Warm-up On the slip of paper I provided you, I want you to write your story of your most embarrassing moment. DO NOT WRITE YOUR NAME ON YOUR SLIP OF PAPER.

The Structure of Groups Group Ingroup Dyad Outgroup Triad Small Group Primary Group Secondary Group Reference Group

What is a group? (FYI…the word “gang” is slang for group…they are the same thing essentially”) Four requirements 2+ Must be meaningful interaction Must share expectations Must have some sense of common identity

Aggregates If the last three requirements are not met the people form an AGGREGATE. Example: a line of people waiting to board a plane.

Ways groups differ Length of time together Organizational structure Some meet once and never again, others are together for years. Organizational structure Can be formal= structure, goals, and activity are clearly defined. (Student government) Can be informal= no official structure or rules of conduct. (Your circle of friends) Size

Size Smallest group is a DYAD…two members Each member has control over groups existence One leaves, group ends. Decision stalemate if both disagree Group of three is a TRIAD Major changes occur when group goes from 2 to 3 No one person can disband the group Decision making easier 2 vs. 1

Small Group A small group isn’t an exact number, but one in which everyone is able to work on a “face to face” basis. How large can a small group be? Sociologists have found that 15 is about the largest number that can productively work well. Once the number goes above 15, members tend to pair off into smaller groups.

Types of groups: Primary Group Small group of people who interact over a relatively long period of time on a direct and personal basis. Personality of the individual taken into account Relationships are intimate Communication is intense Structure is informal( no rules!) Examples????

Types of groups: Secondary group Interaction is temporary and impersonal Reaction to only a part of individual personality. Person’s importance is= to their function Relationship limited and casual. Individual can be replaced Organized around a specific goal. Example=job

Reference Groups We perform our roles and judge our behavior with reference to the standards set by a particular group or groups. A reference group is that group that influences our behavior. We adopt the reference groups attitudes and values. Can have positive and negative effects. We compare ourselves to them. Who are your reference groups???? Parents??? A music group???

Ingroups and Outgroups All groups have boundaries… methods of distinguishing between members and nonmembers. Group in which you feel you belong=ingroup Group you don’t identify with or feel you belong to= outgroup. “Meangirls”…the “ingroup” was everybody’s outgroup.

Ingroups Three characteristics Separate themselves from other groups (symbols, clothing, etc) View themselves as positive and other “outgroups” as negative Compete with outgroups, sometimes to the point of conflict.

It’s not what you know… but who. SOCIAL NETWORKS Web of relationships that is formed by the sum total of a person’s reactions with other people. networks can vary in terms of their characteristics social networks serve various functions and have various social consequences. What social networks do you have???

Study of social networks Three specific characteristics of networks will be analyzed: 1) their size, 2) the strength of relationships in them, and 3) the diversity of relationships in social networks. In the list I’ve given you there are around 250 surnames, all taken at random from the Manhattan phone book.  Go down the list and give yourself a point every time you see a surname that is shared by someone you know (point per person you know with that name). The idea is that your score on this test should roughly represent how social you are. Have students put numbers next to each last name. Have them tally up all their points at the end and then raise their hand for which group they fall into (0-5,6-10,11-15,16-20,21-25,26-30,31-35,36-40, 40+)

Results What factors could lead to differing results? Recently moved here Job outside of school Apart of clubs or teams Family size Family income

Strength of these social networks How do we identify them? How do we use them? Personal Evaluations:  Look at who likes whom, who is friends with whom, who avoids whom, and who dislikes or hates whom.  Friendship networks, social cliques at a church, and prestige hierarchies within communities are all examples of networks created by personal evaluations. Transfers of Material Resources:  Look at how money, capital, commodities, services, and other valuable material resources flow.  Focus on exchanges in which A gives B something in exchange for B giving A something. Examples include who contributes to a local charity, whom banks lend to and where they borrow from, and buying and selling in markets. Information: Who talks to whom?  Who communicates with whom?  Though networks, messages are sent and received, creating information networks.  Information networks are important in spreading gossip, learning about job openings, and diffusing innovations. Movement of People:  Look for the flows of people between places, organizations, or occupations.  For example, some accounting firms recruit a large number of their new accountants from specific business schools.  Occupations often are linked by the flow of people such as the recruitment of principals from [the ranks of] teachers. Formal Roles:  Look at the rules and regulations that prescribe who can tell who what to do.  Command hierarchies in organizations depicted in organizational charts are examples of such networks. Kinship:  Look at who is related to whom either by descent or by marriage.

6 degrees of separation Read Case Studies first then 6 degrees of separation.

6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon Video

Wrap-up What are the features of primary and secondary groups? How do the roles of group members differ between primary and secondary groups? Note group dynamics in the movie the Goonies, what kind of group were the goonies?

Primary Group Photo Project. Project: you need to find a picture of yourself with one of your primary groups and bring it into class by FRIDAY. Along with the photo, you need to write up one paragraph explaining who your primary group is, how long they have been a part of your life, the names of the people in the group and why you chose to bring in a photo of yourself with that group. TELL ME WHY THEY ARE ONE OF YOUR PRIMARY GROUPS You will present your primary group photo to the class and hand in the photo and write up for a project grade. (I will post photo in the room, but will return photo at the end of the semester)