Sociology 545 Social Psychology Fall 2005

Topics Social Groups Social Groups Social Institutions Social Institutions Collective Behavior / Social Movements Collective Behavior / Social Movements

Social Groups Definition Definition Types Types Characteristics Characteristics

Social Groups Definition “The emergence of three or more individuals into a pattern of goal orientation, characterized by an interrelationship of statuses and awareness of membership.” “The emergence of three or more individuals into a pattern of goal orientation, characterized by an interrelationship of statuses and awareness of membership.”

Social Groups - Types Primary vs. Secondary Primary vs. Secondary Interpersonal vs. Instrumental Interpersonal vs. Instrumental Small vs. Large Small vs. Large Interaction vs. Reference Interaction vs. Reference

Social Groups - Types primarysecondary small large Family, gang or fraternity work groups such as a jury Bureaucracies such as Ford or Apple Reference groups (NOW, NAACP, AARP)

Social Groups - Characteristics Structure Structure Status Status Conformity / Consensus Conformity / Consensus

Social Groups - Structure Structure as Networks in Primary Groups Transitive Intransitive

Social Groups - Structure Structure as Spans of Control in Secondary Groups Span of Control

Social Groups - Structure = Friendship StructureAuthority StructureF x S Structure

Social Groups - Structure Authority Structure =

Social Groups - Structure Friendship Structure =

Social Groups - Structure Structure as Complex Networks Structure as Complex Networks x= Authority StructureFriendship Structure Reciprocity Structure

Social Groups - Status Gamson - Coalition formation Authority vs. Influence C1(5/4) C2(5/3) C3(4/3) C1(5/4) C2(5/3) C3(4/3) Person Person Person C4(4/3)

Social Groups - Status Berger – Expectation States LDUD 56%10%

Social Groups - Conformity Asch – Social Conformity Asch – Social Conformity Milgram – Obedience to Authority Milgram – Obedience to Authority Zimbardo – Role Person Merger Zimbardo – Role Person Merger Janis – Group Think Janis – Group Think

Social Groups - Conformity Asch – Social Conformity Asch – Social Conformity ABC 33%

Social Groups - Conformity Milgram – Obedience to Authority Milgram – Obedience to Authority 450V XXXXX 15V 51%

Social Groups - Conformity Zimbardo – Stanford Prison Experiment Zimbardo – Stanford Prison Experiment 14 students randomly assigned to Prisoner and Guard Status One nervous breakdown, a minister, parents, parole hearings and guard abuse Had to stop after only six days due to extreme role person merger

Social Groups - Conformity Illusion of Invulnerability: Members ignore obvious danger, take extreme risk, and are overly optimistic. Illusion of Invulnerability: Members ignore obvious danger, take extreme risk, and are overly optimistic. Collective Rationalization: Members discredit and explain away warning contrary to group thinking. Collective Rationalization: Members discredit and explain away warning contrary to group thinking. Illusion of Morality: Members believe their decisions are morally correct, ignoring the ethical consequences of their decisions. Illusion of Morality: Members believe their decisions are morally correct, ignoring the ethical consequences of their decisions. Excessive Stereotyping: The group constructs negative stereotypes of rivals outside the group. Excessive Stereotyping: The group constructs negative stereotypes of rivals outside the group. Janis - Groupthink

Social Groups - Conformity Illusion of Unanimity : Members perceive falsely that everyone agrees with group's decision; silence is seen as consent. Illusion of Unanimity : Members perceive falsely that everyone agrees with group's decision; silence is seen as consent. Pressure for Conformity : Members pressure any in group who argue against the group's stereotypes as disloyalty. Pressure for Conformity : Members pressure any in group who argue against the group's stereotypes as disloyalty. Self-Censorship : Members withhold their dissenting views and counter-arguments. Self-Censorship : Members withhold their dissenting views and counter-arguments. Mindguards : Some members appoint themselves to protect the group from adverse information that might threaten group complacency. Mindguards : Some members appoint themselves to protect the group from adverse information that might threaten group complacency.