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SOCIAL STRUCTURE
Chapter 4,
Section 1
SOCIAL STRUCTURE- WHAT IS IT?
 Social structure= the network of interrelated statuses and
roles that guide human interaction.
 Status
 Socially defined position in a group or in a society
 Individuals have multiple statuses
 Types of Statuses:
 Ascribed
 Achieved
 Master
T YPES OF STATUSES
 Ascribed status= a status assigned on the basis of aspects
out of one’s control. Inherited or bestowed upon an individual;
cannot be changed.
 Teenager
 Sex
 Race/ethnicity
 Achieved status= acquired through direct ef fort on the part of
the individual; require special skills, knowledge and ability.
 Occupation
 Husband/wife
 Master status= the status that ranks above all others; plays
the greatest role in a person’s social identity.
 Can change as you get older.
ROLES
 Role= the behavior expected of someone occupying a given
role.
 Ralph Linton: “You occupy a status, but you play a role.”
 Reciprocal roles= corresponding roles that define the patterns
of interaction between related statuses.
 Examples Athlete-coach; doctor-patient; employer-employee; clerkcustomer; etc.
 Socially determined expected behaviors are known as role
expectations.
 However, not all of these are fulfilled.
 Role performance refers to the actual role or behavior performed.
WHEN ROLES CONVERGE
 Dif ferent roles attached to a single status= role set.
 Example teaching
 Role conflict= occurs when fulfilling the expectations of one
role or status make it dif ficult to fulfill another.
 Being a good athlete conflicts with being a good student.
 Role strain= occurs when a person has dif ficulty meeting the
obligations of a single status.
STATUSES + ROLES = ???
 Statuses and roles are used to fulfill the basic needs of a
society.
 This is known as a social institution.
 Examples:
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Family
Economy
Politics
Education
Media
Science
Religion
TYPES OF SOCIAL
INTERACTION
Chapter 4,
Section 2
SOCIAL INTERACTION
 When you play a role, you generally have to interact with
others.
 These interactions serve many functions: stabilize social
structure, promote change, etc.
 Five types of interaction:
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Exchange
Competition
Conflict
Cooperation
Accommodation
EXCHANGE
 An interaction that results in a reward for their actions=
exchange.
 Suggested by Peter Blau that this was the most common type
of interaction.
 Why are there so many exchanges on a daily basis?
 Reciprocity= if you do something for someone, that person owes you
something in return.
 Rewards can be material or nonmaterial.
 Exchange theory= people are motivated by self -interest in
their interactions with other people.
 Rewards must outweigh the costs involved.
EXCHANGE THEORY???
http://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=ShF71
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COMPETITION AND CONFLICT
 Competition= when two or people oppose each other
to achieve a goal that only one can attain.
 Positive or negative means of motivation?
 Conflict= deliberate attempt to control by force, to
oppose someone, or to harm another person.
 Very few rules of conduct, compared to competition.
 George Simmel four sources of conflict
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Wars
Disagreements within groups
Legal disputes
Clashes over ideology
COOPERATION AND ACCOMMODATION
 Cooperation= when two or more people work
together to achieve a goal that will benefit more
than one person.
 Cooperation can happen within a group, or between groups.
 Helps get things done in society.
 State of balance between cooperation and conflict is
known as accommodation.
 Multiple forms:
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Compromise
Truce
Mediation
Arbitration
MEDIATION VS. ARBITRATION
Both involve a third party, however in
mediation, a compromise between the two is
worked out.
In arbitration, the third party’s decision has
been agreed upon to be followed, no matter
what it is.