Separate and Together: Life in Groups Chapter 5

What is a Group? Groups – a collection of people who share some attribute, identify with one another, and interact with each other. the people who are in contact with one another, who share some way of thinking, feeling, and behaving, who take one another’s behavior into account, and have one or more interests or goals in common. Social groups provide the values, norms, and rules that guide people’s lives. Are viewed as the buffer between individuals and society. Prevent ‘Anomie’

Types of Groups Social category – people who share a social characteristic. Crowd - unlike a group, it is a temporary gathering of people in a public place, whose members do not identify with each other and will not remain in contact. Social aggregate – people who happen to be at the same place at the same time; people who share a physical location but do not have lasting social relations. Unlike groups, individuals who make up aggregates, crowds, or categories do not interact with one another or take each other into consideration.

Primary Groups Primary Groups – people who are emotionally close, know one another well, and seek one another’s company. Characterized by relationships that are intimate, personal, caring and fulfilling. Conditions for having a primary relationship: small group size, face-to-face contact, continuous contact, cooperation and deep feelings of belonging

Secondary Groups Secondary Groups – people come together to accomplish a specific purpose; usually organized around a specific activity or task. These groups are larger, relatively temporary, more anonymous, impersonal and goal oriented. Involves only some of the segments of its members’ lives. Members more likely to interact on the basis of specific roles, activities, or tasks such as president, manager, worker, or student, etc.

Reference Groups Reference Groups – Individuals use various groups to evaluate themselves and to acquire attitudes, beliefs, values, and norms. You may or may not be a member. You assess self in terms of their standards, etc. Includes families, teachers, doctors, political leaders, college Greek organizations, sports teams. Exert great influence over our behavior; people may change their clothing, hair style, speech, etc, to match what the reference group would expect of them.

In-Groups & Out-Groups In-groups –groups to which individuals feel loyalty Identification and belonging that often produce rivalries. Out-groups – groups of which one is not a member. The in-group members feel opposition and competition with out-groups and their members. Discrimination “We” and “them” can sometimes lead to acts directed against the out-group These Goth teenagers gathered in a Swedish park are clearly a group. Are they an in-group or an out-group?

Groups Dyad - the smallest possible social group (two members). It is unstable because of the small size - if one person leaves the group, it ceases to exist. Triad - (a three-person group) is more stable than a dyad. Conflicts between two members can be mediated by the third. Dyads usually have very strong relationships, but the fact that they are so easy to break apart makes them unstable.

Social Networks Social network – a web of direct and indirect ties and social relationships connecting an individual to other people and groups. You and your family, friends, peers, colleagues, teachers, and coworkers constitute your social network. Provides a sense of belonging and social support and help in the job market. Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, etc.

Cards for Asch’s Experiments Which of the lines on card A matches the line on card B? You must be thinking, “What a no-brainer.” You may be surprised to learn that in a group setting, many people associated the other two lines in card A with the line on card B.

Social Influence (Peer Pressure) Social influence (peer pressure) is the influence of one’s fellow group members on individual attitudes and behaviors. Generally we conform to group norms because we want to gain acceptance and approval (positive sanctions) and avoid rejection and disapproval (negative sanctions). This is actually common in our society. People feel pressure to fit in, and they often follow popular trends or go along with the ideas of friends as a result. Adolescents in particular often feel tremendous pressure to fit in and sometimes make choices that aren’t in their best interest because they are influenced by others. It is fairly common to hear stories in the news about teens who get into trouble. How often is this attributed to peer pressure?

Groupthink Group cohesion is the sense of solidarity or loyalty that individuals feel toward a group to which they belong. Groupthink - a situation in which pressures toward uniformity discourage members of the group from expressing their reservations about group decisions. Examples: Buildup to the invasion of Iraq in 2003; Kennedy administration decision to launch the Bay of Pigs invasion. Photo Caption: These business people are in the process of making a decision. Name one possible positive consequence and one negative consequence of group decision making.

Formal Organizations Formal organizations - a type of secondary group that is deliberately created to achieve one or more specific goals. The change from preindustrial to industrial society lends itself to the establishment of more and more formal organizations. Citizens of modern society have become highly dependent on large organizations.

Bureaucracy Most formal organizations are bureaucracies. Bureaucracy – formal organization (type of secondary group) based on rationality and efficiency These impatient bank customers are clearly experiencing the effects of formal organizational structure. Do you think most organizations are bureaucratic in nature?

College

Major Characteristics of Bureaucracy A division of labor based on the principle of specialization. A hierarchy of authority. Organizational affairs are based on a system of rules and procedures. Members of the organization maintain written records of their organizational activities. Statuses in the organization, especially managerial ones, are considered full-time jobs. Relationships within the organization are impersonal. Employees of bureaucratic organizations do not own their positions. Critiques: Not efficient and rational as planned Dehumanizing social environment (iron cage of rationality) Wastefulness

McDonaldization What is meant by “McDonaldization”? George Ritzer coined the term McDonaldization to describe the spread of bureaucratic rationalization and the resulting increase in both efficiency and dehumanization. How does George Ritzer’s idea of McDonaldization relate to Weber’s “iron cage of rationality”? Ritzer stated that many institutions in our society now operate much like a fast food restaurant, focusing on efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control. Where else in our culture do you see McDonaldization occurring?