Learning objectives for Chapter 4

What are the key ideas concerning social structures and social interactions from the stand point of Conflict Theory, Functionalist Theory, and Symbolic Interactionalist Theory?

How does social structure affects a person's perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors?

What statuses do you occupy and what are the expected roles, including any master status?

How do stereotypes influence an individual's expectations and behaviors?

Vocabulary to learn from Chapter 4

ascribed and achieved status

conflict theorists

dramaturgical view of everyday life

ethnomethodology

eye contact in different cultures

face-saving behavior

Functionalists

Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft

Macrosociology

Microsociology

Mechanical Solidarity and Organic Solidarity

personal space

roles

social class

social institutions over time

social status

symbolic interactionalist

teamwork

Discussion

Chapter 4 structure and interaction

Humans usually try to organize themselves. We need to define how this is accomplished

In this and the next chapters, the text provides a good number of terms with their

definitions. Some of these you are already familiar with, such as Macro level

(Conflict and Functionalism) and Micro level (Symbolic Interactionalism)

theories. We quickly revisit culture and add social class, social status, and roles

that come with the status. We learn that some things are forced upon you; an

ascribed status is given you at birth since the society already existed and already

had determined how power was to be passed out. Going to college it is sure that

you are trying to earn something; we call that an achieved status and sometimes it

can help make up for the shortfalls imposed by the ascribed status.

We also look at personal space, status symbols, master status concepts and a

rough history of human societal development since caveman days to the present.

Probably the most important thing for you to understand in the history section is

that small groups of humans usually little difference between the members since

they have to do the same work to survive (Mechanical Solidarity). Very small

groups probably had quite egalitarian viewpoints. The greater differences we see

in large complex societies, according to Durkhiem, arose out of the specializations

or the difference vocations that people create (Organic Solidarity).

You will note that Tonnies came up with a similar set of views but used different

words: Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft. For our purposes, Gemeinschaft is the

same concept as Mechanical Solidarity and Gesellschaft is the same concept as

Mechanical Solidarity. If you go onto graduate school, you may learn that the

two sets of terms do have some slight differences, but they are close enough to

being the same for an Introduction class.

But does beauty really give a person a "leg up" over the rest of us? Page 98 of

your text says so. And was Shakespeare correct in the concept that "all the world

is a stage" (Dramaturgy)? Certainly you can understand, as a student, the

pressures on you to be everywhere at one time (role conflict). Role strain may

often be your companion as you try to match the expectations that you feel are

correct (are you too "nice" for the opposite sex to want to date?). And, of course,

the media is constantly trying to tell you what and how and when you should be.

The Thomas theorem is very important because people change their behavior

based more upon their beliefs than reality. You will read that it is easier to control

through ideology than force of arms. The last thing you will read about in chapter

4 is volunteerism and how people help people -- or not.

Movies assigned

Chapter 4 Structure and Interactive

Videos that you can rent which are based upon some of the principles of this lesson:

Swiss Family Robinson

Father Goose

The Dream Team

The Time Machine

Johnny Tremain

Lesson 5 Social Groups and Formal Organizations

Learning objectives for Chapter 5

What are the key ideas concerning groups and organizations from the stand point of Conflict Theory, Functionalist Theory, and Symbolic Interactionalist Theory?

Max Weber’s five essential characteristics of bureaucracies

How do  bureaucracies perpetuate themselves?

The electronic community and its social impacts on social relationships.

Know the two types of group leaders and the three styles of leadership as they are listed in your text.

Know how leadership type is influenced by the situation .and how the characteristics of people help them become leaders

Know about the Asch and Milgram experiments. What are the ethical questions these experiments raise?

Know how our own social networks perpetuate social inequality

Know why U.S. and Japanese corporations became different

Vocabulary to learn from Chapter 5

aggregate

bureaucracy

cliques

dyads and triads

group and group dynamics

group size

groupthink

in-groups and out-groups

McDonaldization of Society

oligarchies

primary and secondary groups

rationalization of society

reference groups

social networks

Discussion

Dr. W. Edwards Deming created a set of points that should create a strong corporation. He did this about the end of World War II and published his ideas in 14 points:

1. Create and communicate to all employees a statement of the aims and purposes of the company.

2. Adapt to the new philosophy of the day; industries and economics are always changing.

3. Build quality into a product throughout production.

4. End the practice of awarding business on the basis of price tag alone; instead, try a long-term relationship based on established loyalty and trust.

5. Work to constantly improve quality and productivity.

6. Institute on-the-job training.

7. Teach and institute leadership to improve all job functions.

8. Drive out fear; create trust.

9. Strive to reduce intradepartmental conflicts.

10. Eliminate exhortations for the work force; instead, focus on the system and morale.

11.  Eliminate work standard quotas for production. Substitute leadership methods for
improvement. Eliminate Management by Objective and void numerical goals. Alternatively, learn the capabilities of processes, and how to improve them.

12. Remove barriers that rob people of pride of workmanship

13. Educate with self-improvement programs.

14. Include everyone in the company to accomplish the transformation.

These concepts are sometimes labeled “horizontal management” in contrast to the usual American corporate structure which is patterned after the Military Model and is called “vertical management.”

United States corporations did not adopt these new ideas, but many Japanese corporations did. That effort eventually changed the balance of trade towards the Japanese and away from America. This can still be seen today in the automobile industry.

Movies assigned

Chapter 5 Groups & Organizations

Videos that you can rent which are based upon some of the principles of this lesson:

12 O'clock High

How to succeed in business without really trying

The Fugitive

Big Business

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