CHAPTER 4 Social Structure Sociology 4/15/2017 CHAPTER 4 Social Structure Section 1: Building Blocks of Social Structure Section 2: Types of Social Interaction Section 3: Types of Societies Section 4: Groups Within Society Section 5: The Structure of Formal Organizations Chapter 4

Objectives: Section 1: Building Blocks of Social Structure Identify and describe the two major components of social structure. Analyze how these two components of social structure affect human interaction.

Major Components of Social Structure Section 1: Building Blocks of Social Structure Major Components of Social Structure Status – a socially defined position in a group or in a society and has attached to it one or more roles Role – the behavior expected of someone occupying a particular status

Roles, Status, and Human Interaction Section 1: Building Blocks of Social Structure Roles, Status, and Human Interaction People’s particular roles and statuses affect how they relate to one another.

Objectives: Section 2: Types of Social Interaction Identify the most common types of social interaction. Distinguish between types of interactions that stabilize social structure and those that can disrupt it.

Common Types of Social Interaction Section 2: Types of Social Interaction Common Types of Social Interaction Exchange – interacting in an effort to receive a reward or a return for one’s actions Competition – two or more people or groups in opposition to achieve a goal that only one can attain Conflict – the deliberate attempt to control a person by force, to oppose someone else, or to harm another person

Common Types of Social Interaction Section 2: Types of Social Interaction Common Types of Social Interaction (continued) Cooperation – two or more people or groups working together to achieve a goal that will benefit more than one of them Accommodation – a state of balance between cooperation and conflict

Interactions That Stabilize and Disrupt Section 2: Types of Social Interaction Interactions That Stabilize and Disrupt Competition and Conflict – disrupt social stability Accommodation, Exchange, and Cooperation stabilize social stability

Objectives: Section 3: Types of Societies Identify and describe the types of societies that exist in the world today. Explain the roles individuals play in these models of group systems.

Types of Societies Section 3: Types of Societies Preindustrial – food production is the main economic activity and can be subdivided according to the level of technology and the method of producing food Industrial – emphasis shifts from the production of food to the production of manufactured goods made possible by changes in production methods Postindustrial – much of the economy is involved in providing information and services

Roles of Individuals Section 3: Types of Societies Roles related to: Leadership Family Work

Objectives: Section 4: Groups Within Society Summarize the major features of primary and secondary groups. Identify the purposes that groups fulfill.

Features of Primary Groups Section 4: Groups Within Society Features of Primary Groups Interact over a long period of time on a direct and personal basis Entire self of the individual is taken into account Relationships are intimate and face-to-face

Features of Secondary Groups Section 4: Groups Within Society Features of Secondary Groups Interaction is impersonal and temporary in nature Involve a reaction to only a part of the individual’s self Casual and limited to personal involvement

Purposes of Groups Section 4: Groups Within Society Select leaders – people that influence the attitudes and opinions of others Define their boundaries – so that members can tell who belongs and who does not Set goals, assign tasks, and make decisions Control their members’ behavior – if members violate groups norms, the group cannot survive long

Objectives: Section 5: The Structure of Formal Organizations Explain how bureaucracies are structured. Evaluate the effectiveness of bureaucracies.

Weber’s Model Section 5: The Structure of Formal Organizations Division of Labor Ranking of Authority Employment based on formal qualifications Rules and regulations Specific lines of promotion and advancement

Effectiveness of Bureaucracies Section 5: The Structure of Formal Organizations Effectiveness of Bureaucracies Efficient at coordinating large numbers of people, defining tasks and rewards Provides stability Can lose sight of goals, create red tape, and result in oligarchies In some instances, rewards incompetence and expands uncontrollably