adj) L. suffering a severe and damaging lack of basic material and cultural
benefits or a specified benefit that is considered important
9. Prestige (n) K. widespread respect and admiration felt for someone or something on the
basis of a perception of their achievements or quality
10. Debarred (adj) D. to be excluded or prohibited officially from doing something
11. Defrocked E. being deprived of professional status or membership status relating to the
(adj) Christian Church or its clergy
12. Mesh (v) G. make or become entangled or entwined
13. Overwhelming I. very strong emotion
(adj)
14. Conform (v) A. comply with rules, standards, or laws
15. Amply (adv) O. enough or more than enough; plentifully

III. Comprehension and Critical Thinking Questions

1. Macro sociology: analysis of social life that focuses on broad features of society, such as
social class and the relationships of groups to one another; usually used by functionalists
and conflict theorists.
Micro sociology: analysis of social life that focuses on social interaction; typically used
by symbolic interactionist.
Because each approach has different focus, macrosociology and microsociology yield
distinctive perspectives, and both are need to gain a fuller understanding of social life.
We cannot adequately understand street corner men, for example, without using
macrosociology. It is essential that we place the men within the broad context of how
groups in U.S. society are related to one another- for, as is true for ourselves, the social
class of these men helps to share their attitudes and behaviors. Nor can we adequately
understand these men without microsociology, for their everyday situations also form a
significant part of their lives- as they do for all of us.
2. People learn their behaviors and attitudes because of their location in the social structure
and they act accordingly. This is as true of street people as it is of us. The differences in
behavior and attitudes are due not to biology, but to people ‘s location in the social
structure. Switch places with street people and watch your behaviors and attitudes
change.
3. Components
• Culture: the broadcast framework that determines what kind of people we become.
• Social class: according to Weber, a large group of people who rank close to one another
in property power, and prestige; according to Max, one of two groups; capitalists who
own the means of production or workers who sell their labor.
• Social status: the position that someone occupies in a social group
• Roles: the behavior, obligations and privileges attached to a status
• Groups: people who have something in common and who believe that what they have in
common is significant, also called a social group
• Social institutions : the organized, usual, or standard ways by which society meets its
basic needs.
4. Describe:
• Ascribed status: a position an individual either inherits at birth or receives involuntarily
later in life
• Achieved status: a position that is earned, accomplished, or involves at least some effort
 or activity on the individual’s part
• Status symbols: items used to identify a status
• Master status: a status that cuts across the other statuses that an individual occupies
• Status inconsistency: ranking higher in some dimensions of social class and low on
others called status discrepancy
5. Explain “Roles”, “Status”, and “Group” with examples.
• Role: sociologist see role as essential to social life. When you were born, role- the
behavior, obligations and privileges attached to a status- were already set up for you.
Example, expectations that you show to respect to your parents when you are their
children , pay attention with your lesson when you are students are part of role
• Group: consists of people who interact with one another and who feel that the values,
interests and norms they have in common are important. For example, group of friends
• Status: the position that someone occupies in a social group. For example, when you
start school, your status is student