1 Welcome To Rural Sociology 1000 Introduction to Rural Sociology Mary Grigsby Associate Professor of Rural Sociology Division of Applied Social Sciences

2 TOPICS OF DISCUSSION Class Business The Case of Noodling Groups Significant Others Primary Groups Agents of Socialization Collective Memory Mead’s Role Taking

Significant others People or characters who are important in an individual’s life, in that they greatly influence that person’s self evaluation or motivate particular behaviors. In the case of noodling, usually a father, uncle, or grandfather ranked high in the male pecking order of the group. Other examples? 3

4 Group-Two or more people who share a distinct identity, feel a sense of belonging, and interact directly or indirectly with one another. Primary Group-A social group that has face-to- face contact and strong emotional ties among its members. (Share distinct identity, language, family descent, military unit, noodling group) Groups and Primary Groups

Groups Primary Group-A social group that has face- to-face contact and strong emotional ties among its members. Ingroup-Group with which people identify and to which they feel closely attached, particularly when that attachment is founded on opposition toward an outgroup toward which there is a feeling of separatness, opposition or even hatred. 5